Considering a .444 H&R - 12/31/09
Louisiana's recent change to allow older single-shot designs for the primitive weapons season has me contemplating picking up a Handi-Rifle. They seem to be the most popular of the allowable rifle models. Regulations also call for a chambering of .38cal or larger. My three options are the 444 Marlin, 45-70 (very popular), and the 500 S&W. We are allowed to use scopes on these rifles.
At first glance, the 45-70 makes the most sense due to the availability of good bullets, but I'm not sure I want to be punished on the receiving end just to kill a little whitetail. The 500 is really cool and offers some good ballistics from a rifle, but I hear it also requires some concentration to shoot well due to the recoil. The 444 seems like it might make the most sense for me, as 240's can make 2,300fps and 270's will do nearly 2,200fps. A good 270gr Gold Dot bonded softpoint or the 265gr Flex-tip at 2,200 offers a pretty good trajectory for 200yd hunting. A 150yd zero should yield a mid-range rise of 2" and only be 5" low at 200yds, where it has slowed to the point of matching the muzzle velocity of a 44mag handgun.
Anyone have any opinions on the 444 H&R for whitetails and pigs? With two small kids and the wife and I both running the rat race, an extra couple weeks of deer season could be helpful.
At first glance, the 45-70 makes the most sense due to the availability of good bullets, but I'm not sure I want to be punished on the receiving end just to kill a little whitetail. The 500 is really cool and offers some good ballistics from a rifle, but I hear it also requires some concentration to shoot well due to the recoil. The 444 seems like it might make the most sense for me, as 240's can make 2,300fps and 270's will do nearly 2,200fps. A good 270gr Gold Dot bonded softpoint or the 265gr Flex-tip at 2,200 offers a pretty good trajectory for 200yd hunting. A 150yd zero should yield a mid-range rise of 2" and only be 5" low at 200yds, where it has slowed to the point of matching the muzzle velocity of a 44mag handgun.
Anyone have any opinions on the 444 H&R for whitetails and pigs? With two small kids and the wife and I both running the rat race, an extra couple weeks of deer season could be helpful.