Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 44mag vs 223

No this is a question for walking in timber and woods were shots are under 50yards! Under 50! Would you carry a 233!semi-auto with great ammo or a 44mag Carbine?

44 mag, hands down. Hornady leverevolution ammo is great.

I have a Ruger #3 with a conquest 1.2-5 for my "short range" hunts. It shoots 3 shot cloverleafs using 305 gr HSM bear loads.

I'm a little surprised. I figured the 223 at under 50yards with a good hunting round dumps more energy!

44 mag no question

44mag. 223 has killed deer for me, but, even with premium bullets hitting where I want, they run more than I prefer.

Granted, I prefer to not shoot the shoulder, as it wastes more meat.

44mag just behind the shoulder>.223 for me.

If you are going to hit the shoulder with a TSX, 6 of one, half dozen of the other IMO

If they both shoot equally well and you can count on either bullet to do the job I would use the one with less recoil or the one that I preferred carrying or shooting quickly.
I don't usually worry much about energy with deer, I worry about putting a good bullet in a good place.

I'd pick up my Ruger 44 International under this scenario.

20gauge sxs with 00.

.44 mag no question.

Energy? You actually pay attention to that crap? It's a mathematical computation of the sort that proves that bees can't fly. I look at results instead.

Marlin 1894 loaded with the 270 grain Speer Gold Dot SP is the best deer medicine ever for those heavy cover short shots.

At 50 yards or less, I'll take the .44 mag. A WW Trapper with the 16" barrel & a 260 gr WFN LBT Hardcast bullet at 1600 FPS is deadly on big feral hogs here at the Ranch.

223

Whatever I wanted to. Either will work plenty well if used correctly.

50 yards is getting a bit out there with a 44 handgun, but you said carbine. Though I've no issues with handguns at 50 with irons, as long as you are capable, its really not that hard of a shot given you have a good rest.

OTOH ain't no deer alive that will walk away from a 50 yard hit with a 223...

Won't survive walking away I should say

I recovered a 44 mag slug out of a dirt bank I shoot into it was 2" across most 223 bullets shot into the same bank explode on impact or I'll just find the base part I wouldn't want to be shot with either but the 44 mag would have the advantage as far as stopping power I'll tote mine in the morning to prove it

Should I ever find myself hunting dirt banks I'll remember that. I'm sure they require a lot of 'stopping power'

44 Mag carbine, hardcast shank with a fat, pure lead expanding softnose.

As much respect as I have for the speed and effectiveness of a .223 class cartridge, especially with monos, it pales at the ranges described with modified cast bullets, especially worst case scenario/odd angles.

Of course its mostly about bullets. Lead can do what jacketed stuff does but at lower speed.

223 with 62 Barnes. Kills 200 lb pigs with ease.