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.

I definitely wouldn’t feel undergunned with a 223. I know I can hit em right .

.44 magnum, .223 is for women,kids and sissies.

Almost found myself a member of that group. But during my recent Cardiologist appointment he told me he no longer sees any reason that I should avoid recoil. So now instead of Bear hunting with a .223 the past few days I've been out with my .45-70. And that's the way I like it.

I know of more deer lost to the former than the one used by "women, kids, and sissies".

Energy figures are not a valid predictor of results. They are a 2nd tier factor, a sort of tie breaker which comes into play only when all other things are equal. In this case, bullet diameter and weight are so different that there is no equaling, no tie to break. If you were comparing .30 cal cartridges firing 165 grain partitions, say .300 savage vs .300 win mag, then you've got only one bullet weight, diameter, and construction, so the velocity and energy difference is THE difference.

Comparing .44 to .223, they don't really even kill by the same mechanism.

Can we have more choices? .44 between those two.

. So you used the 223 to wound the deer you didn't find and don't want to pay for?

Irony. And what non-sissy chambering were you using to wound the deer that ended your recent hunt?

I've taken quite a lot of deer with my 44 MAG carbine and none got away. For many years, I chose Hornady hollow tip bullets that expended their entire energy within the animal. But last few years I've switched over to Speer's 270 grain soft tip because it always produces a good blood trail plus I use this carbine for bear hunting.

Sherwood

My vote goes to the 44. There is nothing like a slick lever action IMO.

Most of those 50 yard shots in heavy timber require you to thread the bullet through small openings in the brush to hit vitals. An accurate 223 with bullets designed for big game kills anything a 44 will kill and be more accurate.

Never heard of a .233. Must be hard to find ammo for it so I'd take the .44 mag.

Definitely 223.

My daughter shot her first deer in heavy brush at about 20 yards with a 22-250 and 64 Nosler Bonded Solid Base loaded to .223 velocity. Deer was facing us on an angle. The bullet broke the shoulder going in and exited the opposite rear leg on the way out, breaking a bone and leaving a half dollar exit. The deer went a few feet and was done. Have had similar results myself with a .223 and 64 Nosler BSB on the handful of animals I have taken with it. Based on my limited experience with the combo, I would not hesitate to shoot a cow elk with that bullet in a .223.

I don't think I have ever killed a big game animal with a JHP in a .44 Magnum or a carbine, but have killed more than a few with handguns and hard cast Keith and LBT bullets in .44s, .45s and .454s. I can't tell a difference in performance between the three but fully expect a 100- to 200-yard run with those combos given good shot placement outside of the CNS. Not what I would want in heavy brush.

my Marlin 1894 with my .44 mag hand loads, will give clover leaf patterns at 50 yards. Not a lot more practical accuracy to be seen from a .223.

44 is ok, but I have killed more of them with an AR15 and handloads.

44 AI

The best part of this thread is that my 2 nieces borrowed a single shot 44mag Handi Rifle and a .223 Savage Axis to hunt with in WI this year.

They both get to keep the rifles as their Christmas present, since they both got their first deer with them.

Practical no, but any 223 thats not shooting a ragged hole at 50 yards, needs help...

44 no question for short range, big holes. I'm admittedly very biased though.
The under appreciated Ruger 96/44 Lever to be specific. You won't find a lighter, shorter throw lever action. I have Marlins, Wins, Savages too of varying calibers.....
Removable magazine for easy and quick loading/unloading. Carries like a 10/22, absolutely a joy to handle.
I have many deer rifles, bolts/pumps/levers/semi autos..... the 96/44 is still my all-time favorite for they type of stuff we hunt in.
I like the 96/44 over the 99/44 Deerfield semi-auto and the 77/44 bolt, I have those as well.
I've taken more deer with my 96/44 than all my others combined. I just love to carry it in the thick stuff.