Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 44 spcl on deer

Injury and upcoming wrist repair, has me thinking .44 mag days are done.
May try to pop a deer w dad's old SBH running specials.
Dunno what load to try.

I have 1K 240 gr JSP to load LOL (may take that many to learn to shoot lefty LMAO).
Run 240s or go w 200's ?

I shoot a lot of 250 gr. Keith bullets over 7.0 gr. of Universal in 44 Magnum brass in my magnum handguns. It’s a pleasant load to shoot and I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on whitetail deer. I get about 800 to 900 fps depending on the barrel length of the gun I’m shooting.

With jacketed 240’s, you may be able to increase the powder charge a bit and still be in the 44 Special range as far as recoil and velocity.

I’ve killed a bunch of stuff with 240s and 250s over 9 or 10 grains of Unique in Mag brass. It’s easy shooting and I’ve never caught a bullet.

Nothing gives me any indication that a little slower special load wouldn’t work just as well. I think Brian Pierce published some good Power Pistol loads getting about 1050fps a few years ago.

I have a pretty slick Saeco flat nose 200 or 220 mold if you want to try some lighter bullets I’ll send you some.

.44’s and .45’s we’re tailor made for heavier bullets at moderate velocities IMO. I like .44 Mag brass loaded at slightly hot .44 Special/very moderate .44 mag velocities with Keith style 250 grain bullets.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

Won't be using handgun as primary.
But am thinking if one comes in under 25 use the SBH.

Never shot the WW 225gr factory 44 spcl ammo. Dunno how that is recoil wise.

Lunate bone bad, have no idea how that repair or replace is gonna limit things.
Definitely not gonna chance it after.

May end up shooting lefty, but not even gonna try that til right is healed.

I've become a big fan of Power Pistol. 8.5 grains with a 250 Keith deep-seated to Special OAL in magnum brass runs right about 1000 from a 6 1/2" barrel. Accuracy is on par with the 10 gr Unique medium load.

17 grains of 2400 with a 200 XTP in 44 Special brass is a good load also.

I'm with TheKid, I would stick with magnum brass, 200ish grain cast bullets and 1000ish fps. In fact as I approach my allotted 3 score and 10, that is exactly what I plan to do with the new Bisley. Betcha it'll shoot plumb through any deer I come across.

I shoot a 260gr LBT WFN over SR 4756 for about 875-900 out of my Blackhawk. Mild recoil and very accurate, and haven’t found the deer that will stop one. A similar load will easily suit your needs inside 25 yds. Good luck and speedy recovery.

Old70

You're smart to protect that wrist/hand until you're certain it is healed. I've taken several deer using 10 grs of Unique in the 44 magnum using a Keith style HP, only recovered one & that was a frontal shot that went almost length ways. I also taken several, both muleys & whitetails with 44 specials using the same HP's or Keith solids using the Skeeter Skelton load of 7.5 grs of Unique in 44 special brass, don't think I've ever recovered one.
With a two handed grip & gloves you should be fine after the Dr. gives the green light, good luck!

A good .44 Special load will most definitely be perfect for any deer you come across. From 240 grain semi wadcutters to 200 grain full wadcutters, as long as it is providing the accuracy needed and at a decent speed, it will certainly put venison in the freezer.

For a little lighter recoil, I would probably go for a 200 grain wadcutter. I made up some 200 grain wadcutters for commercial loads and have been having a good time plinking with them in my own brass.



They have a little bit less recoil than the regular 240 SWCs and are fun to cut full caliber holes in targets. I would be more than happy if a deer got in front of me with a .44 full of them!

A 250 gn swc at 900 fps will go through a deer endwise or crosswise, and do a lot of damage. Not a toy.

A 200g cast over 7g of titegroup would work. I used to shoot tons of those in all my 44s. Years ago I got a deal on a bunch of Lazer cast rfn cast for cheap so I shot a lot of them.

They did from about 1050 in the 4" guns to around 1100 in the 6" ones. Almost no recoil. They made shooting my 329pd enjoyable. I shot a lot of rabbits with them in the 329pd just to practice shooting moving game. I wish we still had rabbits around.

I'm also liking the new win 244 powder. It seems pretty similar to titegroup performance wise. If you want more of a mid power load I burned a lot of power pistol in 44s in the late 90s and then switched to using Longshot for a lot of medium loads because I always had it for my 12 gauge hunting loads.

Now I run be86 too for mid loads. It's kind of like a flash suppressed power pistol. I told the alliant guys at shots how what they needed was a flash suppressed power pistol. They smiled and said we might have something like that in pipeline it's just not a canister powder yet.

I need to start narrowing down my handgun powders because I don't have the time to test them all anymore.

Bb

I'm a big fan of 215gr HC LSWC over an accurate dose of Universal in my 4 5/8" FT BH.
Haven't shot a deer with it yet, but use on other critter indicates it will do the trick.
The same concept in a Magnum case has proven to be good medicine for deer and other vermin.

A 240 grain SWC at 900 fps from a .44 SPL or .44 MAG will penetrate and break bone. I load my S&W 329PD at 900 fps in .44 MAG brass 'cause I don't like to shoot .44 SPL in my .44 MAG revolvers and because the recoil of full power .44 MAG. ammo in that light revolver is sharper than I prefer. Mackay's 240 grain SWC shoots good groups in my Rossi 720, S&W 624, and Taurus 44l.

One of my close friends shot a grizzly bear through the head from 12 paces as it charged him. Folded it right up dead as could be. His tool of choice for the job? A 2” S&W 296 44sp with 250gr Keith bullets. I doubt that they’re going much over 800fps.

I’ll never forget what he told me regarding the experience. “I knew I’d have to head shoot him to have a chance. When he charged his paws looked as big as frying pans and his head as big as a tennis ball!”

I shoot my 44 sp. Colt SAA using 215 SWC, 5 gr. of Trail Boss and Fiocchi primer.
Easy to shoot and very good accuracy.

I hear they work well on deer.

8grs. CFE Pistol H&G 503 (NOE catalog).

1950 Target

Prior to the .44 Magnum Elmer Keith killed a lot of game with his .44 Special, that was back in the day before we had the powder and bullets we have today. The .44 Special with proper bullets is up to the task, shooting distance and shot placement still need to be taken into consideration when using the .44 Special.

Keith loaded 250 cadt bullets to 1200 FPS in the 44 Spl.

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/44-s-w-special-p