Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Effective rage of a 44Mag

On a average Southern deer from a lever gun. Rifle shoots 2" groups at 100yard with 240gr bullets

As far as the person using it can dope drop and windage and shoot it well enough to keep all shots in about a six inch target. I know, everybody says eight inches, but let’s leave some margin for error.

The big issue isn’t how far does it have enough “power”, but how far can you still place shots well enough. For most that will probably be a hundred and fifty yards or so.

I'd concur. I'd say 125-150 tops
I've shot just past 100 maybe 120 or so
The ones I've used are scoped, so I
can hold a decent group and identify
a legal deer for the county where I hunt.
All the wt deer I've shot with a 44mag
rifle were in and out

whoa.........calm down boy, calm down, i know that you been raging, but settle down. here's a little 44 Special to tide ya over .


i used to shoot a Ruger SRH with a 7.5" barrel in 44 mag. the longest shot on a doe was around 125+/- yards (laser range finder was not invented). i don't remember which i used, but it was either 200gr or 240gr Hornady XTP with a very warm load of Win 296. i do remember the shot was behind the shoulder (slightly broadside) there was an exit wound. i've killed 5 or 6 deer, but they were at average distance of 20 to 30 yards. my eyes were great back then, so i would go 125 - 150 yards.

nowadays, i use a Ruger SBH with a 4 5/8" barrel in 44 mag. in my 44 mag load, i use a 280gr WFN under Unique. mostly i use a 44 Special and a 255gr Keith type bullet with a Skeeter load of Unique. the area i hunt, its about 50 yards and under. i've shot 2 or 3 deer with the SBH and i've used both loads, behind the shoulder shoots and they exit.

i have used a 444 Marlin and 300gr FNGC with 2400/tuft of dacron that goes 1624fps. i have killed 3 or 4 deer with that load. the furthest was 63 yards, while the others were about 20-30 yards. i'm guessing that 1600fps is slower or equal to than your 44 mag rifle.

50 yards is what I’d say, but what the hell do I know.

That is essentially the same as my muzzleloader load. 240 XTP over 100gr 777. I killed one at 176, clean as a whistle. So, at least 150, if you know how much it drops. It's important to actually shoot at those ranges to see what it REALLY does. Sometimes your rifle didn't read the book....

Dad has ranged kills with his at 197 and 205 and lots in the 150 range.

Same rifle in my hands? 100. Would stretch it to 125.

Depends on what you practice and how the rifle shoots.

-Jake

I shot a buck at 100 yards with a 44 mag carbine. Went right down.

My old Ruger 44 International is zeroed at 100 yard with 240 grain JSP factory loads. For me, a 200 yard shot would be stretching my comfort zone with that rifle and load, but could be done with the appropriate hold over if there was a good reason to do so.

Friend of mine shot a 9 pt buck years ago with a Ruger 44 mag. He shot him about 2" from his rear end and the bullet went under the spine and was found in his shoulder. He aimed about 1' high. It was 192 yards measured. He was 16 at the time and hunting with his dad. He said today he wouldn't make that shot with a 44 mag. But, it is possible and it is a powerful little cartridge.

I've got one datapoint with 44 Mag.

Bob's Model 44 and the Buck

Bottom line: in 2019I nailed a six-pointer at somewhere around 80 yards. The buck ran about 100 yards before piling up. I got pass-thru.

Compared to a 30-06 at that range? mediocre. However, I wasn't expecting that kind of performance. The animal died quickly. We had a hell of a time getting him out of that ravine, but it was not the fault of the rifle or the round.

One data point? I love that rifle, but the next season, I was taking a few practice shots and the receiver shattered. It was an early model of the Model 44. Ruger corrected the design shortly after introduction.

I have a couple of carbines that I have not shot in years. Maybe my son will like them. They kill well beyond what 240gr pills would belie. 200 yards is dead if you can hold it.

As far as you can hit one. 😉

That ^ ^ ^ ^ applies to all big game hunting rifles

Thanks guys I was thinking maybe 100yds. But while shooting with my old 1.5x6x42 SII on it it was doing very well at 75yds and so I just swapped on a Conquest 3x9 compact thinking maybe 125 yds would be about it. I don't particularly think I would be making a shot at that distance with that rifle because I have others that I will carry to areas that will offer longer distances but just was interested in hearing others experiences with the 44Mag.
Now to hit the bench and load up some loads to test.
I have 240gr XTPs and 240gr SP and W296/H110, Unique, little gun, and probably some others. Any suggestions on where to start? Yes I have several manuals

200yds

most of the guys that I know that use 357s and 44 magnum rifles for deer keep their shots at less than a hundred yards

100-125

I have a 77/44 that I got shooting good but would limit to 100 or so. 100 yards from my main stand is pushing it anyhow with the trees being quite thick in the woods

That's the truth!

I've taken two 8 point bucks one at 160 yards and the other at 150 yards. DRT using a Ruger 77/44 with Winchester 250 gr Partition loads.