DEER HUNTING WITH A 44 MAGNUM

[Hookeye]

Its still a fat slow bullet of short axis
Works but isnt magic.
This drop em where they stand talk.....not everybody sits in a shack and whacks em off the food plot in the neck under 50 yards LMAO.

Do think the heavier bullets may offer advantages....more apt to range through on line, that also making for a little bigger window on shot selection.

Ive seen deer shot well, w a variety of things, and some plop, some dont. Ive seen em take a shotgun slug from stem to stern, with it stopping under hide off offside ham. Full energy absorption, from 12 yards, on the ground. That deer jumped and then trotted 75 yards. WW Hi Impact supreme slug 12 ga

That same slug crumpled a deer at 95 w a mid height double lung. No shoulder hit. Slug whistled through.

Think that projectile has more oomph than 270 gr Buffalo Bore .44 mag.

 

[Hookeye]

For me these days, in handgun Id run a 357 mag to 50 yards and a .44 mag to 100. Maybe go 150 if I had a Contender Super 14 w optic. But in Contender Id rather run a .35 rem.

 

[DadSmith]

Its still a fat slow bullet of short axis
Works but isnt magic.
This drop em where they stand talk.....not everybody sits in a shack and whacks em off the food plot in the neck under 50 yards LMAO.

Do think the heavier bullets may offer advantages....more apt to range through on line, that also making for a little bigger window on shot selection.

Ive seen deer shot well, w a variety of things, and some plop, some dont. Ive seen em take a shotgun slug from stem to stern, with it stopping under hide off offside ham. Full energy absorption, from 12 yards, on the ground. That deer jumped and then trotted 75 yards. WW Hi Impact supreme slug 12 ga

That same slug crumpled a deer at 95 w a mid height double lung. No shoulder hit. Slug whistled through.

Think that projectile has more oomph than 270 gr Buffalo Bore .44 mag.

Nephew shot a big doe through the heart this bow season, and she ran almost 200yds through thick brush before she finally dropped.

 

[Dstewart73]

I have used Dan Wesson 44mag to hunt deer and bear for 50 years. It has a 6” barrel and has a 1x3 scope mounted. Will only shoot to around 100 yards using 240gr JHP. Have never had a problem.
That said, 3 years ago, I switched to a Glock mod 40 10mm with 6” barrel and Holosun red dot. 180gr JHP. It too does a fine job.
The key is bullet placement. Doesn’t matter what you use, you will be tracking if you can’t hit where you are aiming.

 

[duanewade]

I've used my Dan Wesson .44 mag with a 6" barrel (wearing a scope) shooting 200 gr XTP handloads for several deer kill from 35 to 85 yards. Two dropped in theirbtracks and the other ran about 20 yards before keeling over. All 3 had exit wounds and heart and lungs had a lot damage.

I've taken several deer with my Dan Wesson 15-2 also shooting 158 gr XTP handloads.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[hooky]

I've taken one deer with a .44mag. Ruger Super Blackhawk with 240gr handloads from about 30 yds. She hunched, tried to run and staggered about 15ft before falling over.

Somebody up thread mentioned the metallic clicks involved in cocking a SA pistol like that Ruger. Nothing has ever been so loud and un-natural sounding in the woods. Thank goodness for dumb deer. LOL

 

[Hookeye]

Can reduce the cocking noise a bit on the SA Rugers.
Two lesser clicks instead of four louder ( Ruger 3 screw).
But that method might upset the uber safety types.

 

[Hookeye]

Nephew shot a big doe through the heart this bow season, and she ran almost 200yds through thick brush before she finally dropped.

Arrow pass through? Reportedly they go farther when it doesn't.

 

[1nderbeard]

Dude .44 magnum will drop deer all day under 100 yards.
So will .357 magnum.

It all comes down to shot placement and using proper rounds.

my first deer ever was a young buck. 50 yards with a leverevolution 357 mag from a JM Marlin. Dead in about 25 yards. Demolished one lung and put a big hole in the other.

 

[Hookeye]

Deer attitude before bullet contact may be a factor

 

[DadSmith]

Arrow pass through? Reportedly they go farther when it doesn't.

Yep went through. He said he had a very visible blood trail to follow.

 

[DadSmith]

You "CAN'T" Get a Follow-Up Shot with .44 Magnum⁉️

It's what I heard, so I try. S&W model 69 4.25" barrel, Buffalo Bore 180 gr LSWCHP 1,550 FPS.

youtube.com

Good video.

 

[bgcatty]

Within reasonable ranges (I say up to <100 yards) .44 Magnum with well placed shots should have no problems with whitetail deer. Heck I’ve taken some 100+ lbs wild hogs with a S+W Model 29 using heavy 240 grn. Hornady XTP projectiles over a stout load of 2400 and the little piggy just keeled over. My 2 cents. Peace!

 

[hooky]

Within reasonable ranges (I say up to <100 yards) .44 Magnum with well placed shots should have no problems with whitetail deer. Heck I’ve taken some 100+ lbs wild hogs with a S+W Model 29 using heavy 240 grn. Hornady XTP projectiles over a stout load of 2400 and the little piggy just keeled over. My 2 cents. Peace!

That's my load. 240g JSP over 2400. Wish I could shoot as consistent as the load.

 

[Hawkj]

240 grain jsp for me also. Does a great job.

 

[Hookeye]

Most of my handgun deer shot w 180 and 200gr JHP. Broadside or kinda sorta LOL Maxd on WW296.

Blast is annoying. Deer seem to dislike that combo as well.

 

[NICKT93]

How does a 6inch barreled 44 magnum pistol do on bringing down deer? I shoot 50yds max on deer no matter what gun I am using , makes feel more sure of a SOLID HIT, I dont like and wont take iffy shots just not worth it. But does the 44 have more than enough power at 50 yards to take a deer down immediatly. And I know organ hit, heart, is mandatory.I use 300 grain SP ammo. I have not had the chance to shoot one yet , but just asking pistol shooters their opinion so I can get better insight on situation.I do use a rest wether it be a tree branch or downed log. And practice that way also.THANKS GUYS. I like having varied opinions on subjects , and you guys do help.

I personally haven’t taken one down with a 44(yet) however when I was a kid , my Dad dropped a Doe with his RedHawk 44mag. Was an uphill moving shot , hit her between the shoulder blades on her back and she went right down. Believe he took more with it just can’t remember and he’s no longer here for me to ask.
Hope this helps !

 

[phatgemi]

I've killed six with ruger redhawk in 44 mag. Ranges were from 10-50 yards. All six were bang flop. I would use Hornandy 240 gr XTP. Best deer bullet out there. I also have a handi rifle which originally was 44 and I reamed it out to 445 Super Mag. 44 mag on steroids!!!! Energy at 100 yards exceeds 44 at muzzle. With that I used 265 Hornandy xtp handloads. I know you asked about pistol but I threw in the rifle for comparasion. Without a doubt, the 44 will do its job if you do yours. Only other rounds dropping deer as quick was the 500S&W and 12 gauge slug. Good luck