Just received a Deerstalker 44 carbine and planning ahead to deer season and I’ve never deer hunted with a pistol cartridge carbine. What’s a good ammo for the carbine for what can be bigger North East deer? Thanks
.44 mag ammo for Whitetail
- Thread starter RC44Mag
- Start date
badguybuster
Blackhawk
At carbine velocities, any of the XTPs will work well. Ive had good luck with handloaded hard cast, cast checks sized to .430 in my Ruger
TDF
Single-Sixer
Do you reload? Or are you limiting yourself to factory ammo?
In my carbine I worked up a load with the 300 gr XTP, then proceeded to shot a young buck 3x3. Terrible angle. Went in the left shoulder, lungs, liver, stomach, etc, smashed rear femur and ended up just under the skin on the left hip. I generally like my bullets to exit, but I couldn't have shot through any more deer, so cant complain.
TDF
In my carbine I worked up a load with the 300 gr XTP, then proceeded to shot a young buck 3x3. Terrible angle. Went in the left shoulder, lungs, liver, stomach, etc, smashed rear femur and ended up just under the skin on the left hip. I generally like my bullets to exit, but I couldn't have shot through any more deer, so cant complain.
TDF
If you reload, I use Winchester 296 under a 240 grain Hornady XTP bullet. It has performed well for me over many years on deer.
if you don’t reload, give the Winchester white box ammo a try. I have a Marlin lever gun in 44 magnum that I could not get to group well. The white box ammo did the trick and I still hunt with it today.
if you don’t reload, give the Winchester white box ammo a try. I have a Marlin lever gun in 44 magnum that I could not get to group well. The white box ammo did the trick and I still hunt with it today.
OP
Snake Pleskin
Banned
Use factory ammo, it is more reliable in the auto action. keep your shots under 100 yds. You should do fine. Also, make sure it is legal to use a semi auto in PA! It wasn't when I lived there.
I've used a 44 mag carbine to kill ONE deer. A common cup and core 240 grain soft point did a fine job. I'm guessing that the moderate loads with a Nosler 200 grain HP that I normally use in a 4 5/8" SBH would literally explode inside a deer.
OP
Won’t be heading to PA. I’ll be hunting upstate NY and in NH. Semi is legal in both states, thanks
OP
HP bullets coming apart at higher velocity is my major concern and that’s why I’m leaning soft points but wanted to hear from hunters who’ve used particular off the shelf HP and SP ammo for deer. Thank you
Snake Pleskin
Banned
You can't go wrong with a SP IMHO. Wont break up if it hits bone etc.
I think the ammo I used was PMC 240 grain TCSP(truncated cone soft point). It has a fairly small meplat of exposed lead. Bullet was not recovered due to total penetration.
badguybuster
Blackhawk
The XTP and the Barnes TSX are both extremeoy durable and I have had exit wounds on black bear using both
noahmercy
Blackhawk
I'll also recommend the XTP. Very accurate bullets and designed to penetrate well. A 240 or 300 grain will usually shoot clean through even the biggest deer (mulies get pretty brawny here in Wyoming).
If you want to guarantee an exit hole, look into a cast bullet load featuring a large meplat (nose flat), like the Buffalo Bore 305 grain or Grizzly Cartridges 260 grain. The LBT bullet designs can't be beat. Just ensure they run in your carbine.
If you want to guarantee an exit hole, look into a cast bullet load featuring a large meplat (nose flat), like the Buffalo Bore 305 grain or Grizzly Cartridges 260 grain. The LBT bullet designs can't be beat. Just ensure they run in your carbine.
OP
Thanks for all the suggestions
Biggfoot44
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2009
- Messages
- 829
Think for a second : Full power 240gr .44 Magnum , from a Rifle , within reasonble range . Can you think of any such load , Not decisively fatal to a deer ?
Worst case scenario is non expanding ( accidentally or on purpose ) bullet , making .44 cal wound track completely thru a whitetail .
FWIW , Remington designed the then groundbreaking , nowadays old school 240gr " scallop jacket " JHP. Circa 1964 specifically for game performance using the then new Ruger .44 Carbine .
Mainstream jhp intended for these velocities include XTP , and Gold Dot
JSP , expect no expansion .
Worst case scenario is non expanding ( accidentally or on purpose ) bullet , making .44 cal wound track completely thru a whitetail .
FWIW , Remington designed the then groundbreaking , nowadays old school 240gr " scallop jacket " JHP. Circa 1964 specifically for game performance using the then new Ruger .44 Carbine .
Mainstream jhp intended for these velocities include XTP , and Gold Dot
JSP , expect no expansion .
bisleyfan41
Blackhawk
I've had great results from the Federal American Eagle 240 JHPs from a 7.5" SBH and 20" Encore. Amazing tissue damage. Cheap as any factory 44 mag ammo is a bonus.
Don’t hunt dear but do hunt feral hogs with my Henry Big Boy in 44mag. it has yet to fail knocking down the porker. They stay down. Not all we’re killed with the one shot but they weren’t going anywhere. I dispatch them with my .45 if they are suffering. All have been sows. The smallest around 80-90 lbs and the largest around 150-175lbs. I have no doubt you will be able to drop a deer with any .44mag round you choose…. Provided your inside 200 yards. I use Winchester 240gr JHP’s. My longest shot was maybe a 100 yards but I suck at guessing distance. Congrats on the rifle!
Out of a carbine I think I would opt for the soft points over the hollow point. My experience with 240gr XTPs at pistol velocities (~1250 fps) is they expand fully on impact. I would be a little concerned about the bullet coming apart at carbine velocities. Not that it wouldn't likely be fatal, just that you are introducing another potential variable, particularly for a shoulder hit.
I would steer clear of the 300gr XTPs. I have had a number of hits with them where the bullet failed to expand at all. It slumped over at the hit and just tumbled. Still fatal but not the performance I was looking for.
I would steer clear of the 300gr XTPs. I have had a number of hits with them where the bullet failed to expand at all. It slumped over at the hit and just tumbled. Still fatal but not the performance I was looking for.
OP
Thanks men
jgt
Buckeye
I load all my own, but back when Marlin built 1894 Marlins in 44 magnums there were lots of reports on the Marlin owners forum from guys that did not reload. They seem to take a lot of deer with plain ole Winchester white box 240grn factory ammo.
wmmichael20
Bearcat
I've taken 3 whitetail bucks and most recently a 245 lb black bear last week with my 96/44 all three deer were taken with the Hornady levervolution ammo with two complete pass throughs and the bear was with 240grain hornady custom line with xtp hp got complete penetration through the chest cavity and bullet came to rest and was recovered in his leg where it broke his femur.
OP
The XTP was the big winner in this thread and since Ruger and nearly everyone else says to use 240gn ammo in the carbine that’s what I’ll go with. I’ve also been meaning to see how the levervolution feeds in the from magazine to chamber so I’ll pick up a box of that just to test. Thanks for your insight.
wmmichael20
Bearcat
The levervolution feeds well in my rifles box mag
I've taken deer with a Redhawk, Super Redhawk, and an Encore handgun, all with 240 grain XTP's. Exits in all of them.
I shot 1 bear with my 96/44 and a 300 grain XTP with full penetration.
For this year, my 9.5" SRH likes 260 grain WFN cast bullets, my 5" SRH likes 200 grain XTP's, and my CVA with 22" barrel likes 240 and 300 grain XTP's. I am out of the 300 grainers, so will use 240's in it.
I shot 1 bear with my 96/44 and a 300 grain XTP with full penetration.
For this year, my 9.5" SRH likes 260 grain WFN cast bullets, my 5" SRH likes 200 grain XTP's, and my CVA with 22" barrel likes 240 and 300 grain XTP's. I am out of the 300 grainers, so will use 240's in it.
Diabloman
Single-Sixer
I used the XTP load 240 gr with 296. It works in my Ruger Super Blackhawk.
