[Roycemclean]

Fellow 44 mag hunters this will be my first season to take a deer with my 1894P! I am really excited about this year because i am going on two white tail hunts! Having no experience with the actual effects of this cartridge on white tail some input would be great. I have done alot of reading and have found alot of different opinions. However on this forum what i seemed to find was alot of reload recommendations but not alot in the way of factory loads.. I know my rifle groups about 2"-2.5" at 100 yards ( 5 shots ) with Winchester white box JSP, and about the same maybe slightly nicer groups with the leverlution 225 grn. I will not be taking a shot beyond that distance! Has anyone used either of these rounds on a deer? If i can get a good recommendation i will take the rifle out and make sure she shoots well with another factory load before the season gets here. I know i have plenty of time but if i could think of something else to do with my time i would. Thanks in advance! OH and since we all like pictures here is the hardware/ furniture!

 

[Bill M]

I think you're OK with the white box. 240 softpoint is fine for what you're after. I like that better than a hollow point as I think the penetration is more important. 44 already makes a fine wound channel. those leverlutions are fine too as long as you cycle OK.
You'll hear lots of other ideas. But if you want it simple, what you have in white box is fine.
You're gonna want to start loading your own though if you wanna have real fun!

 

[DWB]

I think you're OK with the white box. 240 softpoint is fine for what you're after. I like that better than a hollow point as I think the penetration is more important. 44 already makes a fine wound channel. those leverlutions are fine too as long as you cycle OK.
You'll hear lots of other ideas. But if you want it simple, what you have in white box is fine.
You're gonna want to start loading your own though if you wanna have real fun!

:dito:

Take those Winnie White Box loads and shoot with confidence. Practice so you know where things are hitting at 50, 100, and 150 yards with those factory loads and any whitetail in that range that you are comfortable with is going to be getting tagged in pretty short order.

 

[Capt Gary]

Have had very good results with American Eagle 240gr. HPs. Shoots really accurate in my 1894ss. Within the 100 yard range most any good .44 mag factory load will do all that needs to be done to any whitetail with a well placed shot.
Good luck, good hunting.

 

[rkcohen]

white box will work out to 150 yards.

they worked for me on a doe at that range - "suddenly!"

 

[Gallo Pazzesco]

I've killed literally a ton of whities with the White Box Value Pac 240 JSP. They work fine on the pigs too I might add. Plus they are pie plate accurate outta my 1894P to 100 yards if I do my part.

 

[AccuRat]

If you can find a box, Winchester's Supreme load with the 250 Nosler Partition is a killin' sum beech!

 

[MMA10mm]

I don't know that you will get a lot of "avoid this," or "only that one is any good." Most factory rounds will work well. I'm partial to Win. White Box myself, but before I bought my 1894SS, the previous owner and I were at the range with the carbine, and we were shooting what he bought with the rifle from the dealer: Blazers (yech!). But, one of the reasons I bought that carbine from him is because while we were shooting that day (in freezing temps and 7" of fresh snow, btw), both of us were shooting 1.5" groups at 75-80yds. with the buckhorn sights! I'd take a deer with those Blazer 240s, even though, as a reloader and traditionalist, aluminum cases make me gag.

 

[Roycemclean]

Thanks for the input! I think i will just keep with the WWB ammo its cheap and i have alot of it.... and now i have first hand accounts of it doing the trick so if it aint broke

 

[ruger4570]

WWB is a fine choice. I load Hornady 240 grain XTP's for mine and have had good luck with them. I shot a button buck last year with the Hornady leverevolutions and wasn't that impressed, but one deer does not give much info. Stick with the WWB and hopefully you can find plenty of ammo to practice with. As stated, the 240 soft point is a good load for deer, pig, bear, and just about anything in the lower 48. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[salmon30]

I've shot three WI whitetails with the Hornady FTX 225 grain in my 94AE. All less than 100yd, all down one shot heart, lungs area. No more than a 5 or 10 yard run after shot. FWIW

 

[Tatersoup]

My 1894 likes WWB 240 grain JSP a lot so it's all I use in the field.

 

[336ER]

Large Indiana buck thought a single Winchester "white box" 240gr JSP did OK. :biggrin:

Also used some Speer 270gr JFN (pics) to take a nice boar with my 1894/.44

 

[dale44]

Hello I took my 1st deer with 1 win white box shot dropped right where it stood good luck

 

[stans4]

The nephew-in-law has used the American Eagle 240 gr hollow points for several years. As long as he can connect, the deer go down. I've used FTX factory ammo a little, nothing super about it except price. I've done a lot more with handloads and the FTX. It does work, but not 2-3x better at 2-3x the price of the cheaper stuff. if you're going to shoot .44 Mag much, other than a weekend a year at deer season, you're going to need to reload. A .44 240 gr. anything will shoot through both sides of a whitetail broadside and most of the way lengthwise from either end. Penetration is NOT going to be a problem with factory loads. 2" is as good or better grouping than most shotguns will do and they collect a whole lot of whitetails every year. Max useful range is going to be about the same, too. And good luck finding any factory ammo these days. You pretty much have to take what's available.

Stan S.

 

[Merle1]

:dito:

Take those Winnie White Box loads and shoot with confidence. Practice so you know where things are hitting at 50, 100, and 150 yards with those factory loads and any whitetail in that range that you are comfortable with is going to be getting tagged in pretty short order.

+1 on the WWB.
I sighted in with them & they did so well I saw no reason to change.

:biggrin:

 

[CalvinMD]

Hard to beat those Win Whiteys...had great results with the HP version too..and that was on a fair size hog.....I also plan to try some of the Fed Fusions...the 44Mag load shoots nearly as good as the 41mag in my 94FG..and the terminal performance has been phenomenal of the .410 210gr..It has laid everything low it has hit..with super expansion AND penetration...acts like a partition without the pricetag

 

[Lonnie]

I used the same load in my 1894 to kill several deer and one black bear with the ranges you speaking of. Use them with confidence.

 

[dch]

winnie white box 240gr seem to work great for me.

 

[saddlesore]

Any 240 gr FP off the shelf is going to work for whitetail. Even the cheapest. Use what ever shoots best in your rifle. If standard 240 grain Speer semi jacket FP works for me killing elk. Then anything will sure as heck work for the biggest whitetail, hollow points or flat points