just getting into the reloading for this rifle and need to know what folks like. I have tried the Hornady 240 gr xtp, speer deep curl, and just ordered some sierra 240 gr jhp and some nosler 240 gr jhp. anybody have a preference? which loads or shoots better, any and all comments welcome. I have established 2-2.5 inch groups using the hornady and the speer 240 gr over 4227 and 2400. what say you any preferences?
mrguvna
I can't decide. I've killed animals with the 240 grain in Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, Winchester, and Remington brands. All over IMR4227 or Accurate #9. All game died, and all were pass-throughs, so no recovered bullets to admire. Past 10 years or so, I settled on Nosler JSP's because the local stores sell them cheapest, and the accuracy is great. I have never tried Speers.
23.0 Grains IMR 4227, Federal 155 Large Pistol Magnum primer, and Starline brass is the standard at this reloading bench. I tried 19.0 grains of Accurate #9 and a non-magnum primer, and that worked very well, too, but during the obama shortages there was no #9, so we stocked up on 4227.
23.0 Grains IMR 4227, Federal 155 Large Pistol Magnum primer, and Starline brass is the standard at this reloading bench. I tried 19.0 grains of Accurate #9 and a non-magnum primer, and that worked very well, too, but during the obama shortages there was no #9, so we stocked up on 4227.
I have been using Hornady 240JHPs for over 50yrs. Only change I have made was go to the 240XTP. My powder is H-2400 since I have
loaded 44mg. I've killed a lot of varmits and several deer with this load, out of Ruger SBH. Along the way I had Ruger & Marlin 44mg
carbines and didn't work up loads, just shot my SBH loads. They shot well. I really don't have much experience with 44 carbines. I have a Marlin 94 now that clover leafs at 60yds with 240xtp. I have gotten H-110 to see if it's any better than H-2400. Some say it is in carbines. The choice of Hornady JHP was made long ago because out of the big 3 they were softer and expanded to max. The Speer
240 JHP was the hardest and didn't always expand properly. The 240 Sierra HP was ok but didn't expand as much, but I does retain
its weight and stays together. The 240XTP holds together better than old Hornady 240JHP and is still better in expansion dept. Deer I have shot with it were all with Ruger SBH 71/2" and expansion was excellent. I would think it better yet out of longer barrel. Don't know
for sure because haven't shot a deer yet with the 94 or this load.
loaded 44mg. I've killed a lot of varmits and several deer with this load, out of Ruger SBH. Along the way I had Ruger & Marlin 44mg
carbines and didn't work up loads, just shot my SBH loads. They shot well. I really don't have much experience with 44 carbines. I have a Marlin 94 now that clover leafs at 60yds with 240xtp. I have gotten H-110 to see if it's any better than H-2400. Some say it is in carbines. The choice of Hornady JHP was made long ago because out of the big 3 they were softer and expanded to max. The Speer
240 JHP was the hardest and didn't always expand properly. The 240 Sierra HP was ok but didn't expand as much, but I does retain
its weight and stays together. The 240XTP holds together better than old Hornady 240JHP and is still better in expansion dept. Deer I have shot with it were all with Ruger SBH 71/2" and expansion was excellent. I would think it better yet out of longer barrel. Don't know
for sure because haven't shot a deer yet with the 94 or this load.
Awesome thanks for the details folks! I have found 4227 so far to be more accurate loads than with 2400, but still searching for the sweet spot. I am at 22.5 gr of either powder and it is a toss up on accuracy but edge might go to 4227. Just trying different projectiles and seeing what others like. My rifle is a Henry BBB and seems to like the jacketed bullets. I may eventually try cast but for now the JHP are easy to find and price not so bad.
as far as bullet expansion......I have never recovered a bullet in any deer I have ever shot with any caliber, all have been pass throughs. so expansion in hunting bullets at the ranges I shoot deer is not of concern, especially when you are starting out with a hole .429. although I have zero experience hunting with this 44 mag cartridge......yet
as far as bullet expansion......I have never recovered a bullet in any deer I have ever shot with any caliber, all have been pass throughs. so expansion in hunting bullets at the ranges I shoot deer is not of concern, especially when you are starting out with a hole .429. although I have zero experience hunting with this 44 mag cartridge......yet
My Alliant Powder printed paper manual from 2005 has max 21.5 grains 2400 under a Swift 240 (33,600 psi), and the Alliant online manual max load is 21.0 grains 2400 under a Speer 240. Might want back down from 22.5 grains, that 's too hot, maybe accuracy would be better at 19 or 20 grains.
Last weekend, a guy at the flea market had a whole tub full of reloading die
sets and molds.
I went through it and found a gas check 300gr 44cal mold.
I don't know how well it will work in a 44mag, but I am curious.
I want to think it would be good.
I should have bought the whole tub...
It was filled almost to the top, and he wanted $200.00
sets and molds.
I went through it and found a gas check 300gr 44cal mold.
I don't know how well it will work in a 44mag, but I am curious.
I want to think it would be good.
I should have bought the whole tub...
It was filled almost to the top, and he wanted $200.00
My 629, bought in the early ‘80’s, has never had a jacketed bullet run through it. Have taken antelope and black bear using a hard cast, wide metplat, 265 grain bullet. Any thing from 260 to 310 grains should perform well. As far as powder, primers, etc.....just do the usual load research, and determine what works best in your revolver. memtb
I been shooting 22.5 gr H-2400 for 50yrs in SBH. The only reason for it was that's where it shot the best. I don't generally say that because what works for me may blow up another's gun. I always say 21.5g because that's book max. I don't shoot this load in my S&W
29s either. No sense in beating up a quality piece. It might blow the butt clear out of some of the imports. I only have two guns that are
loaded over book max. Turns out they are both Rugers. 44mg SBH and 375W in #3. I'm not done with #3 yet and won't be listing the
powder charge for it either.
29s either. No sense in beating up a quality piece. It might blow the butt clear out of some of the imports. I only have two guns that are
loaded over book max. Turns out they are both Rugers. 44mg SBH and 375W in #3. I'm not done with #3 yet and won't be listing the
powder charge for it either.
Sorry I don't have a 44 rifle but, It would be of my opinion that the ideal bullet would be in the 240 to 270 grain weight. Anything heavier defeats the purpose of a 44 magnum, as far as, velocity goes. You don't need a 300 grain bullet to kill a deer or black bear for that matter. And a 44 magnum would obviously not be used to hunt grizzly or moose, although I'm am sure you could kill one with it. The 240 to 270 grain can be pushed at a descent velocity to get the energy levels needed to accomplish what it was designed for. I've loaded 180 xtp's for my Smith 629. A 250 grain would be the heaviest bullet I would reload for that handgun. Good luck.
I fear I'll get all kinds of stones thrown my way after this post, but while 2400 has been a good powder for years and remains so, it is very likely that some of the newer powders will do better.
Have tested lots of rounds through my RUGER 77/44 and although I tested 2400, it fell behind such things as H110 and Lil'gun in results.
Back some years, while testing a RUGER BlackHawk hunter with 2X Leupold, H110 gave better test results and at that point, AA#9 edged out the H110 by a slight margin.
All testing was done with cast bullets as that is what my handguns shoot along with my .44 and 45/70 rifles.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
Have tested lots of rounds through my RUGER 77/44 and although I tested 2400, it fell behind such things as H110 and Lil'gun in results.
Back some years, while testing a RUGER BlackHawk hunter with 2X Leupold, H110 gave better test results and at that point, AA#9 edged out the H110 by a slight margin.
All testing was done with cast bullets as that is what my handguns shoot along with my .44 and 45/70 rifles.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
I like a 260 - 300 grn jacketed soft point with 296 or H110 powder. Or a 280 grn hard cast Keith style bullet.
I scoped and sighted in a bunch of 44s & 45/70 here in Ohio since our rifle season. The Ruger 77/44s so far have been the most accurate and I've only shot them with Win White Box ammo. The reason I'm going to try H-110 is stories back for guys loading for
77/44 with 240gr XTP.
77/44 with 240gr XTP.
I only have a sample size of three deer taken with .44 carbines, but so far I've encountered two bullet failures.
One a 240 gr. Hornady XTP that completely tore itself apart on the ball joint below the scapula, and a 240 great Zero that shed it's jacket after penetrating the scapula.
I'm guessing the extra fps gained in a rifle is taxing those bullets more than they were designed for.
I'm still up in the air as to what I want to load for next year.
Pic of the recovered jacket of the Zero.
The core itself did exit.
Vooch
![Image]()
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One a 240 gr. Hornady XTP that completely tore itself apart on the ball joint below the scapula, and a 240 great Zero that shed it's jacket after penetrating the scapula.
I'm guessing the extra fps gained in a rifle is taxing those bullets more than they were designed for.
I'm still up in the air as to what I want to load for next year.
Pic of the recovered jacket of the Zero.
The core itself did exit.
Vooch
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These are my 44 bullets test I always drag out. https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/ammunition-test-results/485545-444-44mag-bullet-tests.html
The 240gr softpoints are good, the Nosler is the softest by far, but should work well on deer.
Never took a deer with the Nosler 240gr JHP, it has a pure lead core, testing indicates....that I would not use it.
The 240gr Swift A Frame gives the best test results in 44 and 444 and is what I use in the 444, an expensive bullet reserved for hunting, flattens deer.
For the 44 rifle favor the 240gr Winchester Hollow Soft point, which is a minimal HP, and has good terminal performance.
Another option to turn a HP into a softpoint is pluggin it with JB weld, testing proved that out, to be honest never fired for it accuracy.
The 240gr softpoints are good, the Nosler is the softest by far, but should work well on deer.
Never took a deer with the Nosler 240gr JHP, it has a pure lead core, testing indicates....that I would not use it.
The 240gr Swift A Frame gives the best test results in 44 and 444 and is what I use in the 444, an expensive bullet reserved for hunting, flattens deer.
For the 44 rifle favor the 240gr Winchester Hollow Soft point, which is a minimal HP, and has good terminal performance.
Another option to turn a HP into a softpoint is pluggin it with JB weld, testing proved that out, to be honest never fired for it accuracy.
For deer, 240 grain xtp in a pistol.... if a rifle then a 265 grain hornady. For stuff bigger than deer.. a 300 grain xtp or a barnes xtp. For social encounters a 180 grain hollowpoint.
The Hornady 240XTP comes apart out of my SBH too. I haven't found that to be a problem in killing deer. It does a good job of laying them down. I can see this would not be a good bullet on heavier game. Many gun writers over the years noted that Hornady bullets
shed jackets and fragmented. They came out on bottom when recovered and weighed. I use a lot of Hornady bullets in Varmit loads for rifles from 22 to 7mm mag because they do maximum damage on thin skinned stuff. I wouldn't shoot a deer with a 154gr Hornady it can blow a whole shoulder off. The SX series in 22 cal cf rifles allows good expansion with 55 gr bullets. I like that because rifles like
222-223 don't always expand well with the lower velocities you have to trade off for the accuracy of 55 gr bullets. If I switch 44 bullets
it will be to Hornady 240 Jsp.
shed jackets and fragmented. They came out on bottom when recovered and weighed. I use a lot of Hornady bullets in Varmit loads for rifles from 22 to 7mm mag because they do maximum damage on thin skinned stuff. I wouldn't shoot a deer with a 154gr Hornady it can blow a whole shoulder off. The SX series in 22 cal cf rifles allows good expansion with 55 gr bullets. I like that because rifles like
222-223 don't always expand well with the lower velocities you have to trade off for the accuracy of 55 gr bullets. If I switch 44 bullets
it will be to Hornady 240 Jsp.
I have never had a 240 grain XTP fail but I have changed to the Barnes 240 grain XPB. I use W296 in all magnum pistol rounds and have never even tried another. I used to use max load of H110/W296 but I have settled for 21.4 grains.
I also load a 260 grain WFNHCGC. Both are devastation incorporated on anything living within body size and range. I use these in all 4 of my rifles and two pistols. Ruger pistols, Ruger 44 Carbine, Marlin 1894SS, !894 CBLTD and Marlin 336/44.
I am of they opinion weight + speed is better than more weight + slow. Does a 62 grain .223 kill dear with the right placement? Yes.
Does a 130 grain .270 Winchester kill Elk with proper shot placement? Yes. So does a bullet weighing twice as much traveling at 2000 fps out of a 24" 1894. Yes, big bullets kill quite well but they come with they're pitfalls, ie. trajectory and recoil. Big enough is big enough. A .35 Remington 200 grain loaded to 2250 fps kills real well so something with a much larger meplat and heavier at almost the same speed is much mo betta. JMHO
I also load a 260 grain WFNHCGC. Both are devastation incorporated on anything living within body size and range. I use these in all 4 of my rifles and two pistols. Ruger pistols, Ruger 44 Carbine, Marlin 1894SS, !894 CBLTD and Marlin 336/44.
I am of they opinion weight + speed is better than more weight + slow. Does a 62 grain .223 kill dear with the right placement? Yes.
Does a 130 grain .270 Winchester kill Elk with proper shot placement? Yes. So does a bullet weighing twice as much traveling at 2000 fps out of a 24" 1894. Yes, big bullets kill quite well but they come with they're pitfalls, ie. trajectory and recoil. Big enough is big enough. A .35 Remington 200 grain loaded to 2250 fps kills real well so something with a much larger meplat and heavier at almost the same speed is much mo betta. JMHO
Killed a couple deer with Federal Fusion 240 grain. Broke both front shoulders with high shoulder shots. Deer dropped on spot.
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