I've got a typical early 2000s JM 20" .44 Mag 1894. It seems to shoot 240-270 gr jacketed bullets the best. Larger (.431") 240 gr cast bullets shoot acceptably under 100 yds at lower velocities. I plan to work up a hunting load this summer with Barnes XPB 200 gr non-lead HP bullets and W296 powder.

 

Well, have a look at this article. 44 Magnum heavy weight hunting bullets - Is the 44 becoming overweight?


There seems to be more room in a revolver for the heavy bullets, as they are longer and must be seated deeper, hang further out, or both. These may cause problems cycling through a 1894 action. If they are seated deep, they will limit powder capacity.

Reports of using 300gr, 305gr, and even 320gr bullets are seen here from time to time. The article above lists even heavier bullets. Remember that heavier also means longer, and there will come a point where the 1:38 twist will not stabilize a heavy bullet. Can't tell you where that is though, but you gotta be pushing it past 300 gr. What you gain in weight may be compromised in accuracy.

If you need heavier than 300 gr, maybe you ought to be looking at a .444 or a 45-70?

 

Longshotz,

I do not own one. However, I know many at a private range I belong to that do. Let me share some experiences.

For reduced loads like NRA Pistol Cartridge Lever Silhouette match shooting, a 200 gr bullet, jacketed, cast, or plated, has worked well. For factory fps jacketed bullets, 240 seems to be a rule of thumb max. The twist is 1 in 38" in the 1894 barrel. You just cannot push a heavy for caliber, long bullet, fast enough to stabilize well with that twist rate.

Use this calculator to find our for yourself. Reference some load data for potential fps and bullet length info. Check out this post in the reloading forum for links to all you need to research before investing.

I have seen many frustrated reloaders attempting to shoot heavy 44 bullets in the Marlin 1894. All have come back to factory ammo specs or lower speed lighter bullets.

For your crimp die question, I do have first hand experience. A Lyman taper crimp or Lee Collet crimp die is a low cost addition that provides more options. If you plan to load low power plated bullets, you will need one of the two. Crimping as a separate step from seating will always produce a better and more consistent performing round. When I crimp, I taper crimp except the 45 Colt. The 45 Colt needs a good firm roll crimp.

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/281290-line-free-load-data-references.html

 

Not really the "heaviest" bullet, but I've had good luck with these. They're sized for .44mag rifles, which need slightly larger bullets than .44 handguns. My .44 rifles like these.

Roze Distribution: 44 Magnum (.431 diameter)

 

I have used the 300 grain XTP in my 1894. Mine is a Marlin JM made in 1984, it is a microgroove and shoots great with everything I feed it.

 

I shoot the 240 XTP and the 265 SP (that was recently discontinued )
In cast I shoot 180, 225, 265 and the Ranch Dog 300. They all shoot well.
The 300 I load to shoot around 1200 fps and it stabilizes just fine. Mostly I shoot the 300 in revolvers.

 

I have also shot the Hornady 300gr XTP. Shot well, but I had better accuracy with the 240-270 range bullets (Speer and Hornady). Anything in that range is plenty for any kind of hunting you would want to use it for. My main grip with the big 300gr XTP is that it's point of impact is much different than fast 240s or 265s. So it's tough to go back and forth between loads without big adjustments to your sights.

 

I may be in the minority here, but I am not a fan of really heavy bullets. I hear guys say that they want deep bullet penetration. But to my thinking and experience, deep penetration with limited or no bullet expansion and related energy transfer, you are not getting best results or quick clean kills.
To me, going to a 300 grain bullet in a 44 mag shows me that you need a 444 or a 45-70.

 

I have got 45 Colt 350 grain GCFN boolits up 1,400 FPS in my Ruger Bisley .I shot a Buffalo through both shoulders at about 50 yards with that load.It was a 6 year old Bull.One shot,dead Buff.You can eat right up to the bullet hole.I know you are talking 44 mag,but am sure it would work just as well.Boolits that make big holes kill just as well as bullets that expand.

 

I use a rcbs carbide set to reload for rifle and pistol, had it for a long time, works for me. I also use the lee carbide factory crimp die, but only on the light loads I use for fun with the berry plated bullets. for hunting I am using a 250 cast @432, so I roll crimp that because the carbide in the fcd may size it down, and I don't want that.
Barry

 

I am among those that feel that if you need those heavy weight bullets get a bigger gun like a 45-70 where you can really take advantage of bullet weight. The selling point of the 44 mag rifle was that it interchanged with the revolvers. To use heavy bullets you have to sacrifice case capacity and velocity. Also the cartridge is a pistol cartridge which is different than a rifle cartridge. Pistols are designed to be used at close range and use bigger bore bullets but lighter weight as down range differences are not as important as in a rifle. Larger bore yields more damage to the target even with less expansion and lighter bullets assist in handling. Many that use the 44 mag rifles on deer are satisfied with them using standard loads.

I have a 38-55 which demonstrates my point about rifle/pistol cartridges differences. I can use heavy for the caliber bullets at 255 grains which are similar to the 180 grain 30 calibers in density. The 38-55 was used as a 200 yard target cartridge and to get that performance out of a 44 would have required to much recoil for target shooting. The 40-70 was popular but fell to the 38-55 an the 38-55 to the 32-40. I can load my 38-55 to about 1700 fps with a 255 grain jacketed bullet. Up close the 44 mag is similar, as one exceeds 50 yards the 38-55's advantage starts to increase. My point is to get the tool for the job. At 44 mag levels a 38-55 or 375 Winchester will give better penetration and increased downrange performance.

DEP

 

I've hunted/plinked/shot/reloaded .44 Mag extensively since the early 1970's. The only bullet weights I've loaded are 200 and 240 grain cast for low velocity practice loads, and turkeys. Always shot 240 grain jacketed at full velocity for live game. I've used Nosler, Speer, Sierra, Winchester, and Hornady 240's with great success. No complaints here, never did try a heavy grain bullet.

I won't reload without my Lee Factory Crimp Dies. I have them for every cartridge I reload. Better than sliced bread.

 

I like to keep the speed up. There is a point of diminishing return on energy. 2240-270 is my max. I prefer a well constructed 240 grain bullet. At the proper range a 44 mag with a hard cast flat nose and a gas check is very accurate in mine and I drive them hard. There is nothing in the lower 48 that it can't kill in a 20" rifle. Many people have done it with a revolver also.

 

Thanks everyone!
The consensus pretty much confirms my own leanings about going to a rifle caliber for heavy bullet use. Principal quarry will be deer in the 100-150KG weight range. Smaller moose, 250-300KG, may be encountered "up close and personal" (50-70M) so a bullet of stout construction capable of some expansion would fill the bill.
Strong contenders are a 250gr cast GC or Swift 240gr AFHP.

 

I loaded 300 gr Nosler JHPs in my 1894 44 mag when I first got it and they worked fine. Never did hunt with them though. My gun shoots 240s very well. Since I got a 444 I haven't bothered with heavy 44 loads, though the 265 Hornady FP does shoot well.

Plus 1 on the Lee Factory Crimp die.

 

I forgot to mention anything and I mean anything that I shoot in a revolver Has a crimp die. I load one type for all of my guns. I have a rifle for every revolver accept my wildcats.

 

I don't own a 44 mag rifle, but I do have a S&W 629 Classic. The heaviest bullets that I would consider loading would be the 270 grain Speer deep curls, although, my favorite bullet weight is the 240 grain bullet. I only load jacketed. I have heard of people using 300 grain bullets In a 44, but I don't because they are to long and heavy. Why anybody would use them is a mystery to me. I use a Hornady 3 die set to load my 44s, and I have had no issues. As far as, the Lee factory crimp die, it wouldn't hurt to have one. I just roll crimp my cases with the dies I have and the bullets are held in very tight. Good luck.

 

Big, heavy, flat-nosed 310gr. hard cast bullets hit like Thor's Hammer, that's why!

 

I load 300gr for those 300 to 400lb hogs here in Florida swamps

 

The 300 XTP does well.

 

Why would anyone use a 300gr Hornady XTP in a .44 mag? Simple. They don't make a 325gr...:burnout:

 

The term "hard cast" refers generally to a bullet with about 6% antimony. Veral Smith started some of this heavy bullet craze but basically he was trying to raise the performance to large game use. His heavy bullets were darn near wad cutters but he used a water hardened wheel weight for alloy. This alloy when water hardened had advantages. First it would harden to about 24 Brinell which is harder than linotype but would retain the toughness and resistance to fragmentation of bullets with a lower antimony content. They also were heavier out of the same mold. I have a 38-55 mold that throws bullets at 264 grains using #2 alloy but using about 1/2 lead 1/2 WW it will weigh in at 285 grains. I don't need to harden them for the 38-55 at 1650 fps. Do they hit harder or kill better than a 255 Gr Barnes Jacketed. I really doubt it as that bullet expands very well at that speed and shoots through a deer.

When using pistols like the 44 mag on elk and similar big game they wanted penetration. Using water hardened alloy the bullets would retain both weight and shape and penetrate. For that use a heavier bullet may have an advantage and at lower velocity would not deform bullets as easily. For deer they are not necessary, as a 240 gr 44 will shoot through a deer on a rib shot, at least with a pistol, which I have used. The 44 mag rifles were designed for the guy that wanted a rifle to match their pistol and use the same ammo. He could go to the local store and buy a box of ammo and use it in both.

DEP

 

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/ammunition-test-results/485545-444-44mag-bullet-tests.html

I don't hunt this load in the 44 Mag rifle, but in this testing the 265 gr FTX was the best performer for expansion and penetration.

 

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/ammunition-test-results/485545-444-44mag-bullet-tests.html

I don't hunt this load in the 44 Mag rifle, but in this testing the 265 gr FTX was the best performer for expansion and penetration.

The discontinued 265 is a great bullet. Works well in both 44 magnum and 444.

 

Buffalo Bore makes a 340gr flat nosed +P in 44mag. I keep them in my Ruger Alaskan for bear loads, they are not fun to shoot...

 

When I went to Alaska a few years ago I tried several heavy 44 mag loads in my Ruger Redhawk. I chose a 305 gr HSM load as the best compromise of power and controlability. It averaged a bit over 1100 FPS in the 5.5" Redhawk.

When I got home I tried it in both my Marlin 94 and Ruger Carbine. The Marlin has a 16" bbl, the Ruger has an 18" bbl.

The 305s averaged 1330 FPS out of the Marlin and about 1350 out of the Ruger.

 

Yes, but how accurate is it at 50-100 yds through the Marlin? The issue with heavy (>270 grs) bullets in most .44 Marlins is that they may not stabilize well in the 1:38 twist rifling.

 

50yd groups
101_1167[1] by t410er, on Flickr

5 shots 50yds
Pictures 242 by t410er, on Flickr

 

I've posted this before, but here you go. 300xtp .44map 1894 JM. 100 yard groups shot with scope on rifle. Both groups were 2-1/2" @ 100 yards. (fyi, 240xtp shot about the same group sizes) 20.0g five shot avg 1448, sd 9.5, 20.5g five shot avg 1482, sd 7.7. I settled on 20.5g, which over many more shooting sessions has avg 1492fps.

Outside targets at 50 yards with open sights (Skinner rear peep and Truglo fiber front). If I do my part, I am getting 1-1/4" groups. The middle target was having fun shooting at 50 yards from the standing position, unsupported.

I picked the 300xtp because I feel the lower velocity will help avoid any over-expansion, and the 300xtp will out-penetrate the 240 should I fail to do my job and pull my shot into a major bone. Seen below are three 300xtp's recovered from a chunk of wood that had a target on the end-grain (30 yard range). Excellent weight retention and controlled expansion. This was actually a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure how well they would hold together, and in this case I saw hard cast performance with a little more expansion using a jacketed bullet. I shot a nice buck last year with this combo, and I did my job, which meant the bullet wasn't really tested...clean heart shot @ 17 yards. However, at that close range, I can report the 300xtp did NOT over expand.