Thoughts on 44 Magnum

[DIRTYHARRYBALLISTICS]

If you watch any hunting show that is after DG you'll notice that at least one PH has his rifle and if by chance if is a second PH. he'll be packing a rifle as well.

No matter what the hunter is packing. Be it a 22Lr or a 88mm howitzer

Thats fine, but it doesnt jive with your statement that says you would never consider a pistol a backup firearm on a DG hunt. Just because you havent seen a PH carrying one, doesnt indicate its not capable as one. A handgun with matched performance to a .500 nitro with 5 shots and not just 2, makes a fair bit more sense being follow up shots will be quicker, and in dense brush a handgun is far more quickly maneuvered than any rifle. The Bushwhacker is also quite new, so it hasnt had any chance to appear in a PH's hands. It seems likely to me that it would find its way to that position due to its capability.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I posted this in another thread that discussed the 44 mag and in my Zimbabwe hunt report.

For those that missed my previous threads on this subject.

44 cal, 430 diameter, 300 grain solid, Lehigh Extreme Penetration. Fired from my 4-5/8 inch Magnum Research 44 BFR into a Cape Buff and a Gemsbok at 10 yards. Both bullets went through the sternum and recovered in the spine. Massive destruction of the sternum and spinal vertebrae.

The velocity is around 1200 to 1300 fps.

The Gemsbok shot was a finishing shot. The buff was killed with a 300 grain, 375H&H backed by a 458WM. The 44 cal into the buff bull was for testing the effects of the bullet It preformed surprisingly well; enough to trust my reloads should I need it in self defense of a charging buff.

I would have no problem with this load as a primary for hunting buff.

 

[Dewald]

I love my Ruger SBH. When the freezer is full I glo play with my six shooter and 340gr hard casts. They are devastating on plainsgame and ruin almost no meat. Same with Hornady 240gr XTP.

I think it was Elmar Keith who said: “you eat right up to the bullet hole…”

My only frustration is I do not shoot it enough. 8” gongs at 100yards are a breeze with a rest or tripod like the old Bogpod.

Lastly, an old fixed long eye relief Leupold 4x power worked very well and is great for load development, but of late I much prefer hunting with an Aimpoint Micro H1 on a small Wiggitiny rail that attaches to the milled out slot for the rear sight.

I however still keep my longer rail, Leupold 4x32 and QRW rings if I will be chasing game over greater distances.

My current dream is a 100kg plus bushpig boar at night over bait on a full moon night or with a very low intensity red dimmer.

 

[ftrovato]

Pistol + Mad/Hungry Bear = Human Snack
Bear Spray + Mad/Hungry Bear = No Human Snack

Pistol + Mad Dangerous Animal in Africa = Human Snack

Just my uneducated guess!

 

[DIRTYHARRYBALLISTICS]

Pistol + Mad/Hungry Bear = Human Snack
Bear Spray + Mad/Hungry Bear = No Human Snack

Pistol + Mad Dangerous Animal in Africa = Human Snack

Just my uneducated guess!

I'm guessing you havent spent much time in grizzly country. A mad/hungry bear wont care about bear spray. Theres a good number of accounts of it. Bear spray is better than nothing, but carrying enough gun is the most effective way to stop an angry bear.

 

[lobo9er]

Funny, but the first thing I thought of was 44 mag in a rifle for deer. Those in the know swear by it at under a hundred yards. There is a Ruger carbine in 44 at a gunshop in Dallas, Jackson Arms.

I love mine with Iron sights on drives or in a blind or tree stand in thick stuff. After these CCI's I have Hornady 240 gr XTP's or Sellier & Bellot 240 gr SP. If its something you're interested in and it looks like a nice example Id pick it up. they don't last long on Gunbroker if you ever want to get rid of it. Ive thought many times to pick up another and put a low power scope on it.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I like the 44 magnum for a back up - just in case situations while hunting. I'm prone to have interesting things happen. Both good and bad. But those stories are for around the campfire after the day's hunt.

Alobg with my 375H&H as my main weapon I took my 44 mag loaded with Lehigh 300 grain solid bullets primarily as back up to Zimbabwe on a buff and hippo hunt, and with 240 grain flat soft points for possibly hunting PG in RSA.

I highly recommend you contact and use Henry Rifle Premits to get the latest information on temporary importing and hunting with a handgun in Africa.

As @Jim P mentioned you want to discuss your hunting with a handgun with your PH.

@Ridge Runner
Why carry a little 44 mag as a side arm mate.
Being a Tennessee boy you could carry a side are chambered in 375 ( as seen in another post ) there by avoiding the need to carry two lots of ammo
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

To me, when encountering dangerous game, a backup needs to be complete and utter overkill. This is entirely just my personal viewpoint, so take it with a grain of salt. A .44 magnum has been prooven against almost every animal out there. However, in my opinion it is just too light to be my safety backup if a buffalo, hippo, or elephant is charging. I happen to be 6'4" and 220lbs. So my backup is going to be my most powerful revolver. The question will be, can a .44 magnum stop any of those 3? The answer, hard maybe. With a buffalo, i'd call it 50%. With a hippo, more than likely your numbers drop to a 20% tops, and with elephant, i'd call it less than 10%. Ive had a .460 Magnum XVR for 15 years now, and it delivers near double the performance of a hot .44 magnum load. Your effective maximum performance from factory ammo with the .44 magnum being a 340gr hard cast delivering 1533ft/lbs of energy (Buffalo Bore +P+ LFN). The .460 Magnum maximum performance from the factory being a 360 gr hard cast delivering 2860ft/lbs of energy. (Buffalo Bore LFN). I handload 360gr hard cast for mine slightly hotter, running 1975fps instead of 1900 resulting in 3,112ft/lbs of energy. (I do see a bit of primer flow in this load, so i only kept em for dangerous game carry which i never used em for and was extremely meticulous in measuring to the 100th of a grain.) Now i have a .500 Bushwhacker that i have 400gr copper solids backed by 85gr of CFE BLK that are going 2526fps for 5,669ft/lbs of energy, that have been prooven to pass through over 100" of ballistic gel. This new revolver will absolutely deliver plenty of performance for any charging animal, if, and thats a really big IF, i can land the shots on target. Right now, i'm still practicing with it, and certainly need to elevate my marksmanship with it. So as of current, i've kept my 360gr handloads on the shelf waiting for either a trip to Africa, or to be shot for entertainment here at home. I know this has been a long read, sorry about the novel.

@DIRTYHARRYBALLISTICS
I'm around 6'5" and 240# .
Forget any revolver or big double.
My best back up it two legs that can hopefully get me out of Dodge quicker than the slowest person.
A handgun or double would just slow me down.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’d like to get a 44 magnum sometime, I just want to load a 250 Keith at about 1200. It would seem like a good general purpose load.

 

[ftrovato]

I’d like to get a 44 magnum sometime, I just want to load a 250 Keith at about 1200. It would seem like a good general purpose load.

I cast my own 245 Keiths for decades and shot them with Unique powder for target loads and Hercules 2400 or Winchester 296 both for hunting and silhouette shooting out to 250 yards.

Fantastic bullets and loads for just about anything you can 'safely' do with a 44 Mag.

However, personally I dont put big bear in this category...

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I cast my own 245 Keiths for decades and shot them with Unique powder for target loads and Hercules 2400 or Winchester 296 both for hunting and silhouette shooting out to 250 yards.

Fantastic bullets and loads for just about anything you can 'safely' do with a 44 Mag.

However, personally I dont put big bear in this category...

I agree on bear. I just started casting this fall. I will probably buy a 429421 or the RCBS equivalent when I pick up my 44, which will hopefully be a smith 29. I could even get by with a 24 in 44 special and shoot the same bullet at 1000.

 

[ftrovato]

I agree on bear. I just started casting this fall. I will probably buy a 429421 or the RCBS equivalent when I pick up my 44, which will hopefully be a smith 29. I could even get by with a 24 in 44 special and shoot the same bullet at 1000.

I have a 260 & 290 NEI dies and the 429421 Keith. The Keith was always my bread and butter.

Drive them slow and you can cast them a little heavy (cheaper) and not foul your barrel.
Drive them fast and cast the Kieth around 242 grains and you can drive them fast with the Winchester 296 (Great for Hunting).

Get a Lewis Lead Remover if you dont have one. Great tool for shooting cast bullets!

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I did most shooting with a Ruger Redhawk for silhouette shooting. Now I have a Smith 29 4" and a Ruger Super Redhawk in 4 5/8" just for casual shooting and hunting.

Casting and then reloading is a very fun hobby. Enjoy!

 

[JimP]

I sold my S&W 629 a few years ago and kept my Redhawk. I had a action job done on that Redhawk and it is smoother than skates on ice and was a lot better than the 629 that was just factory.

I shot a lot of the Kieth .429421's out of both but I kept then down around 1000 fps. Even in a Super Blackhawk that I had I kept them down low. Now, using some jacketed bullets I would get them moving. I once loaded up some Sierra 180 JHC's to 1700 fps. Not that is a worthless load but they were fun while they lasted.

 

[Ridge Runner]

@Ridge Runner
Why carry a little 44 mag as a side arm mate.
Being a Tennessee boy you could carry a side are chambered in 375 ( as seen in another post ) there by avoiding the need to carry two lots of ammo
Bob

......

Thar's a couple of ways to figur it.
Fer one thing, I didn't think that buff at full charge might not take to kindly of me trying to smile him down. Like that tale of ol' Dan'el Boone smiling down that bar (bear).

And fer another, I figur that 44 mag was about a fair ah chance as being fair chase. As that buff may not want to get close enuff fer me to use my (toma)hawk and Bowie knife.

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Seriously,

For me, comfortably: The short barrel 44 mag is only for back up. Not a primary. For a primary handgun I would prefer a longer barrel and most likely a 460 with an 8 inch barrel; the 500 with a 10 inch barrel is to heavy and bulky for my liking.

Having read various articles, watched several videos of charging buff, charging out of thick brush from feet away, surprising hunters. The 44 magnum with heavy bullets like the 300 grain Lehigh (previously pictured) and Hornady 265 grain Leverlution seemed to be a proper load out of a short 4-5/8 inch barrel handgun.

 

[steve white]

Seems I remember Pondoro Taylor saying it was a good idea to have a sidearm to shoot a lion off you when it had you down?

 

[JimP]

If I was seriously thinking about a back up gun for a buff hunt I would forget about the wheel guns.

Yes they are very dependable and odds are they will go boom every time that your pull the trigger. But for some serious back up I'd look to the Desert Eagle in 44 mag or .50 AE. It carries 7 rounds in .50 AE and 8 in 44 mag. Or look at the 10mm in either a Glock or a Kimber.

Those semi automatics pack a lot of firepower.

But you might have to jump through some hoops to get them into a country that allows buff hunts, but it has been done.

 

[JimP]

Seems I remember Pondoro Taylor saying it was a good idea to have a sidearm to shoot a lion off you when it had you down?

When I was on my grizzly hunt in British Colombia my guide was packing a 44 mag double action revolver. One day I asked him about it and what he planned on doing if he needed to use it. He calmly stated that he would shove the barrel into the bears mouth and pull the trigger 6 times.