.44 Special Deer Load

[kid44]

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a deer load for the .44 Special.? Yes, I know I can use the .44 Magnum, but I've decided the Special out of my Super Blackhawk will be my choice this year. I figure from a ground, or tree stand and 25 yard self imposed range limit it should work just fine. A few of the "boutique" ammo manufacturers offer some decent .44 Special loads, just wondering if anyone has experience.

 

[Bearlodge10]

Several years ago my dad and I figured out a load for plinking and for turkeys using a 200 grain Hornady bullet and Unique powder. I will have to look to see what the actual powder charge was but they were really easy to shoot and worked well on the birds. This was out of a magnum but I think that a similar load could be replicated easily in the .44 Special. Check out the load data from the Alliant site to get specifics. As for the commercial loads, the jacketed hollow points would be my first choice but at the yardage, you are talking the more affordable 200 grain round nose or the Keith style should do the trick.
I see a lot of personal defense ammo but I would be leary of it fragmenting a lot and not carrying energy through a deer.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Check out Buffalo Bore Ammo.
I bet they got something hot in .44 spcl.

 

[kid44]

Check out Buffalo Bore Ammo.
I bet they got something hot in .44 spcl.

They have something hot in everything!

 

[Rich M]

You want solids, soft points, or hollow points?

I understand wanting to use a certain gun. If you can get a soft point, that will be the best of both worlds. Solids mean full penetration but a long tracking job (100+ yards for dbl lung) and light hollow points mean 1 bullet hole in the deer. Soft points should expand and hopefully penetrate all the way thru.

I'd run with whatever you can find - not exactly an ammo friendly environment right now.

Good luck!

 

[SamsonMan22]

The skeeter load would probably work well enough, it is close to the 45 colt load I use. A 240 Keith bullet over 7.5g unique in a special case or 8.5g unique in a magnum case. It’s a nice easy to shoot load with enough pop to get the job done.

I’d doubt you will get much expansion with hollow points or soft points at 44spl velocity anyway, unless you go really light then the penetration will suffer.

 

[letmwork]

The skeeter load would probably work well enough, it is close to the 45 colt load I use. A 240 Keith bullet over 7.5g unique in a special case or 8.5g unique in a magnum case. It’s a nice easy to shoot load with enough pop to get the job done.

I’d doubt you will get much expansion with hollow points or soft points at 44spl velocity anyway, unless you go really light then the penetration will suffer.

One of my favorite loads right there

 

[Rufus]

I will second the recommendation of 7.5 - 8.0 gr unique and a 240 gr cast bullet. Very good results out of a couple different 44 mag revolvers.

 

[Wiscat]

I will second the recommendation of 7.5 - 8.0 gr unique and a 240 gr cast bullet. Very good results out of a couple different 44 mag revolvers.

I've killed a few with the old Skeeter Skelton load of 7.5-8gr Unique and a 255gr Keith bullet. I haven't found the angle that will keep that bullet in the average whitetail.

 

[Mginn68]

I’m working up a 44 special load for a Henry lever gun suppressed.

6.9 g unique
205 g jack hammer bullet

That charge gets is right around 1,050 fps.

I haven’t shoot any deer with it yet. Plan to spend more time on load development.

Open to any others experience.

Have a nice evening.

 

[Pilarczyk85]

i believe hornady has a "leverution" or something like that load that is pretty nasty. I use that round for my 45/70 and love it.