I took 2 deer with a .44 carbine (1894 lever action) last year. I tested the leverevolution ammo and wasn't terribly impressed. It was OK, and would have gotten the job done, but the Wally World green box cheap Remington 240gr semi-jacketed soft point were just as accurate.

The 2 deer I took were with hand loads.

 

I took 2 deer with a .44 carbine (1894 lever action) last year. I tested the lever evolution ammo and wasn't terribly impressed. It was OK, and would have gotten the job done, but the Wally world green box cheap Remingtn 24gr semi-jacketed soft point were just as accrate.

The 2 deer I took were with hand loads.

After this thread is over, I'll be starting another for someone to hold my hand learning to reload. Every forum I come across, everyone is hunting with hand loads. LoL

 

Ballistics data for .44Mag riles.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

 

When it comes to rifles, 44 mag is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I shoot only handloads however. Store bought ammo is just too danged expensive.

 

I've shot a Ruger .44 Mag semi-auto carbine and a single shot NEF. .44 out of rifles was a fun as hell pussycat.

 

Store bought ammo is just too danged expensive.

Yup.

 

you have to reload, it opens a whole other world....and wake up any 44mag(or any other round) to its full potential!

 

If I had the equipment/teacher/know how, I would LOVE to reload. But alas.. I have none of the three.

 

Equipment is all you need. The education can be had easily. .44mag may be the easiest to load for; big case, powder that has a lot of volume (less worry about double charge) and lead bullets. Easy peasy.

 

If I had the equipment/teacher/know how, I would LOVE to reload. But alas.. I have none of the three.

Remove old primer, put in new primer, put in powder and then bullet. That is really all there is too it. Unless you have a high dollar match rifle there is not any reason to make it any harder than that. Larry

 

Equipment is all you need. The education can be had easily. .44mag may be the easiest to load for; big case, powder that has a lot of volume (less worry about double charge) and lead bullets. Easy peasy.

What he said ^^^. 44 mag is the only caliber I reload right now and it's as easy as Seabee says it is. The powder I'm using (Accurate No.9), I'm loading 20gr so a double charge would overflow out of the casing. That powder and a 240 gr LSWC is a very accurate and powerful combo.

 

44 magnum ballistics for a 20 inch barrel

You can find ballistics for a 44 magnum for any barrel length from 2" to 18" and also including some "real world" ballistics from a 20" barrel on a Henry Big Boy on the "ballistics by the inch" website. They have info on 4 different factory loads, but not the leverevolution that you're asking about. They've also got ballistics by the inch for ... maybe another 20 or 25 calibers.

Hornady DOES have ballistics for their ammo through both a 7.5" barrel and a 20" barrel. Its on their website here. Here's what Hornady claims from a 20: barrel

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 50 100
1870/1747 1629/1325 1416/1002

If you're wondering about handloads, Jeff Quinn did a review of the Ruger 77-44 here - That rifle has an 18 inch barrel. He lists muzzle velocity for 4 factory loads and 9 different handloads from that Ruger with the 18" barrel.

And many years ago Paco Kelly compared pistol and rifle ballistics for the 44 magnum on the gunblast site here.

 

You can find ballistics for a 44 magnum for any barrel length from 2" to 18" and also including some "real world" ballistics from a 20" barrel on a Henry Big Boy on the "ballistics by the inch" website. They have info on 4 different factory loads, but not the leverevolution that you're asking about. They've also got ballistics by the inch for ... maybe another 20 or 25 calibers.

Hornady DOES have ballistics for their ammo through both a 7.5" barrel and a 20" barrel. Its on their website here. Here's what Hornady claims from a 20: barrel

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 50 100
1870/1747 1629/1325 1416/1002

If you're wondering about handloads, Jeff Quinn did a review of the Ruger 77-44 here - That rifle has an 18 inch barrel. He lists muzzle velocity for 4 factory loads and 9 different handloads from that Ruger with the 18" barrel.

And many years ago Paco Kelly compared pistol and rifle ballistics for the 44 magnum on the gunblast site here.

Excellent info! Thank you.

Okay guys, reloading aside, we'll tackle that in another thread. Out of all the factory loads out there, what would be the load of choice?

 

Out of all the factory loads out there, what would be the load of choice?

Remington's 240gr Semi-Jacketed Soft Point is as good as anything and won't break the bank. I've had terrific accuracy with it in my 20" Marlin.

 

Charles...I once had a Ruger 77/44 bolt action that I could never come up with a handload that it would shoot accurately. I had a box of Winchester white-box 240 grain JSP that would shoot pretty good out of that little rifle. I also killed a few does with that rifle/ammo combo. That ammo worked great for deer.

I also shot two does with same ammo in a S&W 29-3...no problem.

Never shot any of that ammo in this Winchester .44...just hand-loads. But I've never shot a deer with it either. :V

 

Charles...I once had a Ruger 77/44 bolt action that I could never come up with a handload that it would shoot accurately. I had a box of Winchester white-box 240 grain JSP that would shoot pretty good out of that little rifle. I also killed a few does with that rifle/ammo combo. That ammo worked great for deer.

I also shot two does with same ammo in a S&W 29-3...no problem.

Never shot any of that ammo in this Winchester .44...just hand-loads. But I've never shot a deer with it either. :V

I'm going to go around and start 100 threads, just to give you photo op.'s. That's a great looking Winchester, would look even better laid across a fresh 8 pointer. It's starting to look like I'm just gonna gather 5 or 6 different factory loads, and go see what she likes. By the time I'm done with that, I could ALMOST be into reloading for the cost.

 

Winchester white box 240-grain JSP at Wal-Mart is decent stuff for hunting. Has been accurate out of every gun I've tried it in and out of a rifle, it should expand well. Out of a handgun, I'm not so sure how much it expands, but it will still make a good-sized hole. I got a bunch of this back when ammo was still reasonably priced, along with some good deals on a lot of boxes of it out of an estate, so I haven't had reason to handload any .44 Mag hunting loads for a good while.

The best expansion and accuracy I've seen from a factory load is with Black Hills 240-grain hollow-points. They aren't cheap, but they do the job better than any factory load I've tried.

I've also used .429 Hornady 240-grain XTP's out of my muzzle loader and have been getting similar velocities to what you would get out of your rifle with it. They flat out work, as well. I've shot 6 or 7 deer with that bullet and the farthest any has run has been 25 yards. Most of them dropped in their tracks. Farthest shot was a bit over 75 yards. If you get into handloading, that is what I would use. I haven't handloaded any of them myself - just haven't gotten around to it. But, I will eventually. My stash of "cheap" factory ammo will run out eventually.

I have a hollow-point bullet mold I've been meaning to try, too, but haven't gotten around to it. Have to make sure it will feed out of my Marlin first. Not all Marlins like a semi-wadcutter bullet, HP or not.

 

You are too kind on the photo comments but thanks! I don't think you will go wrong with the 240 Remington soft points that WNC SeaBee recommended or with the Winchester white-box version. I'd start with one of those two first and you will probably decide to try nothing else.

 

Hornaday uses marketing tricks. For example in 30-30 they are comparing there 150 and 160 grain bullet to 170 grain of competitors. Also there advertised FPS is from 24" barrel. How many 24" barrel lever actions have you seen people carrying in the woods? Your just not going to get much more range from the 44 mag even with that tip. I would limit shots to 125 yards and in myself.

Honestly I would hand load some hunting rounds for 44mag using these http://www.hornady.com/store/44-Cal-.430-225-gr-FTX/ and h110 or Lil Gun powder. You can get the same or better results.

That being said the round is an excellent hunting round for deer vs the others (penetrates and expands nice), expect some velocity increase, just don't expect the advertised increase in velocity. I use these bullets in 30-30, and have used them in 45 once.

 

Also there advertised FPS is from 24" barrel. How many 24" barrel lever actions have you seen people carrying in the woods?

Me for one! But then again I'm kinda strange. I carry this 24" Winchester .30-30 around in the woods often...with 170 grain Core Lokt ammo

 

Me for one! But then again I'm kinda strange. I carry this 24" Winchester .30-30 around in the woods often...with 170 grain Core Lokt ammo

LOL yeah strange. The rest of us normal folk carry the standard 20" Marlin lever actions. 18" is even becoming popular.

 

Although I don't use the .44 in a rifle the accuracy of Federal's Premium ammo is outstanding in my revolvers, the Wally World Remington and Winchesters are just so-so.

 

LOL yeah strange. The rest of us normal folk carry the standard 20" Marlin lever actions. 18" is even becoming popular.

Dang...I've got 24", 20" and 16" ones but don't have a 18" one.

 

Dang...I've got 24", 20" and 16" ones but don't have a 18" one.

LOL That 18" Marlin 1895 Guide Gun is a good seller for Remlin (Marlins now made at Remington) , and they have the NEW Model 336BL which is an 18"

I wouldn't mind having the 18" guide gun in 45/70, but I bet it kicks like a mule with heavy grain loads!

 

hmmm...I bet it does! ;guntoot

.45-70 GG