heavy 44 cast bullets.

[two bit okie]

I am, for my 44 mags, currently casting and loading 200 gr for cas, 250 for regular, and 310 for heavies. But my son now wants to hunt North Carolina pigs so I am looking for a heavier bullet. My Marlin 1894 feeds the 310 with no problem, and I would like to find out if there are heavier bullets for the 44. Or molds. the other guns that might use these are ruger vaqueros and superblackhawks.

Any input would be appreciated.

[thornblom]

Hey

[JimT]

The 250 gr. bullet has always been a great penetrator. When the 44 Magnum first was introduced a man in Montana shot 7 black bears with his handgun using the Keith 250 gr. SWC. All 7 were broadside shots. All were one-shot kills. All gave complete penetration.

The 300 gr. cast bullet by SSK was used from a handgun by Larry Kelly to take 7 elephants.

Using a heavier bullet than 300 gr. - while they might be fun to play with - is not based in reality. Much past 300 gr. and you start running into the Law of Dimished Returns. You put more and more into it and get less and less out of it.

[Lefty Dude]

Ya gotta leave some room for powder.

Thats why there is a .444.

[Hobie]

I submit that you don't need particularly heavy bullets for eatin' hogs. We used the Remington 240 gr. SJHP from a carbine to kill many hogs up to about 250 lbs or so live weight with no problems. Some users could hardly have been thought of as experienced hunters or superlative marksmen. The load worked over and over. I see no reason your current loads won't work.

[.45]

+1 for the 444.
Gives you a reason to buy a new gun!

[O.S.O.K.]

I totally agree that a 250 Keith will do for hogs just fine. And if your Marlin shoots 310's - all's the better. It won't like anything heavier.

If you want to go heavier in a handgun cartridge carbine, you'll want a 45 Colt - they can handle 360 grain loads - which is about the balance point for that cartridge.

But really, I doubt the hogs would know any difference between a 44 and a 45 Colt heavy.

IMHO

[Blaine]

Maybe Grizz will pop in with the details, but he has worked up a load, useful in a REDHAWK ONLY due to a longer cyl, using CP 405s.....they leave the REDHAWK at 975fps. I have shot this and they are not painful in the least, indeed, they are actually quite mild and penetrate like a diamond drill......

[Nath]

How do folk go on using less bullet on them hogs in say a 30/30 or 30/06?
Is there something I don't get here?
Surely just over 1/2 oz slugs will do it, no!

Nath.

[JustaJeepGuy]

Maybe Grizz will pop in with the details, but he has worked up a load, useful in a REDHAWK ONLY due to a longer cyl, using CP 405s.....they leave the REDHAWK at 975fps. I have shot this and they are not painful in the least, indeed, they are actually quite mild and penetrate like a diamond drill......

What, what, what?? Grizz, please pop in with the details!!

[Mokwaw]

If your 310's shoot good, why go heavier ???? A friend of mine has a video of him taking a running broadside shot on a pig, at the shot the pig looked like he was slammed sideways by a train, never moved or required another shot. The load was a 275 gr. cast hollow point gas check over a healthy dose of H110.

[44LVR]

I shoot Remington 240gr JSP's and 255gr cast SWC's in my .44's for elk. Should handle a pig pretty well!

44

[thornblom]

Thanks