.44 mag hog load question

[Audi5000]

I'm working up a .44 mag target load with clays for my 1894 carbine...using clays just 'cause I have it, admittedly not the best .44mag powder. About the max velocity/power I'm going to comfortably get is in the 1000-1100fps/450-550fpe range with a 200 grain Rainier lead safe (plated). This is a bit less than the 10mm 200 grain hard cast loads I see a lot of guys using...1300FPS/750fpe in that case.

Would this be a usable hog load, or is this pushing it?

[Fjold]

That is not even 44 Mag handgun velocity. The other issue is that the plated bullets are usually soft (swaged) lead and penetrate poorly. You can kill a hog with it but it looks like you are trying not to.

[Trapper]

I like W296 and 2400 for loading the .44mag, in a carbine you should be getting 1500+ fps with a 265gr bullet and close to 1400 from a 300gr bullet. Save the 200gr lead safe bullets for plinking and range practice.

[Bill Steele]

I like W296 and 2400 for loading the .44mag, in a carbine you should be getting 1500+ fps with a 265gr bullet and close to 1400 from a 300gr bullet. Save the 200gr lead safe bullets for plinking and range practice.

I agree, if it were me, I would buy a pound or two of 2400 or AA #9 and some heavier hard cast bullets and load them stout. I like 2400 and #9 because they both download pretty well when you want to take your foot off the accelerator.

Have fun, good luck.

[wtkaiser]

Or you can go with the heavy jacketed 270-300 grainers and do it that way, if your wrists are up to it. H-110 is the way to go, and that's the exactly same stuff as 296)

[shooting4life]

H-110 is real good. I like 18 gr of blue dot, it is warm with a 240 gr bullet. I don have my data in front of me but it was around 1320 fps out of a s&w with a 2.5 inch barrel.

[Whiterabbit]

I think you are good to go. To make up for lower energy, you can just go for smaller pigs or shorter distances. So, maybe shoot the children only at very close ranges in the face.

Seriously, I shot a large pig with a barnes solid copper bullet at over 1300 fpe muzzle in the shoulder and we recovered the bullet from the animal. @ 450-550, I dunno. Maybe if the pig were very small and I were so close I could assure myself of missing thick skin and any bone.

[15thaf5thbw]

+1 for A9 for 44mag

I get about 1425 FPS from 19.1g of A9 behind a 240g JSP out of my Ruger 7.5" Redhawk. So your (maybe) 1000 FPS 200g load should be able to reach a much faster FPS even out of a handgun. Out of a carbine ... even faster. The powder choice is holding it back.

So +1 on the alternate powder recommendations ... be safe and take the time to do it right, and you won't have to worry when in the field.

[BlackICE]

For the longer barrel of the carbine it would be best to use slower powders like AA9, H110, 296, 2400 and IMR4227.