44 mag bear load?

[dbltap]

What would be a reliable bear load for a 44 mag? Not hunting one just for protection. Black, Brown & the Griz.

Thanks

[muddober]

It would depend on what type of gun you were shooting them. Some of these new light weight 44 mags while probably strong enough to take it would in my view hurt as bad as getting bitten by a bear to shoot 24 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain jacketed soft nose bullet. Another load would be 19 grains of 2400 behind a 300 grain jacketed soft nose. Both these loads are very stiff and no fun to shoot even in a 2.5 pound gun let alone one of the new light weight 44 mgnums that weighs about half that. I promise you that if you shot either load mentioned in one of those light weight guns you would probably throw the gun at the bear before you would fire it at him for a second time.

Ron

[Oneida Steve]

Paging our Alaskan members . . . .

[JLA]

Develop a load using a HEAVY cast lead projectile that will penetrate 3 or so inches of concrete at close range. Heres a secret, the .44 mag will do the job with just about everything heavier than 200 gr. Save the 200s and the 180s for the range and load a 240 or 260 gr lead hardcast over about 20 gr. of 2400. itll make a skull smasher that will shatter T-REX noggins

[Suicide*Ride]

As everyone has already said: it really depends on what type of firearm you're going to be using. Any 240gr solid projectile (not hollow point!) moving along @ 1370fps or faster should do the job quite nicely. With bear (or any other dangerous animal), I use 1,000 ft lbs as a rule of thumb.

You can check your loads here. The picture in my signature line is of a 305gr Flat Point Penatrator sold by COR-BON. They cost an arm & half a leg @ $48.48 + shipping per box of 20 , but if I was headed into bear country those are what I'm gunna be loaded with.

I have been rolling my own 44mag rds for quite a while & there's a reason I have that funky looking boolit for my signature picture.

I was testing some loads for expansion (hollow points) in my above ground pool, & like a dummie I loaded 1 of the COR-BON's..... maybe 15 different rds were shot that day of testing, & all were found either in pieces or intact but all could be found @ the bottom..... except the COR-BON! It had made a neat hole in the liner, through 4.4ft of water & was later dug up 9in BELOW the pool's liner in some hard Georgia clay!! Even my 1700fps 180gr swc's couldn't do that!

All I'm trying to say is, there's not much in the way of factory fodder that can compare when talking about penetration & power when fired from a 44mag.

http://www.dakotaammo.net/CORBON-Hun...20/300/Product

COR®BON began as a custom bullet-making company; we made bullets for hunters going to Africa to hunt the Big 5 with a handgun. COR®BON's Bonded Core Soft Points are designed to retain their weight and stay together while crushing through heavy bone and tissue in large game. COR®BON's Penetrator and Hard Cast loads are designed for very large, tough-skinned and heavy-boned animals. The Penetrator loads use a heavy, full jacket with a hard linotype core. The Hard Cast load is made from a hard linotype lead with a proven LBT nose design. These two loads cause a through-and-through hole, breaking even the heaviest bones. Our customers have taken large game such as Moose, Brown Bear and Cape Buffalo with our Hard Cast and Penetrator loads.

Caliber: 44 Rem Mag
Bullet Wt.: 305gr COR®BON Hunter FPPN
Velocity: 1250fps
Energy: 1058ftlbs
Test Barrel Length: 8.375 Inches
American Made.
American Owned.

dbltap, I hope this info helps you w/ your decision.... you'll notice 1 of my signature lines & where it sits.... below the 44mag picture (for a reason! )

SR

[dbltap]

Right through to pool huh. Are you still married?

Would you prefer a 6" or 4" barrel length? Any significant difference in effectiveness?

Thanks for the info.

[Suicide*Ride]

Originally Posted by dbltap

Right through to pool huh. Are you still married?

Would you prefer a 6" or 4" barrel length? Any significant difference in effectiveness?

Thanks for the info.

Q: Are you still married?

Am I still married? Thank the good Lord - NO!! I didn't start using the pool for ammo testing until after the marrage went south.

Q: Would you prefer a 6" or 4" barrel length?

I guess that would depend on:

what I was going to be shooting at (type of quarry)

how I was going to be carrying the firearm (hip or shoulder holster)

how much $$$ I have to spend on said weapon.

I've owned 5ea: Ruger Super Blackhawk revolvers w/ 7.5" bbls (for personnal protection from bears while hunting), & 1ea: Rossi 44Spl. w/ 5" bbl (cuz it was too cheap to pass up!).

Q: Any significant difference in effectiveness?

The bbl. length I was shooting from when testing HP's was a 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk. I would think there's not much difference between a 4" & 6" bbl when shooting a 44 Magnum. I've never owned either length bbl. so I can't speak from experience. Longer usually equates to better accuracy, & that's why I hunt w/a Mod. 94 Winchester. It's the Trapper model carbine w/ 16" bbl.

The book (Reloading Manual ) says that the longer bbl length will net higher projectile speeds & ft. lbs. of energy but YMMV (your mileage may vary). My other favorite heavy load(s) in 44mag are:

Hornady: 300gr XTP JHP
Speer: 270gr GOLD DOT JSP
Winchester: 250gr PARTITION GOLD JHP
PMC: 240gr SFHP (Starfire HP).

In testing, the Starfire HP opened up from .429 to a whopping .973!! That's more than double it's original size! The next time I have the reloading bench out, I'll take some pictures of the rds.

Thanks for the info.

You're welcome!! Hope you can use any of it!

SR

[muddober]

Originally Posted by Suicide*Ride

Q: Are you still married?

Am I still married? Thank the good Lord - NO!! I didn't start using the pool for ammo testing until after the marrage went south.

SR

To get rid of her did you have to do the ammo testing while she was in the pool? I need some pointers here.

Ron

[Suicide*Ride]

Originally Posted by muddober

To get rid of her did you have to do the ammo testing while she was in the pool? I need some pointers here.

Ron

Hmmmmmm. You've confused me Ron.... (ain't hard to do!)

Are you need'n pointers w/ ammo testing in a pool, or getting rid of your wife in a pool?


Ooooooh..... I've got it....... you need pointers w/ ammo testing on your wife in a
pool.... right?




(Thanks Ron! I needed a good laugh today! )

SR

[johnnybocce]

I have been loading 240 grain Hornady XTP hollow points with 18.3 grains of 2400. From my Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk, 7 1/2", with Hogue Decellerator grips it's like shooting a .357. Groups at 25 yards are fantastic and I believe they would be a good defensive round for bears. When shooting at anything like a bear, especially one charging, shot placement is critical and understandably difficult due to the situation at hand.

[johnnybocce]

Originally Posted by johnnybocce

I have been loading 240 grain Hornady XTP hollow points with 18.3 grains of 2400. From my Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk, 7 1/2", with Hogue Decellerator grips it's like shooting a .357. Groups at 25 yards are fantastic and I believe they would be a good defensive round for bears. When shooting at anything like a bear, especially one charging, shot placement is critical and understandably difficult due to the situation at hand.

" shoot low, they may be in the bushes!"

[JLA]

Originally Posted by dbltap

Right through to pool huh. Are you still married?

Would you prefer a 6" or 4" barrel length? Any significant difference in effectiveness?

Thanks for the info.

As far as handguns are concerned, you will usually gain or lose 100fps for every inch of barrel. My .45s, shooting the same load are about 75fps difference in initial MV at 10ft. One is a Springfield XD 4" and the other is a custom 1911 5"... The differences are less with increased lengths (loooong pistol and rifle barrels)