Out of curiosity what is the best bullet for use in 44 Mag for Africa?

[Scrumbag]

Also Federal have some new ammo out call "Hammer Down"

Claims:

Optimised for Lever Actions
Claim to get 1715 fps out of the 20" barrel with a 270 gr bullet in .44 mag which might be interesting as an option

Scrummy

 

[ALbowhunter]

I loaded some of the Lehigh Defense Extreme Penetrators for my .460 S&W. I shot a Sable and a Kudu with them. The bullets passed straight through the Sable, but I recovered the bullet from the Kudu. There was not any deformation in the bullet. Both animals had a lot of internal damage much like an expanding bullet, but the exit hole was only slightly larger than caliber. The bullets performed exactly as the design stated.

 

[Whacker]

I have absolutely no experience yet with African game however I do shoot the 44 mag a lot here in the states. I normally use a Sierra 240 JHC for whitetails here and I have yet to recover one even on quartering shots have passed through. On the other hand for hog hunting I use a hard cast round. I believe if I was to use one for your intended purposes if any dangerous game in the area being a possibility I would stay toward a hard cast or solid round for penetration and shy away from expanding bullets. Others with experience on African game handgun experience can hopefully make some good recommendations as I’m curious to this as well.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thank you gentlemen for all the info and recommendations. I greatly appreciate it.

BenKK, I'll check out CEB for solids in 44 cal., as I have yet to find any bullet manufacturers that design a handgun (specific) solid bullet.

Dewald, what manufacturer, brand, of hard cast bullets did you use for shooting your zebra mare?

How effective are hard cast vs solid handgun bullets on DG? i.e. leopard, lion, buff, hippo, at 50 yards and less.

@Ridge Runner
The 300 grain Barnes Buster was designed for the 44 mag and the 444 marlin. Swift make the 280 grain AFRAME in 44 cal. Hornaday has the 225 grain FTX for the mag.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'm currently trying to work up a load for the .44 mag to hunt deer here in the UK.

To make our ME requirements, we need to hit 1,700 ftlbs and to do that with a .44 mag, you tend to need lighter bullets such as 200 gr Hornady XTP and 210gr Sierra JHC.

Hodgdon helpfully lists 20" bbl lever action loads for the .44 mag and the loadings for those 2 bullets should make the ME requirement even with a little manufacturer bias.

What worries me slightly is I reckon that inside 100yds the bullets might impact going rather faster than designed to. XTP I'm fairly certain of this having seen data, JHC I just suspect it.

Interestingly I notice that Barnes happily quote loading the 200 and 225gr XPB in their .444 Marlin data so might be easier to get a fairly powerful but flatter shooting load out of the .44 mag with those.

I've got some 200 gr Barnes XPB ordered I will try with H110 in the .44 mag when they turn up. I went 200gr as I reckon it will be better for powder volume than the 225. I'm also trying to source some 180gr Peregrine Hog Bullets but given the state of the "global supply chain" that might take even longer.

Please let us know what you decide!

Scrummy

@Scrumbag
Scummy you could try the 225 grain Hornaday FTX in your 44 mag. I know the 265 FTX work well in the 444 Marlin at 2,400 fps and punch a big hole right thru a sambar side on and quarter angling away.
Bob

 

[Probono]

I also used a .44 Magnum Redhawk, along with a Contender in .375 JDJ on my first African safari to Zimbabwe in 1990. I used a 300 gr. Bull-X hard cast bullet in the .44, which had exactly the same profile as the then-new 300 gr. Sierra jacketed bullet. I only used the .44 to take several impala and warthog, and also apparently marginally wounded and lost a kudu, despite hours of tracking. It was the only animal I ever lost since I began hunting nearly 50 years ago.
On several subsequent safaris I used a FA .454 with the FA 260, Sierra 300, and Hornady 300 XTP, and had good experiences with all of them...well, I DID put a 260 broadside through two blue wildebeest...didn't see the second one behind...but then, that is a TOUGH bullet, and another story.
The .44 Magnum is an outstanding cartridge that I've used a great deal. However, for African hunting, I personally prefer a .454 or better still, a .475 Linebaugh.

 

[Scrumbag]

@Scrumbag
Scummy you could try the 225 grain Hornaday FTX in your 44 mag. I know the 265 FTX work well in the 444 Marlin at 2,400 fps and punch a big hole right thru a sambar side on and quarter angling away.
Bob

Hi Bob, wouldn't be a bad idea but we have a 1,700ftlb muzzle energy requirement here in England as per the Deer Act. Difficult getting enough power in the case with the FTX seated to max book COAL so it feeds through actions with .44 mag

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi Bob, wouldn't be a bad idea but we have a 1,700ftlb muzzle energy requirement here in England as per the Deer Act. Difficult getting enough power in the case with the FTX seated to max book COAL so it feeds through actions with .44 mag

@Scrumbag
Scrummy that's why they made the 225 grain FTX so it work in the 44 mag at the right length don't know about the ME tho.
Bob

 

[WyatBaker]

I have hunted many a whitetail with the .44 Magnum and put down many a feral hog as well. After long experience, I can comfortably say that Black Hills’ 240gr round is probably the premiere slayer of mid-sized game in this caliber.
If you’re interested in taking BIG game with a handgun (eg Elk or Moose), I highly recommend you take a look at our review of the Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull! And yes, it does come in .44 Magnum also.

 

[458 Exp]

I’ve hunted Impala and Warthog using 300gr XTP out of my SBH 7.5”

But recently gone over to a 250gr Solid Copper bullet made by a local bullet manufacturer. My idea behind it that I want to be able to shoot straight through Blue Wildebeest so I can have a good blood trail to follow.

 

[ChrisG]

I’ve hunted Impala and Warthog using 300gr XTP out of my SBH 7.5”

But recently gone over to a 250gr Solid Copper bullet made by a local bullet manufacturer. My idea behind it that I want to be able to shoot straight through Blue Wildebeest so I can have a good blood trail to follow.

View attachment 407845

View attachment 407846

It would be nice to be able to buy bullets like that commercially in the U.S. Unfortunately, they have been erroneously labeled "cop killers"

 

[458 Exp]

It would be nice to be able to buy bullets like that commercially in the U.S. Unfortunately, they have been erroneously labeled "cop killers"

Hi ChrisG
Cutting Edge makes something similar in a 240gr. Maybe they can make you some heavier ?

 

[ChrisG]

Hi ChrisG
Cutting Edge makes something similar in a 240gr. Maybe they can make you some heavier ?

I will into it. Thanks. I have looked through CEB products, I didnt realize they made handgun solids. I am surprised the BATFE hasn't shut them down yet.

 

[Alaska]

23.0 of H110 and CCI 350 primer
265 gr FN Hornady most excellent the large heavy game in the 44 Mag Redhawk use this load often in Alaska .

 

[Est.1970]

Hornady 265gr Interlock perhaps, if you can gt the velocity. It's not a 'premium', but being designed around the 444 Marlin, it is pretty stout for a 44.

I like this bullet in my Marlin 1894. With H110 velocity is excellent.

Al

Hornady website shows the FTX as the only 265, unless you want loaded 444 ammo. Where are you finding those bullets?

Thanks.

 

[Flbt]

On my 2021 trip to Africa I'll be traveling to Zimbabwe and East Cape.

In Zimbabwe it will be a camp hunt, I'll be going after cape buff, L eland, maybe leopard, hippo, or croc, and smaller PG.

My primary weapon will be 375 H&H.
My secondary will be my 44 Rem Mag, with 240 grain flat nose soft points.

What I would like to know is there a preferred or better bullet for the 44 mag in Africa for use on both DG and PG?

I am currently reloading using Winchester 296 and H110 powders, and Hornady, Nosler, and Magnus 240 gr JSP bullets.

Can you still get the 270gr bonded gold dot jsp?
Will your gun handle the 270gr
They have went through both shoulder bones on hogs and keep going
And I keep them on one of my 44 rifles for big bumps in the night around the farm

 

[Alistair]

Hornady website shows the FTX as the only 265, unless you want loaded 444 ammo. Where are you finding those bullets?

Thanks.

I was buying them in the UK as recently as 2021.

Maybe they don't offer the unloaded bullets anymore. I can only find 'out of stock' listings through a cursory look at some online retailers.

 

[Jefferry404]

Hornady 240gn Backcountry Defense
& Hornady 240gn XTP

 

[Ridge Runner]

I went with the Lehigh Extreme Penetrators. I only tested 2 of these bullets: one on the buffalo I killed with my 375H&H in Zim: standing about 10- 15 yards away I shot the buffalo through the shoulder plate. The bullet went through both shoulder plates and found under the skin between the muscles and hide. The second one I tested on an eland i previiusly killed using my 375H&H. I shot the eland through the sternum between and behind the front legs. The bullet was found lodged amongst three badly damaged vertebrae.

As you can see by the photo above other than the rifling marks these bullets can be reloaded and used again.

I missed getting photos of the internal damage due to arriving at the skinning shed after the skinners had already desposed of the entrails.

 

[rnovi]

I went with the Lehigh Extreme Penetrators. I only tested 2 of these bullets: one on the buffalo I killed with my 375H&H in Zim: standing about 10- 15 yards away I shot the buffalo through the shoulder plate. The bullet went through both shoulder plates and found under the skin between the muscles and hide. The second one I tested on an eland i previiusly killed using my 375H&H. I shot the eland through the sternum between and behind the front legs. The bullet was found lodged amongst three badly damaged vertebrae.

View attachment 700899

As you can see by the photo above other than the rifling marks these bullets can be reloaded and used again.

I missed getting photos of the internal damage due to arriving at the skinning shed after the skinners had already desposed of the entrails.

I have read on many occasions “this bullet could be reloaded and used again”.

I challenge you, Good Sir. Please do! Would you load that same bullet a second time and take a second game animal please?

I’d love to know how many times a single bullet could take how many possible game animals!

PS: No joke and no sarcasm intended! I’d really love to see a post one day “this is the fourth Buffalo this bullet has taken!” With pix of each. I think that would be truly stellar!