Handgun hunting with Nosler 300gr 44mag

[MT Pockets]

When hunting with one of my 44mag revolvers I usually have them loaded with a .240gr. HP. I have both 7 1/2" and 5 1/2" barreled Super Blackhawks and dependent upon the occasion (hunting or woods walking) I carry one or the other. I have a box of 300gr Nosler that I have had for a time and not loaded yet. I would like to know more about these and their effective velocity range as compared to the 240gr. I hunt in an area where bear are but have not felt them a threat. I hunt deer with noth rifle and handgun and would like to know if any advantage one weight over the other from someone that has experienced both on game?

 

[JD338]

I shot them out of a S&W 629 Classic around 1200 fps. They shot well but they don’t expand much and pencil through deer. I’ve had much better results with the Nosler 240 JHP at 1400 fps. In a Marlin 1894, the Nosler 240 gr JHP muzzle velocity was 1700+ fps and nice exits leaking lots of blood on WT deer.

JD338

 

[diverdown]

I picked up a box a while back and tried using them for Deer which I found to be disappointing. They act like solids and would be better used as such. Going from a Revolver to a rifle would I'm sure definitely help in the velocity department and may make a difference in performance.

 

[MT Pockets]

I am thinking that too. I do have a 44 mag rifle but I never hunt with it opting for something better suited. Thanks

 

[Guy Miner]

MT Pockets (cool handle btw) - I suspect that your 240 gr Nosler bullets would work just fine on the basic black bear.

I like the penetration potential for the 300's, but I think the 240's would do just fine on a bear. I've not yet shot a bear with one, but have shot several bears with my rifles. Perhaps someone with experience using the 240's on bear will chime in. Bear topics often generate their own internet cyclone for a while...

Guy

 

[RL338]

240 is the way to go in a handgun for hunting.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Something to consider:

I shot a customized Ruger Super Redhawk for some time. I had always loaded 240gr bullets at top velocities in the 6.5" bbl. At some point, I decided to switch over to 300gr bullets. To my surprise they always shot high. So high that a simple sight adjustment would not get them to the point of aim. I had to replace the front sight with a taller sight to get the POI down to the POA. That created another problem because the tall front sight did not ride right in the holster. In the end, I returned to the 240-250gr bullets.

Heavy pistol bullets causing this problem is not all that uncommon.