Subsonic 44 mag. Load for deer?

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  • bobjones223

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    Ok so the new property we have is right on city limits on two sides but we are still county. Needless to say I have neighbors on three sides of me but PLENTY of deer. I have a Marlin 1894P in 44 that I am currently using. The area has no shots over 50 yards. I am thinking subsonic to avoid the nice "crack" you get from breaking the sound barrier.

    So my thought was a subsonic 44 mag with a 300gr XTP. Now the twist rate on the Marlin will not stabilize anything over 270gr. I have picked up a TC Contender in 44 mag. And am wanting to work up a load for a 10" barrel that will run in the 1080 range.

    I have H110 for my full house loads but know it does some nasty pressure spikes when short loaded therefore I have picked up a bottle of Alliant 2400.

    Am I thinking right of sending a heavier payload at the slower speed or is the standard 240gr fine? Don't want the extra punishment on the hand if not needed.

    What would be a good starting load ?

    Thanks.
     

    Leadeye

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    Lee has a nice 310 grain mold for 44 mag, but as you noted, I've never had much luck with it in the 1894. I think you are spot on with 2400 for what you want to accomplish, Blue Dot might be another possibility.
     

    Water63

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    Look at cowboy action loads in 44 special. You could run some Titegroup and a 240 XTP and kill any deer walking. I loaded some when the kids were starting like 4 gr of Titegroup and a 240 XTP in a 44 mag case. It clocked around 750fpsthe gils killed several deer with that load most didn't go very far.
     

    bobjones223

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    Look at cowboy action loads in 44 special. You could run some Titegroup and a 240 XTP and kill any deer walking. I loaded some when the kids were starting like 4 gr of Titegroup and a 240 XTP in a 44 mag case. It clocked around 750fpsthe gils killed several deer with that load most didn't go very far.

    Thanks for the load tip. I have some Tightgoup but from all the web chatter they were making it sound like in that large of a case and that small of a load the burns were inconsistent. So the 2400 has a bit more bulk and I was hoping to fill the case a bit more.

    I will look into it though.
     

    snapping turtle

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    Could be wrong but is not 2400 and h110 are very much alike. 240 grain is what stabilize best and anything cast must be large for caliber.

    Also the 1884p could be switched out for an 1894. Let me know if you want to trade as the ported barrels are much louder than then non ported. Not as much from behind shooting but from the sides of the shot. I think I have two around.

    With 44 mag you also have the issue of running dead deer. Dad seems to knock them down dead right there. Mine seem to run off without leaving much of a blood trail. The only difference is my barrel is 16 inches his is 20. Some about 200 fps difference. The blood in the chest cavity not much on the ground. Last two ran toward the truck so fine easier but in your case I would think you would want to anchor them in the place of the shot. Nothing like a running dead deer ending up in a lawn of a person who does not like hunters. Last doe ended up in the creek about 39 yards from where it was shot. Very foggy day. Had I not heard the water splash it could have been lost.

    Personally I would stick with Winchester white box JSP as my handloads even try to mimic that load in 44 mag for the 1884. It just works best for me. Better one load shot than three softer shots.
     

    Broom_jm

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    @ Jmarriott,

    2400 and H110 have fairly similar MAX load velocities, but 2400 can be safely loaded down to slower velocities, which you cannot do safely with H110.

    Ported barrel or not, the OP is looking for a sub-sonic load, which will greatly reduce the noise factor.

    Whether or not a deer runs is primarily a matter of shot placement. Talk to your dad and you may find he aims for (and hits) the high shoulder shot, which tends to anchor deer, at the expense of some edible meat. I do agree with you that the OP probably should be very concerned about dead deer winding up on neighbor's property. I would talk to them ahead of time to get permission to recover a deer, if need be. There are a lot of suburban housewives who are sick and tired of deer eating their flowers and shrubs. :)
     

    snapping turtle

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    So true

    mine just hit the heart lung area. The deer are running dead not very far as I think like 50 yards to maybe a max of 80. Heart lung gone. Thing is dad's seem to be just about the same placement but not broadside as much.

    Guess since the farmland land is with houses but used to gunfire in my area. Just found the WWB to be about as good a round in a 1894 as any ammo. Never though of making it subsonic.
     

    bobjones223

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    Update.

    Shot ten full house loads through the T.C. today in 240gr, 10" standard profile barrel and pretty much told me I am not really interested in 300gr loads. Not that hunting with them would be bad but load development would be rough! I know some guys live for the pain of the magnum pistols but I am not one of those guys.

    So anyone with a 240gr subsonic load that want to share?
     

    bobjones223

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    @ Jmarriott,

    2400 and H110 have fairly similar MAX load velocities, but 2400 can be safely loaded down to slower velocities, which you cannot do safely with H110.

    Ported barrel or not, the OP is looking for a sub-sonic load, which will greatly reduce the noise factor.

    Whether or not a deer runs is primarily a matter of shot placement. Talk to your dad and you may find he aims for (and hits) the high shoulder shot, which tends to anchor deer, at the expense of some edible meat. I do agree with you that the OP probably should be very concerned about dead deer winding up on neighbor's property. I would talk to them ahead of time to get permission to recover a deer, if need be. There are a lot of suburban housewives who are sick and tired of deer eating their flowers and shrubs. :)

    Funny you mention this. I noticed last year when hunting with my daughter a difference in the deers reaction between two rounds. We were hunting out of a two man stand and I let her take the first deer with her 45 Colt, 250gr XTP at 1,060+-. She punched both lungs and cut a perfectly round hole through the heart. The deer trotted about 5 yards, walked about 10 yards, looked a little drunk and fell over....really quite a peaceful event. (Great first deer experience!)

    Later that afternoon I shot one at the same distance, same trail as hers with a full house 44mag in the 1894. He mule kicked, ran 75 yards as hard as he could, crashed into a tree before rolling the entire way down a hill. I punched both lunges and vaporized half of his heart.

    This led me to believe that "maybe" it had to do with how hard the deer were hit by the round as to how they reacted?

    I have never shot a deer with a bow to know how they react after initial projectile contact.

    No, I know "Why get the T.C. and work up a load for it when you already have the 45 Colt doing what you want to do with the 44?" To that I answer "You ain't from around here are you boy."

    Half the fun of hunting for me is the toy I take out and building the toy the way I want it.
     

    Bfish

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    I know you are planning on loading it up, but you may also check out EBR ammo. It's made here in Indiana and they have 44mag subsonic made especially for shooting close range pigs and deer just like you are talking about. I've seen a few photos as well as talked with one person who has used it with great success to take deer over the last few years.
     

    bobjones223

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    I know you are planning on loading it up, but you may also check out EBR ammo. It's made here in Indiana and they have 44mag subsonic made especially for shooting close range pigs and deer just like you are talking about. I've seen a few photos as well as talked with one person who has used it with great success to take deer over the last few years.

    Thanks for the heads up. Checked out the website and it is interesting. Looks like a blood trail may be tough and not sure I can justify the $1.50 per trigger pull.
     

    SSGSAD

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    Update.

    Shot ten full house loads through the T.C. today in 240gr, 10" standard profile barrel and pretty much told me I am not really interested in 300gr loads. Not that hunting with them would be bad but load development would be rough! I know some guys live for the pain of the magnum pistols but I am not one of those guys.

    So anyone with a 240gr subsonic load that want to share?

    My "trusty" Speer # 10, Unique at start of 5.8 gr,673 fps ..... 6.3 726 fps .....

    Magnum, Unique 11.6 1243 fps ..... 12.6 1361 fps ..... You will need to "work up a load"

    and end up between the spl., load, and the low Magnum load .....

    Blue Dot, is listed for Magnum, only ..... 16.2 gr., 1315 fps ..... 17.2 gr., 1373 fps .....

    You can safely reduce Unique and Blue Dot, just be careful .....

    If you want some help, just let me know .....
     

    Redleg11b

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    If noise is a concern, I believe that subsonic loads in the rifle will be quieter than even a slightly slower load in the handgun. OR, you could get a suppressor for it and have fun with even less attention drawn (if only the HPA would pass to make this even easier).
     

    oldpink

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    I hate to derail your thread looking for subsonic ammo, but why not just speak to the neighbors in person politely and explain that you intend to hunt during a stated time of the year, and that they need not worry about the few gunshots that they'll hear come fall hunting season?
    Where you are hunting is presumably a legal location and you'll likewise be following the law, so the neighbors should be able to live with that, especially when they know to expect it.
    Besides, you don't intend to be unleashing a barrage; you're hunting, so it would be unusual to shoot even more than three shots per deer.
     

    bobjones223

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    Update for the purpose of education of others.

    300gr. XTP with 16gr. Of Alliant 2400, CCI "Magnum" #350 out of a 10" barrel TC Contender at 1.60" COAL.

    This load produced a five shot string averaging 1320fps with a 24 fps variance between high and low.

    I have loaded up five more with 15gr. of 2400 and will test tomorrow... keeping everyone posted in case someone wants the information in the future.
     

    bobjones223

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    Update on the process.

    300gr XTP, CCI MAGNUM #350, Alliant 2400, 1.60" COAL

    Loaded 15gr of the 2400 trying to get the velocity down to the 1080 range.

    Averaged 1258fps.

    Going to check out 44 special loads to see if I am going to be safe with 13gr.

    This is tough because I have yet to find a 44 special load with a 300gr. JHP.

    Any advice from the local reloaders would be greatly appreciated!
     

    slipnotz

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    MY IMR book lists a 44 mag Cowboy load that would work with Trail Boss. 240 gr LSWC starting load 6.0 gr trail boss for 828 fps. Max load 240 gr LSWC with 7.3 gr of trail boss at 917 fps.
     
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