Need help;
I have a Win. mod. 94 in 44 mag with a 16" barrel. Would like to
Get your favorite loads for hunting black bear at ranges up to 75 yds. All help is apreciated.
Thanks,
Rubi

As powerful as you could get. 24g of H110 behind 240g hard nose bullet.

Rubi -

Cast lead bullets are probably your best bet. Cast hard enough, they penetrate like nobody's business, and, in 44, they're already big enough to create a major wound channel without expansion.
Go to http://www.castperformance.com/ and check out some of their loads. Magnus, Leadhead and Laser-Cast also have data, as well as Hodgdon.

As Bigcountry noted, a hefty dose of W296 or H110 will work best.

I've seen some articles about using the cast bullets, and problems with feeding in the various lever actions, due primarily to the o'all length and/or nose configuration, so, be sure to make sure whatever you use will feed properly. Having a bruin chewing on your foot while you try to clear a jam would certainly be memorable, but, probably not that enjoyable.

Nosler has a Partition Handgun bullet out there that might work okay, but, I haven't heard a lot about its actual field performance.

R-WEST

Rubi,

I like the 265 Hornady flat nose with a maximum load of H-110. It is designed for 444 Marlin velocities but it works very well in 44 mag carbines also. It will penetrate as well as a hard cast lead bullet but some of the carbines won't cycle the lead bullets very well. I know this bullet performs well on elk so it should do a good job on the bears too!
Good luck with the hunt!
Elk Country

240 grain bullet
H-110 From 18.0 grains to 26.1 grains
CCI-350 Primer

265 grain bullet
H-110 From 16.6 grains to 23.2 grains
CCI-350 Primer

300 grain bullet
AA-9 From 12.3 grains to 18.3 grains
CCI-350 Primer

Many THANKS to all of you who helped me with this problem.
It's time to order cast bullets.
Also, I'll used the data advice
on my .444 (300 gr,Hornady).
Again THANKS.
Rubi

In my M94, I used the Keith semiwadcutter. I had to alter the stop projection on the feed elevator to allow the loaded round to come out of the magazine enough to clear the barrel breech when feeding. This was a simple operation with a file, and the gun fed great after that!! This was one helluva great armadillo killer!!

In 44 mag, H-110 is the only powder to use. It's going to provide good energy, velocity, and it does so at nice working pressures. Don't even mess around with another powder. Number two is 2400 but it's a distant second place.

For game, a 240 gr. soft point jacketed is nice. But there are 265 gr. and even 300 gr. bullets worth having a look at. Expansion is moot. You want bullet weight and energy. 44 mag delivers both.

Rifle has the advantage of managing the longer bullets. Some of the 300 gr. cast bullets just don't fit in the cylinder of my Blackhawk.

Damn! 44 mag. What a caliber for short distance knock down !!! Or brush !!!

I like the 270 gr speer it is a really good bullet in the 44 mag.

Hi All,
Just received an e-mail from cast performance "They suggest using
a 300 gr. gas check? (not the
255gr., they don't have the 240 gr.)
So do I still look for a 240 gr. or
go to the 300 gr. gas check?
Help? I'm leaning towards 265 gr.
Hornady.
Many Thanks,
Rubi

The load I use is the Cast Performance 300 gr. gas checked bullet on top of 21.5 grains of W296/H110. This load shoots very fast and accurate in my Model 94 lever action.