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Favorite .44 Mag Hog Hunting Load?

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16 August 2010, 05:03
CamoManJ
Favorite .44 Mag Hog Hunting Load?
Just for fun & out of curiosity...


If you were going on a hog hunt w/ a .44 Mag you would use .................*

On my first upcoming hand gun hog hunt, I'm going to try Grizzly's 300gr PUNCH. That should be a quick & messy DRT. Anyone ever try these?


"A Lone Hunter is the Best Hunter..."
16 August 2010, 07:29
jwp475
The Punch bullets are excellent penetrators. The negative to them is cost other than that a great bullet.

I would use either a 270 grain wide flat point hard cast or the 300 grian XTP


_____________________________________________________


A 9mm may expand to a larger diameter, but a 45 ain't going to shrink

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16 August 2010, 16:18
Whitworth
quote:
Originally posted by jwp475:
The Punch bullets are excellent penetrators. The negative to them is cost other than that a great bullet.

I would use either a 279 grain wide flat point hard cast or the 300 grian XTP


I agree with these suggestions. The Punch is an expensive solid. You would be equally served by a good flat-nosed hardcast. I have used the 300 grain XTP factory loads with success -- very accurate ammo.



"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.

Semper Fidelis

"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
16 August 2010, 17:41
Doubless
I am not familiar with the PUNCH bullets, but I agree with Whitworth. I think the XTPs will perfrom admirably, but I would recommend you use them on head shots only. They are, after all, pretty much a cup and core bullet.

If you are going to shoot the body, use a hard cast, as Whitworth has also suggested. I use the Keiths and they work well, but the LBT is probably a better choice.
16 August 2010, 17:45
Whitworth
Doubless, the Punch bullet is produced by Belt Mountain and is a solid meant for extreme penetration (elephant skulls included). The rub is that they cost about $2.50 per bullet -- oh, but they work like a charm!



"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.

Semper Fidelis

"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
16 August 2010, 19:13
Doubless
At $2.50 per pop (literally), they darned well ought to! Sheesh!!!
16 August 2010, 19:30
tradmark
they'll do the same as a hardcast as far as damage but with no deformity, i would feel fine shooting to the body just fine but for a hog i'd use a barnes xpb load and if i were worried about penetration i'd just go ahead and use corbon penetrator. loaded ammo is 2.50 a round and that's retail, sometimes cheaper through midway.
19 August 2010, 19:20
Boxhead
A few months ago I used a 275 gr WFN at 1100 fps to easily drill and drop a pretty good sized boar. Except for the helluvit, I see no need for more.
19 August 2010, 19:33
Whitworth
Boxhead, whose WFN are you using? I use a 280 grain flat-nosed hardcast in my Model 29s, and it works pretty well.



"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.

Semper Fidelis

"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
19 August 2010, 19:34
CamoManJ
quote:
Originally posted by Doubless:
At $2.50 per pop (literally), they darned well ought to! Sheesh!!!


$4.10 per pop @ $82/box(20) + tax/shipping

I bought the last box at MidwayUSA @ $64.95/3.25 per pop.

I got this stuff just for the hellavit & as well as a "stopper" bullet for hogs, bears, etc.


"A Lone Hunter is the Best Hunter..."
19 August 2010, 19:38
Whitworth
The $2.50 I mentioned was for the bullets alone from Belt Mountain, not loaded ammo. CamoManJ, you got a good deal on that ammo. You might want to save it for elephant! Big Grin



"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.

Semper Fidelis

"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
20 August 2010, 22:09
aliveincc
The 270g Speer gold dot has performed well during my bullet testing. I shot it at fairly close range w/ some pretty stout loads and it never shed its jacket. It does expand, but not overly expand.
20 August 2010, 22:24
N E 450 No2
I have head shot a few hogs, finishing shots, with the 270 Speer bullet and I have only recovered one.

It expanded some and held together very well.

The factory Speer load has proven to be very accurate, I have shot a few grouse with it as well.


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21 August 2010, 09:18
Redhawk1
When I had my 44 Mag, I used 300 gr. hard cast WFN bullets. Killed a few hogs with it, and never found a bullet and hogs died quick.


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23 August 2010, 06:34
Boxhead
quote:
Originally posted by Whitworth:
Boxhead, whose WFN are you using? I use a 280 grain flat-nosed hardcast in my Model 29s, and it works pretty well.


They were CPBC's that I had bought probably 15 years ago. I just found them buried in my stash. Also found a few old bozes of their 325 LFN's. I had chased elk for a few years with them loaded stout in my TLA #5. Incredibly accurate. These days I buy from Montana Bullet Works as the quality and selection is great and they are priced quite a bit less than CPBC's.
23 August 2010, 16:24
Whitworth
Thanks, Boxhead!



"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.

Semper Fidelis

"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
23 August 2010, 23:25
N E 450 No2
Now that I have my loading gear set up and have unpacked my stuff after the move I am going Retro.

My standard load used to be 22 or 22.5gr of 2400, but I have backed up to 21 gr of 2400 [I still have some "Old" 2400], and my Linotype cast Keith SWC's, from a H&G mold no 503 if I remember correctly.

I have killed deer and pigs with this load in the ast and it worked great.


DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
25 August 2010, 16:27
p dog shooter
I brought I lee 315 gr mold hard cast them cast check them they shoot well and work well on hogs at 1300 fps. cheap too
03 September 2010, 23:56
kingd
I have used 300gr XTPs, 300gr Nosler JHP and 300gr Castcore WFNGCs to take Texas hogs from 25-85yds. All dropped to the shot. All head shots though from my Win. Trapper. Using 19-21grn H110. hogs don't like'em much. Big Grin


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04 September 2010, 00:20
CamoManJ
Thanks for the interesting posts gentlemen.

I can't wait to post a hunt report after killing hogs w/ the 300gr PUNCH bullets. Then, I will try some of the suggestions posted.


"A Lone Hunter is the Best Hunter..."
04 September 2010, 19:32
billinthewild
Garrett cartridges.....the best if you do not choose to reload. And reasonable....check out his web site...


"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
Theodore Roosevelt
05 September 2010, 07:03
perry
What about the 225gr XPB? Any good for Tx hogs?

perry
05 September 2010, 08:55
billinthewild
I am not familiar with Barnes XPB bullets but if they work as well as their rifle bullets do, they should be fine.


"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
Theodore Roosevelt
07 September 2010, 03:29
drewhenrytnt
I convinced the Camoman to buy the Punch ammo after showing how they perform in my 454C. Rumor has it he wants to attempt an Oklahoma Brain Shot.Smiler

'Squatch


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07 September 2010, 22:26
OLBIKER
quote:
Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
I convinced the Camoman to buy the Punch ammo after showing how they perform in my 454C. Rumor has it he wants to attempt an Oklahoma Brain Shot.Smiler

'Squatch

animal
26 September 2010, 01:50
Blammer
I would most likely use the 311gr HP in the upper left corner with 2400 out of my RSRH.

Smiler