How suitable would a 290 gn LFN starting at 1200 fps be?

Obviously, if delivered through the ribs, it would penetrate both lungs and
then exit. What, though, if the aim was a bit off, and the bullet hit the
near shoulder first. Is there enough oomph to penetrate on through to both
lungs?

Actually, I'm looking at a light single shot rifle in .44-40, not a hundgun. Alliant has rifle data with
Reloder-7 under a 240 gn soft lead bullet (1290 fps). An internal ballistics
simulator predicts nearly the same result as Alliant gives, so I used the
simulator to estimate a heavier, hard cast bullet seated out some, yet still
running at SAAMI pressures. The resulting 1200 fps surprised me, as it is in the
lower end of what the .44 Mag can do in a handgun.

I'm planning on using the gun for short range deer hunting, but I got to
wondering if I could reasonably take a poke someday at game as large as elk. I figured the handgun hunters would know.

Karl

For me... the short answer is yes, I wouldnt have a problem shooting an elk with a hard cast 290 at 1200. Out of a 4" S&W 29, Matt shot an elk and broke the near SHOULDER BLADE (thinner)and one rib out on an exit. And that was a keith 250 grainer.
What single shot rifle is this?

I'd have to say yes within reasonable distances. I've taken three elk with a 250grWFNGC at around 1300fps. All were clear shots either broadside or quartering away at under sixty yards. Just be patient and pick your shot at a distance where the rounds energy hasn't petered out. RKBA!

Thank you both for replying.

As for the gun, it would be a rolling block based on the small, No. 2 sized action. One Italian and one American maker are currently offering actions this size. Neither currently chambers for the .44-40, but the originals were offered for this cartridge. It should weigh a bit over 5 lb, making for a nice stalking rifle.

Karl

Oh, I forgot to mention, those light rolling block actions aren't the beefiest, and I wouldn't care to exceed SAAMI's 13,000 CUP limit.

Also, I wouldn't care to guarentee that estimate of 1200 fps with the 290 LFN. Alliant's is the only 240 gn load I've seen, and their 200 gn loads are a bit faster than those from Lyman and other sources. Alliant's 170 gn load for the .30-30 is 2330 fps, a speed I can find in no other loadbook. On the other hand, I've seen no other loads for the .44-40 with powders as slow as Reloder 7. It seems most .44-40 loads are meant for revolvers. This isn't well charted territory.