Fiocchi 240 Grain JSP

S&W #1 1221 FPS
S&W #2 1154 FPS

Magtech 240 Grain JSP

S&W #1 1269 FPS
S&W #2 1189 FPS

Magtech 240 Grain FMC Flat Point

S&W #1 1250 FPS
S&W #2 1190 FPS

Remington 240 Grain SJHP

S&W #1 1399 FPS
S&W #2 1349 FPS
This is the best personal defense load in the 44 Mag IMHO. This load is a very soft lead with a thin jacket that opens extremely wide and does not over penetrate, ofton penetrates less than 230 grain FMJ 45 ACP. This bullet leave a very large wound channel in Deer.

Thanks for the info.

I have shot a lot of deer out of my old 44 Ruger Deerstalker with the Remington 240 SJHP, both as factory ammo and with that bullet reloaded.
Never did recover one.

They will indeed exit a Deer even from a revolver..

Is it my imagination, or are factory loads in .44 magnum getting a bit on the anemic side? Excluding the Remington ammo that went over 1,300 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Is it my imagination, or are factory loads in .44 magnum getting a bit on the anemic side? Excluding the Remington ammo that went over 1,300 fps.

Yes, some load are rather anemic, some of the factory loads in 357 mag are nothing ore than 38 speccial +P+.
The Winchester 44 mag 240 grain JSP and they Remington 240 grain SJHP are still rather potent.

Double Tap's 320 grain loads run nearly 1,300 fps out of my 6.5-inch Model 29. Seems to me that "magnum" loads should run magnum velocities, particularly with a light bullet like the 240 grainer........

If not they should say on the box "Mid Range Load"

jwp

Can you actually tell the difference in recoil between the Fiocchi and Magtech vs. Remington and Winchester?

I will be seeing a buddy in a couple of weeks that just bought a S&W 329PD. He carried a 44 Mag at work several years ago but has not shot one in a while. I have loaded him up some 7gr and 8.2gr Unique with 240 gr bullets, but want to recommend some 240gr ammo for him as well.

I want to break him in "gently".

He will have his family up there for a week or so, and he may do a little bear hunting with me.

Which of the 240,s do ya'll think is best for bear protection.

Of course I can always give him a few Speer 270's or Federal 300gr Cast Core.

I also have a box or two of my old 240 Keith Linotype loads over 21 gr of [old] 2400.

When I see Post like tis one it comes to mind what the OP's original intent was on making it.
On crunching the numbers the #1 gun averaged 1284 fps for 4 brands #2 averaged 1220 fps for 4 brands. That is just a 64 fps difference between the 2 guns.
In doing a "test" results can chage radically with changes in lots of components, temp..
Really the 2 guns were well withing specs on velocity if one would just realize it.
Whenone remembers that just a chage in primers from lot to lot can make a difference of 50 fps at times these results are really insignificate to the overall performance of the ammo and/or powder charge etc..
Using AA2460 in one of my Encores one time using 2 different lots of the powder I got 90 fps difference between the averages with all other components being the same and the same lot numbers with the differing lots fired withing 3 or 4 minutes of each other.
Just wondering or is this just something to discuss when one is not too busy and is just looking for something to do inside where it is cool while one slurps back a cold soda pop?
Most tests done by individuals are really meaningless because it is so time consuming and cost are high and samples so small just to load up test ammo just to see what happens next.
That is the reason I rarely chronograph.

In my guns felt recoil difference is neglegible IMHO. For Bear protection with my Ass on the line of the loads that you listed, I would go with the 300 grain Cast Core. That flat point hard cast bullet would get the job done for sure in the event that the Bear turned out to be on the large size.

I agree that the Cast Cores would be the best. I am a big fan of heavy lead bullets.

I always carry those or Garretts when in brown or Griz country.

I have shot a couple of pigs in the head [finishers] with the Speer 270 and it has performed good.


Once upon a time, my wife and I both killed large cow elk.

I shot both heads, from the side with a 4" S&W from about 8 feet.

Factory 240 HP Federals did not go through the head.
My 240 Linotype load sailed through no problem.