Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: huntnfmly on August 01, 2015, 10:43:54 PM

Title: enough for bear?
Post by: huntnfmly on August 01, 2015, 10:43:54 PM: I have a ruger super redhawk 7 1/2 in barrel .44 magnum. When I bought it came with 240 grain xtp hollow points. I've heard different opinions on hollow points and penetration for bears.What say you?
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: tgomez on August 01, 2015, 11:19:58 PM: Should do the trick. But I wouldn't use hollow points, probably want something better bonded that doesn't expand too much. But im sure some will disagree. Good luck either way. Aim small, miss small. :tup:
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: jasnt on August 02, 2015, 07:34:11 AM: I like the 260gr gold dots deep curl or hard cast 305gr LFN in my 44 for bear. Hallow points are made to stop over penetration and to expand quickly slowing the bullet as it sheds energy. IMO you don't want that with bear.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: fisheral87 on August 02, 2015, 08:41:55 AM: I think you would need to look at some performance data on the cartridge to see how far it penetrated through similar materials. Hollow points are designed to expand faster, which could be a benefit if it penetrated enough through meat and bone to transfer the foot lbs generated on the target as opposed to a hard cast round that carried on through.

I carry hard cast rounds in my .357 for self defense because I compromised somewhat on my caliber/pistol choice and I'd rather get penetration and sacrifice a few ft/lbs because the chance of getting through skull and shoulders with a hard cast is better odds IMO.

Al
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on August 02, 2015, 08:47:27 AM: I say hardcast too...
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: nastybynature on August 02, 2015, 09:07:26 AM: This is what I carry for now. I haven't handloaded any .44magnum yet because I didn't have any brass when I bought the pistol a year ago. I have been shooting factory rounds and saving the cases so I am now ready to start loading them. But for now, this is what I have been using. http://bit.ly/1STdOoF
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: jdb on August 02, 2015, 10:09:31 AM: Hard cast
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: magnumb on August 02, 2015, 10:43:30 AM: Quote from: jdb on August 02, 2015, 10:09:31 AM
Hard cast

:yeah:................if there was something better, I'd use it.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: rickomatic on August 02, 2015, 10:48:23 AM: http://www.garrettcartridges.com (http://www.garrettcartridges.com)
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: zwickeyman on August 02, 2015, 10:59:58 AM: Those controlled expansion from Doubletap are good Bear medicine but Hard Cast is a great option
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: sagerat1 on August 02, 2015, 11:49:54 AM: I agree with hard cast. my local woods carry is 255 gr. KEITH SWC HARD CAST. pLENTY FOR MOST ANYTHING local.
We have grizzly north of here and up there I load Oregon Trail 310 gr gas check hard lead.. 44 mag
Before I loaded my own I used HSM 310 gr cast lead in my 44 and 180 gr cast in my 357.
HSM is quite a bit cheaper than some other cast ammo.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: huntnfmly on August 02, 2015, 11:55:41 AM: Thanks for the link and opinions. How can you tell hardcast from non? Will it say on box?
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: huntnfmly on August 02, 2015, 11:59:21 AM: I have several boxes of hsm
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: fisheral87 on August 02, 2015, 12:15:51 PM: Should say on the box but here is a good pic, left to right, soft point, hard cast, hollow point.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: huntnfmly on August 02, 2015, 12:21:08 PM: Thanks everybody
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: magnumb on August 02, 2015, 11:08:35 PM: Quote from: huntnfmly on August 02, 2015, 12:21:08 PM
Thanks everybody

Your Redhawk is a bulletproof tank of a revolver........ :tup:.

If and when you start to handload for it, Beartooth Bullets makes a great 300gr. WFNHCGC'd bullet that is the perfect compliment to your Redhawk and with your longer barrel (mine is a 4"), it will generate a bunch of velocity and energy.

That sidearm, coupled with the right load, would make Clint proud and bears cringe......... ;).

Good luck.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: fisheral87 on August 03, 2015, 08:14:18 AM: WFNHCGC?

What does this mean?

I googled it and it returned the bullets you described but no explanation.

Al
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: fisheral87 on August 03, 2015, 08:18:03 AM: Wide Flat Nose Hard Cast Gas Checked?

That's one hell of an acronym.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: nastybynature on August 03, 2015, 11:49:16 PM: Picked up a bunch of these last year in a box for sell with a bunch of other stuff I wanted. Getting ready to load some in the next week or so.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F15%2F08%2F03%2Fe50f185633d92fd66d0497c002969a84.jpg&hash=90056ace244b3f50c291e91ca254156b60581d44)

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: magnumb on August 04, 2015, 07:51:40 PM: Quote from: fisheral87 on August 03, 2015, 08:18:03 AM
Wide Flat Nose Hard Cast Gas Checked?

That's one hell of an acronym.

:yeah:.....I should have broken it down.....my bad.

Been fishin' lately or would have gotten back to you sooner....... ;).
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: tgomez on August 06, 2015, 12:22:05 PM: Do hard cast mushroom up or do they stay solid in form through penetration?
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: superdown on August 06, 2015, 12:35:55 PM: Quote from: tgomez on August 06, 2015, 12:22:05 PM
Do hard cast mushroom up or do they stay solid in form through penetration?
Sometimes they will deform a little bit or break some material off the bullet as it penetrates hitting bone but no they do not mushroom in the traditional sense unless of course they are a hard cast hollow point :tup:
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: jasnt on August 06, 2015, 12:38:13 PM: Quote from: tgomez on August 06, 2015, 12:22:05 PM
Do hard cast mushroom up or do they stay solid in form through penetration?
they do mushroom but the harder they are the less mushroom they get. Personally I don't like them too hard. My fav blend is wheel weights and 4% lead free soder. From the few 158gr LRN's I've recovered all expanded about <25% and retained 90-95% weight Shooting these out of my 9mm at 986fps measured at 12' from muzzle
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: tgomez on August 06, 2015, 12:53:30 PM: Good info guys, thank you.
Title: Re: enough for bear?
Post by: Caseknife on August 09, 2015, 07:11:36 PM: Here is what I was packing in Wyoming in griz country. http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=GC44M300