Bear and Wolf medicine for a 44 mag?

[quadrafire]

For those of you packing a 44 mag while out and about. What is your go to ammo? Start with factory and if you hand load something that you like.

This is for self protection, not hunting 

[Kittman]

Funny thing that you brought this subject up.  Last night I was packing my camper, & loading the dual sport on the trailer.  This morning driving to work I just remembered I need to get my .44 revolver and ammo and take along just for walking a couple of old abandoned logging roads to scout for some possible new bear stand prospects with a good view.

One time I did this and ran into a sow with her 2 cubs and all I had was a Marlin lever action .22 LR to make noise with if it came down to that.  At about 80 yards away I finally yelled at her and they decided to be somewhere else.

I'll be taking 629 w/an ammo mix of Winchester factory 240 grain JSP and some that I reloaded with Hornady 300 grain XTP bullets.  And do not forget the earplugs!

[quadrafire]

Thanks kittman.
Is your Marlin a 39A by chance?

[headshot5]

I run keith style cast bullets (250gr).  They penetrate really well.  240gr or 300gr grain XTP's are good jacketed bullets for bear as well.  I handload all my .44 mag, but XTP's should be able to be found in a factory load.

[CP]

Hard to beat the Elmer Keith bullet.  I handload but factory is available:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2118195819/buffalo-bore-ammunition-44-special-255-grain-lead-keith-type-semi-wadcutter-gas-check

[Kittman]

Thanks kittman.
Is your Marlin a 39A by chance?

Yes, it's a Golden 39A, new about 2006.

[quadrafire]

Thanks kittman.
Is your Marlin a 39A by chance?

Yes, it's a Golden 39A, new about 2006.

I have a Golden 39A circa late '60s. Love that gun

[magnumb]

For those of you packing a 44 mag while out and about. What is your go to ammo? Start with factory and if you hand load something that you like.

This is for self protection, not hunting 

I only handoad for the .44 Mag.

Healthy dose of H110, Win. large pistol primers, Win. brass and 300gr. 'Beartooth Bullets' (WFNHCGC).

I do sometimes hunt with this load, but I initially put it together for just the same reason that you are also inquiring about .44 Mag. loads......personal protection while afield.

These particular bullets are as hard as lead gets, but that is exactly what I want.  If a bear (which is my main conern) is what I need stopped, this bullet and load will penetrate most all, if not all, of this bear breaking bones and anything else in it's way.  In such a situation, I prefer 'stopping' and/or 'breaking it down' immediately results, not bullet expansion.  Alot of both would also be preferable, but given they don't necessarily go hand in hand, I opt for these bullets and that load......for those reasons.

Good luck to you as I'm sure that there will be lots of varying suggestions.  I'm always open to new ideas, as well, so thanks for startin' this thread...... .

[quadrafire]

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Looks like i'll need to pick up a set of dies.

[Kittman]

My .44 Mag dies are the RCBS Carbide 3 piece die set (Gray Box). 

[mountainman]

For those of you packing a 44 mag while out and about. What is your go to ammo? Start with factory and if you hand load something that you like.

This is for self protection, not hunting 

I only handoad for the .44 Mag.

Healthy dose of H110, Win. large pistol primers, Win. brass and 300gr. 'Beartooth Bullets' (WFNHCGC).

I do sometimes hunt with this load, but I initially put it together for just the same reason that you are also inquiring about .44 Mag. loads......personal protection while afield.

These particular bullets are as hard as lead gets, but that is exactly what I want.  If a bear (which is my main conern) is what I need stopped, this bullet and load will penetrate most all, if not all, of this bear breaking bones and anything else in it's way.  In such a situation, I prefer 'stopping' and/or 'breaking it down' immediately results, not bullet expansion.  Alot of both would also be preferable, but given they don't necessarily go hand in hand, I opt for these bullets and that load......for those reasons.

Good luck to you as I'm sure that there will be lots of varying suggestions.  I'm always open to new ideas, as well, so thanks for startin' this thread...... .

[lee]

I carry Winchester 240gr JSP in my 4" bbl Dan Wesson.

LOUD does not begin to describe this pistol 

[magnumb]

When huntin' the Bob Marshall in MT. in '07 (on my only guided, elk/deer hunt ever), I was lucky enough to have a guide who was also a Marine and 'Nam vet who served about the sametime that I did in SEA.  This is my 1st attempt at submitting any pictures, so I hope that it comes out......if at all.....   This mulie was taken on that hunt and I shot him at 265 yards from that very smallest bit of snow against the blue sky in the picture (300 RUM).  Had to thread some trees and limbs........    Aim low.... .

A few weeks prior to my hunt, he told me about guiding another client in essentially the same area that we would be huntin'.  These are high-horse hunts.  He told me about this particular client shooting a black bear, but the shot was rushed and not well placed.  His client then became quite unwilling to want to help track down the wounded bear, especially when darkness was closing in fast.....not to mention the cold in mid-November.  Tom, being both a true sportsman and a bit fearless, employed both his very efficient Sure Fire flashlight and his much used and trusted Taurus 4" .41 Mag loaded with 210gr. JHP Hornady XTP's.

The bear was holed up in a rather thick brushy area and Tom could hear brush crackin' and the usual snorts and grunts of an animal not nearly on deaths doorstep.  He was not emitting sounds truly indicative of those associated with 'death throes'.  Tom cautiously made his way closer to the bear leaving an escape avenue for both as most of the thicket was encircled by rather steep terrain.  Within what he figured to be 10 or so yards of the wounded bear, it either decided to charge him or was just looking to put as much distance between him and Tom....who knows, but it didn't matter.  Tom's first shot hit the bear in the frontal area of the left shoulder without any sign that he had been hit.  This was at about 5 yards.  Tom said it became a bit of a blur after that, but 3 more rounds failed to slow this bear down until at arms length, Tom stuck the barrel of his .41 Mag just behind it's left ear and finally ended what really should never have occured in the first place.

I was in the guides cabin when told this story by Tom and another guide was there too and he told me that he was in close enough proximity with his client and that he responded as quickly as possible to where Tom was because he knew that pistol shots can mean only one of two things, especially after shootin' hours...........with neither being good.

Tom retreived five 210gr., .41 Mag bullets from his locker.  These were the most universally perfect mushroomed bullets that I have ever personally seen and handled......I mean.....perfect!  They were 'huntin' magazine' advertisement perfect......!  Their weight retention and expansion diameters, without the instruments necessary to verify this, were completely identical.  He had cleaned them up, so that all the particulars of these bullets were easily discerned.  For the less dense and dangerous 4 legged critters and for all of the 2-legged suicidal types, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to add this bullet to the 'will work very well' catagory.

No bullet penetrated any deeper than just slightly below the hairline, except for the point blank skull shot which shattered his skull.  In reality, all of the shots would be considered point blank.....IMHO.  The first frontal shoulder shot did contact dense bone, but proceeded to expend all of it's energies there without causing any major subsequent damage.

Long story a bit longer........Tom rolls his own now and they don't resemble a hollow point in the least nor do they have any copper in them, less perhaps his gas checks.

   

[mountainman]

3" Lew Horton 629 hardcast, close range..

[mountainman]

454Super Redhawk. Hardcast, close range..