http://stevespages.com/page8f.htm
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot1.htm
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf
http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.44-magnum.html
load a 310 grain lee cast 44 caliber bullet over 21 grains of H110 , size .430 , cast from 95% ww alloy and 5% tin
that has been my almost exclusively used load, in my S&W 29, for the last 15 plus years and it flat works, use a firm crimp, seat out to near max length that the cylinder allows and PRACTICE!!
(an excellent choice if your convinced you need more than a 44 mag, would be the 480 ruger or 445 DWSM)
an keep in mind, a 44 mag with 310 grain hard cast bullets will kill anything in north america including the largest bears with decent shot placement and a knowledge of the games anatomy
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/511417 ... -gas-check
rapidly expanding bullets tend to loose penetration rapidly, hard cast bullets expand slower but penetrate far deeper
a good deal of FLORIDA SWAMPS LOOK'S LIKE THESE pictures
typical palmetto thickets where 20 -40 yard shots are the normal range, and where some areas where use of a climbing tree stand offer's you a big advantage
Ive always been rather skeptical, of the idea that having
"all of the energy that is carried by that bullet is expended in the animal, instead of exiting the animal and taking energy with it."
is nearly as useful as having a larger exit or at least TWO open holes in the hide to allow blood to drain, and that the "SECRET" here is knowing the games anatomy and proper shot placement, and the near instant destruction of vital organs rather than any slight increase in total energy transfer.
the fact is that handgun bullets kill by disrupting or destroying tissue, and organ function and blood loss, more similar to archery than what a 270 win or 300 mag does with adding hydrostatic shock and a much larger temporary cavity.
destroy the heart,lungs,liver or a few major arteries death will be rapid but not instant, sever the spine, neck or destroy both shoulder or the brain and you usually drop game nearly on the spot, so I generally try for shots that penetrate thru the central front chest and either enter or exit where they are likely to break a major bone when thats possible... punch the light green area and game doesn,t go far
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0000690227
many guys don,t seem to realize that a 44-45 caliber hard cast bullet even even at hand gun velocities and even if its expansion on impact is rather minimal still imparts a good deal of damage as it zips thru game.
my 44 and 445 revolvers throw a 300 grain hard cast bullet at between 1200-1600fps yet punch clear thru most of the hogs and deer Ive shot and exit , the average reaction is either nearly instantly dropping or a fairly short death run.
keep in mind that while a much higher velocity cartridge like a 270 win or 300 mag may produce faster stops and more internal tissue damage the pragmatic result , death shortly after bullet impact is very similar.
Ive had about the same results using a major caliber revolver as Ive had using my 30/06 , most game tends to run a short distance, after bullet impact, some drop on the spot, but the result is all but certain, a good hit results in game on the ground within yards of bullet impact
some interesting data here. I know its not written in stone but Ive got to shake my head when the little auto rim which people say wont kill a dog sized animal is out penetrating some African hunting rifles! Goes to show what a good cast bullet and a 1000 fps will do
Linebaugh Seminar Penetration Test Eustace Texas April 27,28,&29 2007
Inches Caliber Bullet Velocity F.P.S.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/506726 ... -gas-check
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/122093 ... -gas-check
Ive got at least 15 44 caliber molds but the more I cast and hunt the more I find the 300 grain bullets are most effective, and while its nice to have the fancier molds like NEI and LBT,HOCH,SEAKO etc. the rcbs and lyman designs work remarkably well and don,t cost nearly as much and theres been dozens of rather dead deer and hogs pass thru our kitchen to verify that they work, in both my 44 mag revolvers and marlin carbine
Exit 470 Nitro Express 500gr Trophy Bonded Solid 2042 Rifle 74”+
Exit 458 Lott 500gr Barnes Solid 2250 Rifle 69”+
Exit 375 H&H 300gr Barnes Solid 2550 Rifle 69”+
56” 50 Alaskan 460gr Belt Mountain Punch 2031 Rifle
55” 44 Mag 300gr Belt Mountain Punch 1964 Rifle
54” 454 Casull 316gr Belt Mountain Punch 1600 Pistol
53” 45-70 Government 400gr Belt Mountain Punch 2088 Pistol
51” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol exit side
49” 500 Linebaugh 430gr Belt Mountain Punch 1270 Pistol
49” 500 Linebaugh 468gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1303 Pistol
48” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol
44” 500 Linebaugh 500gr Grizzly LFN 1100 Pistol
44” 500 Linebaugh Max 525gr Cast Performance WFN 1237 Pistol
42” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? ? 1270 Pistol
40” 500 Linebaugh 414gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1085 Pistol
39” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 948 Pistol
39” 45 Colt 300gr Cast ? ? 1286 Pistol
36” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? LWFN 1045 Pistol
32” 50 Alaskan 525gr Cast Performance WFN 2019 Rifle deformed
29” 414 Super Mag 255gr LBT LFN 1439 Pistol
28” 44 Mag 310gr Garret Defender HH 1083 Pistol
27” 45 Auto Rim 260gr BRP Keith 916 Pistol
24” 500 Linebaugh 400gr Buffalo Bore JHP 1417 Pistol
24” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works WFN 892 Pistol
24” 45 Auto Rim 250gr (cowboy load) RNFP 870 Pistol
23” 470 Nitro Express 500gr Woodleigh JSP 2264 Rifle
14” 375 H&H 260gr Nosler Accubond JPP 2781 Rifle
13” 44 Mag 250gr Winchester Black Tallon JHP 1194 Pistol
13” 445 Super Mag 270gr Speer Gold Dot JSP 1343 Pistol
12” 445 Super Mag 300gr Hornady XTP JHP 1376 Pistol
10” 45 Colt 200gr Speer (ashtray) JHP 1142 Pistol
5” 22 Long Rifle 39gr Remington Golde “Paco” FP 965 Pistol
Ive hunted with a 8 3/8" or more recently a 10 5/8" 44 mag S&W and a 10" 445 dan wesson super mag for decades, when the 500 s&w came out I was convinced for awhile I had to have one, but after trying a few dozen shots from a friends 500, S&W and found it a bit too large and heavy and I began,looking back at the results Ive had with my current revolvers, I no longer see the need, so Ill continue with what I have a 44 mag with a 10" barrel has zero problems pushing a hard cast 300 grain past 1400 fps and the 445 pushes the same bullets to near 1600fps (basically the 454 power range) both pistols shoot thru large hogs and exit.
I,d point out that your ammo selection here is critical to results, a good hard cast 300 grain has a great deal more penetration than most factory jacketed hollow point ammo
if your punching fairly large holes thru game from most angles and having the bullets exit I don,t see added power as a huge plus.
and while Id easily admit a 500 S&W or 454 can be loaded to hit harder I don,t see the need, the largest game Im ever likely to hunt is black bear or ELK and either of my current revolvers has been well proven to be more than adequate so why go the extra cost or put up with more recoil.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0152660650
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/defau ... pe=Handgun
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/defau ... der&Source