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Effective Range of 44 mag

NOTPOSTALNOTPOSTAL Member Posts: 311 ✭✭
edited July 2002 in Ask the Experts
I'm shooting Winchester 240 gr. soft points from my Ruger Super Blackhawk. It has a 7 1/2 barrel, my question is this, at what range does the 44 run out of gas, if I do my part and put a slug in the heart/lung area at 75 yds am I looking at a long tracking job or venison in the freezer? I seriously doubt I would take a shot at this range but you never know and yes I will be practicing at this range and closer throughout the summer.

...from my cold dead fingers!!
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Comments

  • paboogerpabooger Member Posts: 13,953
    edited November -1
    Shot my first deer this year with my superblackhawk 44 Mag. Shot him fifty yards away right at the base of the neck. He never moved JUST DROPPED. I was using the xtp, bullets, it went in and disentegrated took out the heart and lungs. There was no exit wound. I would not hesitate to take one at a 100yds. He dropped as if I had hit him with my 270. I have killed many deer in my life but this was the first with a handgun. What a rush, I assure you it won't be my last.
    Booger
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  • stretch602stretch602 Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hmmm.. Hard to say. if your accurate thats a plus. I shot a Desert Eagle 44 the other day and was not very accurate with it. Guess it takes time to get use to a 10lb hand-cannon.


    Guns don't kill people. Idiots with guns kill people.
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  • ishootblanksishootblanks Member Posts: 170 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would say the maximun effective range for the 44Mag in a handgun is 100 yards. Maybe a little more if using a scoped handgun.

    Without the NRA, the second ammendment would already be gone!
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  • RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    This question raises more questions....probably the determining factor hinges more on shot placement than whether the round ran out of gas. Some years ago I practiced all summer with a 14" barrel Desert Eagle .44 to shoot an Antelope at 200 yards....at that distance the tragectory has an arc like a rainbow, but was able to get consistant 8" groups at that range. When time for the hunt came, one shot dropped the "goat" in his tracks. Now the Antelope carcass is smaller than most deer, but shot placement again is everything. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but with practice you should be able to make some fairly long shots.

    Don't forget, it was Elmer Keith who shot a deer with a 4" barrel .44 at a range of 600 yards, and he should know..."Hell he was there"!

    Edited by - Rembrandt on 07/17/2002 19:13:32
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:
    I'm shooting Winchester 240 gr. soft points from my Ruger Super Blackhawk. It has a 7 1/2 barrel, my question is this, at what range does the 44 run out of gas...


    All bullets after leaving the barrel are "coasting"--so the "flight dynamics" for similiar weight and shaped bullets are about the same. The variable that determines flight path and energy at various yardages, is initial velocity (muzzle velocity); barametric pressure (varying with your altitude, and air temp. and moisture content) will affect flight dynamics too, but is less of a factor than initial velocity.

    For example (data is from a Hornady handbook), a 240 gr. (Hornady's XTP) hollow-point with a muzzle velocity of of 1500ft/sec., will have muzzle energy of roughly 1200ft.-lbs.

    The down range stats. (rounded):

    50meters: 1350ft/sec, 970ft-lbs
    100meters: 1220ft/sec, 790ft-lbs, trajectory/bullet drop -5in.
    150meters: 1120ft/sec, 665ft-lbs, traj. -17in.
    200meters: 1040ft/sec, 580ft-lbs, traj. -37in.

    (for stats. out to about 300yrd, I have to jump to the "rifle section"--which only list info. for a .44 260gr. bullet, but with an initial velocity of 1500ft/sec, at 300yrds you'd be looking at a velocity of around 900ft/sec., energy around 500ft-lbs, with a trajectory around -85 inches)

    List your muzzle velocity, if you know it, and I'll post the closest stats.
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  • NOTPOSTALNOTPOSTAL Member Posts: 311 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    competentone I dont know what kind of velocity I'm getting I dont have a chrono or know anybody that does. I'm shooting the Winchester white box(USA ammo maybe) I dont have a box in front of me right now but thanks anyway.

    I used the same ammo a few years ago to shoot a large doe at 45 yds, it was like the finger of God came out of the sky and touched her.

    Thanks all for the comments.

    ...from my cold dead fingers!!
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  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One thing you need to keep in mind when trying the long shot is that there still needs to be enough energy in the bullet to do the job. A 44 mag at the muzzle has less energy than a 30-30 does at 100 yds.

    While I am a big fan of the 44 mag in both handguns and rifles, I think too many people try to stretch the envelope of its capabilities.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't buy this for mere mortals, but Elmer Keith used to shoot his at very long ranges - 200+ yds if I recall correctly (?). I wouldn't have wished to be down range, but still think that is a stretch. Even in a Ruger carbine, I consider 100 yards the absolute max for this round.
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    From all the stuff I've read, the .45acp is still effective at 100yds, only dropping 4 inches (230gr Military ball), and I know a .44mag packs a little more powder behind it. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be effective out to say maybe 150yds or so.

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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  • hecklerxkochhecklerxkoch Member Posts: 213 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    100 yards

    New gun??? No, honey, I've had it for years.
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