What bullet for 100 yards .44 Mag?

[taylorce1]

I have this Ruger .44 Magnum RS Carbine, and have only been shooting 240 grain HP ammunition as that's what was given to me with the rifle. This has the rifle shooting about 6" low at 50 yards, so I adjusted the aperture sight. However, I'm now out of adjustment so I'll be low again when I move to 100 yards.

So that leaves me with a few options, change the front sight, mount an optic, or find something that has a flatter trajectory. I don't want to add an optic, and for what I'll use the rifle for I think changing to a faster bullet will be the easiest. My goal is for this rifle to be whitetail capable at 100 yards, so I don't think going down to a 180 grain bullet will be an issue.

I realize that .44 Mag isn't your typical semi-auto choice. I inherited this rifle and would like to use it on a couple of hunts. The only caveat is all bullet choices have to be copper jacketed or plated, I can't risk plugging the gas system with leading.

 

[Shadow9mm]

If your on a budget, the hornady xtp is a great choice. The 180s are on sale on midwayusa for $27.99 per 100. They also have a 200g bullet.

I would suggest you shoot at 100yds and see what you get. With a 240xtp at 1500fps you should be about 4in low at 100yds. An easy enough hold over

Given the 180 at about 2000fps and a 50yd zero you would be 2in low at 100.

180s do serm to shoot a fair bit flatter

 

[taylorce1]

I don't plan on shooting this rifle a great deal. So I'll probably be shooting mainly factory ammunition instead of reloading for it. I haven't chronographed the 240 grain Winchester ammunition I've been shooting. Ive also only put 15 rounds through the rifle so far.

 

[Shadow9mm]

I had a 20in henry 44 mag. Dont anymore. Those velocity were my estimates going a little slower than i got in mine to account for the reduced barrel length.

When i had mine i used a 75yd zero. It gave me about 2in high at 50, 2in low at 100 with the 240g so i could use a dead in hold from 50 to 100. But that was with a red dot, not irons. Hornady publishers bc for their bullets. If you have a chrono it might be worth running a round or 2 over it to get a rough idea for your gun. Then you can play with zero distances in a ballistics calculator.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Sounds like you might want to get your hands on some Hornady Leverevolution 225 gr FTX ammo for testing.

I don't think you'll get enough change in trajectory at 50 yards to make the difference you're looking for, however.
Sounds like it is time for some sight changes.

 

[Scorch]

If you're low at 50 with 240 gr HPs, you need a shorter front sight. Try that before you switch to another load. Measure your front sight, get a Marbles or Williams front sight. Get on target first, then worry about what load you're going to use.

 

[taylorce1]

If you're low at 50 with 240 gr HPs, you need a shorter front sight.

I'm on at 50 now, but my rear aperture has no more adjustment to bring the impact higher. I know the fix for getting some adjustment back is a shorter front sight. However, why not change to a lighter faster bullet?

 

[mehavey]

That lighter/faster bullet may wind up w/ a totally different barrel recoil/harmonic/muzzle exit direction.
In fact, heavier bullets tend to raise the POI due to those factors.

I suggest trying something like THIS in that regard as a trial step.

 

[jmr40]

IMO I wouldn't want to go any lighter than 240 gr. Anything any lighter may not provide enough penetration. Especially at longer ranges. And while they start out faster, they slow down faster.

Shoot it at 100 and see what happens.

Because the bore is below the sights ALL rifles have the muzzle pointed upward at a very slight angle in relation to the ground. The bullet comes out of the bore going UP slightly. It will cross your line of sight the 1st time at some point around 25 yards but will continue to rise until it reaches its apex. Depending on the cartridge, the rifle, and the sights that could be anywhere between 75 yards to 200 yards. Then it begins to fall back toward the ground.

We zero handguns where the bullet crosses line of sight while it is still going up. Most rifles are zeroed as the bullet crosses line of sight coming down. With your 50 yard zero you could be high at 100.

The greater the distance the sights are above the bore the more exaggerated this is. There won't be that much difference with your iron sighted carbine. But AR's position the sights 2+" above the bore. With a 25 yard zero the bullet is still rising at that point. At 100 yards the bullet is 2-3" high, at 200 yards 4-5" high. After 200 it begins to fall and is zeroed again at 300.

 

[HiBC]

Its your rifle,do it your way....
But I'm with Scorch.

Probably the original front sight was matched to the original open sight. The rear sight was changed to a peep. Now the front sight height is not ideal.
It takes you to the edges of adjustment.

It would be interesting to compare the cost and effort to replace a dovetail front sight with coming up with a flatter shooting load and making a trip to the range.

Figuring the ideal front sight height to get a known correction is simple trig, and there are charts.

And then,FWIW,you can use any jacketed bullet.

 

[taylorce1]

Probably the original front sight was matched to the original open sight.

It would be interesting to compare the cost and effort to replace a dovetail front sight with coming up with a flatter shooting load and making a trip to the range.

And then,FWIW,you can use any jacketed bullet

The rear aperture sight is the original sight, so it is matched to the front sight from the factory.

I have the ability to shoot 200 yards at my house, so making a trip to the range only costs shoe leather.

I understand I can use any jacketed bullet, I simply mentioned it because I didn't want any cast bullet suggestions.

 

[Shadow9mm]

Shoot it at 100, see where your at on paper. Id think the bullet would still be traveling up in its arc a bit. You might be surprised where it is on paper.

I got into 44 during the pandemic. I went with the hornady xtp as it was the only bullet and loaded ammo i could reliability get my hands on, albeit in underwood loads. It performs well and the bullets are reasonably priced. But any hood hollow point or soft point will do

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Before I did anything, I’d at least shoot it at 100 yds to see what’s happening.

 

[mehavey]

Notwithstanding the above suggestions to actually shoot it at 100 before making changes (),
I again suggest trying a heaver bullet before any physical changes after that.

 

[44 AMP]

Cast bullets are a poor idea with the gas operated Ruger carbine.

The older Ruger .44 carbines have a reputation for not being very accurate with anything but 240gr bullets. Though I have seen some say their gun works fine with 265s and some say 180s work well, I'd say its an individual rifle thing.

Get some different ammo in the weights you are interested in and shoot your rifle to see what it actually does at 100yds.

THEN, you've got something real to go with, and measure against.

Changing to a different front sight is relatively cheap and easy, and as a plus it will get you some adjustment back on your rear sight.

Changing bullet weights might get you what you want, but it will be a trial and error process, you'll need to actually shoot them to see what your rifle likes and doesn't.

Good Luck, have fun, be safe, and do some shooting to find out what is, and isn't actually happening!

 

[FrankenMauser]

IMO I wouldn't want to go any lighter than 240 gr. Anything any lighter may not provide enough penetration. Especially at longer ranges. And while they start out faster, they slow down faster.

There are some very good bullets in the 180-225 gr range, that will stand up to rifle velocities and still offer plenty of penetration on big game.

We aren't in the 1960s any more. Bullets have evolved and the selection has improved.
Judging a bullet by its 1960s weight class is of nearly no use today. I see it as roughly akin to walking up to the owner of a brand new Chevy Silverado and telling them that they should only buy Fords because Quadrajet carburetors are garbage.

Most of the jacketed handgun bullets popular until the 1980s don't even exist any more. If they do, they are relegated to "range fodder" now. Bullets have moved on. Judgement of "weight classes" should, too.

 

[44 AMP]

Whitetails are not large armor plated beasties you need an anti tank gun to stop. Neither are muley's for that matter.

Maybe, if you shoot one at 100yds in the butt the bullet won't come out the front, I don't know, never tried it. Don't plan to...

back in the early 90s my father, who had just taken his second deer with his S&W .44 Mag (and factory 240s) asked me if there was a load that wouldn't go all the way through the deer. I told him to try the 180s. Sadly, his health declined and he never got the chance.

Everyone says the bullets are better today, and they probably are. The ones I used back then did work, can't see today's stuff not being at least that good.

set up some stuff at 100 and shoot it to see what kind of penetration you get. Lots of things will give you a decent idea, you don't need an anatomically correct model to get a general idea.

I feel pretty sure any decent .44 Mag load will have enough penetration for deer at any sensible range you can properly hit one with it.

 

[bamaranger]

Ruger .44R

I jump in when these Ruger .44 carbine posts appear, having a good bit of history with two of them, still in my possession. I had a dandy reply typed up and we lost power due to tornado activity. but we're good and I will abbreviate this version.

I still hunt both my carbines, one w/ scope, the other with peep. I've settled on the 200 gr XTP. My carbines would only shoot into about 4+ MOA with 240 grain slugs, and 265's would not stay on a paper plate at 100. The 200 gr XTP shoots into 2-3 MOA and that suffices for the type of whitetail hunting I do with the little carbines. Have no fear, a 200 gr XTP will take whitetails cleanly. Up close, say under 50 yds, I typically do not get an exit, but the slug expands dramatically and kills as well as anything else in the power range. Beyond 50, the slug has slowed enough that expansion is still good, but I begin to get exit wounds. Typical buck weight here in north 'Bama is about 150 lbs live if the deer is over 2-1/2 years and has eaten well.

Agree, by all means you need to shoot the carbine at 100 yd and see where your slug of choice lands. If it lands +/- your POA by an inch or two, I'd live with it. You may find the 200 gr bullet lands close enough to POA to suffice. I think the 240 will indeed land lower. Those heavy, blunt .44's slow down quickly.

I shot 180's for awhile, they grouped best from my carbines. Inside 50 yds, at the velocities a 180 grain slug can be driven from a carbine, the light slug is a bit frangible. Beyond 50 they behave better, but I never got an exit wound with a 180. Hornady published a graph at one time that indicated the 180 slug was essentially limited to handgun velocities for best performance. The 200 grain bullet has a much higher ceiling for velocity.

Congrats on acquiring what many see as a desirable woods gun. The factory peep sight versions are particularly sought. Used versions bring good prices and do not stay in the shops very long. I'll add that Ruger DOES NOT SUPPORT THE CARBINE and parts can be a problem. I have seen several tube feed .44 carbines down, apparently for good, for lack of action parts. Both of those guns had been shot alot, by individuals that had played too many video games. The carbine is not a fragile platform, Bill Ruger shot the guns extensively as part of the development and promotion program, but it is not an AR nor intended as a plinker or range gun and I suggest very strongly that one limit's their shooting of the original .44 carbines to zero check and hunting.

Mine are not for sale

 

[taylorce1]

@bamaranger, thanks for the info! It is much appreciated.

 

[stinkeypete]

I've had good luck with XTPs.
They are relatively cheap, open at reasonable velocities and I have pushed them to high velocity and they held together far above their specification or what you could load a .44 Carbine to, no matter what you bought in the store.

While some can use cast, where I am we no longer want neck shots due to CWD. For lung/heart shots... you can pay more but I don't think you can do much better than XTPs.