30-30 vs 44 Magnum
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- Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
- In this video I will compare the 44 Remington Magnum against the 30-30 and try and determine if it is a legitimate rifle cartridge for deer. We'll use my Winchester 1892 for the 44 Mag and my friend Rene's Marlin 336 levergun for the 30-30 Winchester.
Развлечения
Does anybody else just love the sound of a lever action? Just me? lol
Nope. I think a lot of us have the same "flaw"😄
Me to
It kinda makes the sound of a pump shotgun sound impersonal doesn’t it? Cleaner and smoother.
I agree.
It certainly awakens something in the masculine spirit
There is just something that is hard to explain about the 30-30. I will admit that I was a ballistics table cartridge guy for a long time. Looking for the most exciting stats. After taking up the 30-30, I just realized there was some "it" factor of optimal diameter and velocity. The bullets penetrate and mushroom so much better than many other cartridges that are moving faster and blowing up their bullets or dumping their energy too quick. My performance on deer with good old coreloks was always outstanding. Before the ammo shortage, 30-30 used to be one of the cheapest centerfires running about $12 a box. That part changed, but luckily I was sitting on about 500 rounds.
That's a great testimony for the venerable 30-30 Winchester. Thanks. And yes if it is used within its limitations, it does have the it Factor!
There is nothing hard to explain about the .30-.30 round, it works, it penetrates body armor.
500 rds? You don’t need that many. I’ll send you my PO Box and I’ll take it off your hands.
@@eshuorishas9987 it's getting a little better. You can find plenty on ammoseek for $22-$26 bx. Still not the days of $12, but at least you can get it.
170 grain corelok is all I've ever used for deer hunting in my Marlin model 36
.35 Remington in a Marlin 336, JM version carbine, was what I hunted with when I was growing up. My Dad taught me how to hunt deer with it and killed my first one back in 67. Oh the memories and feelings it evokes whenever I take it out of the safe.
That's awesome!
I'm still hunting with a Marlin .35 rem 336 cs. I prefer the 35 Rem over the 30-30.
I had the great opportunity to live most of my life in Texas, growing up on and having access to our family ranch throughout all the years I was actively hunting.
During that time, Texas allowed you to kill 5 deer every year...as many as 4 whitetails. (It has changed now, but at that time we were allowed 5 deer) And, as you know, ANY centerfire rifle or pistol or shotgun can be used for hunting deer.
I lived on a ranch with my parents, grandparents 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The 5 boys, my father and grandfather all hunted deer. Add to that family friends, brother in-laws and it means there was a LOT of deer being killed every year and a LOT of venison being cooked! There were plenty of deer & turkeys, and it was possible to more or less kill deer and turkeys "at will" if you weren't too choosy. There were enough turkeys that it was one of the counties where it was legal to shoot hens during the fall season.
I have killed, or seen killed, hundreds of deer, just in our own family. I have personally killed deer with everything from a .22 Hornet to .405 Winchester and just about everything in between. Including .44 Magnum in rifles and handguns and .30-30. It was Texas, so some of the most popular calibers were .243, .30-30, .300 Savage, .30-06, .270, .257 Roberts, .25-06. I had a friend who had only a Ruger .44 Carbine, and another that used only a .300 Weatherby MKV.
I can say that within the limitations and with proper shot placement they will ALL kill deer very cleanly. NONE of them will kill cleanly if you exceed your limitations with the rifle or with poor shot placement. It is real important that you know the limitations of the rifle you choose in your own hands and under various circumstances. Shooting a deer with a .300 Wby Mag across an oatfield from an elevated stand with a solid rest is not the same as shooting a deer offhand or threading a bullet through brush.
Practice with your rifle, and not just from a benchrest, shoot as you will shoot in the field and learn your limitations with different rifles and different circumstances.
If you do your part, there is not a deer on earth that could tell you the difference between a .44 Magnum or a .30-30
Hi Gary. Great family history growing up in Texas. Your incredible personal experience validated the fact your statement that proper shot placement and proper firearm choice are extremely effective on deer. Lack of either is a recipe for hunting disaster. Thanks!
Texas born and raised too and started shooting when I was 6. I've killed some deer with a .30-.30 Winchester with a Marbles peep sight but I've killed more with an 8 3/8" barrel Model 29 S&W .44 magnum. Even more with a .22-250.
Not all of us can shoot almost every day but I have for most of my life. Being proficient with the weapon that you are using and knowing its limitations makes all the distance.
Your videos are very good I have watched almost all of your videos and haven’t got bored yet. Looking forward to future videos.
Glad you like them! I know some are a little tough to sit through:-)
Both are fantastic whitetail offerings. I have no personal experience with 30-30 but we have been hunting deer with 44 handgun & rifle since early 90s. We have harvested more than I want to try to remember. Trained my first 3 children to hunt with it. Most of the loads were handloads of 240gr XTP & H110. Harvested with handguns from 45-75 yards & rifle 35-125 yards. Very, very effective. Thanks
Thank you.
Why anybody would doubt the killing ability of either one of these rounds is beyond me , with in range, Most shots I have taken on whitetail are less than 100 yards and both calibers with the right bullet have done just fine. Plus there is just something about a lever action that makes me smile! 😁
Amen! We've become a culture of the over gunned, prepared for the worst case that never comes . . . at the expense of great guns that are more than adequate and fun to shoot.
The Model 94 is the best woods rifle, I've ever held in my hands. I absolutely love it for what it is designed to do!
Because they are ignorant or stupid. Lol
My guess would be lack of experience with either rounds or perhaps blaming the caliber for their bad shots.
Absolutely spot on. Both these are really good hunting cartridge in the 100yd realm, even farther. Out west the only thing limiting them is range, but they still have their place. I pack a 44mag, 45-70 or my 338 when in grizzly areas. Even a 170gr 30-30 isn't exactly weak.
Great video. I love the .44 Magnum and have a lot of respect for the 30-30 as well.
Amen! Thanks Buffalo.
Great video. I have shot the 30-30 cartridge for over 40 years and I love it. I have more powerful rifles but for the distances I shoot I don't really need them. The Hornady Leverevolution have really breathed new life into an already great cartridge. Love those lever action rifles!
Thanks! You are right about the LevRev ammo. But some of my rifles don't shoot it well. Others have great luck with it. Not sure what that's all about.
If your rifle is accurate with the leverevolution then you can figure on adding about 100 yards to your rifle's effective range especially with 30-30.
I just purchased a stainless 20" Rossi M92 lever action in .44 Mag. In the tall dark timber of WA State I am really lucky to be able to see 50 yards so I believe my .44 should get the job done with any standard full house load of 240 GR or heavier in a JSP. Thanks for a great video
Hi Anthony. At that yardage your Rossi 44 is gonna do just fine😉
It's been two months since your post. Did you have luck with the Rossi 92? I have the .44Mag carbine, and would have NO concerns whatsoever about shooting a deer up to 125 yds.✌️
@@gui-texzan7477 the Rossi works great but I have not had a chance to hunt with it. I know it will do the job as long as I do my part.
I regained a lot of respect for the 30-30 when I shot it into ballistics gel. The old standard Remington 170 core lokt was very impressive. The 150 grain bullets I tried did pretty well too.
You do a great job testing the loads. Thanks
Great video! I really liked the comparison of the 30-30 to the 44 Mag and the things you need to consider when hunting deer with each of them. Another thing for me that was welcome information was the comparison of the three 44 caliber bullets. I have not only rifle hunted but I have also hunted deer with muzzleloaders using saboted 44 caliber bullets. The information on the expansion of each of the 44 bullets was very informative towards performance out of my muzzleloaders.
.30-.30 has been killing deer for over 100 years. It makes me wonder why people doubt it
Not doubts from me, for sure. Very capable round.
The 30-30 has been killing deer back when it was a blackpowder cartridge. Lol. Longer than 100 years.
I don’t doubt the 30-30, killed many deer with it , but in Southern Michigan we can only use straight walled cartridges. So the 350 legend, 450 Bushmaster and 44 mag do the job..
@@joeellis2692 I heard the 30-30 was the first smokeless rifle round in the U.S.A.
@@anthonygalliart1789 The 30-40 krag was the first smokeless round. I believe it was designed in 1895. 30-30 went to smokeless a year later.
Great video .... really enjoyed this one. I have a 1976 Marlin 336c in .30-30 so I love videos like this one featuring the Marlin 336. Mine is used every weekend outdoors where it belongs. Cheers!
A user! Glad to meet you🙂 Too many firearms spend a lonely life in the closet.
Great video. Love that slow mo stuff. Something remarkable I found is the 45-70 with 300 gr Remington bullets into water jugs. At 100 yards it makes a sound like no other. Even a 220 Swift can’t compare to the noise and expansion.
It's almost time for me to break out the Winchester 1886 again. And it just so happens that I picked up two boxes of Hornady 300gr. hollow point bullets. Sounds like water jugs are in order.
Every caliber has a bullet weight versus case volume ratio in which on a bell curve and ideal pairing exists. I'm a long time shooter and fan of the 44 Magnum in lever guns and I think the 260 to 280 grain projectiles allow for an ideal powder charge-energy-power factor ratio. Hornady also makes a 300 grain xtp which is a fantastic dear thumper but the spear 270 deep curl or a 280 grain hard cast gas check projectile will ring the maximum performance out of the cartridge. The trouble with the quick expansion on the 240 xtp is that sometimes complete pass through does not occur and blood trails are more difficult to follow. I have never had that problem with heavier (260 grains and up) hardcast or soft point bullets.
Absolutely fantastic content! I love everything about your channel. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
I have a Ruger 44 carbine and only use 240 gr or bigger soft points for deer. I learned the hard way that light hollow points are a bad choice for deer. Nice videos!
It took me a while, but I eventually came to the same conclusion. Thanks!
I love the Ruger .44 carbine. I had one, and sadly had to sell it when I was younger to raise cash....Since then, I have bought another one though and it is among my favorite rifles I own. I bought the S&W Model 69 (short barrel version) to carry as a companion gun when I am in the field with the Ruger auto....
What rounds are you referring to for HP in .44 Mag that are poor? I find little difference between flat/soft nosed bullets and the available HP ones-they’re very difficult to distinguish in performance in my experience and testing.
@@balrog006i don't know the ones they were talking about. But I have used the 180gr full power sjhp from a lot of different makers. They for me have shalow penetration. Thats the reason why I use them for ccw. They penetrate like most 230gr hp in the 45acp.
The 180gr sjhp compare to the 240gr sp and the 270gr ones have a lot less penetration. But the heavy 30pgr xtp does about as well as the 240gr sp.
Now there was some medium speed hp made for defense but I haven't seen any in awhile.
There was a Silvertip a hydro schok, and back when pmc was loaded in the us the star fire hp
Both are great options the 30-30 has been a long time proven cartridge. I have a 44 because of ammo prices and availability
When I started deer hunting in the late 1960s in NYS Adirondack mountains, the guns used in our camp were 30-30s, a 35 Remington Model 8 auto, and some Remington 30-06 Model 740 and 742 auto and Model 760 pump guns. Later a Winchester Model 100 auto in 308 and Rem Model 760 pump in 243 were added. In 1980 I switched to a Ruger Deerslayer auto carbine in 44 mag and it took its share of deer and never had to track one. It was the best of the bunch in my humble opinion in ease of carrying, speed on target and knockdown power. It also didn't cause much bloodshot meat. It was an ideal woods gun and underappreciated.
I love stories like your of life in the deer camps "back in the day". One thing I wonder about with the XTP hollowpoints is how much blood shot meat is it going to make compared to the more traditional jacketed soft point.
@@TargetSuite I handloaded all my 44 deer loads back in the 80s. I think they were Hornadys both solid jacketed and hollow points. I also used Speer and Sierras, but those mainly for my 357 pistol. I'd have to check my notes. If I clipped the front shoulder a bit, there was no bloodshot meat on any of the several deer I shot and I just trimmed a little circle hole around the bullet hole out of caution for bacteria. With my 30-06, I often lost at least half, and sometimes a whole shoulder. After the 30-06, I was amazed at the meat saving of the 44. It is a point most hunters are unaware of and something I wish you would emphasize in your videos. The furthest deer I shot with the 44 ever went was 75 yds. and a liver hit. The buck was moving and I got him a little far back. No meat lost at all on him.
I thought a little about bloodshot meat when I was setting up the pork. Probably the best way to minimize it is, as you say, to not be "over gunned". Thanks for the comment!
Meat from a front shoulder lost is in reality not much . Even a really big deer doesn't have alot of usable cuts on a front shoulder. I like a neck roast better than a blade steak. 90% of the decent cuts are Hinds , and backstrap . Ribs are only marginally worth the work . ( I still like to get 1 nice rack per side ) . Lots of connective tissue in the front quarter. Not a choice cut . My teeth chew burger best these days . When I was young I put the jerky away ! Nowadays I keep the jerky away lol. Alot of folks forget the best place to hit a deer is the white spot under his chin , or behind his ear when looking away . Dropping them on the spot every time , they also bleed out in short order. A 3006 with 150 or 165 grain bullets will come apart if bone is hit especially at close range . A 180 grain in 3006 or 308 holds together much better, not as explosive. I like the 130 grain. Silver Tip Win loads in 270 . They provide really good accurate ,not over destructive either. The ballistic Tip rounds are very explosive in everything I have shot them out of , even a 35 Remington blew a hole the size of a soccer ball through a bucks ribs . It's like this video shows more about bullets than calibration. Good demonstration!
@Mississippi Ditch Fisher My daughter and I just walked back in the house from making the rounds. I was letting her "man" the Ruger Carbine for the first time. We saw two sounders. One at about 25 yards but they made us before Mal could pull the trigger. Still a great night though.
Shooting channels. Dime a dozen these days. I liked your content, your methods, and decisions. ( the 240 grain was definitely the one to test further). And i liked you. Nice calm pleasant voice. So you got a sub from me. Looking forward to more.👍👍
Thanks Gary. I appreciate the kind words . . . and the sub!
Like your presentations; planning to binge watch to catch up...
Thanks Thomas
Enjoyed the video ! I have a marlin 30 30 . My dad bought it for me when I was 10 . That was 41 years ago. Still shoots as good as the day I got it . Want never rid of it.
Hang on to that rifle. Sounds like a gem!
Can walk coke cans at 60+ yards with peep sites.
Going to get a 44mag rifle someday and put beside 30 30.
30-30 and 44 my two favorite rifles. Rem 150 gr 30-30 has always knocked the deer down usually in their tracks. This year I hope to get my first deer with the Henry 44 .
another good video and very informative George...keep up the good work and i will look forward to the next great video....keep well over there..:)
Thanks Mike!
from my experience of 45 years of hunting deer, I've seen both of these rounds take deer no problem. I do not own a 3030 but have fired some of my friends 3030's. Within 200 yards, both work great. As my hunting in the hills of Pennsylvania, most deer are taken under 100 yards. Both of these rounds have plenty of power for a deer.
Well said! Thanks!
Six or half dozen
I have hunted my whole life with a .44 mag lever action. My dad and brother hunted with one as well. It is a very good deer round and will be my go to round. Never had a problem with pass thrus. Gives them a dirt nap just as easy as a 30-30.
Thanks Scotty. That's a great testimony to the effectiveness of the 44 Magnum long gun for hunting.
Do think hunting deer in southern states the 44 mag will probably be an ok caliber for deer. Cause the deer are usually smaller animal then in the northern states. But I am in one of the northern states that I hunt in one of the restricted caliber areas, were the 44 mag is one of the calibers we are allowed to use. And just speaking for myself the 44 mag is a little weak on deer. Have to shoot it two or three times in many cases so the deer don't go to the next farm or two farms away.
@@airbornesoldieramerica7125 I’ve never had to shoot a deer more than once with a shot in the wheel house. People have shot deer more than once with larger calibers. 30-06 for example. A 44 mag from a rifle is a whole different beast than from a handgun. Ballistics are totally different. My dad(GOD rest his soul) killed mule deer in Colorado with great results. He said it put them down. That was years ago and ammunition now days is a whole different animal than back then. The 44 mag has served me well so far this year during deer season. Haven’t had one run yet. Dropped in tracks. But I know that won’t always happen. Been nice so far not having to track. 😄. By the way, according to your name, thanks for your service or we can’t do what we do. 🇺🇸
@@airbornesoldieramerica7125 you can't shoot them in the legs!
Great video George. Look forward to Tuesday every week. Since I’ve also got the 1892 in 44 mag, I’m most interested in the short range/long range comparison of a variety of available loads both hand and commercial. I think that video will be spectacular. And the pork butt brings a whole new dimension to your ballistic comparisons. I’m a grown man and I’m smiling. Happy trails to you. Keep ‘em coming.
Thanks. It's going to be nice when I can plan a video like you suggest, log on and buy what I need. But that's not the world we live in right now. Grumble, grumble, grumble :-)
@@TargetSuite I hear you. Guess I’ve been lucky finding my reloading supplies online and in stores like Sportsman’s Warehouse and Academy Sports. Long waits on almost everything. Brownell’s seems to be the only one that gets their orders shipped in a more reasonable timeframe.
Hey George, any chance you have a source of heeled cast lead bullets for gas checks?
@Dogbone13 I have not used any heeled bullets. Sorry
@@TargetSuite Turns out I used the wrong terminology. Not heeled, but cut cast bullets to allow for gas checks.
Good video. I took a deer with the 30-30 at 180 yards because I didnt know I couldnt. Shot placement and ammo is key.
Thanks and well done! Staying within you limits is the key. Sounds like you did just fine.
Im a new subscriber and I'll say u have some greats vids!...I have a few .44mag rifles but just upgraded to a.444 Marlin and boy, it totally brings out the potential of the .430 cal to a new level of usability in velocity and foot pounds to about 200yrds
Great vid, keep up the good work ;)
Thanks for the Sub! I really want to get my hands on "that other" 44 caliber rifle.
Made this grown man smile. Thanks!
1st hunt w/ my 336 marlin. Dropped a 4 point, 8 point in midwest haha @ 90yrds. Buck dropped right there. Good round. Good rifle.
Good channel. Good info. Thanks for slow moe's,and all. Take care.
❤🏕❇🔥🥓
Thanks Brian. Slo mo's rock!
Another great video interesting thanks George!!!
Thanks!
They both have their use. My 44mag has 3 deer and 5 hogs under it's belt while my 30-30 has 3 deer and 2 hogs. The 44 mag has enough punching power to bring them down at a range between 100-125 yds and excellent in the brush while the 30-30 can bring them down easily 200-225 yds +. I don't think it's a fair comparison at all.
Amen to your initial comment! The overall point of the video was to "prove" that the 44 Mag is a legitimate short range deer/pig gun. It was aimed at the nay-sayers who believe the venerable 44 Magnum isn't up for the task.
For almost 40 years, I’ve stalked and taken more west coast mulies and pigs at 100yds or less with the 170 gr Remington Corelokt bullet, than I have my other hunting rifle calibers combined. The .30-30 just works.
I think you did a good comparison. I've also thought about these two for close range deer hunting inside of 150. For the 30-30 hater's the 30-30 has put meat on the table for well over 100 years and counting. Is it a 270 no but for what it's designed to be it's excellent. I've also thought about the 44 Magnum I have been thinking about getting a Winchester 1892 or the Marlin 1894 cowboy in 44 Magnum . For me the lever action 44 mag would serve many roles fun on the range/self defense/ deer hunting/ hog hunting. I also really like the classic 38-55. Thanks for another great video 👍
Thanks Brian!
I've only killed one deer with my Winchester 44 magnum but I'm hoping to add to it soon. That first one was about a 50 yard shot with Federal 240gr JSP and I was really impressed. It punched a good sized but clean hole straight through both shoulders, turned the heart to jello, and dropped him in his tracks with very little meat damage.
Thanks Cap'n! The 44 Magnum may not be the best overall cartridge because of its limited range, but as you have experienced, it is a very capable short range cartridge for deer.
Great video! Your absolutely right the 30-30 is a great cartridge especially if you use it in the right place and the 44 mag would also be a awesome deer round if you were aware of the capability of it thanks!
👍👍
I reload two different .44 Rem mag bullets, the 240g XTP you mention and shot, and a Barnes solid-copper hollow point. I’ve also shot the Lever-Revolution in 30-30 and .44 magnum. The 44 mag only through a 14” TC Contender I use for long range target and hunting.
@Charles Travis Funny you should mention the Barnes bullets. I just took delivery on some 44 caliber 265gr. wide nose flat point solid copper bullets from Lehigh Defense. Can't wait to shoot those out of the Winchester 1892.
Wow! 1968 the show “Rifle man”. Love that show when I was a kid. My first gun was a Bebe gun it wasn’t much, but I feel like I had something.
Ahora conocí su canal y me ha gustado. Buenas pruebas con calibre 30-30 y 44 mg. Me gustan los rifles de acción de palanca. Continuaré viendo dus vídeos.
Suscrito desde hoy a su canal. Muchas gracias.
Saludos cordiales desde Asturias, norte de España.
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Now I found your channel and I liked it. Good tests with caliber 30-30 and 44 mg. I like lever action rifles. I will continue watching your videos. Subscribed from today to your channel. Thank you very much. Best regards from Asturias, northern Spain.
Thanks for your comment! It's really good to have a viewer from Spain. And thank you for watching!
LOVE this video!!! I have a W94 44 magnum trapper.....
Greetings from Spain!!!
Greetings! Sounds like you've got a sweet rifle there! Thanks for watching!
Good video. A good comparison I’m sure many think about.
Thanks!
Very interesting. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
I’ve recently started watching your channel and I’m impressed with your knowledge coming from a bench rest and 3P shooting family, I’ve fallen in love with the 44 mag and took it on a sheep hunt last fall and I was really disappointed with the results, at the time bullets were hard to find and I had to get a wildcat 300 gr my twist only allows 300 but it took 5 good shots in the shoulder to take down a 4 horn hopefully it was just the poor bullets and not the round I recovered one bullet from a Texas doll ram and it definitely wasn’t very impressive.
Interesting video! Thanks George
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video. I’d definitely like to have a Lever Action 44 Mag. to go along with my 44 Mag. Ruger Revolver
Afternoon George, nice video of two very popular rounds. I need to look into reloading those 44- 240gr bullets as they did an awesome job. The Ruger 77-44 I have is a pain in the butt to find a good load to get any kind of good groups with. It may be the next rifle to move on down the road. Last thing, the 30-30, 35 Remington fight will never end.( thank goodness)
Hi Robert. I'm going to wade into that 30-30 vs 35 Remington arena sometime this fall. I'm sure there will be two winners😄
Nice examples!
I have a Ruger 77/44 bolt action in .44 Rem Mag with a Leupold VX-R 1X4 optic.I hunt in dense timber from tree stands in western North Carolina. I can say without hesitation, the 240 XTP is quite effective on white tails. All of my shots have been within 75 yards and have yielded quick drops on deer.
Thanks! That's a great testimony for the XTP!
I just started hand loading for 30-30. I am impressed by its versatility. I imagine the 44 Magnum would be as well. The 30-30 goes from 100 grain plinkers up to pretty hot 170 grain round nose. I use 110 gr FMJ for plinking and am working on 160 gr FTX for more performance. I'd like some 125 gr hollow points too. If the same weight hollow point works at 1400 fps from 357, I really want to try it at 2500.
Welcome to the reloading world. It really opens doors for the shooter. One thing to remember . . . most bullets are designed to function (expand) at a given velocity. If you shoot one faster that it is designed for, it will just disintegrate and not be effective.
@@TargetSuite that has been my concern, but I don't see the 125 flat nose hollow points for any other round in my manual. I am therefore guessing they are meant for the 2400 to 2700 fps velocities in the manual? In any case, I can't find any so it won't matter until that changes.
Interesting. Very useful information.
Thanks!
Gotta love the levers!! Especially the 30-30!!
I love 'em all.
I used a 44 magnum big boy Henry with a sixteen inch barrel deer hunting in New York this year dropped a nice six point with my first shot usin 240 grain bullet no name bullet all I could find this was a brand new riflewaited all summer and into the fall for it I got it on Tuesday before thanksgiving and dropped the buck on Wednesday before thanksgiving no optics at sixty yards in the woods
I’m thinking my next Marlin might be an 1894 in .44 Remington Magnum. Something else to load for! Thanks for sharing. Take care.
Thanks! You too.
Every deer I've shot with a 30-30 and .44 mag have all made it to the table and haven't had to track any.
I use 170 gr soft point in 30-30 Federal or Winchester and 200 gr SJHP in .44 mag. They work every time. Usually within 40 yds
Thanks! That's a great testimony to the capability of both cartridges.
My two favorite calibers for my Lever Guns
Great ones for sure. I've added .35 Remington to my list as well!
Interesting how your side target camera picked up the shock wave from the exploding watermelon. Got my first deer with 35 years ago with a Ruger carbine .44
Wow Gordon! I missed that! Thanks for pointing it out.
In indiana we used only slugs in fire. Arm season on public land. Now we can use pistal cartridges on public land. I tried different ones and settled on 44 225gr lever evolution very satisfied. It drops instantly ever time. Wish you would review this set up. Would love to hunt with the 3030 just know it would be a blast I had one year s ago.
Hi Danny. Others have asked for the 44 mag FTX combo as well. I'll roll it in to a video soon.
My first deer kill was with a 44mag Winchester 94. 105 yards with Federal 240 grain hollow point. I now have several 44mag rifles and pistols and have taken many deer and hogs with the Hornady 240 xtp bullet in my hand loads. I keep my shots under 100 yards, even zero at 75 yards. It's my go to woods caliber period.
I've been taking Michigan deer with grandfather's Ruger 44 Carbine for years. Perfect brush gun and we're also stuck with straight walled cartridges so it's perfect.
Great little firearm!
Love my Marlin 336 in 30-30, so glad I picked it up back in the day when they were like $300 instead of the $8-900 they are now
Yes, you are one of the "lucky" ones.
the Winchester model 94 in 30-30 caliber was $75 at Brand Names in Richmond , VA in 1976 … I bought two !!! … I gave one to my brother who took it to Washington state and harvested an Elk with his 30-30 Win. !!!
@rjwintl Back in the 90s , Sears , Service Merchandise , and Montgomery Ward's were the top gun dealers here in Pensacola Fl .
@@rjwintljust out of curiosity do you know what brand of ammo and the grain weight of his bullet was? the reason why I'm asking I've heard of some people in the 1800s taking elk with a 3040 krag but I never knew of anyone taking one with a 30-30 before. seeing some other videos they say that the 308 is underpowered for elk in some cases and that's in the Rockies I thought that the Roosevelt elk out on the west coast is bigger than the Rocky Mountain elk but I do not have a clue about that since I live in Deer Country on the Prairie and not elk. And the closest i have ever seen an elk is 1/4 of a mile about 20 to 28 years ago in Lincoln County Colorado
Would love to see various loadings in .44 Magnum from Underwood. That would be very interesting!
Being 61yrs old Ive ate alot of venison from my 3030 150grain bought in the 70s. Model94 Winchester plain jane..
I'm sure the deer couldn't tell fancy from plain Jane😉
I've taken a number of deer with a 44 mag (both pistol and rifle). And a few with a 35 rem. Neither is a 'fancy" or "trendy" cartridge... but they just work! I picked up a little CVA Scout a couple years back, and LOVE it. It's cheap, shoots great, and very short!
Thanks Rick. I appreciate the feedback on both cartridges.
My 1956 Winchester 94 in 30-30 has become a fun range gun sense I started loading Cowboy loads using "Trail Boss" Powder. I lucked out and got 500 cast bullets for it before the shortage.
Now if I could just find some large rifle primers.
You are right about that! It is tough to find primers. I've got a few for now, but things really need to loosen up!
The brother of my friend passed and left his guns. The brother that passed was a gun trader and left my friend a lot of Model 94 Winchester rifles in every caliber made. My friend is almost blind so he won't be shooting these rifles. I was able to locate an auction company and we have been selling them. I am amazed by how badly people want them. When we offer the John Wayne or the Crazy Horse type models we always offer as the next item a box of the same ammo because a box of Crazy Horse 38-55 isn't found on the shelves. A "Chevy" comm. sold for $2,100. None of these rifles are the cheap stamped 30-30's made after 1964 until the ae models. Even though they are all new I see a lot of difference in quality. , some beautiful and some I wouldn't want.
I’ve got a 9444 trapper. My walkabout rifle. For fun a few years ago I mounted a red dot and called it my RAW. Rural assault weapon! Pardon the pun but that thing is a blast!
Last year I put a 3-9 on it and I popped a coyote with it at 97yds. I load ftx bullets on a near max charge of lil gun. It gives me an extra 75 yds of point blank aim. I love that little pop gun.
Sounds like a sweet, and effective package!
Very cool comparison. I started loading the 3030 ftx and loved its new capabilities however... boattails don't stabilize before 60-100 yards. I did a test on a block of wood at close range and found the projectile had tumbled pretty hard. Still though great addition to the lineup imo. Thanks for the vid and the lack of foul language in your vid!
Thank you for watching. And I really appreciate that comment especially about language. That's just who I am. And I am so blessed because the vast majority of folks that comment in my videos skip on the foul language as well.
Probably due to the slow twist rate of the rifle.
Good video. I've taken at least 4 whitetails with the .44 mag. I think all were shot with a 240 grain jhp-Federal American eagle.
Thanks!
hey buddy i keep going back to this video. would love to see another video on 35 rem,44mag and 3030win, at 50 or 75 yards. think that would make a great video to see how the bullets deform. maybe even the 45/70 i hunt with all these calibers , thanks ricky.
Thanks Ricky. That sounds like a great idea!
THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO!💥👌👍😎
Where I hunt, I never have more than a 70 yard clean shot (Lots of heavy brush). In that environment, the .44 beats the .30-30, but doesn't quite edge out the .35 Remington 200gr core-lokt.
Good feedback. It's all about mixing the right cartridge with the hunting conditions.
I read an column in Fur-Fish-Game years and years ago by Don Zutz. He was talking about people using 180 grain bullets and up for deer and not getting great blood trails, deer going a long ways etc. He suggested dropping down to 165s or 150s. The deer started dropping o the spot or short blood trails.
I was shooting 170 grainers in my 30-30 and i decided that might work for me. I got some Winchester 150s and sighted in. 1st deer went nowhere, 20 yards tops. 2nd one dropped in its tracks. Next one started to run and piled up.. My ex's son used it and nailed a big 8 and it went 20-30 yards. Experiment over lol.
I do use the Hornady Lever ammo now, but no deer yet because I'm always using my Dad's 35 Rem.
I live in New Zealand, and have recently bought a Marlin 1894 16.5" barrel in .44 magnum. So far, I have shot two fallow deer with it, at about 15 and 25 yards, including a trophy buck of 218 5/8 D.S. on Friday last week. This buck is good enough to get recorded in the local deerstalker's record book for 2020. So far, no animal has walked more than 3 steps before falling over. Fallow are a similar size to whitetail, I understand. Internal damage has been significant, but in both cases, I've been been able to recover the projectile - 225gr Hornady Leverevolution. One round was factory, the other was a handload also with a 225gr FTX. Retained mass of the projectile I pulled from the big buck was ~170gr.
I use this rifle for deer and goats on rural properties in semi-built up areas and my more "traditional" deer rifles (.243 W and 7mm RM) for longer shots / more remote locations.
And yes, I get that these are very close shots, but on the properties I have access to, short shots are the norm. In these locations, I want a handy, short-range rifle with rapid knockdown and a very low likelihood of over-penetration.The .44 magnum is a *perfect* rifle in this situation, and I wish I'd had the good sense to buy one years ago! :)
The rifle is wearing the cheapest scope I could buy, as my eyes don't really support good accuracy through the ghost ring it came standard with, and I am too used to hunting using glass to re-learn how to use open sights. but for short shots in scrubby country, it is ideal.
Thanks for the video, George. It was very informative!
(Edit to add: The fallow buck I shot last week weighed probably 100kg / 220ish pounds. I wouldn't hesitate using this rifle out to ~ 100 yards, but wouldn't shoot much further than that on available NZ deer / game species. I always used to joke with people when they asked me what the perfect calibre was. My standard answer was "Any centrefire round is fine. Just get closer or further away as appropriate")
Greetings from New Mexico USA! All i can say is come hunt in New Mexico, or Colorado!
@@blueduck9409 If only!! :) I would LOVE to hunt pronghorn someday!
@@btmonz8383 Just walk into any walmart and go to the sporting goods counter and say you want a liscense to hunt prong horn. They are plentiful out here. Colorado, and extreme western Oklahoma will be much cheaper than New Mexico. The 3030 winchester is excellent for prong horn!
Congrats on the record! And thanks for the encouragement. I love your "Any centrefire round is fine. Just get closer or further away as appropriate" comment. Funny, and simple, but true.
Really nice video.
Thanks for the ‘confirmation’ on the 240 gr XTP; those are what I plan to use. As another viewer suggested, I’d prefer JSPs, but I could not get them.
Can I ask what load you are using behind them (based in that 1800 mv)? I didn’t see it discussed elsewhere in the comments.
I try not to be too obvious about load data, But it was a near maximum load of W296. And for deer and hogs, the other viewer was right. If you want to exceed 1500 fps (the design maximum) for the XTPs) you should ideally consider the JSPs. But like you, I am having a hard time finding them.
@@TargetSuite that's a respectable mv for 240 gr.
I went with a Henry single shot; will see if the 22" tube can get IMR 4227 in that ballpark.
Try the 300 gr XTP's, they are just made for H110/W296, are of heavier construction and hang together better than the 240's. A real powerhouse out of a rifle.
The 44 magnum action doesn't even sound broken in yet. So crisp. The 30-30 action sounds smooth and buttery.
The racoons are going to love you for putting out that watermelon buffet!
Yep, if the deer don't get there first. I actually have video of a doe walking up right after busting a watermelon and having a feast. She was so close I could hear her teeth scraping on the rind!
Coyotes love it too.
I love my Henry Golden boy. With the 225 grain FTX leverevolution ammo by Hornady. In 44 magnum is devastating on Whitetail.
Thanks Gun Dog!
I hear good things about leverevolution. I'd try if I could find it... LOL
Excellent timing brother , i am planning on using my henry x in .44mag for deer hunting this year 👍
Just picked up mine. Excellent in all regards.
@m17 glock I love my X Model. It's in 45-70. If I didn't have that, I'd have the 44 X Model. Best Henry's that I have seen! Good luck in the woods this year.
@Tracey Walker Amen!
Another good one ☝️, how the fishing 🎣 beautiful place brotherman 💥👍❤️🇺🇸
Fishing is good. The pond finally "bloomed" and the bream began spawning in earnest. We still have a few skinny bass, but I think by next spring, everything will be balanced again!
Thanks buddy 👍
The 30-30 is a great brush cartridge. Like he said it isn’t a very long shooting round. Years ago the 30-30 had killed more deer than any other round. I’m sure the other rounds have surpassed it but I have owned a Ted Williams Model 100 since I was 16. I’m 58 now. It has always shot flawless and performed well. Most of the time the round isn’t the effectiveness; it’s shot placement.
I’ve heard of a guy that killed a deer with a 22 mag before. My first deer was killed by a 20ga slug.
Anyway I’m staying with my tried and try.
My first deer also fell to a 20ga. More than adequate!
I really doubt any other round has surpassed the 30-30 and dead deer. its had a huge head start.
I’ve hunted with everything from.30-30, .30-06, .270, .308, and.300win mag, but the round I’ve been using lately is the.44WCF. I’ve been using my Winchester model 1866, in .44WCF, and I love hunting with it. I don’t have to wear hearing protection because the decibels are so low, and the report doesn’t scare the other deer, hogs or turkeys off. But, it’s just a personal choice, everyone is different.
I used to hunt deer with a 308 and even with perfect shots I was still tracking. Now I use a 30-30 or 45 Colt, I have a Marlin and a Rossi, but I have to admit the 30-30 is my favorite. I load it with 125 gr Nosler BT's and it drops them DRT. Dumps all the energy in the animal instead of drilling a small through it and saves a lot of meat.
It depends where you hunt and how heavy the brush is. Around here you run the risk of loosing a deer in heavy brush if you don't anchor it right away. I have a 44 colt and I'd use it more often if I lived in region that had less cover.
Two awesome calibers, The 44 magnum is usually more accurate, I seen in Winchester lever legacy it got a 1 inch group at 100 yards compared to the 30-30 which got an inch and a quarter or so
@Leverguns 50 Thanks! I really like them both as well. I need to take time out soon to do some serious load development and just see what the 44 Magnum is really capable of.
Leverguns 50 What was your best load, assuming your were reloading. If not, what ammo did you use?
Dogbone13 22 grains of reloader 2400 behind a 240 grain Lee semi wadcutter size 432
I've been hunting deer with my 44mag since 84. Never had one run very far and no huge holes. I have a Leopold 2.5 - 7 X 30 scope, 100 yards is no issue. My farthest shot was 150 yards. I use hornady 200gr XTP reloads.
The Marlin 336XLR with a 24" barrel with Hornady 160 grain lever evolution takes it out to 250 yards. It also has ballard rifling at 1:12" twist unlike the 336C with microgroove rifling at 1:10 "twist in a 20" barrel. And if I needed a hand gun load a Winchester 1892 carbine or a Marlin 1894c in 357magnum would do and not mess up more meat than it has to.
Great feedback! Thanks!
Thanks for the great videos, I was looking at the Hornady 265g interlock FP. In 44 mag. My thinking is for heavier deer, maybe even calf moose at close range 75yd. They spec these out at 1700ft/sec. Would it be possible for you to try those out? Thanks again.
I would love to try that bullet. If you know where I can get some let me know.
In the late 80’s I had a 444 Marlin that I use to hand load for. That 265gr Hornady was bullet of choice. I could regularly get 1.5” groups at 100 yards. I only took one whitetail with it, but I still have the bullet. It was a quartering shot that hit that poor deer just behind the right shoulder and stopped under the skin just ahead of the left hip joint. It was travelling about 2150fps when it hit. It is a perfect mushroom like you see in advertisements; weighs 258 grains because it lost one petal of the jacket as it peeled back. It’s a fantastic bullet that I‘ll be loading in my new Henry Big Boy Classic 44mag as soon as I pick some up.
The 30-30 has probably killed more deer than any other rifle, to date.
The 170 grain bullet is a very good deer killer.
@ hawknives I think most people in the know agree with both of those statements. The 30-30 is a great cartridge for its intended purpose. Thanks for the comment!
@@TargetSuite Thank you for the great videos, Man!
Because of you, I just ran across a Ruger Carbine, at the shop where I buy guns. I pick it up, at the end of the month . It is a bottom feed 4 in the tube, 1 in the chamber.... lightly used. Hope to get some meat with it this year.
Have a great day, Man!
Blessings!
Wow! Congrats on the Ruger Carbine. I love mine. Good luck, or better yet . . . blessings😉
@@TargetSuite Thank You Much, man....and
thanks for the lead on, Wolf's Prairie Outdoors.
Good channel!
Blessings!
You are welcome. If you don't mind, tell 'em I sent you.
If you go for the .44 Mag the deer are safe. I have been trying to find .44 mag amo for a month. The isn't any.
You are right. If I didn't reload, my channel would have to shift to knitting or cooking😉
GSAmmo just got in PPU 300 GR JSP full house mag ammo ... A month ago they got in some 240 GR JSP full house mag ammo and I got a full case of it. It sells out fast. Heard they just got S&B 240 GR JHPs in stock.
Whoa. . . . . I ran a Marlin 1894c in 44 Mag for over 40 years for deer hunting. I grew up in the thickets of the southern part of the Appalachian chain in Ga. Never missed a deer. But never took shots at much > 70 yards either. Most shots were at 50 yards or less. Too thick to see much less shoot at anything over 75 yards. But I never used commercial ammo, either. My dad has been reloading since the '60s (including casting his own bullets) and loaded up a couple boxes of 25 cartridges. I never fired to sight the gun in after the first year and only shot one or two cartridges per year. I still have a few and they still shoot accurate; they do smoke a little bit but suspect that is due to old powder. I handed that gun down to my oldest son including the left over reloads from the mid '80s and did buy him one box of commercial ammo.
44 mag would be a great cartridge to learn reloading. Case mouths are big for easy pouring, Large Mag Pistol primers are a little easier to find than small pistol and small rifle, there’s plenty of Winchester 296 around, and Midway has bullets from time to time. Also cartridges are truly straight-walled so carbide dies are useable, and the cartridge doesn’t headspace off the mouth so you get more room for error. Long story short, 44 mag might just be the easiest cartridge to reload. Great opportunity to start. I’ve been enjoying loading them.
White tail hunter for 50 yrs. Never used a 30-30 however, many of my party has. Every deer I have seen taken with the round was a complete pass through and the deer went down fast. Inside a 100, its a great deer round!
Thanks. That's the secret with the 30-30, not trying to over extend its range.
Good morning George. You asked, "is the 44mag adequate?" That is a resounding "yes". And everyone knows that you mean within the parameters for which the cartridge was designed. I would have no hesitation to hunt whitetails and hogs here in the piney woods with a copy of that rifle you have. I know my shots would be limited to 25-100 yds and rarely a 100yds. And of course you more than adequately defended the 30-30 (which needs no defense from those of us that have used one all our lives to take more deer and hogs than most people will see in their lifetime). Arguably the best 100 yd cartridge ever designed. I have always believed that if a man owned a 30-06 and a 30-30 there would be no need to own any other rifle. Now wanting is a whole nuther story lol.
Haha! You are right Max. Gun lust is a itch that just wont scratch!
My dad bought me a 30-30 when I was 13 to hunt whitetails with. When I was 19 I bought a 30-06. I've had those two rifles for about 40 years and have no need for anything else. 30-30 has seen alot of safe time during hunting seasons since I got the '06 but it's still one of my favorite guns to shoot. Nuther story is I came back from fishing salmon in alaska this summer with a large drool spot over a 375 H&H magnum. I'll just stick with my two 30 caliber rifles and a 44 magnum revolver.
@RedHawk44 - A 30-30 woods rifle and a 30-06 . . . as far as hunting in North America, you are pretty well covered, I'd say. Especially if you're also packing that Redhawk with some Underwood ammo Expreme Penetrator rounds.😉
@@redhawk449 if that itch gets to the point that you need some calamine lotion on it, go ahead and pay the price and get that pre64 Mod 70. Finest hunting rifle ever made and that's not arguable lol.
Id say a 3030 winchester and either a 4570govt or 12 ga.
Great video, I would have hesitated to shoot towards that pond.Ponds do not make good shooting backstops because of bullet deflection.
Wow. Great video! How do I get great audio like you did in this video?
That video was filmed a Zoom h4n Pro Wireless mic. When I bought that one it was $400. Now they're down to just over $200. They're pretty fantastic, just a little bulky. Nowadays I use a Rode Wireless Go2.
My Henry h024 30-30 side gate 20" barrel 6+1 with the "standard" 150 gr core locs rip rip through about 8-10 degree angled back 1/4" high grade steel far from mild, but not ar500. Me and my father had some time and question to answer. From alittle over 50 yards the Remington's easily popped through, then somehow the lever evolutions 160gr popped through with abit more angle and further out, roughly 180'. My friends 223 left deep dents as we thought for sure they'd zip through but a 30-30 out penetrate a 223-5.56 even in level 3 (if that's what it's actually called ar500 1/4" armor plate)
Honestly never would've thought the 30-30 had that amount of penetrating power, it's brought much deserved respect back to the all american 30-30. Lever evolutions up the game beyond belief though it's not meant to take the place of say a 308/30.06 but increases the useability and your options more than any barrel length or playing around with diff powders and amounts. Plus most barrels actually very much fire extremely tight groups with them.
Great video...Thank you.; Listening to you talk and explain in a clear rational manner...What would your opinion be on a lighter bullet for .44mag. so it wouldn't travel as far after going through a deer?
Here in N.W. Ohio we hunt small tracts of woods, it's hard to find a section that does'nt have 3 homes or ten built on them...In most cases you would be shooting toward a road within a half mile..Some shots are in or up through a woods, some are from a woods out into a field.. Any thoughts on how far a 240gr. bullet would travel after going through a deer? assuming no hit on heavy bone.
@T.C.F. That's a tough one. A lighter bullet will certainly dump more velocity in a deer, and travel a shorter distance afterward. But whether or not your shots are safe is a question you will have to answer. Sorry.
I have an 1894s and have had it for over 30 years. Have taken several different game with it. Have taken deer with it shooting 240 gr jacketed soft point.
I've got a Winchester 1892 in 44 mag. I put skinner peep sights on it and I can easily shoot a deer at 100 yds. Sweet cartridge for deer
I went to Barnes bullets years ago and have not looked back since. Nothing to separate and loose energy, they open to twice the original diameter and most time remain in the deer which means the deer caught every bit of energy. I still use V-max for small game.
I've got Barnes bullet on my radar. Hope to try some soon. Thanks!
The 200 grain XTP works the best in my S&W 629 with 8 inch barrel and has accounted for may whitetails out to 75 yards. Velocity might be a bit high in the longer barrel of the lever action for it to hold together. I have tried the 300 grain XTP in the same revolver, but I found it tumbled when hitting deer leading to poor performance.
I think you are spot on with the 200gr velocity being too high. Thanks!
I use my .44 Henry carabine out to 300 yards regularly and it is awesome.
Wow! That's reaching out there!
Good comparison that I've been playing with myself. One huge exception is the test firearms: Thompson Center Contender, Super 14" barrels both with Leupold M8, 2X long eye relief scopes. From a good rest the 30-30 Win is much more accurate than the 44 at 50 yards (sub 1" vs 3.5") and 100 yards (sub 2" vs 8-9"). With field expedient rests my groups are not quite that good. So, I don't hunt with them. I know very well my velocities from a 14" barrel is less than a 20" rifle. Both calibers "whack" a 3-gallon bucket full of water at 100 yards pretty well.
Playing with yourself is always a blast
I think everything you said was spot on with regard to these rounds and deer hunting. I have a pre 64 Winchester 30-30 and it is slim and carries wonderfully . It prefers 170 grains or Hordnady 160 s. It hits hard . Anyone who doubts this as a good deer carbine even in a larger tree-open woods would need to confront all the dead deer this combo and the Marlin 93, 36 and 336 have accounted for well over 100 years. Ohio has been making strides in allowing more freedom in the last 6 years for straight wall cartridges. Hopefully one day I can tote his gem made in 1957.
The 44 mag is very popular in Ohio as is the 450 Busmaster, 45-70 and 350 Legend. Even a quick handling shotgun with slugs has knocked down tons of big Ohio white tails. They will all cleanly smack down deer. I hunt farm/ woods mix and brush /woods. By the time gun season opens most of our deer have been hunted by bow hunters for over two months -the deer are very high strung. You will not see them casually walking in a field very often . They are in the thickest ,nastiest stuff they can find. If you do see them they are in motion running from one section of woods to the next. The 44 mag , 45-70 or 30-30, 32 special, 35 rem ,450, 350, slug gun etc in a light fast carbine is ideal. You don't have time to fiddle around.
Probably more than 90 percent of the shots are under 100 yards. A heavy ,large scoped ,long barrel rig would be more of a handi cap for the majority of that hunting.
Excellent video !
Thanks! Comments like yours are really encouraging. Fyi, I hope to have some 35 Rem content in a month or so.
@@TargetSuite Looking foward to it. I know it is hugely popular in Pa next door to me, NY , and upper North east. Lots of folks swear by it. I guess it has some nuiances as far as sometimes light primer strikes through some of my studying . However it has a nice balance weight and velocity and seems to have a very highly respected cult following if you will, as a woods round.
Yep. When I posted the two Brush cartridge videos, the biggest complaint was that I had left out the 35 Remington. The second biggest complaint . . . the missing 444 Marlin.