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Old October 2, 2011, 09:15 PM   #1
mouser868
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Opinions wanted

I have a T\C Contender in 44 Magnum with a 14 inch barrel that is scoped. The load I'm shooting is 9gr of Unique pushing a 255gr Kieth style cast bullet. I am planning on using this to deer hunt with out to 50 yards. I know the gun is capable of shooting out to 100 yards but I'm not confident enough to shoot farther than 50 yards with it at a game animal. My question is is that load adequate to make a clean kill out to 50 yards??
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Old October 3, 2011, 11:15 AM   #2
g.willikers
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Depends where the deer is hit, doesn't it?
(Sorry, couldn't help myself).
Just practice with that pistol.
It's plenty accurate enough, if you learn to have confidence with it.
Nothing wrong with the load, either.
Good luck with it this season.
Do you have realistic deer targets for practice?
Preferably at longer distances that what you expect to find in the field.
Getting used to shooting at what you will in the field helps a bunch.
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Old October 3, 2011, 12:57 PM   #3
Mello2u
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Quote:
mouser868
I have a T\C Contender in 44 Magnum with a 14 inch barrel that is scoped. The load I'm shooting is 9gr of Unique pushing a 255gr Kieth style cast bullet. I am planning on using this to deer hunt with out to 50 yards. I know the gun is capable of shooting out to 100 yards but I'm not confident enough to shoot farther than 50 yards with it at a game animal. My question is is that load adequate to make a clean kill out to 50 yards??
240gr LSWC 10.0 gr Unique 1,100 fps
240gr LSWC 8.5 gr Unique 1,100 fps

I found these loads listed on an internet site. They don't say what barrel length or type of firearm was used to get these velocities. I imagine your velocity would be a bit higher.

44 Magnum 240 grain JHP- 4" Redhawk.
Unique- 10.0 grs- 1004 to 1026 fps
AA#9-19.0 grs- 1229 to 1285 fps

Your load looks like a relatively light load for the .44 Rem. Mag.

I have shot about two dozen deer with my .280 Remington 150gr factory load (about 2900fps at the muzzle). Mostly heart shots. About half ran 100 yards with no functioning heart; the other half dropped right there.

I would assume your load would have less damaging effect on whitetail deer than the .280 Remington load I used. It certainly will kill a whitetail deer if you place the bullet well. The question is how long it will take if you go for a heart shot.

Cast bullets can expand or drill through depending upon the hardness of the bullet. If you get a full penetration event, and the deer runs off you may get a better blood trail from a deer that has an entry and an exit wound; compared to a deer that has only an entry wound.
Can you track well.
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Old October 3, 2011, 03:52 PM   #4
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I have the same setup. I have one stand with shots out to 130 yds. I carry the Hornady flex tip. Something to consider. I loaded my blackpowder rifle with .44 XTP 240 grain bullets. I started at 120 grains and worked all the way down to 90 grains, (wouldn't group well with anything but 90 grains, 3 thirty grain pellets.) I had a shot from that stand. The last tree I had ranged out was 130 yards. This deer was on the other side of that tree. Angle away shot the bullet went through the ribs, heart (massive damage,) and broke the opposite shoulder. I found the slug just under the skin after it went through the shoulder. I still have the slug. 180lb buck and it was bang flop. With just 90 grains the .44 caliber bullet worked perfectly. Everyone said I would need 150 grain loads for that range but I didn't. Don't know the velocity between that load and yours but I'm sure your load will work.
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Old October 3, 2011, 05:49 PM   #5
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I like the Hornady 300 Gr. XTP over 20 Gr. of W-296 . You might be able to stoke it up a little hotter in your contender . Works great for Black Bear in my 9.5" SRH .
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Old October 3, 2011, 08:04 PM   #6
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The load sounds more than adequate to me. Best I can figure it should be nicely over 1000 fps out of your contender.

Alliants Data shows 11 grains unique gets you over 1200 with a 250 Keith style bullet, and 900 fps with 7 grains over 240 LSWC.
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Old October 4, 2011, 07:02 AM   #7
federali
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I use 8.5 grains of Unique behind a 240 grain cast SWC as a mid-range load that is far more pleasant to shoot in my Super Blackhawk than a full house load such as 22 grains of IMR 2400 behind a jacketed bullet. I'm thinking that your T/C with 14 inch barrel would not be especially punishing with full loads and that's what I'd recommend for hunting.
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Old October 4, 2011, 12:15 PM   #8
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I'm with the others on 10gr of Unique. 1100fps is a good start for a 50yard deer because it'll be travelling about 1000fps at 50.
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Old October 4, 2011, 01:57 PM   #9
Clifford L. Hughes
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mouser 868:

We owe it to the game animals that we are hunting to kill them cleanly. Your 9 grains of Unique is pleasant to shoot but it is lacking adequate energy to kill game cleanly. Marginal hits with center fire rifles results in many lost animals. What would happen if your shot was marginal? Use a 250 grain bullet and a case full of 2400 or H 110.

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Old October 4, 2011, 02:19 PM   #10
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My opinion is get some H110/W296 and some XTP's.
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Old October 4, 2011, 06:40 PM   #11
Ralph Allen
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My 14 inch scoped Contender shoots 15.6 gr of Blue Dot behind Hornady 240 gr XTP/HP. Accurate out to 100 yds.
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Old October 4, 2011, 06:51 PM   #12
mouser868
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Thanks for all the comments folks. I have a load worked up with W296 and 240gr HNDY XTP's and with that load I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a deer at 100 yards. But I've already killed deer with a pistol and jacketed bullets out of my 7-30 Waters 12 inch barrel with muzzle tamer. What I am wanting to do is use cast bullets to kill a deer, other than ones cast for a muzzle loader, I've already done that more than twice. And I figured the 9gr of Unique behind the Kieth bullet would probably get the job done on the small deer we have around here, as long as shots were kept to 50 yards or less.

As far as tracking goes, I bow hunt, so I'd better know a lil bit of something about tracking or I would never find the deer I shot with a bow, and knock on wood I haven't lost one YET.
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Old October 5, 2011, 10:13 PM   #13
Para Cassatt
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small world mouser868

In Lyman's Pistol & Revolver Handbook 3rd Ed. they show that 8.9grs. UNQ with 255 gr #429244 w/#2 alloy will get you about 1155fps with a 14" barrel. That sounds like plenty of medicine for small to mid-size deer at 50 yards.
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