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Posted: 6/25/2026 2:18:33 PM EDT
| I recently bought a Henry single shot 44 mag for a plinker/deer rifle, I was going to just go with the Hornady 240gr XTP and forget about it, but thought I would check in here to see if anyone has any suggestions for a bullet to use? Thanks |
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I have taken whitetail deer with 240 Grain XTP's that I reloaded in my S&W 629 8 3/8". Great performance 35 yards max for tracking. Stevie Wonder could have followed the blood trail. |
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Originally Posted By Capt_Jerry: I have taken whitetail deer with 240 Grain XTP's that I reloaded in my S&W 629 8 3/8". Great performance 35 yards max for tracking. Stevie Wonder could have followed the blood trail. Thank You that’s what I will probably start with just for convenience sake, local shop stocks them fairly reasonable |
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There is a lot to be said for having the bullet available, and there is nothing wrong about starting with the ones you have and see if your new rig likes them. A 240 XTP in the right place and within range is going to do the job no problem. Just make sure your rig likes them on the target as well as in terms of feed and function. |
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Don't overthink it. A .44 mag out of a rifle-length barrel is going to be devastating to a white tail. Pretty much any hollow-point will definitely get the job done. I'd bet that a solid lead bullet would do just fine as well. There were untold thousands of deer taken with smaller lead balls than that long before the .44 mag was a thing. |
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Originally Posted By Capt_Jerry: I have taken whitetail deer with 240 Grain XTP's that I reloaded in my S&W 629 8 3/8". Great performance 35 yards max for tracking. Stevie Wonder could have followed the blood trail. Interesting...I took one with my 44 magnum with XTPs and had zero blood trail. Found out that if the heart is destroyed, no blood pumps out. It was, along with both lungs. Hit it perfectly in X and a bit high in Y. It was devastating internally, though. When I slit it's belly open, about a gallon of liquid innerds poured out. |
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Originally Posted By jagdkommando: I used a 265gr Interlock in my 444 Marlin handloads, loaded hot for hunting Elk right along the Yellowstone National Park boundary line. Only time I have seen an elk drop drop in its tracks and I saw it happen twice with that bullet. I flipped a whitetail over backwards and stuck his horns in the dirt with that combo. 
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Originally Posted By Smallmouth: I recently bought a Henry single shot 44 mag for a plinker/deer rifle, I was going to just go with the Hornady 240gr XTP and forget about it, but thought I would check in here to see if anyone has any suggestions for a bullet to use? Thanks I use the 240 XTP in my Marlin. 1700 fps, dropped two in their tracks, one went 20 yards. Good choice. |
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Op i had zero luck with lead in my henry big boy carbine first barrel shot VW bug size groups. Henry installed a new barrel and it now shoots xtp's fine but still shoot lead truck window size groups. I have used 240 xtp to take both deer pig and bobcat (hey he came out in front of me) Takes them famously well. I have used the 300 xtp to take deer with a 444 marlin..... i have no doubt it would still work fine in 44mag. Originally Posted By jagdkommando: I used a 265gr Interlock in my 444 Marlin handloads, loaded hot for hunting Elk right along the Yellowstone National Park boundary line. Only time I have seen an elk drop drop in its tracks and I saw it happen twice with that bullet. I have been looking for those as a component 265 interlock for years best i can tell no longer available. I know some people used this in 44 from everything i read but i read hornady designed this specifically for 444 marlin. |
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I see no issues with the 240 XTP out of a carbine. I'd be somewhat less enthusiastic if you were talking a 180 or 200, and/or a softer JHP. The velocities will be increased, which can be a tad hard on some JHP designs. The XTP is a fairly solid bullet. I see no issues. Remember Impact Velocities: You may be able to keep that 240 on target at extended ranges, however impact speeds are going to drop hard and fast as range increases. That bullet has the aerodynamic qualities of a brick. In a day and age with laser range finders, ballistic turrets, bipods, sand bags, etc etc its entirely possible to hit targets at 150, 200, 250 yards even with cartridges that have rainbow trajectories. The issue will be speeds are dropping so fast that impact speeds are very low. The result is a failure to expand and terminal performance that won't look anything like you expect a .44 Mag to deliver. I used a 1894 Marlin in .44 mag for deer for a few seasons. And used 240 XTP. No issues. I did use a self imposed limit of about 100 yards on that combination. Thats just my choice. Others will have different opinions.... |
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240 XTP is ideal for Ohio whitetails. If your gun will shoot lead, the benefit of a Keith style bullet is it doesn’t need to be driven as hard for complete and utter devastation. With a single shot you have a lot of options. If it fits, it shoots so length is something you get to play with. Now you can always have that reamed for 445 Supermag but that’s another adventure. |
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I have killed several deer with a 44 Magnum, both handgun and lever action rifle. I don't handload, so all have been factory loads. I don't like the Hornady Leverevolution stuff out of a rifle. They do not hold up at long barrel speeds. They are fine out of a handgun. I usually prefer a jacketed soft point over a hollow point. An exception to that is my all time favorite hunting load, the Buffalo Bore Deer Grenade. They are a perfect combination of penetration and devastating expansion. |
| I have a 629 5”. I shot my last one and hit liver/lung. Shot it with a lead semi-wadcutter at 1100fps. I’m looking for a jhp to replace the lead SWC to be a bit more effective overall. Speer Deep Curl or maybe Hornady XTP. From what I read, the XTP is great out of lighter loads, but something tougher like a bonded or mono might be best for full power or from a rifle. I’m guessing same loads revolver to rifle are 150-200 fps faster. |
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Originally Posted By DoctorCAD: Interesting...I took one with my 44 magnum with XTPs and had zero blood trail. Found out that if the heart is destroyed, no blood pumps out. It was, along with both lungs. Hit it perfectly in X and a bit high in Y. It was devastating internally, though. When I slit it's belly open, about a gallon of liquid innerds poured out. Originally Posted By DoctorCAD: Originally Posted By Capt_Jerry: I have taken whitetail deer with 240 Grain XTP's that I reloaded in my S&W 629 8 3/8". Great performance 35 yards max for tracking. Stevie Wonder could have followed the blood trail. Interesting...I took one with my 44 magnum with XTPs and had zero blood trail. Found out that if the heart is destroyed, no blood pumps out. It was, along with both lungs. Hit it perfectly in X and a bit high in Y. It was devastating internally, though. When I slit it's belly open, about a gallon of liquid innerds poured out. I had the same problem out of my 629 8 3/8" barrel with 240 xtp's.. I ended up using 210 grain Remingtion JHP. I ended up with better results. |
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Originally Posted By Gunner226: Don't overthink it. A .44 mag out of a rifle-length barrel is going to be devastating to a white tail. Pretty much any hollow-point will definitely get the job done. I'd bet that a solid lead bullet would do just fine as well. There were untold thousands of deer taken with smaller lead balls than that long before the .44 mag was a thing. Pretty much the thoughts that popped into my head. I worked up a pistol load for a hog hunt that was a 240gr SWC with a warmish load with 2400. As I worked towards a full load from a Lyman load book my groups became quite tight when I was about a grain below max load so I stopped as I was happy with the accuracy and didn't think the hog would know the difference. These loads were about 1150 FPS from my S&W 629 with 6.5 barrel. Some time later I tried the same load in My Marlin Cowboy and was getting good accuracy and 1850 FPS . I later substituted a RNFP instead of the SWC as it ran smoother in the Marlin lever gun. I never hunted with the rifle but I have to believe any white tail shot in the proper places with a 240 gr bullet at rifle speeds is going to be reliably taken . |
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Originally Posted By Colt653: i have killed a bunch of deer with 240gr XTP and Speer JHP max load of H110 / win296 always with a revolver, never with a rifle works very well Very accurate, along with the XTPs in my Marlin lever and H&R single shot. I help my buddies son reload XTPs for his Henry and the work great with a few grains less of 296 |
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The 240s have been problematic for me. I mainly used them in my muzzle loaders. If the shot was too close as in under 50yds the bullet was a grenade. If it was over 80 or so yds then it penciled through. It expanded but it seemed not much as the 2 holes were the same size. I have since gone to full bore bullets. I think if you keep the bullet in the range they say it will be fine. They shoot very well in my Taurus Raging hunter and my CVA Scout in 44mag |
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Originally Posted By acman145acp: Op i had zero luck with lead in my henry big boy carbine first barrel shot VW bug size groups. Henry installed a new barrel and it now shoots xtp's fine but still shoot lead truck window size groups. I have used 240 xtp to take both deer pig and bobcat (hey he came out in front of me) Takes them famously well. I have used the 300 xtp to take deer with a 444 marlin..... i have no doubt it would still work fine in 44mag. I have been looking for those as a component 265 interlock for years best i can tell no longer available. I know some people used this in 44 from everything i read but i read hornady designed this specifically for 444 marlin. I've found with my two Henry 44's that they like 300 grain coated TC's MUCH better than 240's or 200's. Seem to like medium and higher loadings as well. My "standard" mid 240gr SWC's would do about like your "truck window" group size. 300 grain coated TCFP's from Missouri at 1200fps and up group decently as do jacketed bullets. |
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Originally Posted By Cantshootstrate: I bagged one with a 240 LSWC ahead of 16 Grains of 2400 and a Ruger 44 Mag Carbine in the 80s. NICE!!! I can't remember much from the 80's  As for OP - XTP are really good bullets in all sizes IMO |
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Originally Posted By compuvette: I've found with my two Henry 44's that they like 300 grain coated TC's MUCH better than 240's or 200's. Seem to like medium and higher loadings as well. My "standard" mid 240gr SWC's would do about like your "truck window" group size. 300 grain coated TCFP's from Missouri at 1200fps and up group decently as do jacketed bullets. @compuvette That is interesting because when Henry sent mine back after rebarell they sent a "3" rnd test group with black hills 300 gr. It was a cloverleaf at 50yds. Also i give my nephew crap about never bringing ammo to shoot with us. He brought some hornady custom 240's and they were quite a bit hotter than my cream puff loads. They shot much tighter i just haven't gotten back around to loading / testing for it. |
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Originally Posted By acman145acp: @compuvette That is interesting because when Henry sent mine back after rebarell they sent a "3" rnd test group with black hills 300 gr. It was a cloverleaf at 50yds. Also i give my nephew crap about never bringing ammo to shoot with us. He brought some hornady custom 240's and they were quite a bit hotter than my cream puff loads. They shot much tighter i just haven't gotten back around to loading / testing for it. |
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Originally Posted By Chukar: If you don't mind, what's your recipe? @Chukar My standard load is 10.5 unique under a 240 Medium mild load shoots great in a super redhawk just meh in the henry. I tried a ton of loads hp38 slowing it way down…. Shot terrible in the henry Turns the super redhawk into powder puff. I haven’t loaded up a great recipe for the henry yet i plan to load some hot 110 loads with xtp 240 to test next Since the trends for accuracy ive seen looks like faster is better I wanted to load cream puffs for it that small kids could use to shoot pigs thats just not possible with my rifle |
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Originally Posted By Chukar: If you don't mind, what's your recipe? If you are referring to me: 240gr Acme SWC 9gr Win244, 1.61” COAL, Win LP 20” Henry AW: 1285fps 4” 29-2: 1058fps 3” 629-6: 1028fps 300gr Missouri TCFP 13.6gr AA#9, 1.6” COAL, Win LP 20” Henry AW: 1226fps The 240 is a midrange load and shoots well in the Smiths. “Meh” in the Henry’s. The 300 load does well in the Henry. I haven’t tried it in the Smith’s and probably won’t as I’m a whimp….. |
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Originally Posted By compuvette: If you are referring to me: 240gr Acme SWC 9gr Win244, 1.61" COAL, Win LP 20" Henry AW: 1285fps 4" 29-2: 1058fps 3" 629-6: 1028fps 300gr Missouri TCFP 13.6gr AA#9, 1.6" COAL, Win LP 20" Henry AW: 1226fps The 240 is a midrange load and shoots well in the Smiths. "Meh" in the Henry's. The 300 load does well in the Henry. I haven't tried it in the Smith's and probably won't as I'm a whimp .. Velocity in my Marlin is right there and is very accurate. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By tommee-boy-72: The 240s have been problematic for me. I mainly used them in my muzzle loaders. If the shot was too close as in under 50yds the bullet was a grenade. If it was over 80 or so yds then it penciled through. It expanded but it seemed not much as the 2 holes were the same size. I have since gone to full bore bullets. I think if you keep the bullet in the range they say it will be fine. They shoot very well in my Taurus Raging hunter and my CVA Scout in 44mag which bullet do you use? |
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I think the hornady XTP is one of the best "bang for the buck" bullets for 357 and 44 mag. They perform very well, are accurate, and are not stupid expensive. I worked up a subsonic load for my Ruger 77/44 for suppressor use using a 300gr XTP, as surprisingly, they are the cheapest 300gr jacketed bullet you can get. After finding my load, I wanted to see if they still expanded at that velocity. I set up some large cat litter jugs filled with water and shot it at 50 yards. It went through both jugs, blowing up the first one, then through the plywood target stand, and was on top of the dirt halfway up the berm. 
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