two schools of thought

[oremike]

Just bought a long barreled 44 mag and I know I can load a light HP to yea haw velocities that will expend all their energy in the body of a pig or I'm leaning towards a big heavy hard cast truncated cone bullet at speed of sound velocities. I'm thinking the big bullet will kill a pig just as dead and do less damage to the eating parts. Or do I need the more destructive bullet for a more humane kill?

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[Member 5605]

Cast with a TC is less likely to expand and has the possibility of complete penetration with minimal expansion.

 

[ageingstudent]

I would think a Keith type projectile with a wide meplat and as soft as you can get away with without leading would work.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd use a Keith SWC also. Cast moderately soft and given a "leisurely" 1200fps they'll do the job on pigs. They'll cut at least a full caliber hole through whatever they hit.. paper, meat, bone, whatever.
Hey, he invented the .44 magnum.
Tell us what you wind up using.
Oh, what I'd not do is use an old school 240gr JHP/JSP as they are traditionally overbuilt (crappily) and will only expand on granite.. and perform like FMJ's on meat and bone.

 

[oremike]

I've got 500 300gr TC bullets on order from T&B bullets and a Lee 4 die set due on Wednesday from Midway. Traded off my surplus 45ACP cases for 44 mags and have a copious amount of AA#9 and W-296 powders so I should testing loads soonish.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've got 500 300gr TC bullets on order from T&B bullets and a Lee 4 die set due on Wednesday from Midway. Traded off my surplus 45ACP cases for 44 mags and have a copious amount of AA#9 and W-296 powders so I should testing loads soonish.

The TC or FP bullets are known to track straight and deep.
I'd use them on something like cape buffalo or something where it was absolutely needed to break very large bones. A SWC will penetrate less but make a much bigger hole.. even if it's cast out of very hard linotype.

 

[Tilos]

I've have been privileged to shoot 2 hogs with a SBH 44m, with a Keith type cast bullet and one with a GP100 357 and Hornady XTP bullet.

All three were DRT with varying shot placement.

I have just recently found/read this thread that has a lot of shot placement/bullet design/wound cavity pics/info.

Caution it's a long thread and could lead to a long reading session once hooked, took me a while to read:

Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas

I have the recovered bullets somewhere, and will post a pick if I find them

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've have been privileged to shoot 2 hogs with a SBH 44m, with a Keith type cast bullet and one with a GP100 357 and Hornady XTP bullet.

All three were DRT with varying shot placement.

I have just recently found/read this thread that has a lot of shot placement/bullet design/wound cavity pics/info.

Caution it's a long thread and could lead to a long reading session once hooked, took me a while to read:

Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas

I have the recovered bullets somewhere, and will post a pick if I find them

Yea, that's a good thread. I think he only used neck shots with whatever and carried a .45acp to dispatch a couple.

 

[Hayshaker]

Having killed a dozen or so deer /six bears and numerous coyotes with a 44 mag using Kieth's 431244 GC I can attest that it'll do the job very well . Bullet placement is pretty critical,, but any bone hit will pretty well knock them down hard. Being 80 now I can only remember what worked.My buddy bagged several elk with his 44. Range is a big factor with 100 yards or less being most effective. Just my op