cowboy action ammo for predator hunting

H

hotairgypsy

New member
I already for all the proper guns for going yote hunting but i just picked up a truck gun and was curious if it would also do the job if i just happened to be out and about...I bought a Henry big boy x in 44 mag.spl...well looking for ammo i came across cowboy action ammo...here is the specs as an example...its just plinking ammo and i am planning on putting a suppressor on it so it looks like it is subsonic...just ball ammo...what ya all thoughts on this for these dogs and other critters...

Description​


.44 Magnum, 240 grain RNFP, New Brass, 100 Rounds- Perfect for Cowboy Action/SASS, Made by Veteran Owned Company!!!​


Technical Information


  • Caliber: .44 Mag
  • Bullet Weight: 240 grain
  • Bullet Style: RNFP (Round Nose Flat Point) Coated and Cast Projectile
  • Case Type: New Brass
  • Number of Rounds:100 Rounds
  • Primer-Boxer

Ballistics Information:


  • Muzzle Velocity: 755 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 304 ft/lbs
 
Pistol calibers kill differently than high velocity rifle bullets (less hydrostatic shock to organs and nervous system).
But basics of any hunting ammo still hold true. Expanding bullets are better.
 
I hit a coyote with a 44 magnum at 40 yards out of my Ruger 6" DA. It was a 240g soft point leaving the muzzle at around 1250 fps.
Very hard on pelts. Remember you'll get 200fps to 300fps increase out of a rifle.
I have some 200 grain hardcasts for my Rossi 92 44 magnum. Hope to answer your question someday.
 
They’ll work, but there’s not gonna be much kinetic energy transfer (shock value) unless you’re breaking shoulders. I loaded up some trail boss loads and shot a few trap line raccoons with my 45 colt and 255 grain lee cast bullets I powder coated. They were around 400 ft./s velocities. There is way more shock with a 22 long rifle out of a pistol with the exact same in between the eyes shot placement. If you try it just aim for shoulders. If not, I’m sure you’re gonna get runners. They’ll definitely die with that big hole in them. IMO there’s just not gonna be a lot of shock transfer from that slow of velocity. I’ve shot quite a few deer with my 44 magnum rifle at 1750 ft./s and I still get runners on deer every time. Imo not fast enough to create alot of shock.

to me, it’s like shooting a deer with a shotgun slug slugs a 30-06. Both will kill the but the faster velocity of the 30-06 seems to drop them in their tracks a lot better.


I cast it up some 265 grain hollow points that avaerage 1600 ft./s out of my rifle but just haven’t ran into a deer during our holiday hunt tested on yet. I would assume they probably would do pretty darn good on a coyote and a deer since they should expand pretty rapidly And dump some energy in the process. I’ve shot enough stuff with hard Cast not expanding and it’s like shooting animals with a full metal jacket. I tell you to look for some light for caliber 180 grain XTP ammo if you’re going to shoot coyotes.

these are the 265 grain hollow points I cast up for my 44 mag. They have a Brunelle hardness of 7.5 which is equivalent to about 40 to 1. It’s a mix of 16 to one with pewter and pure lead. They are super soft, but malleable. The hard part is is when you’re buying factory loaded ammo you’re not gonna find Cast bullets this soft commercially. You have to make your own to get them that soft.



I shot a rabbit with pure clip on wheel weight alloy around 1850 ft./s out of my rifle at 136 yards. I cut it in half. The halves were about 20 feet away from each other. I put them together for the photo. If you at least go to almost pure soft lead hollow point, you’re going to get some drop in its tracks performance within reasonable range. Those cowboy loads are gonna be pretty hard alloy with zero expansion shooting a brick wall or a hard dirt backstop.

 
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Your buying. 44 caliber suppressor? Are you serious?

I would not spend the money to put a suppressor on a 44 mag, especially for coyotes.
 
why not...technically it is a 45 can...what do you have against the idea of suppressing it...a crapload suppress 22s...suppress 270s, 30-06s, etc...why not a 44 mag
 
I have a Henry x rifle in 45LC that I shoot suppressed. My biggest complaint is the noise that travels in the stock. It's almost like an ar-15 spring noise. I put a rds on it and use it for close quarters or near population centers. It's just another tool in the tool box.
 
No problem suppressing it I just wouldn’t be doing it for the purpose of coyote hunting.

If you have the extra money, and want to delve into oddball hunting scenarios, go for it.

Subsonic loads don’t tend to be too effective for hunting coyotes.

The ballistics of a subsonic .44 can’t be very good.
 
I would agree with what others have already said. It is not an ideal coyote load for minimizing pelt damage, flat shooting or drop in their tracks results. It does sound like a fun gun to shoot. I'm sure you would have a great time hunting coyotes with that gun as long as you are willing to accept being severely "handicapped" when compared to other guns. I packed my muzzleloader on several stands a couple years ago until I was able to get a coyote with it. For many of us the experience is more important that killing a coyote.
 
i get it...just gonna be a fun truck gun...I have a fully built 350 legend with a thermal option when that is all i am going after...looking forward to playing with that...but for just a fun truck gun i was figuring out the setup for the henry....

so it sounds like if i am understand correctly the cowboy load would create runners and not drop them where they stand...am i to assume the regular 44 mag supersonic loads would drop them where they stand?
 
Supersonic loads are always going to hit harder regardless off the round.

I don’t really understand the “truck gun” concept? What do you normally need to do with a “truck gun”?

I think of a “truck gun” to be the gun the rancher/farmer hauls around to shoot hogs or coyotes with. Those situations using involve something at distance and/or running from the truck. In that case it wouldn’t be that good of an option nor would anything subsonic.

I’m curious in what situations that would be good “truck gun”?
 
well call me lame but i see my rifles for the most part being dedicated ...my 270s are my deer/elk guns...my 22s are my plinkers...my shotguns are my birdys...so i am viewing my henry as kind of a sits in the middle all purpose (truck) gun...i know some will see as lamo but we all have our quirks

and i do totally agree with this statement "I think of a “truck gun” to be the gun the rancher/farmer hauls around to shoot hogs or coyotes with."
 
Cowboy action ammo is for targets. There are lots of better bullets out there. A suppressed .44mag would be fun, just need to use better bullets. I have a suppressed 444 marlin that i hunt bears with. Shot a coyote with it while calling bears. Certainly didnt go anywhere.
 
I hunt foxes, yotes, and raccoons to protect our chickens, and an occasional deer. I selected the 44 mag rifle specifically for the 44 limited range because of neighbor houses 200-400 yards away. I have used Hornady 165 grain 44 special Critical Defense on the predators (JHP with the polymer insert). I have chronographed those rounds at about 1050 FPS. They expand great in gel (to about 0.65" with 12" of penetration), but I have seen no evidence of good expansion in the predators. Have had several fox shots straight on in the chest and pass out of the rear end (a good 20" of penetration) with no evidence of expansion. Usually takes two shots, the first to knock down and a second quick follow up to finish. I have woods around me and I squeak them in to a clearing such that my shots are generally about only 20 yards (my thermal is zeroed at 40 yards).

Since I don't get expansion and no longer expect it, I am now handloading 240 grain XTPs at about 1000 FPS for more FT-LBS. And yes, it is suppressed so I can hunt any time I feel like it. I use the XTPs because they are jacketed, accurate, and readily available. Silencerco says not to use lead bullets with their suppressors. I use mag brass and 7.5 grains of Titegroup. The Titegroup is a little sooty, but is not position sensitive and is very consistent velocity wise.


For fun, I have drilled the XTPs to aid expansion (I got up to 0.80" in gel with 8" or penetration), but abandoned the idea because I have found that I still seldom achieved a one shot kill that didn't involve runners.

If I lived in open spaces, I would use a different weapon. It's all an issue of your hunting conditions. And, I love a lever action.
 
I have 6 suppressors on everything from 22rf to 270 short mag. My integrally suppressed 44 mag carbine is hands down the quietest of all about equal to 22rf at 700 fps
 
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