Created by Elmer Keith, the same man who created the 357 Magnum, the 44 Remington Magnum is known for its power and versatility. You wisely want to understand how to maximize both by purchasing the best 44 Mag ammo.
Below you’ll find the top-performing 44 Mag ammo for hunting, defense, and lever-action plinking situations.
Best 44 Magnum Hunting Ammunition
- Black Hills 240gr JHP – Best Hunting Ammo
- Hornady Leverevolution 225gr – Best Lever-Action Hunting Ammo
- Buffalo Bore Anit Personnel 180gr JHP – Best Self-Defense Ammo
- Fiocchi 240gr JSP – Budget-Friendly Ammo
When hunting, stopping power and accuracy matter most. There’s no doubt the 44 magnum round has all the stopping power you’ll need to ethically harvest a black bear, whitetail deer, and feral hogs found across North America.
It’s considered one of the most popular handgun hunting calibers, especially when paired with the best 44 mag hunting ammo.
Black Hills JHP
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 240gr
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,260 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 846 ft-lbs
Pros
- Hard-hitting heavy bullet
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Heavy recoil
Why We Chose It
The Black Hills 240 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) 44 Mag ammo is the best all-around for hunting.
It’s reasonably priced, which means you can practice and sight in your 44 magnum revolver without emptying your wallet.
You can confidently hunt any big game in North America with some of the hardest-hitting 44 Mag ammo on the market when you hunt with Black Hills 240gr JHP 44 Magnum ammo.
Honorable Mention
If you’re hunting with a lever-action 44 Mag, I recommend you check out the ammo below because it will likely be the better choice for your situation.
Hornady Leverevolution
For a 44 Magnum lever-action rifle hunting cartridge, I recommend the Hornady Leverevolution 225gr. Unlike traditional flat-nose 44 mag bullets, the Hornady Leverevolution has a spitzer-style bullet.
A spitzer bullet has a polymer tip that makes it easier to load in lever guns, is more accurate, and has a higher velocity, all of which are needed for deer hunting.
Best .44 Magnum Self-Defense Ammo
Self-defense is another everyday use for the 44 Mag. Though most argue it’s a bit much to carry, and I would agree. It’s prone to overpenetration in home defense situations which endangers your family members, and the heavy recoil means the average shooter is somewhat inaccurate.
Buffalo Bore Anit Personnel JHP
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 180gr
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,500 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 1,762 ft-lbs
Pros
- Reduced recoil from the lighter bullet
- Can be used for self-defense or deer hunting
- It can be used in a revolver or levergun
Cons
- Bright flash in low-light conditions
- Expensive
Why We Chose It
If you’re one of the few that can handle the recoil and don’t have to worry about over-penetration, then the best 44 Mag self-defense ammo is the Buffalo Bore Anti-personnel 180 grain JHP.
The bullets have enough stopping power to stop any two-legged threat, despite being 50gr lighter than the heavier bullets used for hunting.
They can be used in any 44 mag gun, whether a handgun or a rifle. This is a significant pro if you own a 44 mag handgun and rifle because you can focus on protecting yourself and your family instead of ensuring you have the right ammo loaded.
Honorable Mention
Hornady Critical Defense
Though it’s not 44 mag ammo, I recommend using Hornady Critical Defense 165gr .44 Special ammo.
This is the best .44 special ammo for self-defense, and it can be shot from a 44 Magnum revolver. I recommend using this for several reasons.
The first reason is the reduction in recoil, which means increased accuracy. You’ll also have less over-penetration. Lastly, Hornady Critical Defense is one of the best factory loads you can purchase for protecting yourself.
The FTX bullet used for the Critical Defense ammo is an improved version of the Hornady XTP bullet.
Best .44 Mag Lever Action Ammo for a Tight Budget
If I’m headed to the range to be a hole puncher or make some music with steel targets, I’m not obsessed with getting the peak performance out of a round, so I usually opt for a cheaper round.
Fiocchi JSP
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 240gr
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,310 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 975 ft-lbs
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Similar ballistics to hunting rounds
Cons
- The soft point is not great for lever-action .rifles
Why We Chose It
One of the cheapest yet reliable rounds is the Fiocchi 240 Grain Jacketed Soft Point (JSP).
You will need to be more cautious with the soft point in a lever action as they don’t always feed cleanly into the chamber. This will prevent you from shooting quickly and decrease the round’s accuracy.
Honorable Mentions
CCI Blazer
Suppose you’re looking for another cheap alternative. In that case, the CCI Blazer 240 grain box of 44 Rem Magnum ammunition is a reasonably priced Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) that will feed better into the chamber of a lever action rifle.
PMC TC-SP
One last budget friendly 44 Rem Mag ammo option is PMC 240 grain TC-SP. It packs a heavy punch with a muzzle velocity of 1497 FPS and muzzle energy of 1194 ft-lbs.
Ways to Save More Money on Ammo
Because not target shooting or hunting is not an option, we must find ways to stretch our hard-earned dollars.
An excellent way for the average target shooting enthusiast to save more money on ammo is by buying bulk 44 Mag ammo. This will allow you to do a lot of plinking and stock up when you need to, but it does mean you’ll need to cough up more money upfront.
Once you’ve shot the ammo, save the brass because you can also save money by reloading the 44 Mag brass.
Common 44 Rem Mag Bullet Types
JHP
The jacketed hollow point (JHP) is designed to expand rapidly when it hits the target. This increases the amount of damage the bullet creates and decreases the chances of over-penetration.
There are two main advantages of shooting a jacketed bullet. Number one is that it feeds better in semi-auto pistols, and the other advantage is less lead fouling in your barrel.
SP
The soft point bullet is primarily used for hunting where hollow points are banned because the nose deformation expands slower and penetrates more than a hollow point of the same caliber.
It’s typically not the first choice for long-range hunting, but at close to medium ranges, these bullets are devastating, with similar performance to hollow points.
SJSP
The semi-jacketed soft point (SJSP) is a hollow point alternative. It has an exposed lead soft point that reliably expands on impact and offers deeper penetration than your average hollow point. An FMJ bullet is designed to keep its shape, while an SJSP is designed to deform and transfer more energy to the target.
It’s primarily designed for revolvers; however, some bullets are intended for use in rifles. It can be used for almost any application, such as home defense, big game hunting, target shooting, and more.
JSP
The jacketed soft point bullet (JSP) was designed to fill a specific niche because a hollow point doesn’t have enough penetration, and a full metal jacket doesn’t have enough expansion. The JSP perfectly fills the gap with a moderate level of both.
The bullet is jacketed around the 1/2 or 1/3 mark, exposing the lead nose. Jacketed soft points are primarily intended to be hunting rounds that are more common in rifles than pistols.
44 Mag Fun Facts
As I mentioned earlier, gun writer Elmer Keith is the man credited with bringing the .44 Remington Magnum to life with the help of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson and ammo maker Remington Arms Company.
The most surprising fact is that Smith & Wesson was not the first company to release a firearm chambered in .44 Mag. That would be the Sturm, Ruger & Company, thanks to an observant employee who found the spent casings and deduced their competitors were creating a new round.
Ruger came out with the iconic single-action .44 Magnum Blackhawk revolver shortly before the Smith & Wesson Model 29 debuted.
Though the Ruger Blackhawk was initially more popular because it was less expensive, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 starred in Dirty Harry, one of the most popular movies of 1971, alongside Clint Eastwood.
This role made the Model 29 one of the most sought-after guns of the 1970s and helped ignite the obsession with “the most powerful handgun in the world.”
Because of its popularity, many other firearms manufacturers made a handgun, rifle, or carbine chambered in .44 Magnum, such as Henry, Winchester USA, Colt, Ruger, and Smith & Wesson.
Due to the nature of the bullet, most handguns are revolvers; however, there are semi-automatic pistols chambered in 44 Mag, such as the Desert Eagle. This is the same reasoning behind the high volume of single-shot and lever action carbines and rifles compared to semi-auto rifles.
General 44 Rem Mag Ballistics
Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.
Final Shots
The best 44 Mag ammo for hunting is the Black Hills 240 Grain or the Hornady Leverevolution 225gr.
While I wouldn’t recommend carrying a .44 Mag with you for self-defense, if you do, I would use Hornady Critical Defense .44 Special because of its reduced recoil, and it is safe to shoot in .44 Mag revolvers.
The best budget-friendly .44 mag ammo is the Fiocchi 240 Grain.
That finishes out the best .44 Magnum ammo list! I look forward to seeing you at the range someday soon.
Best .44 Magnum Ammo: Hunting, Self-Defense, and Lever Action originally appeared in The Resistance Library at Ammo.com.
Large, heavy, overpowered and very expensive ammo unless you are hunting elk, bear or feral pigs.
Then you would want 300 grain hard cast truncated bullets that brake bones and penetrate deep.
Sounds like just what every American aspires to…over-powered and over-priced. How else can they show that they’re better than everyone else?
I feel can hunt ethically just fine with either me .308/Creedmore 6.5/or…..perhaps me Weatherby .300,do like having choices!
Me doing the math before the hunt!
reloading is the way to go. Hard cast lead with a gas check will do the job at a low cost. Hard cast lead has a tendency to stay together when hitting bone compared to jacketed bullets with a soft lead core. They never say what the core hardness is, because its usually cheap shit. I prefer Ruger or Magnum research handguns because they are very strong compared to other brands regardless of the price.
I have a couple of Ruger .44’s, and I do all my own loading. It’s pretty cheap to shoot, and a lot of fun. With 7.5in barrels, the recoil isn’t bad either. I shoot a 240 gr XTP at 1215 fps.
I was getting over 1400 fps with my recipe and over 1700 ft/lbs muzzle.
Sounds like the same gun also… Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk with 7.5 inch bbl.
I could hit a basketball @ 300 yards…with iron sights.
Agreed. When I was shooting my .44s regularly years ago I always reloaded. MUCH cheaper than buying factory ammo. Even 30 years ago factory .44 was outrageously pricey.
I recently turned down good deal on a Dirty Harry .44 because of the price of ammo , which at the time was running about $1.50 per round…sheeessh.
Hard to find gas checks. I use the Missouri bullets with the hi-tek coating, 250gr Elmer K loads. I run them slower velocity and can even use regular large rifle primers. They still pack a punch and don’t foul the barrel.
How does that extra c. 010″ of primer depth work out for you in a revolver? Primers standing proud of the case is not a great idea.
Are you referring magnum large pistol vs regular large pistol? I worded that wrong above…large pistol, not large rifle. I was referring to some 44 magnum loads not requiring the magnum primer.
I didn’t see any distance specs. Best all around? Why not .270?
Chuke is an Alaskan hunting guide.
Tis a fine round/flat shooting and will get the job done.
I feel tis within reason just what you prefer/obviously,say a .22 tis not for big game(unless Chuck Norris blessed)then,can take down a elephant!
30-.06 and 30-30 work well also for at least the New England region.
With realistic cartridges feel tis the aim/point of impact the hunter gets that makes the day and thus does not have to follow long blood trails,which,to me would be a nightmare and end hunting I screwed up to that degree though would follow and finish the job I botched.
How in the HELL can you lump a 30-06 in with a 30-30? There is no comparison!
44 mag. Is strictly a close to medium range cartridge. It’s not really a rifle cartridge but will do for that purpose.
Yep,a good brush gun cartridge or close range pistol cartridge with good stopping power.
I would call BS, but thought I’d ask your idea of “medium range” before doing so. And “medium range” for WHAT, exactly?
So I can add to this discussion. As always it gets complicated based on the bullet, powder load, and even the rifle. I own a 24″ 1892 and a 18″ Henry big boy, both in 44 mag. I think overall you are dealing with a large bullet that is bound to drop fast. The 1892 shooting a 240gr Hornady XTP on top of 23gr of H110 has very little drop at 100 yards. The bullet has better ballistics, much more energy behind it, and is getting more twist out of the longer barrel. Shooting a Missouri lead bullet out of the shorter Henry I see bullet drops of 3-4″ at the same distance. Handgun I have not tried 100 yards as my 629 is iron sites. So medium range is 75-100 yards perhaps? Not sure.
They DO drop like a bitch after 100-150…but they drop PREDICTABLY. They aren’t concerned with the small shit like wind deflection or small trees. They still pack half a ton of force at 300 yards, so your only problem is hitting what you’re aiming at. Once you got that dialed in the world is your oyster!
Truth is that very little of a bullet’s flight time is actually level flight. It’s either going up or coming down.
Nice, but what about bullet proof vest penetration?
It is unlawful for deer to wear body armor.
!!!
Shoot ’em in the head.
Try putting screw tips in the hollow points. Generally speaking, you want to put holes in body armor…use a rifle.
It may not penetrate, but it ain’t gonna fuckin’ tickle either. You’re talking 2000 pounds of impact force spread over a surface area of less than 1/2 inch. You’re gonna bleed on the inside. You could even take a broken rib through the heart in theory.
Bulletproof don’t mean invulnerable. Physics has consequences.
Pfffft… A 245gr. very hard (Linotype) cast gas-checked Semi WadCutter @1460fps from a 6″ barrel has all of those “killer” loads beat, although I hear the Buffalo Bore is loaded pretty warm too. Using components I’ve had for decades they cost me about .015c each not counting the many times reusable brass. At today’s component prices it’s between .30 & .35c plus the depreciation on the brass. It’s a dandy 50-75yd (my personal max) deer load out of a pistol. I’m sure it would do even better in a lever action or single shot rifle with a longer barrel.
Some of the new(ish) all copper boutique bullets look pretty interesting, but are anywhere between .85c -$2 each for just the projectile. Even with that whopping S/S increase we’re getting, think I’ll wait on trying them on.
There is no quick 2nd shot with a 44Mag pistol unless it’s Magna-ported (WHAT DID YOU SAY?) or loaded down to almost 44 Special speeds. It’s really too much of a good thing for close up self defense against anything other than bears… or someone behind your refrigerator. I use & carry reduced loads or 44 Specials if not in the deep woods. Sold the 38s & 357s a long time ago.
You’ll pick up at least 200 fps and some additional accuracy from the carbine barrel using the same rounds.
PS…if you’re shooting a .44 and you need more than one shot? Hang it up. Ya don’t deserve such a fine weapon.
Right with ya on the downloads. Reloading is the only way to fly.
Well hell… naggers usually travel in packs. Multiple assailants usually cant all be hit with one shot. For some reason they wont stand in a line to crack your head with a tire iron. Penetration will likely also stop at the 2nd in a row if such a scenario would present itself.
You get ’em to line up for you and I guarantee 3 with every shot…with hollow points. But for nagger season I prefer my 1911A1 8+1
Best .44 Magnum round?
HAND LOADS!
240 grain Hornady XTP JHP
1.6 cc IMR 4227 propellant.
VERY manageable and accurate round.
Agreed…I use H110, have a lot of it laying around. MY 1892 loves the combination. I don’t use it as much in the 629 revolver, its a wrist breaker!
Unburnt powder leaving the barrel is a sin. It’s wasteful…and God always punishes wastrels. With the recipe I provided, you’ll get magnum performance without magnum recoil and ZERO unburned powder at the muzzle…tried and true.
I have loaded with 4227 and H110 with many different charges. I can guarantee the H110 load I use is just as accurate, if not better, than the 4227. I have a Lil Gun recipe that is also good, just don’t have much of that powder.
My best friend favored Hercules powder too. I was always a DuPont guy. My mentor explained it to me this way…you pay attention to the performance stats, not the powder brand. If it works as advertised? That’s your load.
Funny how we all experience some level of brand loyalty bias. Whatever gets the job done gets my approval.
I use a lot of IMR powders for my hunting rifle loads. I love 4895 and 4064. Wouldn’t call it preference as much as availability of the powders and getting used to what I spent time loading.
Hercules seems to be a faster burning powder. There are times when that is desirable. The same is true of the slower consistent burn…especially in the longer barrels.
I have never in my life met a fellow .44 magnum owner who DIDN’T load his own cartridges. The ONLY time we buy assembled ammo is when parts are not available OR we’re too danmed lazy or pressed for time.
44 mag is expensive ammo to shoot. As a reloader it is pretty reasonable to shoot. For budget shooting I usually load up some low velocity lead loads. I use the Missouri bullets with the Hi-Tek coating, so I can push them faster. I generally do not use gas checks because they have become non-existent. Best part of low velocity loads is you can also use large pistol primers and not have to track down the magnum primers. If hunting game I will load up some hot loads with Hornady XTP bullets.
There is something about the 44 mag I like. Perhaps it started with the Dirty Harry movies. I do own a Smith & Wesson 629. It is a bear of a gun with a 6.5″ barrel. That I like shooting the lead loads out of because the weight of the gun handles the low kick well. Forget shooting true magnum bullets out of that thing, it is a bitch to handle. I actually prefer to shoot my lever 44 magnums. Early this year I bought a new 1892, Winchester made in Japan. I was eyeing an older 1892, but they cannot be found in 44 mag and are expensive. Some may say they would never buy a Japanese made Winchester. I respect that, but hold one and shoot one and get back to me. Those Winchesters are some of the finest made rifles made, outside of custom builds. The 1892 is a 24″ octagon barrel, it handles the XTP loads well. I would use it for hunting something big. I then have the Henry big boy in 44 magnum. That gun is a shorty and will bruise the shoulder with magnum loads. I like shooting lead loads in that, or even at times some 44 special.
I guess I just love the 44 mag!
I used to load unjacketed lead wadcutters for practice and the JHP’s for everything else. It saved a little money while perfecting my fast draw, but I now prefer to practice with the same loads I’ll be using to defend myself. You might not believe it, but it can make quite a difference.
Also…thanks for the pleasant conversation!
I forgot about the plated bullets. I run some Berrys plated bullets. Not near JHP velocity, but faster than lead. I never really considered 44 mag for defense. I don’t carry the 629. Perhaps if open carry were legal where I am. 44 mag to me is a plinking round and I try all kinds of different loads.
It’s pretty versatile for loading options. Open carry was legal where I used it. No one ever gave me any crap about it.
You ever own a Thompson Contender? Interesting platform.
Buddy of mine owns a T/C. He has a 35 rem barrel and I believe a 223. He hunts with the 35 barrel and has taken a deer or two. Not my cup of tea honesty. I do want to take a deer with the 629 though. I do not plan to throw a scope on so it will be all iron sites.
It just seems to me that owning one gives the LEOs indigestion. My loading mentor had just bought the 223 barrel for his when we met. Rifle rounds from a single shot pistol platform. Crazy world we live in.
Speaking of oddities…I STILL want one of these…
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And now many lever actions come with a threaded barrel. A can on a lever action? Sure, why the hell not?
To keep my .44 Mag carbine and my 30/30 rifles company, I have a Marlin 45/70, model 70478 with a 6+1 capacity on my wish list.
New or old Marlin? I have an 1895 guide gun in 45/70. Shooting that thing leaves bruises lol.
…and big holes.