30-30 vs 44 Magnum

In this video I will compare the 44 Remington Magnum against the 30-30 and try and determine if it is a legitimate rifle cartridge for deer. We'll use my Winchester 1892 for the 44 Mag and my friend Rene's Marlin 336 levergun for the 30-30 Winchester.

[@valdivia1234567]

Does anybody else just love the sound of a lever action? Just me? lol

[@TargetSuite]

Nope. I think a lot of us have the same "flaw"😄

[@gajierote2496]

Me to

[@dr.froghopper6711]

It kinda makes the sound of a pump shotgun sound impersonal doesn’t it? Cleaner and smoother.

[@dorzak975]

I agree.

[@michaelj.mccall6530]

It certainly awakens something in the masculine spirit

[@buffalosoutdoors]

Great video. I love the .44 Magnum and have a lot of respect for the 30-30 as well.

[@TargetSuite]

Amen! Thanks Buffalo.

[@corporalpunish6089]

There is just something that is hard to explain about the 30-30. I will admit that I was a ballistics table cartridge guy for a long time. Looking for the most exciting stats. After taking up the 30-30, I just realized there was some "it" factor of optimal diameter and velocity. The bullets penetrate and mushroom so much better than many other cartridges that are moving faster and blowing up their bullets or dumping their energy too quick. My performance on deer with good old coreloks was always outstanding. Before the ammo shortage, 30-30 used to be one of the cheapest centerfires running about $12 a box. That part changed, but luckily I was sitting on about 500 rounds.

[@TargetSuite]

That's a great testimony for the venerable 30-30 Winchester. Thanks. And yes if it is used within its limitations, it does have the it Factor!

[@russellweber4334]

There is nothing hard to explain about the .30-.30 round, it works, it penetrates body armor.

[@eshuorishas9987]

500 rds? You don’t need that many. I’ll send you my PO Box and I’ll take it off your hands.

[@corporalpunish6089]

@@eshuorishas9987 it's getting a little better. You can find plenty on ammoseek for $22-$26 bx. Still not the days of $12, but at least you can get it.

[@redneckcanuckdieseltech]

170 grain corelok is all I've ever used for deer hunting in my Marlin model 36

[@garyK.45ACP]

I had the great opportunity to live most of my life in Texas, growing up on and having access to our family ranch throughout all the years I was actively hunting. During that time, Texas allowed you to kill 5 deer every year...as many as 4 whitetails. (It has changed now, but at that time we were allowed 5 deer) And, as you know, ANY centerfire rifle or pistol or shotgun can be used for hunting deer. I lived on a ranch with my parents, grandparents 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The 5 boys, my father and grandfather all hunted deer. Add to that family friends, brother in-laws and it means there was a LOT of deer being killed every year and a LOT of venison being cooked! There were plenty of deer & turkeys, and it was possible to more or less kill deer and turkeys "at will" if you weren't too choosy. There were enough turkeys that it was one of the counties where it was legal to shoot hens during the fall season. I have killed, or seen killed, hundreds of deer, just in our own family. I have personally killed deer with everything from a .22 Hornet to .405 Winchester and just about everything in between. Including .44 Magnum in rifles and handguns and .30-30. It was Texas, so some of the most popular calibers were .243, .30-30, .300 Savage, .30-06, .270, .257 Roberts, .25-06. I had a friend who had only a Ruger .44 Carbine, and another that used only a .300 Weatherby MKV. I can say that within the limitations and with proper shot placement they will ALL kill deer very cleanly. NONE of them will kill cleanly if you exceed your limitations with the rifle or with poor shot placement. It is real important that you know the limitations of the rifle you choose in your own hands and under various circumstances. Shooting a deer with a .300 Wby Mag across an oatfield from an elevated stand with a solid rest is not the same as shooting a deer offhand or threading a bullet through brush. Practice with your rifle, and not just from a benchrest, shoot as you will shoot in the field and learn your limitations with different rifles and different circumstances. If you do your part, there is not a deer on earth that could tell you the difference between a .44 Magnum or a .30-30

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Gary. Great family history growing up in Texas. Your incredible personal experience validated the fact your statement that proper shot placement and proper firearm choice are extremely effective on deer. Lack of either is a recipe for hunting disaster. Thanks!

[@texaswader]

Texas born and raised too and started shooting when I was 6. I've killed some deer with a .30-.30 Winchester with a Marbles peep sight but I've killed more with an 8 3/8" barrel Model 29 S&W .44 magnum. Even more with a .22-250. Not all of us can shoot almost every day but I have for most of my life. Being proficient with the weapon that you are using and knowing its limitations makes all the distance.

[@allanbrown747]

Why anybody would doubt the killing ability of either one of these rounds is beyond me , with in range, Most shots I have taken on whitetail are less than 100 yards and both calibers with the right bullet have done just fine. Plus there is just something about a lever action that makes me smile! 😁

[@TargetSuite]

Amen! We've become a culture of the over gunned, prepared for the worst case that never comes . . . at the expense of great guns that are more than adequate and fun to shoot.

[@rgalletta58]

The Model 94 is the best woods rifle, I've ever held in my hands. I absolutely love it for what it is designed to do!

[@razdog76]

Because they are ignorant or stupid. Lol

[@mot0rhe4d40]

My guess would be lack of experience with either rounds or perhaps blaming the caliber for their bad shots.

[@aaronwilcox6417]

Absolutely spot on. Both these are really good hunting cartridge in the 100yd realm, even farther. Out west the only thing limiting them is range, but they still have their place. I pack a 44mag, 45-70 or my 338 when in grizzly areas. Even a 170gr 30-30 isn't exactly weak.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Both are fantastic whitetail offerings. I have no personal experience with 30-30 but we have been hunting deer with 44 handgun & rifle since early 90s. We have harvested more than I want to try to remember. Trained my first 3 children to hunt with it. Most of the loads were handloads of 240gr XTP & H110. Harvested with handguns from 45-75 yards & rifle 35-125 yards. Very, very effective. Thanks

[@TargetSuite]

Thank you.

[@codeman1979]

.30-.30 has been killing deer for over 100 years. It makes me wonder why people doubt it

[@TargetSuite]

Not doubts from me, for sure. Very capable round.

[@joeellis2692]

The 30-30 has been killing deer back when it was a blackpowder cartridge. Lol. Longer than 100 years.

[@Northwoodscamper45]

I don’t doubt the 30-30, killed many deer with it , but in Southern Michigan we can only use straight walled cartridges. So the 350 legend, 450 Bushmaster and 44 mag do the job..

[@anthonygalliart1789]

@@joeellis2692 I heard the 30-30 was the first smokeless rifle round in the U.S.A.

[@joeellis2692]

@@anthonygalliart1789 The 30-40 krag was the first smokeless round. I believe it was designed in 1895. 30-30 went to smokeless a year later.

[@bustabass9025]

.35 Remington in a Marlin 336, JM version carbine, was what I hunted with when I was growing up. My Dad taught me how to hunt deer with it and killed my first one back in 67. Oh the memories and feelings it evokes whenever I take it out of the safe.

[@fortnite.burger]

That's awesome!

[@joeellis2692]

I'm still hunting with a Marlin .35 rem 336 cs. I prefer the 35 Rem over the 30-30.

[@raymondeaton5692]

Great video. I have shot the 30-30 cartridge for over 40 years and I love it. I have more powerful rifles but for the distances I shoot I don't really need them. The Hornady Leverevolution have really breathed new life into an already great cartridge. Love those lever action rifles!

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks! You are right about the LevRev ammo. But some of my rifles don't shoot it well. Others have great luck with it. Not sure what that's all about.

[@Wildwestwrangler]

If your rifle is accurate with the leverevolution then you can figure on adding about 100 yards to your rifle's effective range especially with 30-30.

[@anthonygalliart1789]

I just purchased a stainless 20" Rossi M92 lever action in .44 Mag. In the tall dark timber of WA State I am really lucky to be able to see 50 yards so I believe my .44 should get the job done with any standard full house load of 240 GR or heavier in a JSP. Thanks for a great video

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Anthony. At that yardage your Rossi 44 is gonna do just fine😉

[@gui-texzan7477]

It's been two months since your post. Did you have luck with the Rossi 92? I have the .44Mag carbine, and would have NO concerns whatsoever about shooting a deer up to 125 yds.✌️

[@anthonygalliart1789]

@@gui-texzan7477 the Rossi works great but I have not had a chance to hunt with it. I know it will do the job as long as I do my part.

[@davidforbes7938]

Your videos are very good I have watched almost all of your videos and haven’t got bored yet. Looking forward to future videos.

[@TargetSuite]

Glad you like them! I know some are a little tough to sit through:-)

[@bigboresledder]

I have a Ruger 44 carbine and only use 240 gr or bigger soft points for deer. I learned the hard way that light hollow points are a bad choice for deer. Nice videos!

[@TargetSuite]

It took me a while, but I eventually came to the same conclusion. Thanks!

[@44Mag]

I love the Ruger .44 carbine. I had one, and sadly had to sell it when I was younger to raise cash....Since then, I have bought another one though and it is among my favorite rifles I own. I bought the S&W Model 69 (short barrel version) to carry as a companion gun when I am in the field with the Ruger auto....

[@balrog006]

What rounds are you referring to for HP in .44 Mag that are poor? I find little difference between flat/soft nosed bullets and the available HP ones-they’re very difficult to distinguish in performance in my experience and testing.

[@tbjtbj4786]

​@@balrog006i don't know the ones they were talking about. But I have used the 180gr full power sjhp from a lot of different makers. They for me have shalow penetration. Thats the reason why I use them for ccw. They penetrate like most 230gr hp in the 45acp. The 180gr sjhp compare to the 240gr sp and the 270gr ones have a lot less penetration. But the heavy 30pgr xtp does about as well as the 240gr sp. Now there was some medium speed hp made for defense but I haven't seen any in awhile. There was a Silvertip a hydro schok, and back when pmc was loaded in the us the star fire hp

[@claytonoakley8677]

Both are great options the 30-30 has been a long time proven cartridge. I have a 44 because of ammo prices and availability

[@scottymoore9121]

I have hunted my whole life with a .44 mag lever action. My dad and brother hunted with one as well. It is a very good deer round and will be my go to round. Never had a problem with pass thrus. Gives them a dirt nap just as easy as a 30-30.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Scotty. That's a great testimony to the effectiveness of the 44 Magnum long gun for hunting.

[@airbornesoldieramerica7125]

Do think hunting deer in southern states the 44 mag will probably be an ok caliber for deer. Cause the deer are usually smaller animal then in the northern states. But I am in one of the northern states that I hunt in one of the restricted caliber areas, were the 44 mag is one of the calibers we are allowed to use. And just speaking for myself the 44 mag is a little weak on deer. Have to shoot it two or three times in many cases so the deer don't go to the next farm or two farms away.

[@scottymoore9121]

@@airbornesoldieramerica7125 I’ve never had to shoot a deer more than once with a shot in the wheel house. People have shot deer more than once with larger calibers. 30-06 for example. A 44 mag from a rifle is a whole different beast than from a handgun. Ballistics are totally different. My dad(GOD rest his soul) killed mule deer in Colorado with great results. He said it put them down. That was years ago and ammunition now days is a whole different animal than back then. The 44 mag has served me well so far this year during deer season. Haven’t had one run yet. Dropped in tracks. But I know that won’t always happen. Been nice so far not having to track. 😄. By the way, according to your name, thanks for your service or we can’t do what we do. 🇺🇸

[@joshuagranger2416]

@@airbornesoldieramerica7125 you can't shoot them in the legs!

[@7togethr]

Every caliber has a bullet weight versus case volume ratio in which on a bell curve and ideal pairing exists. I'm a long time shooter and fan of the 44 Magnum in lever guns and I think the 260 to 280 grain projectiles allow for an ideal powder charge-energy-power factor ratio. Hornady also makes a 300 grain xtp which is a fantastic dear thumper but the spear 270 deep curl or a 280 grain hard cast gas check projectile will ring the maximum performance out of the cartridge. The trouble with the quick expansion on the 240 xtp is that sometimes complete pass through does not occur and blood trails are more difficult to follow. I have never had that problem with heavier (260 grains and up) hardcast or soft point bullets. Absolutely fantastic content! I love everything about your channel. Thanks, and keep up the good work!

[@possumpopper89]

I regained a lot of respect for the 30-30 when I shot it into ballistics gel. The old standard Remington 170 core lokt was very impressive. The 150 grain bullets I tried did pretty well too.

[@kurtrobinson1926]

from my experience of 45 years of hunting deer, I've seen both of these rounds take deer no problem. I do not own a 3030 but have fired some of my friends 3030's. Within 200 yards, both work great. As my hunting in the hills of Pennsylvania, most deer are taken under 100 yards. Both of these rounds have plenty of power for a deer.

[@TargetSuite]

Well said! Thanks!

[@Woodyperckerhead-ni3ti]

Six or half dozen

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

When I started deer hunting in the late 1960s in NYS Adirondack mountains, the guns used in our camp were 30-30s, a 35 Remington Model 8 auto, and some Remington 30-06 Model 740 and 742 auto and Model 760 pump guns. Later a Winchester Model 100 auto in 308 and Rem Model 760 pump in 243 were added. In 1980 I switched to a Ruger Deerslayer auto carbine in 44 mag and it took its share of deer and never had to track one. It was the best of the bunch in my humble opinion in ease of carrying, speed on target and knockdown power. It also didn't cause much bloodshot meat. It was an ideal woods gun and underappreciated.

[@TargetSuite]

I love stories like your of life in the deer camps "back in the day". One thing I wonder about with the XTP hollowpoints is how much blood shot meat is it going to make compared to the more traditional jacketed soft point.

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

@@TargetSuite I handloaded all my 44 deer loads back in the 80s. I think they were Hornadys both solid jacketed and hollow points. I also used Speer and Sierras, but those mainly for my 357 pistol. I'd have to check my notes. If I clipped the front shoulder a bit, there was no bloodshot meat on any of the several deer I shot and I just trimmed a little circle hole around the bullet hole out of caution for bacteria. With my 30-06, I often lost at least half, and sometimes a whole shoulder. After the 30-06, I was amazed at the meat saving of the 44. It is a point most hunters are unaware of and something I wish you would emphasize in your videos. The furthest deer I shot with the 44 ever went was 75 yds. and a liver hit. The buck was moving and I got him a little far back. No meat lost at all on him.

[@TargetSuite]

I thought a little about bloodshot meat when I was setting up the pork. Probably the best way to minimize it is, as you say, to not be "over gunned". Thanks for the comment!

[@walliehart5975]

Meat from a front shoulder lost is in reality not much . Even a really big deer doesn't have alot of usable cuts on a front shoulder. I like a neck roast better than a blade steak. 90% of the decent cuts are Hinds , and backstrap . Ribs are only marginally worth the work . ( I still like to get 1 nice rack per side ) . Lots of connective tissue in the front quarter. Not a choice cut . My teeth chew burger best these days . When I was young I put the jerky away ! Nowadays I keep the jerky away lol. Alot of folks forget the best place to hit a deer is the white spot under his chin , or behind his ear when looking away . Dropping them on the spot every time , they also bleed out in short order. A 3006 with 150 or 165 grain bullets will come apart if bone is hit especially at close range . A 180 grain in 3006 or 308 holds together much better, not as explosive. I like the 130 grain. Silver Tip Win loads in 270 . They provide really good accurate ,not over destructive either. The ballistic Tip rounds are very explosive in everything I have shot them out of , even a 35 Remington blew a hole the size of a soccer ball through a bucks ribs . It's like this video shows more about bullets than calibration. Good demonstration!

[@TargetSuite]

@Mississippi Ditch Fisher My daughter and I just walked back in the house from making the rounds. I was letting her "man" the Ruger Carbine for the first time. We saw two sounders. One at about 25 yards but they made us before Mal could pull the trigger. Still a great night though.

[@j2k211]

Great video! I really liked the comparison of the 30-30 to the 44 Mag and the things you need to consider when hunting deer with each of them. Another thing for me that was welcome information was the comparison of the three 44 caliber bullets. I have not only rifle hunted but I have also hunted deer with muzzleloaders using saboted 44 caliber bullets. The information on the expansion of each of the 44 bullets was very informative towards performance out of my muzzleloaders.

[@henrymarlinwy4656]

30-30 and 44 my two favorite rifles. Rem 150 gr 30-30 has always knocked the deer down usually in their tracks. This year I hope to get my first deer with the Henry 44 .

[@philipjanes]

Good video. I took a deer with the 30-30 at 180 yards because I didnt know I couldnt. Shot placement and ammo is key.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks and well done! Staying within you limits is the key. Sounds like you did just fine.

[@swede5209]

Great video. Love that slow mo stuff. Something remarkable I found is the 45-70 with 300 gr Remington bullets into water jugs. At 100 yards it makes a sound like no other. Even a 220 Swift can’t compare to the noise and expansion.

[@TargetSuite]

It's almost time for me to break out the Winchester 1886 again. And it just so happens that I picked up two boxes of Hornady 300gr. hollow point bullets. Sounds like water jugs are in order.

[@Lane.Read54]

Enjoyed the video ! I have a marlin 30 30 . My dad bought it for me when I was 10 . That was 41 years ago. Still shoots as good as the day I got it . Want never rid of it.

[@TargetSuite]

Hang on to that rifle. Sounds like a gem!

[@Lane.Read54]

Can walk coke cans at 60+ yards with peep sites.

[@Lane.Read54]

Going to get a 44mag rifle someday and put beside 30 30.

[@garytrainer748]

Shooting channels. Dime a dozen these days. I liked your content, your methods, and decisions. ( the 240 grain was definitely the one to test further). And i liked you. Nice calm pleasant voice. So you got a sub from me. Looking forward to more.👍👍

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Gary. I appreciate the kind words . . . and the sub!

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

For almost 40 years, I’ve stalked and taken more west coast mulies and pigs at 100yds or less with the 170 gr Remington Corelokt bullet, than I have my other hunting rifle calibers combined. The .30-30 just works.

[@rickhibdon11]

I've taken a number of deer with a 44 mag (both pistol and rifle). And a few with a 35 rem. Neither is a 'fancy" or "trendy" cartridge... but they just work! I picked up a little CVA Scout a couple years back, and LOVE it. It's cheap, shoots great, and very short!

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Rick. I appreciate the feedback on both cartridges.

[@Kmecha84]

I've got a Winchester 1892 in 44 mag. I put skinner peep sights on it and I can easily shoot a deer at 100 yds. Sweet cartridge for deer

[@dogbone1358]

Great video George. Look forward to Tuesday every week. Since I’ve also got the 1892 in 44 mag, I’m most interested in the short range/long range comparison of a variety of available loads both hand and commercial. I think that video will be spectacular. And the pork butt brings a whole new dimension to your ballistic comparisons. I’m a grown man and I’m smiling. Happy trails to you. Keep ‘em coming.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks. It's going to be nice when I can plan a video like you suggest, log on and buy what I need. But that's not the world we live in right now. Grumble, grumble, grumble :-)

[@dogbone1358]

@@TargetSuite I hear you. Guess I’ve been lucky finding my reloading supplies online and in stores like Sportsman’s Warehouse and Academy Sports. Long waits on almost everything. Brownell’s seems to be the only one that gets their orders shipped in a more reasonable timeframe.

[@dogbone1358]

Hey George, any chance you have a source of heeled cast lead bullets for gas checks?

[@TargetSuite]

@Dogbone13 I have not used any heeled bullets. Sorry

[@dogbone1358]

@@TargetSuite Turns out I used the wrong terminology. Not heeled, but cut cast bullets to allow for gas checks.

[@knight16]

Great video! Your absolutely right the 30-30 is a great cartridge especially if you use it in the right place and the 44 mag would also be a awesome deer round if you were aware of the capability of it thanks!

[@TargetSuite]

👍👍

[@hawknives]

The 30-30 has probably killed more deer than any other rifle, to date. The 170 grain bullet is a very good deer killer.

[@TargetSuite]

@ hawknives I think most people in the know agree with both of those statements. The 30-30 is a great cartridge for its intended purpose. Thanks for the comment!

[@hawknives]

@@TargetSuite Thank you for the great videos, Man! Because of you, I just ran across a Ruger Carbine, at the shop where I buy guns. I pick it up, at the end of the month . It is a bottom feed 4 in the tube, 1 in the chamber.... lightly used. Hope to get some meat with it this year. Have a great day, Man! Blessings!

[@TargetSuite]

Wow! Congrats on the Ruger Carbine. I love mine. Good luck, or better yet . . . blessings😉

[@hawknives]

@@TargetSuite Thank You Much, man....and thanks for the lead on, Wolf's Prairie Outdoors. Good channel! Blessings!

[@TargetSuite]

You are welcome. If you don't mind, tell 'em I sent you.

[@andyfloyd1590]

two good deer rounds i know several hunters that swear by the 35 rem.

[@TargetSuite]

There's a 35 Rem on the horizon for me. Maybe we'll see it this fall.

[@steveww1507]

.35 rem is a great cart.

[@theguyinmaine]

Threw a Henry Big Boy up to my shoulder at the local shop, it was perfect. The bead was sitting in the valley of the buckhorn every time. That was a 35 Rem. Never really heard of them, 30-30 is the Maine whitetail ammo. Looked it up when I got home, it's impressive.

[@hutehund9519]

andy floyd love the 35 Remington!

[@TargetSuite]

@Steve WW1 I have never shot one, but the numbers look good. I will have one on the channel soon thanks to one of my subscribers.

[@hu3.789]

The 30-30 is a good cartridge that is underestimated. One reason for that is it is a relatively low pressure rifle round and has been surpassed by other bullets. Nonetheless it is still a rifle round and is still effective out to 150 yards or more. The 44 magnum is a pistol round. The bullet is large in diameter and is relatively heavy. At short range, it is at least as effective as the 30-30. At 50 yards or less, one can argue that that the 44 magnum is more effective than the 30-30. If I were a hunting, my first choice for a bullet would be soft points. They offer a good balance between penetration and expansion. It is unlikely that I would use a hollow point for hunting. They are velocity dependent. The 2 factors that would influence that are distance and barrel length. The 44 magnum loses velocity very quickly and is suited to a maximum distance of about 100 yards. The 44 magnum is designed to be a pistol round. Out of a rifle, the velocity of the round is about 200 feet per second higher than out of a pistol. If one is using a hollow point, the bullet could lack the velocity to get sufficient expansion at distance. At close range, the bullet could fracture as the video demonstrates. If I owned a lever gun, I would probably go with the .357 magnum. It is sufficient to take out deer sized game out to about 100 yards. My choice of bullet would be the 158 grain soft point. The main advantages are being cheap and easy to reload. Even if you're using a slow burning powder, less powder is consumed using pistol powder than rifle powder. The bullets are 38 caliber and in normal times are common and cheap to buy compared to 44s. The pistol calibers such as 357 and 44 are straight wall cases. You don't have to put them through a sizing die to form the neck nor do you have to shorten them when they stretch as a result of the pressure against the neck when the bullet is fired in most rifle calibers including the 30-30. Being cheap to shoot means the opportunity for lots of range time. One can do quite a bit of shooting when the cost per round is only about a quarter using reloaded ammo. More practice generally means better shot placement. Even if you have to buy the ammunition, 44 magnum and 30-30 are about 1-1/2 times and twice as expensive respectively as 357. A 357 magnum pistol is fun to shoot and a 44 magnum isn't.

[@TargetSuite]

Great comment! Thanks.

[@zorro456]

Winchester white box 240 Grain Soft points. Arguably better out of a carbine than a pistol.

[@russellkeeling9712]

I owned two Rossi model 92 Puma lever action rifles. One .357 and one .44 mag. I handload for both. I fell in love with the .357 and I sold the .44 mag. There is nothing wrong with the .44 mag. and I harvested a few deer with it but it was much better suited as a camp rifle. The rifle used for any bear causing problems in camp. I wore the .357 out because it became my truck rifle for around the ranch. I have harvested every wild animal legal to hunt with it including 3 elk. The .44 mag. would do that also but at much closer distances. It is kind of like throwing a pumpkin. It drops pretty fast. At 100 yards the open sighted .357 was a head shooter, so is my 30-30 but the .44 was not.

[@jimbob465]

Rifle barrels add a hell of a lot more than 200fps bro. 44 mag winchester white box 5.5" 1173 FPS 20" 1725fps I have a hand loaded round at 240gr 2100fps. I hunt out to 300yards just fine with it.

[@hu3.789]

@@jimbob465 - It depends on what you're shooting. I reload and I found that I could get 2000-2100 fps out of a 357 Magnum rifle using very slow burning pistol powders so I know it is possible to get decent velocities out of a rifle barrel. However, there is much less of a difference if you're using faster burning powders. The ballistic coefficient is relatively low for 44 magnum bullets and most lever guns and rifles like the Ruger 77/44 bolt action rifles will only provide about 2-3 MOA. Between bullet drop, only decent accuracy, and wind conditions, I would think that it would be quite a challenge to hit the center mass of a deer at 300 yards.

[@wagstag89]

I've only killed one deer with my Winchester 44 magnum but I'm hoping to add to it soon. That first one was about a 50 yard shot with Federal 240gr JSP and I was really impressed. It punched a good sized but clean hole straight through both shoulders, turned the heart to jello, and dropped him in his tracks with very little meat damage.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Cap'n! The 44 Magnum may not be the best overall cartridge because of its limited range, but as you have experienced, it is a very capable short range cartridge for deer.

[@OneForTheSouth]

Where I hunt, I never have more than a 70 yard clean shot (Lots of heavy brush). In that environment, the .44 beats the .30-30, but doesn't quite edge out the .35 Remington 200gr core-lokt.

[@TargetSuite]

Good feedback. It's all about mixing the right cartridge with the hunting conditions.

[@chadwoodward2402]

Those 200 gr XTPs have a significantly lower operating velocity compared to the 240 gr XTPs. The 240s are designed to function at speeds up 2200fps. I was looking into the 200s to bump up velocity in my 1894 marlin and when looked into the stated operating velocity they are a hard no go in a rifle.

[@TargetSuite]

You are spot on. I have learned a lot about xtp bullets since making that video

[@chadwoodward2402]

@@TargetSuite I figured you probably already knew that. Thanks for making interesting and fun videos. I just found them not to long ago.

[@brianlee6849]

I think you did a good comparison. I've also thought about these two for close range deer hunting inside of 150. For the 30-30 hater's the 30-30 has put meat on the table for well over 100 years and counting. Is it a 270 no but for what it's designed to be it's excellent. I've also thought about the 44 Magnum I have been thinking about getting a Winchester 1892 or the Marlin 1894 cowboy in 44 Magnum . For me the lever action 44 mag would serve many roles fun on the range/self defense/ deer hunting/ hog hunting. I also really like the classic 38-55. Thanks for another great video 👍

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Brian!

[@btmonz8383]

I live in New Zealand, and have recently bought a Marlin 1894 16.5" barrel in .44 magnum. So far, I have shot two fallow deer with it, at about 15 and 25 yards, including a trophy buck of 218 5/8 D.S. on Friday last week. This buck is good enough to get recorded in the local deerstalker's record book for 2020. So far, no animal has walked more than 3 steps before falling over. Fallow are a similar size to whitetail, I understand. Internal damage has been significant, but in both cases, I've been been able to recover the projectile - 225gr Hornady Leverevolution. One round was factory, the other was a handload also with a 225gr FTX. Retained mass of the projectile I pulled from the big buck was ~170gr. I use this rifle for deer and goats on rural properties in semi-built up areas and my more "traditional" deer rifles (.243 W and 7mm RM) for longer shots / more remote locations. And yes, I get that these are very close shots, but on the properties I have access to, short shots are the norm. In these locations, I want a handy, short-range rifle with rapid knockdown and a very low likelihood of over-penetration.The .44 magnum is a *perfect* rifle in this situation, and I wish I'd had the good sense to buy one years ago! :) The rifle is wearing the cheapest scope I could buy, as my eyes don't really support good accuracy through the ghost ring it came standard with, and I am too used to hunting using glass to re-learn how to use open sights. but for short shots in scrubby country, it is ideal. Thanks for the video, George. It was very informative! (Edit to add: The fallow buck I shot last week weighed probably 100kg / 220ish pounds. I wouldn't hesitate using this rifle out to ~ 100 yards, but wouldn't shoot much further than that on available NZ deer / game species. I always used to joke with people when they asked me what the perfect calibre was. My standard answer was "Any centrefire round is fine. Just get closer or further away as appropriate")

[@blueduck9409]

Greetings from New Mexico USA! All i can say is come hunt in New Mexico, or Colorado!

[@btmonz8383]

@@blueduck9409 If only!! :) I would LOVE to hunt pronghorn someday!

[@blueduck9409]

@@btmonz8383 Just walk into any walmart and go to the sporting goods counter and say you want a liscense to hunt prong horn. They are plentiful out here. Colorado, and extreme western Oklahoma will be much cheaper than New Mexico. The 3030 winchester is excellent for prong horn!

[@TargetSuite]

Congrats on the record! And thanks for the encouragement. I love your "Any centrefire round is fine. Just get closer or further away as appropriate" comment. Funny, and simple, but true.

[@4440pvc]

Back when I hunted a lot I would take both to the woods because when we drove deer the woods were very thick hence the 44 mag made more sense. But in the morning and evening hours I sat in open meadows and clear cuts so the 30-30 having a range advantage was the better choice. This worked out very well for me. And your right about the 170 gr 30-30 it out shines the 150gr big time. My hunting grounds back then was Northern Michigan.

[@TargetSuite]

@4440pvc That's a perfect example of matching your firearm/cartridge to the hunting conditions. Thanks!

[@usa-rb5fi]

Disagree on the 170 being better than the 150 gr. 150’s have more power at 200 yards and doesn’t drop as much. I like the 150’s over the 170’s and I keep forgetting about the 160 Hornsby lever shells until there sold out lol.

[@TargetSuite]

@usa2012 I can't find any loaded ammo for a comparison, but I did pick up some 170 grain bullets and will get a set of dies to reload them. When I get that done, I'll make a comparison video. Should be interesting.

[@4440pvc]

@@TargetSuite Remembering from back in the day my ranges in the clear cuts and meadows were not over 100 yards . 100% success with the 170 gr flat tip of the day. I did get some crap on this in favor of the 150 being flatter shooting. but in the 70s no one really offered a 150 gr. Also I must add that I have always been in favor of bullet weight IE mass over any lighter choices. And kept my shots with in proper ranges. Wish you were closer to me I'd lend you my 35-55 a real deer gun from back in the day.

[@4440pvc]

38-55 my bad old eyes

[@J.R.Spencer]

I've got one of the old model Ruger .44 carbines and it is hell on deer. Stick with soft points, they penetrate better and don't tear up anywhere near as much meat. The 30/30 in a bolt gun or single-shot loaded to pressure with premium bullets is a completely different animal.

[@easttexan2933]

Good morning George. You asked, "is the 44mag adequate?" That is a resounding "yes". And everyone knows that you mean within the parameters for which the cartridge was designed. I would have no hesitation to hunt whitetails and hogs here in the piney woods with a copy of that rifle you have. I know my shots would be limited to 25-100 yds and rarely a 100yds. And of course you more than adequately defended the 30-30 (which needs no defense from those of us that have used one all our lives to take more deer and hogs than most people will see in their lifetime). Arguably the best 100 yd cartridge ever designed. I have always believed that if a man owned a 30-06 and a 30-30 there would be no need to own any other rifle. Now wanting is a whole nuther story lol.

[@TargetSuite]

Haha! You are right Max. Gun lust is a itch that just wont scratch!

[@redhawk449]

My dad bought me a 30-30 when I was 13 to hunt whitetails with. When I was 19 I bought a 30-06. I've had those two rifles for about 40 years and have no need for anything else. 30-30 has seen alot of safe time during hunting seasons since I got the '06 but it's still one of my favorite guns to shoot. Nuther story is I came back from fishing salmon in alaska this summer with a large drool spot over a 375 H&H magnum. I'll just stick with my two 30 caliber rifles and a 44 magnum revolver.

[@TargetSuite]

@RedHawk44 - A 30-30 woods rifle and a 30-06 . . . as far as hunting in North America, you are pretty well covered, I'd say. Especially if you're also packing that Redhawk with some Underwood ammo Expreme Penetrator rounds.😉

[@easttexan2933]

@@redhawk449 if that itch gets to the point that you need some calamine lotion on it, go ahead and pay the price and get that pre64 Mod 70. Finest hunting rifle ever made and that's not arguable lol.

[@blueduck9409]

Id say a 3030 winchester and either a 4570govt or 12 ga.

[@me2bfc]

I just started hand loading for 30-30. I am impressed by its versatility. I imagine the 44 Magnum would be as well. The 30-30 goes from 100 grain plinkers up to pretty hot 170 grain round nose. I use 110 gr FMJ for plinking and am working on 160 gr FTX for more performance. I'd like some 125 gr hollow points too. If the same weight hollow point works at 1400 fps from 357, I really want to try it at 2500.

[@TargetSuite]

Welcome to the reloading world. It really opens doors for the shooter. One thing to remember . . . most bullets are designed to function (expand) at a given velocity. If you shoot one faster that it is designed for, it will just disintegrate and not be effective.

[@me2bfc]

@@TargetSuite that has been my concern, but I don't see the 125 flat nose hollow points for any other round in my manual. I am therefore guessing they are meant for the 2400 to 2700 fps velocities in the manual? In any case, I can't find any so it won't matter until that changes.

[@rlbone1]

If you go for the .44 Mag the deer are safe. I have been trying to find .44 mag amo for a month. The isn't any.

[@TargetSuite]

You are right. If I didn't reload, my channel would have to shift to knitting or cooking😉

[@anthonygalliart1789]

GSAmmo just got in PPU 300 GR JSP full house mag ammo ... A month ago they got in some 240 GR JSP full house mag ammo and I got a full case of it. It sells out fast. Heard they just got S&B 240 GR JHPs in stock.

[@slypperyfox]

Whoa. . . . . I ran a Marlin 1894c in 44 Mag for over 40 years for deer hunting. I grew up in the thickets of the southern part of the Appalachian chain in Ga. Never missed a deer. But never took shots at much > 70 yards either. Most shots were at 50 yards or less. Too thick to see much less shoot at anything over 75 yards. But I never used commercial ammo, either. My dad has been reloading since the '60s (including casting his own bullets) and loaded up a couple boxes of 25 cartridges. I never fired to sight the gun in after the first year and only shot one or two cartridges per year. I still have a few and they still shoot accurate; they do smoke a little bit but suspect that is due to old powder. I handed that gun down to my oldest son including the left over reloads from the mid '80s and did buy him one box of commercial ammo.

[@robertroosa9455]

44 mag would be a great cartridge to learn reloading. Case mouths are big for easy pouring, Large Mag Pistol primers are a little easier to find than small pistol and small rifle, there’s plenty of Winchester 296 around, and Midway has bullets from time to time. Also cartridges are truly straight-walled so carbide dies are useable, and the cartridge doesn’t headspace off the mouth so you get more room for error. Long story short, 44 mag might just be the easiest cartridge to reload. Great opportunity to start. I’ve been enjoying loading them.

[@Wildwestwrangler]

Could have told you before this that the xtp wouldn't perform in a 44 mag rifle as it'd be going way too fast in that light of a bullet out of the 44 mag rifle, but try that 200gr xtp in about a 4 or 5 inch 44 mag revolver and the story would be different.

[@toddcrockett]

The 30-30 is a great brush cartridge. Like he said it isn’t a very long shooting round. Years ago the 30-30 had killed more deer than any other round. I’m sure the other rounds have surpassed it but I have owned a Ted Williams Model 100 since I was 16. I’m 58 now. It has always shot flawless and performed well. Most of the time the round isn’t the effectiveness; it’s shot placement. I’ve heard of a guy that killed a deer with a 22 mag before. My first deer was killed by a 20ga slug. Anyway I’m staying with my tried and try.

[@TargetSuite]

My first deer also fell to a 20ga. More than adequate!

[@whatafukndick5660]

I really doubt any other round has surpassed the 30-30 and dead deer. its had a huge head start.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

​​@@whatafukndick566030-30 is great for deer. Impressive ballistics and how the cartridge has been continually made so long

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

The racoons are going to love you for putting out that watermelon buffet!

[@TargetSuite]

Yep, if the deer don't get there first. I actually have video of a doe walking up right after busting a watermelon and having a feast. She was so close I could hear her teeth scraping on the rind!

[@ellismidkiff6117]

Coyotes love it too.

[@garywhelansr5602]

Being 61yrs old Ive ate alot of venison from my 3030 150grain bought in the 70s. Model94 Winchester plain jane..

[@TargetSuite]

I'm sure the deer couldn't tell fancy from plain Jane😉

[@dannygannon6804]

In indiana we used only slugs in fire. Arm season on public land. Now we can use pistal cartridges on public land. I tried different ones and settled on 44 225gr lever evolution very satisfied. It drops instantly ever time. Wish you would review this set up. Would love to hunt with the 3030 just know it would be a blast I had one year s ago.

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Danny. Others have asked for the 44 mag FTX combo as well. I'll roll it in to a video soon.

[@roberthubbard2684]

Never seen your channel before; where did you get that mule? Do you have a 106 for it? That would make the melon fly!

[@TargetSuite]

Haha! It would vaporize those melons for sure. We love the Mule, mostly because it is so unique.

[@blaws6684]

I’ve got a 9444 trapper. My walkabout rifle. For fun a few years ago I mounted a red dot and called it my RAW. Rural assault weapon! Pardon the pun but that thing is a blast! Last year I put a 3-9 on it and I popped a coyote with it at 97yds. I load ftx bullets on a near max charge of lil gun. It gives me an extra 75 yds of point blank aim. I love that little pop gun.

[@TargetSuite]

Sounds like a sweet, and effective package!

[@kirkboswell2575]

Of course, when handloading you can do what you want, but traditionally 200 grain bullets were used in the 44-40 while the 44 mag used 240 grains. For the purposes of your video, that's irrelevant, but for me, I trend toward "traditional", and I look most at the results of traditional bullet weights for my expectations from a given caliber. And a 44-40 bullet driven at 44 mag velocities isn't going to show its best performance. But don't get me wrong. I really like your videos :-). Keep up the good work. 👍

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Kirk. I too think of the 240gr bullet as traditional, but technology is changing so playing around with other offerings is interesting to me and maybe I'll learn something to share. I just picked up a box of 265gr Lehigh Defense wide flat nose solid copper bullets. I can't wait to see what these monster do out of the 1892, and Ruger Super Blackhawk. The big brother of that bullet cut down a big tree (45-70). Full penetration of that 15"-ish tree with no sign of slowing down.

[@kirkboswell2575]

@@TargetSuite - Agree with you about the changes in bullet technology. It has really come a long way, but right or wrong, I got the impression that the 200 grainers were 44-40 bullets. Maybe I based that thought on their performance. Not really sure. Haven't dealt with LeHigh yet, but I agree that they should be very interesting. "GunSam" youtuber has used LeHigh several times. Penetration seems to be universally awesome. Now, you know of course, I'm going to have to get some of them to try out myself ........

[@bobsmoot2392]

Made this grown man smile. Thanks!

[@Leverguns50]

Two awesome calibers, The 44 magnum is usually more accurate, I seen in Winchester lever legacy it got a 1 inch group at 100 yards compared to the 30-30 which got an inch and a quarter or so

[@TargetSuite]

@Leverguns 50 Thanks! I really like them both as well. I need to take time out soon to do some serious load development and just see what the 44 Magnum is really capable of.

[@dogbone1358]

Leverguns 50 What was your best load, assuming your were reloading. If not, what ammo did you use?

[@Leverguns50]

Dogbone13 22 grains of reloader 2400 behind a 240 grain Lee semi wadcutter size 432

[@thesaint1517]

They both have their use. My 44mag has 3 deer and 5 hogs under it's belt while my 30-30 has 3 deer and 2 hogs. The 44 mag has enough punching power to bring them down at a range between 100-125 yds and excellent in the brush while the 30-30 can bring them down easily 200-225 yds +. I don't think it's a fair comparison at all.

[@TargetSuite]

Amen to your initial comment! The overall point of the video was to "prove" that the 44 Mag is a legitimate short range deer/pig gun. It was aimed at the nay-sayers who believe the venerable 44 Magnum isn't up for the task.

[@NorthwoodsNomad]

Cool video 😎 I’ve had great results with the .44 Mag Hornady 240 grain XTP from a Ruger Super Redhawk 7.5” barrel on whitetail deer at just less than 90 yards (87 measured later with a range finder ) dropped a big fat doe right in her tracks . So I have no question about the .44 Rem Mag capabilities and its increased velocity and energies coming from a 20” rifle barrel. I Have taken several deer at ranges from 30 yards to 150 with the .30-30 Marlin model 336 and Remington Core Lokt 170 grains ( but none of those dropped in their tracks like that doe did with the .44 Mag … it’s definitely a valid choice for taking deer , as you made reference to being mindful of ethical hunting distances and staying within its limitations.

[@abolishwelfare]

I have a Ruger 77/44 bolt action in .44 Rem Mag with a Leupold VX-R 1X4 optic.I hunt in dense timber from tree stands in western North Carolina. I can say without hesitation, the 240 XTP is quite effective on white tails. All of my shots have been within 75 yards and have yielded quick drops on deer.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks! That's a great testimony for the XTP!

[@gshock3092]

Both are great for deer. For longer shots 30/30. But within 100 yds either one

[@TargetSuite]

👍

[@johnserrano9689]

My Henry h024 30-30 side gate 20" barrel 6+1 with the "standard" 150 gr core locs rip rip through about 8-10 degree angled back 1/4" high grade steel far from mild, but not ar500. Me and my father had some time and question to answer. From alittle over 50 yards the Remington's easily popped through, then somehow the lever evolutions 160gr popped through with abit more angle and further out, roughly 180'. My friends 223 left deep dents as we thought for sure they'd zip through but a 30-30 out penetrate a 223-5.56 even in level 3 (if that's what it's actually called ar500 1/4" armor plate) Honestly never would've thought the 30-30 had that amount of penetrating power, it's brought much deserved respect back to the all american 30-30. Lever evolutions up the game beyond belief though it's not meant to take the place of say a 308/30.06 but increases the useability and your options more than any barrel length or playing around with diff powders and amounts. Plus most barrels actually very much fire extremely tight groups with them.

[@timothystecher1979]

LoL I have a 35 rem and 44 mag. Love them both sometimes it's hard to pick.

[@TargetSuite]

What was that song lyric from the '60s . . . love the one you're with!

[@airbornesoldieramerica7125]

I have both myself with other calibers. Just speaking for myself. 44 is a fun shooter, and it is probably a great defense round, but my experience 44 mag is not the best to hunt deer with. 35 Remington is much better of a deer hunting round, by way far, with many other deer calibers.

[@williamrobertson2407]

Every deer I've shot with a 30-30 and .44 mag have all made it to the table and haven't had to track any. I use 170 gr soft point in 30-30 Federal or Winchester and 200 gr SJHP in .44 mag. They work every time. Usually within 40 yds

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks! That's a great testimony to the capability of both cartridges.

[@ulflyng]

Sweet sweet rifles. And cal.'s The 30-30 is about or a tad stronger than the 7,62x39. The 7,62x39 is used in the Taiga for protection against tigers. Not many complaines - for all the reasons..... :-). The 30-30 is enough within the distances it was made for (edit) Thx for an educational vid to enjoy here on my day of. (edit) 13:04 That would be an outstanding subject to make a vid over. Big difference on how bullets behave close up vs longer distances. Some times the harshest close up becomes "pussycats" further out. Not many have done that vid

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks! I'll work on getting that project done!

[@cs-rj8ru]

I enjoyed the video. Thing is, just like for about 1/3 of the country, it doesn't matter as far as .choosing 44mag vs 30-30 for deer. 30-30 is not legal in my state for deer hunting, but 44mag is. Debate settled!

[@blazerk9614]

44 mag 225 ftx drops my deer every year. How about some 35 Remington tests, thats my 2nd favorite lever gun cartridge.

[@TargetSuite]

35 Rem is coming. One of my subscribers has offered his for me to make content with.

[@btmonz8383]

Agree. The 225gr FTX works and works well!

[@robertbush8327]

My first deer kill was with a 44mag Winchester 94. 105 yards with Federal 240 grain hollow point. I now have several 44mag rifles and pistols and have taken many deer and hogs with the Hornady 240 xtp bullet in my hand loads. I keep my shots under 100 yards, even zero at 75 yards. It's my go to woods caliber period.

[@gizmocarr3093]

Target Suite Let me tell you some interesting facts about the trusty old turdy-turdy I saw firsthand. When I was young; I worked for a Gunsmith in North Carolina who used cast bullets and his old Winchester 94 30-30; he shot some serious tiny groups in paper with some cast bullets I made working for him. Tiny meaning under an inch at 100 yards and under two inches a 200 yards too. At the time my 300 Winchester Magnum using factory ammo and a scope couldn’t beat his groups. Try living that down took some time to do. Next and even more interesting was while attending the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School in Pittsburg me and two other students took a trip to watch a metallic rifle silhouette match at a range close to Williamsport Pennsylvania. I was shooting a lot long range pistol silhouette matches and want to try rifle shooting too. There I watched an old gray haired man of portly proportions shooting a 30-30 bolt action model 788 Remington and a K-12 Weaver scope. He too; was using cast bullets; I watched him shooting Rams at 500 meters. He knock five of a possible ten over. He hit one that failed to fall so that makes six. The ones he hit would wobble and fall frontwards and two fell over backwards in slow-motion. He didn’t win his class however; he sure impressed all who were watching. Try shooting offhand at 500-meters and see how that works out. Cast Bullets and the 30-30 Winchester are a match made in Heaven; I would say.

[@TargetSuite]

Stories like that are humbling, and further support the notion that the 30-30 is very capable in its element, when used by a skilled and disciplined rifleman. High velocity, high B.C., modern rounds are great but they are not going to compensate for a sloppy or ill conceived shot. Thanks as always!

[@blueduck9409]

I think the 3030 is seriously underestimated. I have found that with Hornady lever evolution bullets, it has greatly increased the range of the 3030. I also find that the 3030 with any bullet is pretty darn accurate even with open iron sights.

[@TargetSuite]

👍

[@gizmocarr3093]

@@blueduck9409 When cartridges of this era were developed jacketed bullets were not around. However, they shot just as good then as they do now. Expanding bullets and factor ammo has improved since then for sure. The same old Gunsmith asked me this question. If I shoot a buck with my cast bullet through both lungs; and you shoot one in the same place with your 300 Winchester Magnum. Which one is deader? I know which one has less meat loss; it sure ain’t the one with a giant hole in it; that’s for sure. Many problems causing issues were poor gun manufacturing processes. Winchester model 94 guns were sold for a spell for low cost and even lower quality levels. The problem was never with the cartridge it was the guns made for using it.

[@blueduck9409]

@@gizmocarr3093 I agree. I would rather have an accurate 3030 than a 300 mag that has twice the range, twice the recoil, and alot more expensive. Its really difficult to beat a good 94 Winchester or even a Marlin. Lol

[@darkangelgaming1117]

Love my Marlin 336 in 30-30, so glad I picked it up back in the day when they were like $300 instead of the $8-900 they are now

[@TargetSuite]

Yes, you are one of the "lucky" ones.

[@rjwintl]

the Winchester model 94 in 30-30 caliber was $75 at Brand Names in Richmond , VA in 1976 … I bought two !!! … I gave one to my brother who took it to Washington state and harvested an Elk with his 30-30 Win. !!!

[@Airon79]

​@rjwintl Back in the 90s , Sears , Service Merchandise , and Montgomery Ward's were the top gun dealers here in Pensacola Fl .

[@johnathonbrent2242]

​@@rjwintljust out of curiosity do you know what brand of ammo and the grain weight of his bullet was? the reason why I'm asking I've heard of some people in the 1800s taking elk with a 3040 krag but I never knew of anyone taking one with a 30-30 before. seeing some other videos they say that the 308 is underpowered for elk in some cases and that's in the Rockies I thought that the Roosevelt elk out on the west coast is bigger than the Rocky Mountain elk but I do not have a clue about that since I live in Deer Country on the Prairie and not elk. And the closest i have ever seen an elk is 1/4 of a mile about 20 to 28 years ago in Lincoln County Colorado

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

44 mag in a rifle is a good brush gun , probably better then a 30-30 but they all have their specific use . It all depends on where your going to hunt and how dense the brush is in my opinion

[@TargetSuite]

Amen! Perfectly said!

[@12floz67]

Absolutely!🍻

[@columbuspalmer846]

Wow! 1968 the show “Rifle man”. Love that show when I was a kid. My first gun was a Bebe gun it wasn’t much, but I feel like I had something.

[@critter9a]

curious if the 357m would be an option as well

[@DeeMoback]

Of course .357 mag kills deer ..... many deer killed with 22 lr over the years.... just close range headshot is all it takes

[@critter9a]

@@DeeMoback I'm getting old and my eyes aint what they used to be

[@richardcolligon4277]

I carry a 480 Ruger that I had it cutdown to 5in for a quicker draw. It's DA/SA then I had it customized by geminicutoms.com. It's a lot softer recoil and it's great for brown bear protection. It's expensive but it's my goto gun since I can come across grizzlies anytime. Happy hunting!

[@TargetSuite]

@critter9a Ditto!

[@blueduck9409]

I know many who have hunted with the 357 mag, and it always put meat in the fridge. The 357 in a lever gun is more than capable at distance less than 100 yards.

[@Josh47147]

Do you love revolvers as much as you do lever guns? Revolvers and lever actions compliment each other well. You should do a series comparing a cartridge in both its lever action and revolver counterparts. It would be nice to also see Winchester, Marlin, Henry, and Rossi lever actions all compared. I know there's more brands out there, but they are either not good (Chiappa/Charles Daly), or too expensive Big Horn Armory.

[@darrenliske2022]

Since you mentioned, I have a Smith&Wesson .44 Magnum revolver since early 90's and finally just purchased a Rossi 44 this year both blued nice combo.

[@wjsmithiv]

The 170 grain bullet fired from a 30-30 rifle supposedly is a better hunting cartridge than the 150 grain for deer because it is slower and does less hydrostatic damage to surrounding tissue. The 150 grain turns tissue within several inches of impact through the entire animal into jelly thereby destroying much more of the edible and best meat of the animal. The purpose of a hunting cartridge is to put meat on the table not to blow animals to smitherians.

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Bill. I agree and we as a larger community have become obsessed with "over kill". I often wonder what percentage of deer killed with a real "magnum" rifle would have just as easily been taken with a 30-30, 35 Remington, or even 44 Magnum.

[@russellkeeling9712]

I agree. In 2018 I harvested my cow elk at a distance of 266 yards with a 240 grain cor-lok bullet from my .444 marlin. I shot from a ridge above the elk down through her shoulders and out her chest. The bullet passed all the way through her and into the ground below her. I was able to eat the meat right up to the wound channel. No other rifle I own will do that except maybe my 30-30 at a somewhat closer range. Never forget the saying from the guys that hunt dangerous game in Africa, " If you want to get the job done every time send mass".

[@johnbennett7244]

Good video. I've taken at least 4 whitetails with the .44 mag. I think all were shot with a 240 grain jhp-Federal American eagle.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks!

[@SemperParatus1234]

.35 Remington verses 30.30 and the bullet weight advantages/disadvantages next please!

[@TargetSuite]

Great idea. Thanks!

[@hutehund9519]

Me too

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Rusty. I bought bullets today and ordered brass. I should have loaded rounds in a week or so. Let me know when you can spare that beauty for a few weeks and I'll drive up and meet you.

[@megatrends]

Great video .... really enjoyed this one. I have a 1976 Marlin 336c in .30-30 so I love videos like this one featuring the Marlin 336. Mine is used every weekend outdoors where it belongs. Cheers!

[@TargetSuite]

A user! Glad to meet you🙂 Too many firearms spend a lonely life in the closet.

[@paulchandler9646]

30-30 for me because it will most likely be the only cartridge on the shelf apart from 30:06 in Bug-tussle NWT.

[@TargetSuite]

Hi Albert. We "southerners" forget that everyone doesn't have a half dozen local sources for ammo. Great perspective.

[@paulchandler9646]

@@TargetSuite I had a .44 magnum Marlin regret selling it but back in those days they were $300 new and now up here it's over a grand .30-30 is capable of dropping moose with the right bullet like the Hornady 170 around 50 yards but i wouldn't go beyond that due to their enormous size .

[@bushcraftnorthof6012]

Even here in Yellowknife, you have two or three choices of .44 Mag ammo. Sometimes. And only recently. Good luck finding it in a Northmart somewhere!

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

My stepfather hunted the Adirondack Mountains in NYS for over 50 years. I did so for over 20 with him. He carried a 30-30 for his early years as did most in his hunting camp. He later switched to a 30-06 semi auto which I also used. He told me they often lost wounded deer with the 30-30. I can recall only one lost deer of many killed with the 30-06. For the last decade we hunted together, we both switched to a Ruger 44 semi auto. We took 5 deer between us and most either dropped in their tracks or were found close nearby. The 44 put two round holes in the deer which left a good blood trail. The 30-06 didn't often exit and caused a lot of bloodshot meat. The 30-30 seldom exited. I realize this is anecdotal but based on our experience. About half the deer I killed were running shots and half running. My stepfather found the 30-06 difficult to carry due to age and cancer. His switch to the 44 extended his ability to hunt by many years. He passed before your Ruger 44 lever action came out or he might have chosen that.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks for sharing your family's story. I also have the Ruger Carbine 44 mag. While I obtained it late in life it is special to me because I had dreamed of one since my high school years.

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

@@TargetSuite The only thing I don't like about the Ruger 44 is the tubular magazine. Not crazy about about the buttstock either. I would prefer the removable magazine like is on your Ruger lever action. There is a market out there for such a gun. I wish Ruger would bring it back but I suspect Ruger would screw it up and make it way too heavy and clunky like they did with their Ranch rifles.

[@Simon-talks]

In 40 years of hunting, I've never lost a deer with 30-30. They have all been clear drops so 30-30 is a phenomenal deer cartridge and that is understood by the majority of hunters for over 127 years.

[@HillDogTV]

i often wonder with these penetration tests at point blank range, what it actually simulates? typical deer is what 75-100 yards away an would make more sense to compare at that distance to trap projies.. should peentrate better out there than at the muzzle

[@TargetSuite]

Great point and if you check out some of my later vids, I have "backed off" for penetration tests. It's just hard to keep things lined up at those longer ranges to capture bullets. So I'm danged if I do and danged if I don't.

[@HillDogTV]

@@TargetSuite yeah mate , "backing them off" would help give that down range effect, now regarding these cals, I own a 375 win an hunt it (vids on channel) an I use cast, penetration is no issue at all and it boils down to shot placement and limiting the distance of shots, I think these old Cal's need more light shed on hunting with a commercial purchased cast which then makes hunting and plinking really cheep but effective and truth be told, 150m is a long way in a hunting scenerio in deer woods, keep it up tho mate 👍

[@SkankHunt-yo5on]

I have a R92 in 44mag. I run factory load FMJ's through it. MagTech and the like. Seems to be a nail driver, but I'd love to see a video on it! Great video Bro!

[@TargetSuite]

I've got my eye on a 24 inch octagonal Barrel 44 Mag. If it winds up in my safe I will sure share some content with it. It's a beautiful gun.

[@SkankHunt-yo5on]

What's the capacity on that? I think mine's a 20" and she holds 10+1. I know the name Rossi isn't quite as boss as Henry but... It's a money saver and it's a WORKHORSE of a rifle. It runs good with 44 special and 44 mag. Not that I can afford much 44 ammo of ANY kind lol. But she's solid, she didn't break the bank and other than the dumbass safety that I literally had trouble finding, she's... Kinda perfect. You'll need to high res the front sight too, but once you do, you'll be in the 10 ring at 75 yards easy. Or I can lend you mine... Springs are still a bit tight. As I said, 44 ammo is high dollar these days. But I'd need her back in time to take my buck this fall... Fuckers gonna get hit HARD! 🇺🇸🍖

[@castagna5806]

44 mag for hogs are doing a great job here.

[@TargetSuite]

Awesome. One fell to my 44 mag a few weeks ago as well.

[@simahe1252]

I have switched to 240 gr hard cast because of the penetration.

[@hutehund9519]

The watermelon reconstruction never gets old 🙂

[@TargetSuite]

Haha! I know, it's addicting.

[@Stump51]

I wish you had the slo mo on the 30 30.i enjoy watching your videos!!

[@boomstick4054]

I can’t even believe there’s a question mark concerning 44 Magnum for deer. At least at 125 yards or closer.

[@TargetSuite]

There's sure no question about 44 Mag capability from my perspective, and I hope the video reinforced that to all the viewers. Thanks for the comment!

[@boomstick4054]

Target Suite ...I use a Taurus Circuit Judge revolver carbine 410 with slugs for deer at 100 yards or less. Beats shooting 45 Colt ammo.....but I would just retire it as a squirrel gun if I could get a Ruger 44 Magnum automatic carbine...

[@TargetSuite]

That's an interesting firearm. The Ruger Carbine would definitely be an "upgrade"😉 Thanks for the comment!

[@boomstick4054]

Target Suite ...I could have got the 44 Magnum version of revolver carbine, but I liked the versatility of the .410. The 410 slug at 1480 FPS (and faster) does work well enough for deer.

[@TargetSuite]

That 410 slug has been quietly taking deer for decades. Short ranges are a must, I'm sure.

[@lloydmiller5690]

I used a 44 magnum big boy Henry with a sixteen inch barrel deer hunting in New York this year dropped a nice six point with my first shot usin 240 grain bullet no name bullet all I could find this was a brand new riflewaited all summer and into the fall for it I got it on Tuesday before thanksgiving and dropped the buck on Wednesday before thanksgiving no optics at sixty yards in the woods

[@jamesoncross7494]

Why don't you set up the targets ACROSS the pond. No one is going to shoot a deer from 5 yards.

[@TargetSuite]

Funny you should mention that. I am working on a follow up video that should post next week where I'll be shooting the same loads at 50 and 100 yards to compare the bullet velocities, expansion, and penetration. I hope you'll check back.

[@SamofCR]

@@TargetSuite I'll be here.

[@PanfishingJournal]

Sorry, not true. I had several deer circle around behind me after trying to move in for a closer shot at the edge of a tree line. I was shocked to see a small buck run in front of me from behind, and stop about 20 ft from me. I had a scope on my 30-30 Marlin, and when I shouldered the rifle and looked through the scope, all I could see was hair. I raised my eye up off of the scope just enough to "eyeball" the shot and pull the trigger. He ran about 30 yds and tumbled to the ground.

[@jamesoncross7494]

@@PanfishingJournal 1st of all, it is sacrilegious to put a scope on a lever gun. 2nd ,why would you shoot it so close? It's neither sporting or good for the meat. Must have made quire a hole being that close.

[@PanfishingJournal]

@@jamesoncross7494 Putting a scope on a lever action rifle is very common. They almost always come tapped for rings, so don't pretend otherwise. As far as the shot, having a few seconds to make a decision and take a shot seems very sporting. Would it be more sporting to be 200 yds away and smoke it with a 300 magnum? By the way, I was 17 years old.

[@JeffreyCotle]

Hi from Pennsylvania. You are comparing 2 very fine cartridges. You are shooting what i hunt with every year. We eat alot of venison. Im very conservative and the old days were best. I still use my grandpaps woolrich coat and hunting knife. Both are almost a100 years old.. its more important on how you get your deer. Not shooting 1000 yards. Im a real hunter . 100 percent 1 shot kills. God bless.😊

[@TargetSuite]

That's fantastic. Keep those moths away from that classic coat.

[@zacs8654]

I’m a 44 guy myself

[@TargetSuite]

Me too. But I'm blessed to have both and enjoy them both.

[@outdoorswithroostercurrie6984]

Awesome video. I’d definitely like to have a Lever Action 44 Mag. to go along with my 44 Mag. Ruger Revolver

[@mikephillips9311]

Just get a 45-70 and you can forget about the rest...☺

[@TargetSuite]

Haha! I've got two and love them both!

[@mikephillips9311]

@DemonSlayer ByKnight 45-70+p with 420gr hardcast (1900fps) is my bear load. A 44 mag can't even touch it....😊

[@TargetSuite]

@Mike Phillips That's a serious load. Bears beware!

[@hutehund9519]

I’m kinda partial to my 450 Marlin when my shoulder needs a workout. It’s more than you need for whitetails, but it’s not too much.

[@TargetSuite]

@Hutehund What a great cartridge! I can see the line up in my "perfect" gun safe . . . 444 Marlin next to a 450 Marlin next to a 45-70!😄

[@scottdarling1519]

Im a new subscriber and I'll say u have some greats vids!...I have a few .44mag rifles but just upgraded to a.444 Marlin and boy, it totally brings out the potential of the .430 cal to a new level of usability in velocity and foot pounds to about 200yrds Great vid, keep up the good work ;)

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks for the Sub! I really want to get my hands on "that other" 44 caliber rifle.

[@BigRooster616]

My two favorite calibers for my Lever Guns

[@TargetSuite]

Great ones for sure. I've added .35 Remington to my list as well!

[@sandojr6256]

Just got a 44 Rossi love the nostalgic feeling it brings. Im interested to see how 240gr hp go on sambar this weekend.

[@thomasallen3818]

I’ve hunted with everything from.30-30, .30-06, .270, .308, and.300win mag, but the round I’ve been using lately is the.44WCF. I’ve been using my Winchester model 1866, in .44WCF, and I love hunting with it. I don’t have to wear hearing protection because the decibels are so low, and the report doesn’t scare the other deer, hogs or turkeys off. But, it’s just a personal choice, everyone is different.

[@hardball107]

I used to hunt deer with a 308 and even with perfect shots I was still tracking. Now I use a 30-30 or 45 Colt, I have a Marlin and a Rossi, but I have to admit the 30-30 is my favorite. I load it with 125 gr Nosler BT's and it drops them DRT. Dumps all the energy in the animal instead of drilling a small through it and saves a lot of meat.

[@cs-rj8ru]

It depends where you hunt and how heavy the brush is. Around here you run the risk of loosing a deer in heavy brush if you don't anchor it right away. I have a 44 colt and I'd use it more often if I lived in region that had less cover.

[@brianhelgeson1208]

1st hunt w/ my 336 marlin. Dropped a 4 point, 8 point in midwest haha @ 90yrds. Buck dropped right there. Good round. Good rifle. Good channel. Good info. Thanks for slow moe's,and all. Take care. ❤🏕❇🔥🥓

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Brian. Slo mo's rock!

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

Like your presentations; planning to binge watch to catch up...

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks Thomas

[@MarkHansen1990]

You said it... handlaods. Love my 44mag. Respect the 30-30 but being able to load your own means versatility, and never being out of rounds.

[@TargetSuite]

Mark you are right about reloads. And in this "climate" I would be in trouble if I couldn't roll my own.

[@HB-bc5po]

I'm confused, I reload both??

[@jreed10291974]

I use the lee 310 GC cast with wheel weights and a full case of H110. Out of my 20 inch Rossi I get 1460 FPS. If I use 2400 and crimp in the top crimp grove I get 1343 FPS. I live in Arkansas I haven't shot a deer over 30 yards in years. I sight all my iron sight guns in a 50 yards.

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks. Sound like deer medicine for sure.

[@MrHubbard738]

You do a great job testing the loads. Thanks

[@coppersworld2054]

White tail hunter for 50 yrs. Never used a 30-30 however, many of my party has. Every deer I have seen taken with the round was a complete pass through and the deer went down fast. Inside a 100, its a great deer round!

[@TargetSuite]

Thanks. That's the secret with the 30-30, not trying to over extend its range.

[@johntriplett4470]

Really nice video. Thanks for the ‘confirmation’ on the 240 gr XTP; those are what I plan to use. As another viewer suggested, I’d prefer JSPs, but I could not get them. Can I ask what load you are using behind them (based in that 1800 mv)? I didn’t see it discussed elsewhere in the comments.

[@TargetSuite]

I try not to be too obvious about load data, But it was a near maximum load of W296. And for deer and hogs, the other viewer was right. If you want to exceed 1500 fps (the design maximum) for the XTPs) you should ideally consider the JSPs. But like you, I am having a hard time finding them.

[@johntriplett4470]

@@TargetSuite that's a respectable mv for 240 gr. I went with a Henry single shot; will see if the 22" tube can get IMR 4227 in that ballpark.

[@hardball107]

Try the 300 gr XTP's, they are just made for H110/W296, are of heavier construction and hang together better than the 240's. A real powerhouse out of a rifle.

[@Abutado]

The 44 magnum action doesn't even sound broken in yet. So crisp. The 30-30 action sounds smooth and buttery.

[@johnnygonzales8770]

My Marlin 44 mag has never disappointed me! I've always been able to put meat in the freezer ! It has more to do with shot placement than caliber anyway! I been able to drop deer and hogs in their tracks with just about any gun even calibers I shouldn't be hunting with but I was practicing my prepper skills! So even 22 LR placed in the neck striking spine is good enough!

[@TargetSuite]

It's so refreshing to hear you say that it's more about shot placement than caliber. Because that is so true. There are just too many guys out there shooting big guns with little skill!