Thursday, May 14, 2015

Why the 44 magnum

Why the 44 Magnum

The 44 magnum came into being from the minds or early revolver hunting wildcaters.  The 44 special, revolovers could handle more presure than 45lc, and handloaders began pushing the limits.  Elmer Keith is acredited as being the father of the 44 Remington Magnum.  I wont contest that, it was Elmer Ketihe who pushed the project at S&W and Remington.  Their design teams liked what he had done and ran with it.  In 1956 S&W with Remingtion Amunition gave birth to the 44 magnum.  Ruger was hot on the heel and depending upon the story was covertly made aware of the developing round.  Ruger brought to market the BlackHawk. The endresult of the magnum case is that it is just slightly longer than a 44 special case to prevent the magnums from being loaded inadvertantly in 44 special revolvers.  
The 44 magnum produces in a 7lbs gun 11 to 11 1/2 ft/lbs of recoil.  That is on par with the 243 winchester, which is widely considered one of the best all around (varmint- white tail) rounds going.  Especially when young or smaller statured shooters are in question.  It is a LIGHT recoiling round.  The 25-06 is another light recoiling round at 13 ft-lbs.  223-556 is 7.6 ft/lbs.  The machisimo surrounding this caliber steems from the word magnum and dirty Harry.  It is a very capable and powerful handgun round, but the reason we do not see poilce carrying 44 magnums is they need to big and heavy to handle the presures.  Seeing a police officer slide, a Desert Eagle 44 mag out of his jacket is laughable, and not practile.  
Some data
12 g slug- 70ft-lbs.  now many "governing agencies" like to say this is perfect for deer.  It is not, a 12 g slug is a cannon ball packing a shit ton of energy, inside 100 yards.  Shooting a 12 slug is not fun, or in any way desireable.  They are big, heavy clumsy wepons inteded for SHOT.  Huinting and shooting at water fowl and upland game.  Yet, the "short range" most associate with these firearms is why they have allowed them.  I have not any idea why anyone would want a fire arm that develops poor marksmenship and is not very good at its job.  Its as if handing a 5lb sledge hammer to some one and push pins.  The shot gun lacks any level of precision, and is best left for the uplands.  I would no sooner head a field with a barret 50BMG for squirl ( which by the way the 33 lb barret, with muzzel break has just as much recoil as the vernerable slug.

This past season I hunted with a wonderful HR in 444 marlin.  The deer was hit surgically in the chest, the 23lbs of recoil was just fine, and the deer bolted 30 yards and tumbled to the turf.  The 444 is simply awesome.  It is a 200yard deer slayer, and wont bust you up.  The single shot side is not bad, but, I am sure a marlin in 444 would be fantastic.  So why did I not go for the Marlin 444?  I just did nt like the guns fit and finish.  I was able to see what people were talking about and dollar for dollar the Henry is better.  Why not the Henry 45-70?  Trust me, it was heavily debated.  It may well find its way here, but I had read about some mazine tube failures and while Henry is making good on those with customers.  I'd rather wait untill its an issue of the past.  Anther reason for 44 is amunition.  Its avail about any where.  I do plan on casting my own bullets and hand loading and 44 is cheaper, and you can back it up with a pistol.

So 44 mag.  250gr with 20gr H110 and wlp is netting 1501fps
zero balistically holds true (point blank) 25 yards and 100 yards  with 70yrd being 2" high and 150yrd 8" low.  I will be testing that data, in the gun, and creating a data sheet for quick refence while in the field.n 300 yards projects a 72" drop.  This will be fun testing out in the actual gun.
It will also provide ample time to gain familurity with the Henry which is key.

I think the 44 based on my sons ability to shoot and will stress JOY in shooting the 444 will only be amped up!

Welcome to Lever Gun Hunter-The Henry Rifle Project

The lever action gun, is as instantly recognisable, as your favorite supper.  It is has beautiful lines.  They shoulder perfectly, and with great familurity, becoming a natural extension of your being.

Henry Big Boy Steel,
Changes across the land, are opening up opurtunities, for people, to again hunt with these classics!  These changes are long overdue.  Reversing slowly the illegal infringments placed upon hunters.  Infringments which are dictating what arms indviduals may bare in pursuit of game.  Yes, any and all regulations places on arms are infact infringments.  These gross rights violations were created by parties with no Constitutional power granted or implied to do so,  and are illegal.  What a person takes afield to puruse game is their choice. Should that person damage property, or worse.  That person is going to face a series of justifable laws.  States and state game departments, need to understand their limitations.  Now that that is out of the way, lets get back to the joys of the lever gun!

So while momentum is building and this restoration of rights is occuring we need to celebrate what we can.  I still however grimace over not having purchased the Winchester 94 Trapper 30-30.  I can not tell you how many times while in the store I held it, and how many times I just thought about it.  Well.  I missed out.  Winchester went away and while some day Ill have a 30-30 traper, it is not today.  My thoughts shifted as the laws changed to Henry.  I shot the 22's and honestly, I think my Ruger 10/22 may need to sold-traded to aquire a henry golden boy 22.  I like the ruger, do not get me wrong.  But I am now a Henry guy.

The Henry Rifle Project
This is Blog-Movie is "The Henry Rifle Project".  My goal is to create a short featurette, about shooting and hunting with a Henry.  There have been lots of tv shows about bow hunting, and my personal favorites are Jim Schocky's.  His ability to share his passion, and ability to educate about game, habitat and some of the most amazing places on earth is really only paralled by the old, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom shows of my youth.  I am not a "pro hunter" nor am I journalist or tv personality.  I am an ordinary Dad.  Who wishes he could have hunted with his grandfather up in Wisconson.  A man who had a beautiful 30-30 and Winchester rifle.  Who gave me my first BB gun!  Stiring my imagination, and helped to get my kids going with the hunting legacy.   I am going to dive into:
1. why I selected the 44  Big Boy, 
2. then take you along for some range time- acuracy out of the box with factory amunition, recoil 
3. more range time out side- looking at 75-150 yards
4. reloading
5. bullet casting
6. testing
7. more shooting
8. culminating with the 2015 Deer season
I can not promise every thing will

So you are invited and welcome to join me on this journey.  I plan on sharing my Henry and exposing others to the joys of shooting a Lever Gun.