If you are looking for the best ammunition for hunting, self-defense or a sport that involves shooting, you should consider the .44 Mag ammo.
This ammunition delivers a large and heavy bullet that has got high velocity for a handgun. It features a full-powered form that produces a lot of recoil and muzzle blast.
The gun’s heft and difficulty eliminates it as a standard issue for law enforcement. It is however good for hunting due its rounded grip shape that can handle heavy recoil compared to other revolvers.
.44 Mag Ammo: An Introduction
The .44 Magnum ammo features deep penetrating cartridges and precise shot placement. These features make it ideal for hunting even the largest of game.
You can also use it for self-defense against elephants. Another advantage of this ammunition is that it uses flat point bullets. You will not have trouble with it as is the case with some high velocity, lightweight, pointed bullets.
The ammo also has a very good accuracy. If you load it with a heavy, non-expanding bullet, this ammo can easily shoot through large game such as bison and elk without trouble.
The limiting factor of its cartridge is not terminal ballistics, but rather the trajectory of the bullet. It is going to work better if you limit your hunting range to 100 yards when shooting.
The casing of this ammo is slightly longer compared to other ammunitions to prevent the far higher-pressure cartridge from being chambered in when you are shooting, and in turn preventing possible deaths and injuries.
Lever Action Rifles
Lever action describes a type of firearm which uses a lever to load ammunition into the chamber of the barrel. It contrasts pump-action, bolt-action, pump-action, semi-automatic and selective-fire gunss.
Most lever action weapons are rifles, but there are shotguns and pistols that use the same mechanism. Winchester manufactured the most famous lever action firearm with its Model 1873 rifle. Other notable lever action guns have been made by Henry and Marlin.
History
In 1826, Italian firearms designer Cesar Rosaglio created a lever action revolver which could shoot six shots in under six seconds.
The first lever action rifle on the market is credited to Colt’s Manufacturing Company, which was produced by the Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. between 1837 and 1841. Several lever action guns were make before the Civil War but the first significant rifles were the Henry rifle and the Spencer repeating rifle.
Henry Big Boy Rifle
In 1860, Benjamin Tyler Henry, a gunsmith at Winchester, designed a rifle using a centrally located hammer, rather than the offset hammer commonly used in muzzleloaders. Henry also put the magazine under the barrel, a trend that has continued into modern times.
Spencer Rifle
In 1860, Christopher Spencer designed a magazine-fed, lever action rifle. The gun was fed by a tube magazine holding seven rounds. More than 20,000 rifles were made. It was the first gun adopted by the U.S. military.
Marlin 39A receiver
In 1881, John Marlin, founder of Marlin Firearms Co. in New Haven, Connecticut, introduced the Model 1881, a lever-action repeating rifle.
The gun could be chambered in 45/70 and 38/55. Marlin continued to have success with the design with its 1894 and 1895 models. The Model 1894 is still in production.
Savage Model 99 rifle
The Savage Arms Company developed two notable lever action rifles – the hammerless Models 1895 and 1899 (which became named the Model 99) lever-action sporting rifles.
Unlike most Marlin and Winchester rifles, Savage used a rotary magazine for ammunition. Sadly, the Savage models were expensive to produce and eventually fell to extinction.
Modern Rifles
In the 1990s, Sturm Ruger and Co. introduced a line of new lever action firearms. This was unusual since most lever action guns were designed before World War II.
Post World War II was when reliable semi-automatic rifles became available, decreasing the need for the old lever action guns.
Lever Action Ammo
Ammunition for lever action weapons can be found in many calibers and powder loads. The two basic categories for the rounds are Low-pressure ammo with rounded bullets, and high-pressure ammo with aerodynamic pointed “Spitzer” bullets.
The most common cartridge for a lever action gun is the Winchester .30-30, which was paired with the Model 1894.
Other common rounds include: .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44 Special/.44 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45-70, .45 Colt, .32-20 Winchester, .35 Remington, .308 Marlin Express, .22 caliber rimfire, and .300 Savage. Some larger pistols (typically revolvers) accept some of these cartridges.
Best .44 Ammo for Lever Action
The choices for ammunition for lever action rifles, shotguns and pistols are myriad. Below are top picks for lever action firearms.
Hornady LEVERevolution 225 Grain
Hornady ranks at the top for lever action ammo. Unlike most .44 ammo, Hornady Leverevolution is a spitzer style bullet with a polymer tip, making it safe for use in a lever-action magazine.
It will stand up to a jacketed bullet without denting the primer or cause accidental fire. LEVERevolution travels 250 fps faster than the average traditional flat nosed round.
Muzzle Velocity: 1410 FPS
Hornady, .44 Magnum, JHP/XTP, 200 Grain
Another Hornady round ranks as high level, lever action ammunition. Muzzle Velocity: 1,500 FPS
Jesse James, TML Label, .44 Magnum, Jacketed Hollow Point, 240 Grain
Firearms designer Jesse James created the perfect load by balancing accuracy, velocity, and recoil. Note that this round has a higher velocity than most.
“When putting my name on a box of Ammo I am only interested in three things. That it’s the absolute highest quality, most accurate, and best value for the customer. Jesse James Ammunition is all three.” – Jesse James
Muzzle Velocity: 1,589 FPS
Magtech Sport Ammunition .44 Remington Magnum 240 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point
Magtech has been around since 1926. The company manufactures all its components, maintaining high and consistent quality. This new production round is the choice for plinking andcompetition shooting.
Muzzle Velocity: 1,180 FPS
PMC Bronze .44 Remington Magnum Ammunition JHP 180 Grains
Poongsan Corporation makes “PMC” (precision-made cartridges) ammunition for competition shooting and hunting. The company has a solid reputation for high quality and currently exports more than 100 different types of ammunition.
Muzzle Velocity: 1,750 FPS
Remington High Terminal Performance .44 Remington SJHP 240 Grain
Remington® HTP (High Terminal Performance) .44 Magnum Ammo combines premium primers, brass cases and propellants with a wide assortment of bullet designs. This ammo gives you the instant-stopping power you need. Muzzle Velocity: 1,180 FPS
Winchester ‘USA’ 240 Grain SJSP
Winchester USA Pistol, .44 Rem. Mag, JSP, 240 Grain For serious centerfire handgun shooters, U.S.A. Brand ammunition is used by serious handgun shooters and is an ideal choice for range training, plinking or competitive shooting.
Muzzle Velocity: 1,180 FPS
Conclusion
Lever action pistols and rifles make it easy to find the right .44 Magnum ammo. Experts recommend using bullets less than 250 grains rather than heavier bullets for accuracy and consistency.