.44 Bear Load

[JayZuv]

Does anybody else here use hsm ammo? I started using their stuff when I got my .41 mag, and it always shoots really well. Last week I saw a box of “Bear Load” 44 mag from them, and thought I’d give it a try. It’s a 300 grain xtp, and it shoots dead on. I’m thinking this might be my whitetail ammo from now on. Has anyone hunted with it?

[North Country Gal]

Haven't hunted with any of the HSM loads, but plus one on the accuracy I get with any of their bear loads. Those loads gave always done well for me in my revolvers.

[tractortad]

You may want to check the OAL of that load from HSM - many of those hot 44Mag loads are made for revolvers and are too long to cycle in a Henry.

[markiver54]

You may want to check the OAL of that load from HSM - many of those hot 44Mag loads are made for revolvers and are too long to cycle in a Henry.

Gonna find out soon when I get up to the summer cabin. Bought a box in 357 180 gr. Have them in my revolver and intend to try in my BBS 357. We get a lot of bears up there. Strictly a defense load this time of year till bear season mid October. See one almost daily in the spring scavenging for food. I think a well placed round in 357 will do the job if I had to.

[JayZuv]

You may want to check the OAL of that load from HSM - many of those hot 44Mag loads are made for revolvers and are too long to cycle in a Henry.

No worries on that I loaded up a full tube and no issues with cycling

[markiver54]

You may want to check the OAL of that load from HSM - many of those hot 44Mag loads are made for revolvers and are too long to cycle in a Henry.

No worries on that I loaded up a full tube and no issues with cycling

Thank you JayZuv!

[Rifletom]

My bud up in Idaho uses 'em in his .357 or .44 mag handguns when he's fishing in Island Park, Idaho. That's Grizz country up there. Usually his .44. He's seen a couple and said it's a little un-nerving.

[JayZuv]

My bud up in Idaho uses 'em in his .357 or .44 mag handguns when he's fishing in Island Park, Idaho. That's Grizz country up there. Usually his .44. He's seen a couple and said it's a little un-nerving.

Wow, surely don't want to get caught empty handed up there!

[Redthies]

I’ve got their 180 grain bear loads for my .357, and tried unsuccessfully to find their cowboy loads for my .45-70. I honestly didn’t find my BBSC shot them all that well. It seemed to prefer the 158 grain American Eagle sjsp, but I’m going to give them another go this spring.

When I was looking at .357 loads for deer, a wise person (NCG) suggested that the hard cast bullets in HSMs bear loads wouldn’t be an ideal candidate on deer due to over penetration and little to no expansion. I’m pretty sure the same would go for .44 mag.

[John E Davies]

XTPs are fine for deer but a heavy hard-cast lead bullet with large flat nose is best for bear .... the HP will not penetrate deeply. Either will do way better than a rock or a stick.

Are you sure yours are XTPs? I haven’t heard of them being marketed this way. I have only seen the 305 gr hard cast. Which is a pretty hefty bullet for a .44....

https://hsmammunition.com/bear-load/

Thanks

John Davies
Spokane WA

[JayZuv]

I’ve got their 180 grain bear loads for my .357, and tried unsuccessfully to find their cowboy loads for my .45-70. I honestly didn’t find my BBSC shot them all that well. It seemed to prefer the 158 grain American Eagle sjsp, but I’m going to give them another go this spring.

When I was looking at .357 loads for deer, a wise person (NCG) suggested that the hard cast bullets in HSMs bear loads wouldn’t be an ideal candidate on deer due to over penetration and little to no expansion. I’m pretty sure the same would go for .44 mag.

I shoot their cowboy loads in my .41, and those seem to be very accurate, and one of the cheaper factory .41 mag offerings. You are right about the cast bullets and deer hunting, but the peculiar thing is that in .44 mag, the bear load has an xtp bullet, which is an excellent deer bullet, and not so much for bear.

[JayZuv]

XTPs are fine for deer but a heavy hard-cast lead bullet with large flat nose is best for bear .... the HP will not penetrate deeply. Either will do way better than a rock or a stick.

Are you sure yours are XTPs? I haven’t heard of them being marketed this way. I have only seen the 305 gr hard cast. Which is a pretty hefty bullet for a .44....

Thanks

John Davies
Spokane WA

Yes totally agree with you on that. I’m not really in bear country so I bought them for deer hunting primarily, and yes I thought it was quite strange that they aren’t hard cast. I’ve shot several boxes of bear loads in other calibers, and they were all cast. These ones are definitely 300gr xtp, and seem to shoot pretty well

[Redthies]

That’s weird that they use different bullet types for different calibers that are very close in size. .41 vs .44 you get a semi-wadcutter vs a “wide flat nose”. The other thing I find odd is their velocity/energy chart. My 180 grain .357 rounds state 1200 and 576 ft lbs. Hornady shows their 158 grain jhp at 1700 and 956 at 100 yards! HSM doesn’t state whether their numbers are at the muzzle, 50 or 100 yards, but only 576 ft lbs??? I guess I won’t be buying those again!

[JayZuv]

Redthies, is the 576 ft lbs for the cowboy loads? If so my only guess is that they don’t load them as hot because they’re more of a target load. But definitely strange they don’t list where they are getting those numbers at. I only use them for doing some plinking out on the range, and they shoot straight for me so I don’t worry about the ballistics on the cowboy loads too much

[Redthies]

Bear. See the tables below. Makes no sense to me...

[Redthies]

More complete shot of the HSM table here. Thankfully I have a .45-70!

[markiver54]

More complete shot of the HSM table here. Thankfully I have a .45-70!

I have the 357 180 gas check. Have yet to shoot any yet.

[JayZuv]

So they don’t even advertise a bear load with an xtp? Very strange. I’ll post a photo of them when I get the chance but the box clearly states bear load.

[Redthies]

That table was taken directly from HSMs “bear load” page.

[Rifletom]

I have some Federal Premium Hunting cartridges in .357, 180gr Castcore FP bullet. Stated on box muzzle velocity is
1250 fps, energy is 625. At 25 yds, velocity is 1200 fps, energy is 575. This seems in line with the HSM loads. Its those Hornady loads that seem all out of whack. Where did they get those numbers? Dang! If I'm going to be around biting bears, I'll take my .45 Colt.