.44-40 Winchester for Whitetail Deer Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunt
- Hunting Calibers
- 04 Apr, 2020
Is the .44-40 Winchester a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for whitetail deer hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .44-40 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer.
As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the whitetail deer, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the whitetail deer in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on.
What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically.
Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .44-40 Winchester within the ideal range of suitable calibers for whitetail deer hunting?” our answer is:
No, the .44-40 Winchester is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.
Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .44-40 Winchester |
| Animal Species | Whitetail Deer |
| Muzzle Energy | 500 foot-pounds |
| Animal Weight | 210 lbs |
| Shot Distance | 150 yards |
What is the average muzzle energy for a .44-40 Winchester? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .44-40 Winchester round is approximately 500 foot-pounds.
What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs.
What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards.
What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .44-40 Winchester. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the whitetail deer being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.
Various calibers
A common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions.
Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .44-40 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer - and to this question, the response again is no, the .44-40 Winchester is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting.
This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.
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7 Comments
whitetail deer, antelope can and has been killed with a 44-40, they have even killed black bear and elk don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done, because it has " be a hunter and keep your shots 50 yards and less. if a 40 lb bow can do it so can a 44-40.
I just shot a small spike whitetail with a Colt Lighting. It was a 50-yard shot at best. The round did perform, but nothing like a modern-day cartridge. Although shot placement was excellent, it took a couple of rounds to put him down, as I did not want to have to go tracking him down. I was surprised by the dear’s reaction, more of a, “what did you just do” rather than a "you shot me, you @#$%*! My opinion on the subject is, that it is viable at short range, but 150 yards… you need to take a different gun. Sitting in the woods, taking it all in, short-range… it was a lot of fun to take out the 135-year-old rifle for a day in the woods.
Just took a twelve point buck 180-190 lbs.@ 90yrds. with an Uberti 1873 lever 44-40. The shot passed completely through and both lungs filled, he only leaped 40ft. before dropping. I load my own and get twice the velocity than a factory load gets ( not exceeding max. loads). I methodically built and practiced with those loads. Used hard cast bullet with bhn of 16, 44-40 is big enough caliber there is no need for expansion, just penetration. With my loads I would take the same shot up to 140 yrds., Confidently.
I remember the old guys who used the .44-40, and had nothing else, who all said that they were no good and that they were so pleased to get the .30-30 that it was shocking.
Check the airgun hunters and what they are using for effective kills at 50-75 yards. .357 at 150 fpe is done all the time. You just have to hit the vitals/kill zone. A .429 bullet at at about 300 fps at 50 yards takes down a deer (only traveling 50 yards). So you don’t really need a 300 win mag for deer as that is way on the other spectrum.
its 2023, I brought a beautiful Marlin 44-40 Century Limited in 1995. Took it deer hunting i PA. and shot a 6 oointer at 40 years 3 times in the chest area. like shooting a cap gun, Followed the deer almost 1 mile in the 18 inch snow and lost the blood trail, After I got back home I looked up info on the 44-40 factory shells, they are unpower because of older 44-40’s going back to 1870s that still exist. I like this beauty but will need to reload for more power. Any one reading this please email me what you use to reload this 44-40 cartridge. The gun fits like a glove. I just won’t use it for deer with factory loads. thanks
I have never had a problem with my 44-40, just got the NEW .44-40, 73 that Winchester is currently producing, I DO NOT hand load. Most factory loads are garbage. (Winchester) and underpowered. HOWEVER, Buffalo Bore offers two very suitable loadings. 1st a 185Gr HP at 1471FPS from a 20-inch barrel (I find this Load the be inaccurate).
2nd a 200Gr HC at 1353FPS from a 20-inch barrel. I hunt in the South (Arkansas) almost all shots are one hundred yard OR less. A .429 200Gr bullet (Factory load) at 1353 will anything in north America 100 yards or less. (the 200Gr HC) is scarry accurate; has to be seen to be believed. 4 shots at 50 yards all touching. which is an average shot in Noth Arkansas.