First large caliber shots

[Mastiff 7]

Up to press I'd only fired .22LR rounds but today I put 50 rounds of .357 Magnum down the range and a couple of .44 Magnum rounds down the range for good measure.

 

Feck me what a difference!

 

What on earth is the .44 Magnum round designed for - Buffalo or something?

 

Was using open sights so I couldn't hit a barn door but good fun!

[JonathanL 4]

Up to press I'd only fired .22LR rounds but today I put 50 rounds of .357 Magnum down the range and a couple of .44 Magnum rounds down the range for good measure.

 

Feck me what a difference!

 

What on earth is the .44 Magnum round designed for - Buffalo or something?

 

Was using open sights so I couldn't hit a barn door but good fun!

 

The .44 Magnum was designed basically as a big revolver round. It's used for hunting in the US. It's been used to take some big game in it's time - I think it's been used to take a Polar Bear or two! It was famously used by it's designer, Elmer Keith, to take a deer at about 600 yards that had been previously wounded with a rifle.

 

J.

[Mastiff 7]

Cheers for the info J.

[matt_hooks 188]

The .44 mag is a development of the .44 special, when slow and heavy was the best way to knock stuff over. It's not the most accurate long range round, but what it hits stays hit! It's a good short range hunter, lots of people use it in the US, though I'm not sure you'd get it as a hunting round over here. I guess there's no reason why not, but whether they'll give you any ground to shoot it on is a different matter!

 

A 240 grain lump of lead, moving at somewhere around 1650 fps is going to do a lot of damage downrange!

 

The big rounds are great un to fire, and they'll certainly teach you to mount the weapon properly in the shoulder, unless you like a bruised shoulder!

 

Now get on and try some proper rifle cartridges! If you enjoyed the .44 then the accuracy and power of a .308 or a 30-06 will be a revelation!