.44 Magnum Ammo
.44 Magnum ammo for revolvers, lever-actions, and hunting handguns. Ballistics by barrel length, .44 Mag vs .44 Special, and the best loads for deer, bear defense, and range use.
Price History
Best Prices Now
$/rd = listed price + estimated shipping. Sorted by true cost.
| Product | $/rd | |
|---|---|---|
| 500 Round Case – 44 Magnum PMC 180 Grain JHP Ammo – 44B Best 180gr · JHP | $0.84 | Buy → |
| 500 Round Case – 44 Magnum 240 Grain JHP Hollow Point Prvi Partizan Ammo PPH44MH 240gr · JHP | $0.84 | Buy → |
| 500 Round Case – 44 Magnum 240 Grain TCSP Ammo by PMC – 44D 240gr · TCSP | $0.84 | Buy → |
| 500 Round Case – 44 Magnum 300 Grain SJFP Soft Point Prvi Partizan Ammo – PPH44MF 300gr · SJFP | $0.86 | Buy → |
| 250 Round Flat Can – 44 Magnum PMC 180 Grain JHP Ammo – 44B – Packed in Metal Canister 180gr · JHP | $0.88 | Buy → |
| 44 Mag – CorBon Hunter 240 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point – 200 Rounds 240gr · jacketed hollow point · brass | $1.10 | Buy → |
| 50 Round Box – 44 Magnum 240 Grain JHP Hollow Point Prvi Partizan Ammo – PPH44MH 240gr · JHP | $1.18 | Buy → |
| 50 Round Box – 44 Magnum 300 Grain SJFP Soft Point Prvi Partizan Ammo – PPH44MF 300gr · SJFP | $1.20 | Buy → |
| 50 Round Box – 44 Magnum 240 Grain FMC Magtech Ammo – 44C 240gr · FMC | $1.20 | Buy → |
| 44 Magnum – Precision Ctg Inc 240 Grain JHP XTP – 50 Rounds 240gr · JHP · brass | $1.36 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 44 Magnum 210 Grain Defense JHP Winchester Silvertip Ammo – W44MSTX 210gr · JHP | $1.40 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 44 Magnum 200 Grain XTP Hornady Custom Ammo – 9080 200gr · XTP | $1.40 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 44 Magnum Hornady 300 Grain XTP Hollow Point Ammo – 9088 300gr · hollow point | $1.40 | Buy → |
| 25 Round Box – 44 Magnum 240 Grain TCSP Ammo by PMC – 44D 240gr · TCSP | $1.52 | Buy → |
| 25 Round Box – 44 Magnum PMC 180 Grain JHP Ammo – 44B 180gr · JHP | $1.52 | Buy → |
| 44 Mag – PMC Bronze 180 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point – 25 Rounds 180gr · jacketed hollow point · brass | $1.52 | Buy → |
| 44 Magnum – Black Hills 300 Grains Jacketed Hollow Point – 50 Rounds 300gr · jacketed hollow point · brass | $1.66 | Buy → |
| 44 Mag – CorBon Hunter 240 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point – 20 Rounds 240gr · jacketed hollow point · brass | $1.95 | Buy → |
| 44 Mag – HSM 240 Grain Sierra Jacketed Hollow Cavity – 20 Rounds 240gr · jacketed hollow cavity · brass | $2.05 | Buy → |
| 44 Mag – Winchester Big Bore 240 Grain SJHP – 200 Rounds 240gr · SJHP · brass | $2.15 | Buy → |
Best .44 Magnum by Use Case
Hunting
240gr JSP or hard-cast loads are the standard for deer, hogs, and black bear inside 100 yards from a revolver. Buffalo Bore 240gr Hard Cast and Hornady Custom 240gr XTP are the most recommended. From a lever-action rifle, the 240gr load gains 400–500 fps and becomes a legitimate 200-yard deer cartridge.
- · Buffalo Bore 240gr Hard Cast
- · Hornady Custom 240gr XTP
- · Federal 240gr SP
Bear Defense
For large dangerous game, hard-cast flat-nose bullets that penetrate deeply are essential — hollow points are the wrong choice. Buffalo Bore 305gr Hard Cast and Underwood 340gr Hard Cast Flat Nose are the standard bear defense loads. A full-size .44 Mag revolver (6-inch barrel) is the minimum sensible platform.
- · Buffalo Bore 305gr Hard Cast
- · Underwood 340gr Hard Cast FN
- · Garrett Cartridges 330gr Hammerhead
Range & Practice
Full-power .44 Mag practice is expensive — plan $0.70–1.10/round. Many owners use .44 Special (shorter, lower-pressure, chambers in .44 Mag revolvers) for range practice. When shooting .44 Mag for practice, 240gr JSP from Remington, Federal, or Magtech is the baseline. Recoil from full-power loads in a steel revolver is substantial but manageable.
- · Remington 240gr SJHP
- · Federal American Eagle 240gr JSP
- · Magtech 240gr SJSP
Lever-Action Rifle
In a lever-action with a 16–20 inch barrel, .44 Magnum becomes a serious short-to-medium range rifle. 240gr loads at 1,900+ fps from a rifle barrel make it effective on deer and hogs to 150 yards. Hornady LeverEvolution 225gr FTX is purpose-built for tube magazines with a polymer tip safe for stacked cartridges.
- · Hornady LeverEvolution 225gr FTX
- · Winchester Super-X 240gr JSP
- · Buffalo Bore 240gr Hard Cast
Common Questions
What is .44 Magnum?
.44 Magnum was developed in 1955 by Elmer Keith, Smith & Wesson, and Remington. Keith had spent years pushing the limits of the .44 Special case with heavy handloads, and the .44 Magnum formalized those experiments into a commercial cartridge with a longer case — preventing chambering in .44 Special cylinders.
It was the most powerful production handgun cartridge in the world for nearly two decades, until .454 Casull arrived in 1997.
The cartridge gained worldwide fame when Clint Eastwood’s character called it “the most powerful handgun in the world” in Dirty Harry (1971). That’s no longer accurate, but it remains one of the most practical powerful handgun cartridges: enough energy for any North American game, available everywhere, and chambered in manageable revolvers.
Despite the name, .44 Magnum uses .429-inch diameter bullets — not .44 caliber exactly. Like .357 Magnum, the “.44” refers to the outside case diameter, not the bore.
.44 Magnum vs. .44 Special
Every .44 Magnum revolver also chambers .44 Special — the same relationship as .357 Mag/.38 Spl. The .44 Special case is shorter (.910” vs 1.285” for .44 Mag) and runs at significantly lower pressure (~15,500 PSI vs 36,000 PSI).
Practical implication: .44 Special practice ammo costs roughly 30–40% less than .44 Mag and generates far less recoil. If you own a .44 Mag revolver for hunting or woods carry, use .44 Special for most range sessions. The same carbon-ring caveat applies as with .38/.357 — clean cylinder throats periodically.
Ballistics by barrel length
240gr JSP/JHP:
| Barrel | Velocity | Energy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4” | ~1,180 fps | ~741 ft-lbs | Compact carry/hunting |
| 6” | ~1,340 fps | ~957 ft-lbs | Full-size hunting revolver |
| 7.5” | ~1,400 fps | ~1,044 ft-lbs | Target/hunting revolver |
| 16–18” (rifle) | ~1,900 fps | ~1,923 ft-lbs | Lever-action |
300gr Hard Cast:
| Barrel | Velocity | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| 6” | ~1,200 fps | ~960 ft-lbs |
| 7.5” | ~1,275 fps | ~1,083 ft-lbs |
| 16–18” (rifle) | ~1,700 fps | ~1,924 ft-lbs |
The lever-action numbers explain why .44 Mag in a Henry Big Boy or Marlin 1894 is a legitimate deer rifle inside 150 yards — energy nearly doubles compared to a revolver barrel.
Bear defense: hard cast vs. JHP
For black bear at typical hunting distances (inside 50 yards), a 240gr JHP from a 6” barrel is adequate — the animal is smaller and you want expansion.
For brown bear, grizzly, or any scenario where the bear might be charging at close range, the calculus changes completely. You need penetration to reach the CNS through heavy skull, dense muscle, and fat. JHP bullets expand and stop shorter. Hard-cast lead or monolithic bullets don’t expand — they penetrate straight through.
The load for brown bear/grizzly country: Buffalo Bore or Underwood 300–340gr hard cast flat nose at maximum velocity. The flat nose prevents deflection on bone better than round nose.
.44 Magnum vs. 10mm Auto vs. .357 Magnum
| .44 Mag (6”) | 10mm (4.6”) | .357 Mag (6”) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (240gr equiv) | ~957 ft-lbs | ~728 ft-lbs | ~590 ft-lbs |
| Platform | Revolver | Semi-auto | Revolver |
| Capacity | 6–7 rds | 15+1 | 6–7 rds |
| Reload speed | Slow | Fast | Slow |
For bear defense, the .44 Mag has a significant energy edge. The 10mm’s advantage is semi-auto capacity — 15+1 vs 6. Both are legitimate; the debate is platform preference.
Brand guide
Buffalo Bore 240gr Hard Cast — the hunting and woods carry standard. Full pressure, deep penetration. ~$0.90–1.30/rd.
Hornady Custom 240gr XTP — the hunting JHP benchmark. Reliable expansion, controlled penetration, widely available. ~$0.85–1.20/rd.
Federal 240gr SP — affordable hunting load, decent performance. ~$0.75–1.05/rd.
Hornady LeverEvolution 225gr FTX — the lever-action specific load. Polymer tip safe for tube magazines, higher BC. ~$0.90–1.30/rd.
Buffalo Bore 305gr Hard Cast — bear defense and maximum penetration. ~$1.20–1.70/rd.
Underwood 340gr Hard Cast FN — maximum weight, deep penetration, full power. ~$1.30–1.80/rd.
Remington 240gr SJHP — semi-jacketed hollow point, affordable practice/hunting. ~$0.70–1.00/rd.
Federal American Eagle 240gr JSP — range load, reliable, brass case. ~$0.65–0.90/rd.
Price guide (2025–2026)
| Category | Good deal | Fair | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| JSP/FMJ range | $0.60–0.85/rd | $0.85–1.10/rd | $1.30+/rd |
| Hunting JHP (XTP, etc.) | $0.80–1.15/rd | $1.15–1.50/rd | $1.75+/rd |
| Hard cast (hunting/bear) | $1.00–1.40/rd | $1.40–1.80/rd | $2.00+/rd |
| Maximum penetration (300gr+) | $1.20–1.60/rd | $1.60–2.00/rd | $2.40+/rd |
.44 Special practice runs roughly 30–40% less than .44 Mag for the same load type.
Firearms chambered in .44 Magnum
Revolvers:
- Smith & Wesson Model 29 (blued), 629 (stainless) — the Dirty Harry guns; 6” barrel is the classic
- S&W 629 Stealth Hunter — optic-ready, extended barrel
- Ruger Super Redhawk — overbuilt, handles heavy loads well; optic-ready version available
- Ruger Redhawk — standard strength, 4” and 7.5” barrels
- Taurus Raging Hunter — ported barrel, optic rail, affordable
Lever-action rifles:
- Henry Big Boy .44 Mag — most popular current lever-action in this chambering
- Marlin 1894 (now produced by Ruger) — 10+1, 18.5” barrel
- Winchester Model 94 .44 Mag — discontinued, excellent used
Semi-automatic (niche):
- Desert Eagle .44 Mag — gas-operated, heavy, 8+1; the showpiece gun, not a practical carry
What could be better?
- Best price
- $0.84/rd
- Avg tracked
- $1.91/rd
- vs 1 year ago
- ↑0.0%
- 52-wk low
- $0.60/rd
- 52-wk high
- $0.97/rd
- Shortage peak
- $0.97/rd
- Products tracked
- 37
- Retailers stocking
- 3
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