AMMO QUESTION

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I have a question about a .44 mag. carbine rifle I was looking at. I was at a gun show and found some reloads labeled handgun use only. Question is whats the difference and what is the round I need for rifle?
Is that a round that would work on coyote? any info would help
 
My guess is that they were loaded with pointed bullets and thus unsafe to shoot in a lever action rifle, where bullet tips are resting on the primers of the cartridge in front of it inside the tubular magazine. You would need flat point or round nose-flat point bullets for a rifle with with a tube mag.

If that is the case, the label should have been "not for rifles with tubular magazines". Otherwise I see no reason not to use .44 magnum handgun ammo in a rifle.
 
Personally, I would not use anyone else's reloads, especially when you don't know who rolled them. Just too many variables. Why they are labeled handgun only is another question as well.

For coyotes, the .44 mag would certainly work, just awful big. You certainly don't need that much gun for a coyote. If you like the rifle and want it, with the possiblility of wacking a coyote now and then, well, go for it. Certainly will work. Any good factory load 180-240gr will work. I suspect the heavier bullet would be better if you wanted the hide, should pass right through without opening up.

If you are looking for a dedicated coyote rifle, I'd recommend a .223, .204, .22 hornet, or .22 mag. Flatter shooting and usually don't rip the hide all up.

Best of luck.
 
I bought some of these at a show a year or two ago, with the intent of using them in my T/C Contender (single shot).

IIRC the conversation correctly with the seller (who is also the reloader), they are too long to use in a revolver, were meant to be used in a single-shot gun such as the Contender/Encore.
 
I wouldn't use someone else's reloads either unless I knew and trusted them. If the ammo says 'for handgun use only" the bullets may be too long to cycle through a rifle action.
 
My guess is that they were loaded with pointed bullets and thus unsafe to shoot in a lever action rifle, where bullet tips are resting on the primers of the cartridge in front of it inside the tubular magazine. You would need flat point or round nose-flat point bullets for a rifle with with a tube mag.

If that is the case, the label should have been "not for rifles with tubular magazines". Otherwise I see no reason not to use .44 magnum handgun ammo in a rifle.

pointed .44 magnum??? huh?
 
Interesting. I would of took that to mean they were loaded with fast powder and designed to be HOT out of a 4" barrel so they might exceed pressures out of a 18"
 
Powder loads could be different (and usually are for rifle and pistol ammo of same caliber).

OAL is also critical in lever guns for feeding. I ran into this situation when loading some .44mag for a Marlin rifle.
 
My conclusion would be the same as LenS', but the only way to know for sure is as the reloader. Do you remember who the manufacturer was? There are a few reloaders in the area whom I buy from regularly and trust as much (if not moreso) than commercial manufacturers.
 
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