6 of 8 .44 Mag factory loads carry 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity for mule deer; the best reach 300 yd (Hornady LEVERevolution 265 gr FTX). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.
| Load | gr | Max ethical yd | MV fps | 500 yd ft·lb | Shoulder shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady LEVERevolution 265 gr FTX | 265 | 300 | 2,325 | 618 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal 270 gr HammerDown Bonded SP | 270 | 250 | 2,225 | 520 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance 265 gr FP InterLock | 265 | 250 | 2,400 | 539 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun 280 gr | 280 | 200 | 2,100 | 475 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington 240 gr Core-Lokt Soft Point | 240 | 150 | 2,350 | 373 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester Super-X 240 gr Hollow Soft Point | 240 | 50 | 1,760 | 325 | behind the shoulder only |
| Barnes Pioneer 225 gr XPB | 225 | not enough | 1,600 | 299 | yes |
| Barnes Pioneer 300 gr JHP FN | 300 | wrong bullet | 1,325 | 427 | behind the shoulder only |
Deer-class rules of thumb; a slightly bigger animal than a whitetail. Legal: CO: 1,000 ft·lb at 100 yd. Floor used: 1,000 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: chuckhawks.com, www.petersenshunting.com.