Don...I'm going to elaborate on my last thread. I believe the data given on the range for your gun is conservative. .44 mag pistols have been used to down elk at 100 yards and farther. Elmer Keith thought a pistol was good for considerably farther than that (not that I do)
From the Hornady WEbsite: w/90 & 100 grns Pyrodex, fps is 1,600fps w/a 260 & 1,400 w/a 300 grainer.
(there are companies tha have sabots that are rated for 150 grains of pyro, I'm assuming your gun should handle that, and if so you should have increased fps, but do not exceeed Rem.'s recommendation for your gun)
From the Remington Website:
fps w/a 44 Rem Mag Rifle, at the muzzle 1,650 w/a 240 & 1,524 w/a 275. (you'll notice, like I said in my last thread, almost the same fps as you should be getting w/your 700ML)
fps w/a .44 Mag rifle at 100 yds w/a 240 bullet is 1,114, w/a 275 you have 1.293 at 100 and 1,093 at 200.
fps w/a 44 Rem Mag Pistol at the muzzle is 1,235 w/a 240 & 1,180 w/a 275. You'll note that the same 275 load in a rifle, has more fps at 100 yards than a pistol does at the muzzle, and about the same fps at 200 yds as it does at the muzzle out of a pistol (or actually 87 fps less)...
SO at ABOUT, 150-175 yards you have the exact same fps as a 44 pistol does at the muzzle. I pity the poor fool that doesn't KNOW that a .44 bullet has enough energy for elk when it leaves the muzzle. SO, next, at ABOUT 175-200 yards, the rifle will have the same fps as the pistol at 25 yards...MORE THAN ENOUGH ENERGY. Ask anybody if a 44 mag has enough energy for elk at 25 yards.
Now, ask pistol shooters how far away is their pistol able to knock down elk effectively, and add ATLEAST 100 yards to that, as far as the bullet having the neccessary energy...I'd say right about 200 yards (Elmer said the pistol was up to 200 yards)
Now, the next factor is you and the gun...The question is, how accurate are you at 150, 175, or 200 yards. I'm assuming that your inline has a scope on it and that w/the right load that it will shoot better than you. I do note that you believed that you could hit that far away and that your doubt was about retained energy of the bullet. Only you can answer the question about accuracy. I'll say this, being able to hit the lungs on a bull one in 4, or 3 times or half the time a'nt good enough. The range that you KNOW that you can hit the lungs 9 out of 10 times is more like it and you'll have to decide that on your own, BASED ON YOUR OWN RANGE EXPERIENCES.
Here's the thing, experiment w/loads, find what shoots in your gun, just because your bullet has the energy for a 175 yard shot, doesn't mean that you can hit the broad side of a barn, much less of an elk w/that load. If you & your gun can deliver the lead, 200 yards is not out of the question IMO.
Now, you'll notice that I'm the ONLY person that responded to you w/that opinion and that about 300 people are fixing to answer saying that I don't know a hill of beans.
