At 1,610 fps and 1,036 ft-lbs, Remington's UMC 180-grain jacketed soft point sits on the light-fast side of .44 Magnum. A jacketed soft point is a lead-tipped jacketed bullet meant to expand more slowly than a hollow point. Power factor is 290, 125 points over the USPSA major floor of 165; every .44 Magnum load in this comparison clears major with room to spare, so the floor decides nothing here. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 0.5 inches low at 50 yards and 4.7 inches low at 100.

Among the 180 to 225-grain expanding loads it is compared with, the UMC lands in the middle. PMC Bronze 180 is the hotter 180 and produces about 16 percent more recoil energy in the same revolver. Federal Power-Shok 180 goes the other way with 184 ft-lbs less at the muzzle. Fiocchi 200 kicks about 6 percent harder than the UMC in the same revolver. Hornady LEVERevolution 225 carries 43 ft-lbs less at the muzzle, yet its heavier bullet gives it a power factor of 317 against the Remington's 290.

This is a range load for shooters who practice with a .44 Magnum and want the practice to feel like a full-power 180 rather than a reduced load. If the point of practice is a long session, Federal HST 230 produces about 18 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver, at 601 ft-lbs. If you want a hunting load instead, Hornady Backcountry Defense 240-grain hard cast delivers 1,398 ft-lbs, 362 more than the UMC, with about 80 percent more recoil energy.