[Nightcrawler]

I've been thinking.

I tried to be a caliber loyalist. I shot my first revolver, a .45 Colt, and loved it. I decided that I wanted just .45 Colts.

Then I bought this .41 Magnum. Sold it, too expensive to feed.

Right, so we're back to .45 Colt. Good cartridge, but factory ammo variety sucks. All of the practice fodder is cowboy stuff. Good for target shooting, but not enough oomph to become a good revolver shooter with, not given the big difference in recoil between the cowboy loads and the SD loads. Not to mention the fact that all of the hunting loads are "Ruger Only", with one exception that I know of.

All the while, I've been overlooking the obvious. I want a big bore revolver with a wide variety of inexpensive factory ammo available.

.44 Magnum, right? Right.

Now, mind you, still being over here, all I can do is contemplate, I can't actually shoot anything to see if I like it. Still, there are enough .44 afficianados here that it must be a good round.

So tell me about your favorite .44 Magnums!

I think Ala Dan's recommendation, a 5" S&W 629 Classic, would be a good start, as would a 4" 629. I'd also probably want a 3" 629 and a Super Blackhawk to round out the bunch.

Man. I could get carried away with this. I'm not even getting into the .44 Snubbies out there. How do you like your Tarus/S&W .44 Special snubbies?

But yeah.

http://www.swfirearms.vista.com/userimages/163636_large.jpg

That looks good! Let's see some of your favorite .44s. :cool:

(Hmm...seems I've finally discovered the obvious. BluesBear would be proud.)

[tc300mag1]

Dont have pics handy but ive had a smith Model 29 didnt like it and now a super redhawk that i love.. not sure but i think the 454 casull has surpassed it as my fav wheelie right now but 44 mag is great espically if you handload.

[targetshootr]

Here's my five-click 44 flat top. It will eventually have a 5 1/2" octagon barrel and FA style grip frame.


http://www.gunpix.com/gallery/Handguns/Im000310.jpg

[seeker_two]

What kind of .45 Colt do you have?

Most .45's--including SAA's---can handle a load of 250gr flat-nosed bullet at 850-950fps w/ no problems. And that load will usually take down any animal smaller than elk inside 100yds. (for elk, you need to get w/i 50yds.)

You may find it useful to look at the articles on Sixgunner.com (http://www.sixgunner.com) . They've done a lot of work with the big bores, and they have some good loads for just about any .45Colt out there.

You may find some new life in your old Colt... :D


...not that I'm advocating that you NOT buy a new gun. Buying another gun is great. You should do so no matter what. That's what makes life FUN!!! :D :D :D

[standingbear]

I have a 44 magnum.Its a stainless steel 7.5 inch barrel...redhawk.I didnt like the grip on the super b'hawk model as it wasnt big nuff for me..tried some different grips but still didnt like its fit but liked the caliber.tried a redhawk and the next weekend,went back and bought it.if I could afford another,I would get the same model in a 5 inch barrel..1 for hunting and 1 for plinking.

the only things that Ive had done to this pistol is have an action job and replaced the grips with some Packmeyer presentation grips on it to better suit my shooting comfort and style.the action job wasnt really needed but I hate breaking in a new pistol when deer season was in a month - so off it went and has been in my collection ever since.

[Kamicosmos]

.44s are fun! Any real gunner needs at least one. I have a Redhawk with 5.5 inch barrel...it's a joy. Also have a Contender and a Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag.

I'm really wanting a snubbie .44. Like a 3 inch non ported Mod 29. There is a 41 Mag snubbies at one of the stores...that's tempting too.

edited to add: Why did I spell snubby snubbie? Odd...

[Werewolf]

I'm quite fond of my Taurus Raging Bull in .44 Mag. It's blued with a 6.5" bbl.

Very accurate and has the tightest lockup of any revolver I've ever owned and that includes two Smiths. The trigger in SA is 98% as good as the SA triggers on my Smiths and way better than the SA triggers on my Rugers. I don't feel qualified to judge the DA trigger as I rarely shoot my revolvers using DA.

The Raging Bull has a double cylinder lock system which I am told by folks more knowledgeable than myself is very good.

If you're in the market for a .44 don't disqual Taurus - it's worth a look.

[jeff-10]

The 5.5 Redhawk would be my first choice for a 44 Magnum.

[Seventhsword]

I love my Ruger Bisley Vaquero with 4 5/8'' barrel. :cool:

[Preacherman]

I've used various barrel lengths of the S&W Model 29, but find it's a bit light for full-house .44 Magnum loads. I've also tried the Ruger Blackhawks in this caliber, but find that for my hands and shooting style, the SA grip just isn't comfortable.

I've settled on the Ruger Redhawk for my .44 Magnum shooting. It's a bit bulkier and heavier than the S&W Model 29, but it's built like a bank vault (in fact, Randy Garrett only certifies the Redhawk and Super Redhawk as being capable of firing his top-end stomper loads). It's easy to carry in the 5½" barrel length, and in the 7½" version, comes with integral scope rings mounting onto dovetails in the barrel. Highly recommended.

[kennedy]

Have both a colt anaconda with the rarier 4 in barrel and a S&W 29 with 6 in barrel, will eventuelly sell both. .44 mag is too much gun for me, will stick to .357.

[ruger357]

Have the Ruger SBH with the 4 and 5/8 barrel. That gun is fun to shoot.

[461]

My 5.5" Stainless Bisley Blackhawk is my only .44 handgun at the moment,but I have two Marlin leverguns in the magnum as well. Next up will be a 5.5" Redhawk so I have all bases covered.

I used to hate the .44 as I thought the recoil was too much for me, I shot a Blackhawk just after beginning to shoot and it wrenched my arm so bad it hurt for a month. Yes, I was holding it wrong:rolleyes: Years later was given a contender barrel in .44 so I figured I'd give it a shot and wondered what the earlier fuss was all about as I loved it. When I bought that Bisley Blackhawk, there was no turning back and it's now my favorite round and revolver.

[Mikul]

I have a 5-1/2" Redhawk which, after some inital PITA problems, has turned out to be a pleasure to shoot. If she'll run another 1,000 rounds without a problem, I'm going to have it cut to 4". That 5-1/2" length is just too long for a quick holster draw. God help you if you're under 6-feet tall. You'll have to dislocate a shoulder or use a drop-leg holster.

[roo_ster]

wide variety of inexpensive factory ammo available.

...after cleaning beverage & sputum from monitor & keyboard...

Uh, I don't know where you've been shopping, but .44mag ammo is anything but cheap. Matter of fact, my wife's purchase of a Rossi 92 in .44mag just drove me to take up reloading.

I looked all over the 'net for inexpensive .44mag & .44spl, to no avail. Mucho dinero, senor pistolero.

There is a moderate variety of EXpensive .44mag about locally.

[Nightcrawler]

Here's the thing. You can buy .44 Magnum cheaper in bulk than you can .45 Colt. Very few places sell bulk .45 Colt. On the store shelf they cost about the same, though the .44 Magnums always have better ammo variety.

Here's what I'm thinking, though. I put one box of Cor-Bon's "S&W-Safe" hunting load (325grs@1050fps) through my 25-5, and that was it. I don't really have much need to be shooting the Buffalo Bore and Garrett mega-loads. I just want to be able to shoot something that does better than, you know, 225 grains at 920 feet per second (Winchester .45 Colt silvertips).

The .44 Mag "cowboy action" light loads are usually 240 grains at 1100 feet per second. I WISH somebody'd make a .45 Colt load like this, and yet it's available in bulk for the .44 Mag.

[LAH]

Nightcrawler I used a 4 inch M-29 for 8 years, hardly shooting anything else. I used 20 grs. of 2400 and the Lyman 429421 for 1201 fps. Great sixgun, great load. If I were to do it over I'd pick the same gun and load.

With that said have you considered loading your own 45's? With what you spend on a 44 you could get set up to load. You could make the 45 do exactly what you want, cheaper and probably better than off the shelf ammo.

I'd suggest to stay with the one gun, one load concept, and spend your money on loading equipment and supplies. Just my 2.

[Yooper]

I have a pair of 629s, 4" and 6 1/2", and a Super Blackhawk 5 1/2". I can recommend all as dependable and accurate. The difference in barrel lengths of the 629s produces a significant velocity difference, using an identical loading.

I like the 44 magnum revolvers over the 45 for two reasons. 1) The 44 revolvers are designed around a higher performance load, and 2) Factory ammunition is available in a good variety of bullet weights and performance levels. In addition, 44 specials further broaden the light end of the performance spectrum in factory loads. I also handload which further increases the possibilities, but your question addressed factory loads specifically.

[tulsamal]

Big bore revolvers just go with reloading! The factory ammo is always too expensive. And it never seems to be exactly what you want. Do your own reloading and customize your ammo to the gun. And a big revolver doesn't throw your brass all over the countryside. You open the cylinder and slide them right out into your hand. A revolver is what you would design if you were looking for the perfect handgun to reload for!

And, once you reload, no caliber is "too expensive" to shoot. I've got a couple of .41's and never even considered that as a reason "to get rid of them." Neither one of them has ever seen a round of factory ammo so what do I care? Of course you could say the same thing about my .44 Magnums. I've never bought a box of factory ammo for them either. Why would I want to do so?

And don't go looking at the full Dillon progressive setup and claiming reloading is too expensive. I started out with a <$20 Lee Loader. Sitting on the kitchen floor with that loader, brass, and a hammer. It worked and it's how I got started back in 1982 with my Ruger Security Six .357 Magnum.

As far as guns, I like the Ruger Redhawk in 5.5 inch barrel myself. And any N frame S&W with a pinned barrel gets a second look from me. Not every .41/.44 Magnum round has to be loaded to atomic levels! Something "mid-range" with a hard cast bullet works great out of a four inch M57/M29.

Gregg

[tulsamal]

And did you see the newest GunBlast article? It addresses the whole difference between .45 Colt and .44 Magnum. http://gunblast.com/Ruger-Hunters.htm

Gregg

[Fish Springs]

You must have a 44 Rem Mag. It is big enough, lots of types of ammo, legal to hunt with in most places and most game. You can get adequate ammo at nearly any place from Wal*Mart to the local gas station selling hunting and fishing supplies.

Yes I have a .41 or two and an excellent .45 Colt (rifle and pistol) but ended up with a .44 for the reasons above.

As which gun to shoot your 44 from--wow what a bunch of possibilities. My two handguns are a S&W 629 Mountain Gun--light 4" barrel and a 629 Classic Hunter 6.5" barrel. Both are fine guns.

[Ala Dan]

Hey Nightcrawler

How 'bout one of them'ter scandium S&W 329's? Keep in mind
that I wouldn't trade my 5" 629-5 for two of them things! :uhoh: :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[TK73]

Without owning a .44 Magnum revolver, a shooter's battery isn't complete.

The revolvers I have experience with are M29/629 (because of my job I know virtually all variants and barrel lengths), Ruger's New Model Bisley RB44W 7.5", Ruger KS411N 10 1/2" and Vaquero Bisley SS. The latter two are currently owned by my father. All are great.

The gun I personally own is a S&W M629 Classic DX 6 1/2" which has been accuracy tested by S&W. The test target is included and it shows a 6-shot group of .7 w/Federal 240 grs. SJSP. It's indeed a great shooter. A nice feature of the Classic-series is that you can quickly exchange the standard red ramp front sight with a gold-bead, white dot or just plain patridge front sight. The latter are available in different heights. The latest production M629 standard models (no underlug) have front sights pinned in place.

The one .44 Mag. I never particularly care for is the Ruger Redhawk, because of its heavy and difficult to control trigger pull. I owned one w/5.5" barrel a couple of years ago. Make no mistake, it was definitely a good revolver... and the Redhawk and Super Redhawk seem to be somewhat tougher than a S&W N-Frame overall. If I were to select a Ruger, I'd rather have one of their sturdy single-action models, though. I have always liked the looks of the NM Super Blackhawk featuring the square "Dragoon"-style grip frame. The new stainless-steel Ruger NM Bisley Hunter looks quite interesting as well. For pure recoil management of real heavy .44 loads the Ruger NM Bisley grip frame is superior to almost anything, in my experience.

You can't go wrong with almost any .44 Magnum out there. Good shootin'!

...oh, btw, I own a Ruger NM Blackhawk .45 Colt as well. I wouldn't trade it for anything :D !

[Buck Snort]

I'm in the process of buying a 4" 629 as a carry gun when I'm hunting or fishing. I'm not sure just how I'm gonna load it but a 336gr. cast/gc bullet over 19gr. of H110 is what I use in my Anaconda and I'm thinking it'll do just fine in the Smith as well. If it has too much recoil I'll use a 240gr. cast bullet and find a load I like.

[Brady]

I'm a new member this very minute.

I thought I would put in my 2 cents on the 44

I have been shooting them since 1972.My first was a SA Super Blackhawk
old model. Since then,I have added to my collection 3 more old models and 3 Smiths,4 inch,6 inch and an 8 and 3/8s.Also I might add a US ARMS Abilene which has never been fired.

I have several 357s but why shoot those if you reload. You can do anything a 357 can do as you can down load to that level i.e like 44 specials. Plus they are very accurate. I usually shoot 2400 or 296 powder and a 255 grainer.I like the 2400,but my guns get dirtier,but in the dim light they have quite a "light" show. Often I'll use the 240 grain if I find a good buy.

The handle on the single actions are great for taking up any so-called recoil
but the Smiths when shooting heavy loads don't do that as well. However some people have different hand sizes etc and don't find these grips comfortable.

[BigG]

I've got a blue Model 29 and a LAR Grizzly in 44 Magnum. It's the most useful big handgun cartridge, imho. The LAR throws the empties clear into the next county so it's not necessarily a reloader's dream but the ammo is cheap compared to the similar-sized big handgun cartridges and also available. I've more than one time packed my stuff for a trip somewhere and forgot the ammo. Any hardware store/Wal-Mart will have 44 Magnum. Try finding 476 Super Whatsis, or even 41 Magnum in the boondocks. :uhoh:

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

NC---

I also have the 629 Classic 5"-----I didn't care for the Hogue grip on it(not that I have anything against Hogue's----I have them on several other guns---just didn't happen to like this one)--and replaced it with a Pachmayr(sp?)----and I'm quite pleased with my Smith now.

We can get cheaper(Blazer, UMC, etc...) .44's around here for like $15 for a box of 50--retail.

[g_gunter]

I believe that everyone who likes the .44 mag should have at least one S&W 29/629. I've got my BFR in .45 Colt and will get other big bores but if I had to have just one big bore it would have to be my 629-3. I just love the balance and trigger of the N-Frame .44.

g_gunter

[BluesBear]

Brady, Welcome Aboard!™

Always good to meet another member of B.B.B.B.B.*






*the Big Boys who shoot Big Bores Brotherhood™

[Brady]

Thanx BluesBear ! I appreciate the welcome and I hope I can add to this site.

For revolvers,2 years ago I purchased a Freedom Arms Premier grade 454 with a 71/2 inch barrel. And about 2 months ago bought a BFR 500 S&W
Magnum. Both of these are a joy to shoot. I like the free wheeling cylinder on the BFR and with my stature it balances well for me. As for the Smith 500 it just felt too forward heavy,but thats me. I'm sure its a fine gun as well. I also prefer single actions.
As far as the 454,wow what quality ! I also find it very accurate with any load.

I just have to get my lazy butt up and do some serious reloading.

But again,thanx for the welcome

Brady

[Brady]

I also agree with BigG as far as availability with the 44's. Its like .22s,30-30s,30-06 and 12 gauge shells.

I love my 44s. I shot one of my old Rugers barrel out,well I should correctly say the forcing cone has a crack in it and I don't shoot that one anymore. One of my 44s has maybe 2 cylinders shot thru it so it is virtually brand new and another one I have is also mint I think the serial numbers are 10xxx.

My Smiths are ok,but prefer SA. When I'm out riding a lot of times I pack the 4 inch as it is handy and also accurate. However,I realize they aren't as strong as my Rugers,so I should use lighter bullets.

Brady

[LAH]

Welcome Brady.

[Odessa]

Here is my M629-3, its a Square Butt 5" Classic. I put a higher (.300) Weigand patridge plain front blade on mine (I shoot 300 grain bullets and needed more blade height). I also replaced those checkered S&W grips (ouch!) with some wood Hogue Mono-grips - much better handling now. My gunsmith mated the classic barrel to my square butt frame to give me a distinctive firearm. It is accurate. Odessa

http://www.hunt101.com/img/064732.jpg (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=64732&c=549&z=1)

[Mannlicher]

I carry my 629 Mountain Gun often, in the CCW role. Darn near a perfect revolver for this use. I use good leather, holster and belt, and right now, I am carrying the CorBon 165 grain JHP.

[AZGlock21]

I am about to buy my first .44 mag. I am looking at a Ruger Bisley .44 in 7 1/2" barrel Blued with adjustable sights. Anyone have one or opinions on one?...Thanks

[Brady]

The Bisley is a good choice. Any Ruger is a good buy also. You will love shootin' the .44 and I suggest reloading if you don't already.

I for one do not have any Bisleys,but do have 4 Super B-Hawks and they shoot well. I like the way they roll in your hand,at least for me. I also have 3 Smith .44's and don't really care for them as much. I should get a digital camera so I can post them.

Good luck with your purchase !

Brady from Arizona

[Brady]

Odessa- nice pic !

Yeah I don't really care for those grips as well,as the checkering seems to be unecessary. I put a pair of smooth cherry wood with finger grooves on my 4inch and love it.

I however would like to say that most rubber grips are not designed well.What I mean is that the cushion should be on the backstrap or where your webbing of your hand is,not so much on the sides. So I don't really care for Hogues or the others. Oh well !

My new BFR seems to be ok in that department.......................


Brady

[dairycreek]

for me they are the ideal combination. They are the 3" S&W Trail Boss 629 and the 5.5" Ruger Redhawk. The 3" Trail Boss is just perfect for that which its name implies. Great gun for roaming the woods and hills of western Oregon. The Redhawk is a great hunting gun and will take all that ammo that is labeled "Ruger Only" as well as the milder, less expensive loads. Great combination for me. Good shooting;)

[AZGlock21]

Thanks Brady.. I think I will be picking one up. I definetly plan on reloading for it. Pics would be great.

[444]

I really like the .45 Colt cartridge. It is very versitile and has a lot going for it.
However, I like the .44 Mag. Better. It just seems to me that every .44 Mag revolver I have owned was very accurate and pretty much any load I tried in them was very accurate. Maybe I have just been lucky.
I own a number of .44 Mags: S&W Model 629 3", S&W Model 29 4", Ruger Super Blackhawk stainless 7 1/2", and a Herters Single Six with ? 6" barrel ? .
The first one I bought was the Super Blackhawk. Great shooter. Of course it can handle any loads you dream up. Big enough to soak up the recoil of those big loads and a nice long sight radius which makes good groups the norm. The second one I bought was the 4" Model 29 (as a side note, I always considered the SBH and the Model 29 to be required for any serious colletcion of guns). I bought it with the intention of using it for a belt gun while deer hunting. But, it shot loose (it was used when I bought it). I sent it away to Jack Weigand who worked his magic with it. It is now SUPER accurate and looks beautiful. Since getting it back, I have never fired another .44 Mag load out of it. It gets a steady diet of a 240 grain bullet over 15 grain of 2400 in a .44 Special case. I have a few targets saved with six shots making one hole at 25 yards. I also decided that this gun was too good looking to carry, so I bought the 629 3". It shoots very good and carries nicely in an El Paso Saddlery Threepersons rig. The Herters was an impulse buy. As a child, I spent many hours reading the Herters catalog that my dad had. I spotted it in the display case, briefly checked it out, forked over $175 for it, and went to shoot it. I have only fired the above mentioned .44 Special load in it, and it performs very well. Very good accuracy, nice trigger. I have no use for it, but I figured I couldn't pass it up for $175.
If I was picking out one .44 revolver, I think I would have to go with the SBH even though it is a royal pain to carry on the belt. But, I carried it that way over many miles and many adventures. It just has everything going for it except compactness.

[AZGlock21]

444..So do you really like the .44 special. I read another artice today about the S&W Thunder Ranch Special .44 special and I have to admit I am intrigued by it. Any thoughts?

[444]

Well, I don't own any guns that are actually chambered in .44 Special. All mine are .44 Magnums.
I load my lighter loads in .44 Special cases so there in no danger of a mix up. Of course there is no real danger, since again, all my guns are .44 Mags, but it gives me an easy way to tell at a glance whether this is a hot load or a target load.
As far as the .44 Special cartridge itself, I think it is a dandy cartridge. Plenty big enough for anything the average guy is going to do with a revovler: defense or hunting medium size game animals. I wouldn't feel undergunned using it on elk at short range. That .44 Special load I use would be plenty for deer or man. If you like the gun, go for it.

[patentnonsense]

Hi Crawler - get writing!!

That said, I think .44 is just a wonderful cartridge - I've got a 629 with the 8" barrel, which is nice for showoff accuracy but takes two hands to draw - I want to get a 6" or 4". I've got a Desert Eagle in .44, which is just a fun gun - I've reluctantly concluded that it's not reliable enough to bet one's life on. I've got a cute little derringer in .44M - it's not fun to shoot, but I load the first barrel with .44S. And I've got a cheap little Rossi carbine in .44 - accurate as can be, and I've taken one hog with it.

When I got the 629 I got a dozen or so grips and tried them all - I like the Pachmeyer presentation grips (the old fat ones). It really does make an all-day shooter out of the 629.

I did my CCW qualification with the Desert Eagle - got some odd looks, but it was the auto I was most comfortable with at the time. I let the other guys shoot first though!

There's something to be said for just plain loud too - the best thing about .45 is Mr. Casull...

[patentnonsense]

A nice antiflinching drill, BTW, is load 2 .44M, 2 .44S, and 2 fired brass, and spin the cylinder after every shot. I guess you could do the same with .454 and .45 too.

[AZGlock21]

Pretty dang good idea!!! Thanks

[Brady]

As far as recoil goes,spinning the cylinder with the different loads and the spent cases etc.,is fine if you want to see if you're flinching or someone else. But,if you want to get rid of any flinching,reload with mild loads until you know your gun well and then slowly work up to stiffer loads and then stay at that plateau for some time. Then when you think you've got these loads down,then start with full house loads.
I only shoot full house loads period. I figure if I'm going to practice for hunting,why would I use milder loads. As far as recoil goes,my theory is this. After you pull the trigger,2 things happen,1)a loud noise and 2) your gun pushes your hand and arm back. Well,if you're practicing,you'll usually have some ear protection,so the noise shouldn't be a problem. Have someone push your arm & hand back as fast as you can and their is your so-called recoil. We all know its all in our heads. I never think of recoil and love to shoot the biggest. Don't ask me why !............Any way,these are my thoughts on the recoil issue.

Anyone care to comment ?

Brady

[io333]

I've been thinking long and hard about picking up a .44 or a .45 revolver one of these days, but I am having a very difficult time deciding. One thing that is pushing me in the direction of the .45 is that from what I can figure, for the same energy downrange loads, the .45 will be somewhat quieter since it operates at lower pressures. I don't know for sure whether this is true or not, but should I ever touch off a round without hearing protection, I want to lose as little hearing as possible.

[Jim March]

Nightcrawler,

Maybe what you should ask yourself is "do I want to start reloading?"

And if the answer is "yes", then as long as you've already got good 45LC guns I think the answer is to stick with that.

More case volume means less pressure for the same results. Easier on you, easier on the gun. Late-model S&W N-frame 45LCs can shoot 250grainers @ 1,000fps no problem...Bufallo Bore is rumored to be working on such a critter as it would also maximize what the modern SAA and clones (USFA, Ubertis, etc) can do. The extra case capacity gives you a bit of safety when newbie reloading harder to pressure spike, although NOT impossible!)

Another reason I'd stay with the old LC: go check the specs on the Speer 250grain Gold Dot JHP at around 875fps from a 4" tube. It's a "giant cavity" hollowpoint and just maybe the most kick-butt personal defense load for handguns ever, period, and still be controllable. The 44Mag "lite" equivelents involve 200grain JHPs at 1,000 - 1,100 which...I don't think is as good.

Between that 250 Gold Dot (sold as a loading component), various hardcasts and the Hornady XTPs from 225 to 300gr. for hunting JHPs PLUS all the projectiles from the 45ACP world, your projectile selection is superb when handloading.

If you're NOT handloading, the 45LC is going to be a pain.

[BluesBear]

do you really like the .44 special.
Personally I love the .44 Special.

I carry .44 special loads in my 3" Model 29. They feel like .38 specials.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=831448

For thise times when it's difficult to conceal the N-frame I cary a 2" five shot Taurus. It's a perfect fit in a K-frame holster. EVen though I prefer wood grips the rubber one's supplied by Taurus work really well. I have no recoill problems with any factory load.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=831479

[LAH]

I'm with Jim on this one. I love the 44 but if I had a 45 and had the choice between another sixgun and to start reloading, I'd go with stuffing brass.

[seville]

Again I realize this is a very old post but Brady did you ever get the Abilene. I am in Tucson and would be interested in knowing the current condition?

Thanks,

[wcwhitey]

I have a SBH that was a 7 1/2", shot really high like most with .44 Specials and slow magnums. I was going to send it in to the gunsmith for a new front sight that would accomodate most of my handloads and I got thinking about what else I could do to improve the revolver. I like everything about it except the balance of the 7 1/2" barrel. I had the barrel taken down to an even 5". I have to tell you that it is sweet as hell to shoot. Even the big boomers are not as much of a problem as I thought. Both the .44 and .45 are super accurate with the right loads, almost easy to shoot well. Just wanted to add my 2 cents, Bill. And I apologize for my lack of photographic skills.

[Father Knows Best]

I love 44's for their versatility -- from powerhouse 44 mag hunting loads to incredibly accurate and soft shooting target loads in 44 Special or 44 Russian cases. I have a S&W Model 29 44 mag, a Ruger Blackhawk 50th Anniversary 44 mag, a Colt SAA (nickel plated, 5-1/2") in .44 Special, and three Uberti replicas of the 1875 Remington that I rechambered (new cylinders) from 44-40 to 44 Special. The Ubertis are used in cowboy action competition with 20 grains of black powder and a 200 gr bullet in a 44 Russian case.

Here are two of the Ubertis and the Colt:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/mosmoke/Pictures20061210guns003.jpg

[Cannonball888]

http://www.movieactors.com/photos-2003/eastwood-dirtyharry.jpeg

"I know what you're thinking. "Did he post six times or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this forum-posting excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is THR, the most powerful pro-gun forum in the world, and blows all other forums clean away, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

[sonofodin]

Haha classic...genius to boot...

[YosemiteSam357]

I've had a Taurus 44SS4 4" ported .44 mag for a couple of years now. Shoots real nice, gives a good kick with the heavy stuff, and an incredible fire ball with 180gr UMC. I have a set off Pachmayrs on it.

I just recently picked up a Ruger SBH Bisley Hunter, just because I've always found it drop dead gorgeous. I got mine used, and it came with the Belt Mountain pin and pawl. Shoots like a dream, and is amazingly accurate.

I also tried .44 special recently out of the SBH, and found it about like shooting .38 special out of a .357; no surprise there. Not terribly exciting, but a nice pleasant round to shoot. It's very expensive to buy, though, so unless I start loading for .44 I don't see too much "special" in my future. And I don't see that happening soon, since I just started loading for .45 Colt.

--- Sam

[absolute0]

It's funny, when this thread was started 3 years ago I didn't own a .44 and thought I probably never would. I now own one each of what I consider the "Big 3" 44 Magnum double action hand guns - Smith & Wesson model 29, Ruger Redhawk & Colt Anaconda. Not to mention a couple Marlin 1894 lever guns thrown in for good measure.

As several of the previous posters have pointed out, it's tough to beat the .44 Magnum for sheer versatility & just plain fun.

The cool factor is off the charts too as far as I'm concerned :cool:

[KINGMAX]

I have RUGER Super RedHawk in 44 magnum. It is topped w/ a Bosh & Lomb 4 x 12 pistol scope. It shoots like a brick. Very heavy.

[CSA 357]

I have 3 44 magnums all 4 inch, 629 no dash,29-2 nickel, and a 1957 pre 29, i also have a 4 inch 624 44 special, ok go ahead and ask me what brand and barrel length i like! the 44 magnum is one of my favorites you can load it down, i shoot alot of mild cast bullets , or get some 2400 and some jhps and do what the 44 magnum was made to do! one day i may get a 454 or 500 sw but as of now the 44 magnum does all i need it to do, csa

[Arcticfox]

I don't think .44 ammo is particularly cheap.

That said, I have a 629, 4 in, and a Taurus Tracker snubby. Both are good, but Smith is better.

How about a 625? Large caliber, and still cheap.

[seville]

Old post. Buy that Abilene. One of the best single actions around.

John Himmelmann