[s&w 24]

for all those people that carry 44 mag or special, what do you like to use as a CCW / home defence load?

[Hutch]

I tried .44Spl Silvertips and .44Spl CCI Blazer Gold Dots in my 3" Trail Boss. I had no chronograph, but the CCI's seemed a little snappier than the Silvertips, even tho' the factory specs are about even. For that reason, I carry with the GDHP's, when I carry it. It's gotten too hot for that lately, but in the fall, I'll pro'ly carry it a bit then. I understand that the Cor-Bon .44Spl 165gr HP is good for this, as is the Pro-Load "Tactical Lite" .44Mag 200gr GDHP. Since I can't find any for sale locally, and the CCI's are relatively cheap (<$13/50), I'll stick with those for now.

[Edward429451]

I don't carry the maggie, but for the CA Bulldog it's stuffed with 12.0 gr's of 2400 behind a 180 gr full WC, lead of course. Too cheap to buy factory for a gun I rarely shoot. Oh, the speedloaders full of 245 gr keith bullets.

[Preacherman]

For both .44 Magnum (S&W Model 29-2 4", Ruger Redhawk 5½") and .44 Special (S&W 696 3", Taurus 431 2¾"), when I carry them, I use the Cor-Bon .44 Special 165gr. JHP for defence against human predators. This ammo is rated at 1,150 fps from a 4" barrel, and I've found them a wee bit faster than that out of my Model 29. Out of the longer-barrel Redhawk, they're above 1,200 fps. Out of the shorter .44 Special guns, they still get just over 1,100 fps. Nice, wide hollowpoint cavity, decent velocity, and manageable recoil - what's not to like?

[bpisler]

When i'am ready i'll be using georgia arms 200gr gold dot 44 spl's,they average 875fps from a 3" taurus 431 that GA used to develope this load,I think it'll do just fine in my 3" 24-3.

[Dave T]

If I was going to carry a 44 Mag I would load it with the ProLoad 200g Gold Dot Tactical Light at about 1000 fps from a 4".

In 44 Special the Blazer 200g Gold Dot actully did better than ProLoad's offering with the same bullet (830 fps for the ProLoad vs 878 fps for the Blazer) out of a 3" 696.

Hutch, the reason the Silvertips felt milder is that they are, considerably. Out of the above mentioned 696 I got 730 fps with the 200g Silvertip vs 878 fps with the Blazer.

[Dr.Rob]

I had to keep a 44 Vaquero around for HD for a time, but rather than load it hot (those federal 240gr Hydra shocks made me wince) I stoked it up with some cowboy lead, a 240 gr flat point at 950 fps. Thats about the same as a 45+p withthat heavy of a bullet. Nothing to sneeze at there.

When I carry it as a belt gun its stocked up with Winchester 240gr soft points (thats my hunting load)

[Peter Gun]

At home I keep the super redhawk loaded w/ winchester supreme 250gr partition gold. I've found it expands super reliably and will punch thru barriers nicely. Over penetration is not an issue where I live. On the trail I carry Garret hammerheads (+P) unless I'm not around bear country, then I carry the winchesters.

[Glamdring]

My 4" 629 is my favorite gun. It lives on nightstand loaded with the Speer 200 GDHP 44 specials. There are two speedloaders filled with same and a 3rd speedloader loaded with Federal's 300 grain Castcore.

Eventually, I plan to use handloaded GDHP's in 44 special brass at around 1000fps for home and hardcast 255 WFN bullets around 1200 fps for hiking/trail.

I have tried 44 mag 210 grain silvertips, but they seem more like hunting load to me than self defense. Still plan to try Federal's 44 mag 180 grain JHP.

[glockten]

In my 3" Rossi 720 .44 Special, I carry PMC 180gr JHPs.

In my 4" 629, I keep Winchester .44 Spl 200gr Silvertips. This is my primary HD handgun. When I carry it I use the same load, but I also carry a speedloader with .44 Mag 210gr Silvertips.

Well how about that; I finally made "Senior Member".:)

[Mikul]

180gr LWC
950fps
That's 14gr of 2400

[Hutch]

Dave T., I'm not surprised at the differences in the results you got with the CCI vs WST, but the web sites for each show them with virtually identical performance. Glad I picked up the CCI's. Thanks for the chrono results.

[Edward429451]

[QUOTE]180gr LWC 950fps
That's 14gr of 2400...

What barrel length? I'm using 12 gr's so I wont beat up my Bulldog and have wondered what the 180's are likely doing out of a 2.5" bb.
Still haven't replaced my Chrony.

[Sarge]

I carried a 4" nickel model 29 for about 3 years as a duty gun, and deer hunted with it, with good results as well.

Favorite mag load- 210 Silvertip (1250 fps)
Close 2nd- Fiocchi 200 JHP (1400 fps)

In water-filled 100 ml laundry jugs, both these loads would stop in the 2nd jug w/considerable expansion. For comparison, the WW 230 Ranger SXT from my .45 Sig penetrates a tad more in the same containers. Both the above loads split the first jug wide open and launched the cap 15' or so in the air, which the .45 SXT or Hydra-Shok won't do.

Medium load- Hornady 240 swaged lead factory load, at about 1000 fps. Not much expansion in aforementioned jugs, but it sure hit hard for the little recoil it generated.

For court duty & other indoor assignments, I favored the .44 Special 200 GDHP at about 850 fps. Not much expansion or penetration, but energy about equal to a good .40/180 HP. I'd have carried the Cor-Bon load with the same bullet if it were available at the time, and I begged Speer to bring out a full-snort mag load with that bullet scooting along at about 1300 fps. They begged off on the grounds that the bullet loaded up too short in mag cases for reliable feeding in lever actions.

Never cared for the .44 Special Silvertip or Federal 200 SWCHP, just seemed too weak to bother with in a big old revolver like that.

No 2-legged varmints got bit by the old 29, but several 4-legged varmints of various descriptions did. The mag Silvertip and Fiocchi 200 were canned death, and mighty quick in getting the business done. The 200 GDHP Special was just OK. I developed a reload that duplicated the 210 ST and never had any trouble qualifying with that gun on any course of fire, but I shot it D/A all the time. I posted several possibles with it and pretty well dominated the 50-yard bonus stage, which was a 12" steel disc hanging on chains. I had a jailer though who was a hell of a good shot with his Beretta 92, and he could sure make that gong sing with it.

The deer that fell to this old gun were killed with full-charge 240 SWC's or JHP's, and it was a fine and reliable killer. I never felt compelled to carry a 'patrol rifle' when that old 29 was on the River Belt.

This was the early 90's; times were simpler then. If I were doing it again I'd find an old Mountain Gun with the hammer-mounted pin and no idiot latch built into the side of it, shoot the dickens out of it, and call it good.

Take care-

[only1asterisk]

If I used a 44 Mag, it would be loaded with ProLoads Tactical Light 200 GD at 1050 fps. Perfect as far as I'm concerned.


David

[capnrik]

I often carry a Colt's SAA New Frontier .44 Special, 5 1/2 bbl. I favor a 240 grain Speer HP loaded over 7.5 grains of Unique. Never chronographed it, but would guess about 1000 fps based on page 380 of Speer Manual #8.

[mec]

There are a bunch of .44 special loads that perform very well from magnums and specials. My personal choices are the corbon .44 magnum 165 at 1312 from my revolvers and the corbon special with the same bullet that clocks 1205 from mine.

I would guess ( it is a guess having not shot enough people to really KNOW), that any of the .44 specials including the 246 grain RN would probably be ok.

this tells about velocities and performance in grocery store meat
http://www.milesfortis.com/mcump/mc15.htm

and here's a picture:
http://www.milesfortis.com/mcump/images/mcump/15/44specgdot.jpg

[Gewehr98]

I've been trying to decide on a good carry load for my "new" 696, now that I have the info I can see what local gunshops carry. Or maybe mail-order... ;)


Any good factory Keith loads out there for the .44 Special?

[Stainz]

I still keep the excellent (and reasonable cost at $12.99/50 at a local discount chain) CCI Blazer 200gr GDJHP's in .44 S&W Special as my CCW/HD round. In my CCW, a 2.5" 296, they hit ~800 fps, increasing to 840 fps in the 3" 696 and 870 fps in the 4" 629 Mountain Gun. According to MC and Speer, they open up quite well at the lower velocities.

I am also evaluating the Nosler 200 gr JHP in .44 S&W Special, but initial loads have not been exciting. The 200 gr maximum - and clad - requirement of the 296 is somewhat limiting. The Blazer round is ideal, however.

Stainz

[only1asterisk]

Load data fo both Magnum and Special with the 200 grain GD is avalable here: http://www.speer-bullets.com/pdf/ReloadingSupplementalDATA/44_200GD.pdf

David

[zeke]

Am currently using Blazer 200 gn Gold Dots, which are averaging 890 fps from 696. This 696 has a polished bore. Unscientic testing into damp sandy loam has been showing very consistent expansion ranging from .60 to .80 in. The Blazer loading is extremely accurate in all 44 specials tried in.

[mec]

it looks like your special chambered gun is making a bit more efficient use of the gdot than my mod 29 magnums. this is good news since they expand plenty good at my slightly reduced velocities.

[Trisha]

The Super Redhawk now carries 240gr XTP's on top of 22 grains of VihtaVuori N110 with firm crimp (with three speedloaders).

The Desert Eagle carries 250gr FMJ-TC copper solids on top of 12 grains of N340 (with three spare mags).

Why? We have bear and mountain lion sign regularly on our ridge - and likely those loads would perform quite well on pick-up trucks too, should such a need arise. . .

Trisha

[Poohgyrr]

We have a local store that stocks the Federal .44 Spec LSWCHP, & I've been putting those in my 4" M24. There is something about this old time round and big lead hollowpoints. :what:

The magazine of our 16" receiver sighted hunting levergun is loaded with Blazer magnums, with some 300 gr JSP's (on top of a good charge of 296) in a butt cuff. A great round.

[WESHOOT2]

In my 44 Redhawk I just use my (240g LSWC) IPSC load (237 PF).
In fact, I use my IPSC load in whatever caliber Redhawk I wear.

[Nightcrawler]

Buffalo Bore (http://www.buffalobore.com) has a couple really interesting looking "Heavy .44 Special" loads that might be just the ticket, though they're VERY expensive at more than a dollar per round.

[Johnny Guest]

Any good factory Keith loads out there for the .44 Special? PMC markets a 240 gr. LSWC solid rated at about 800 fps. Twenty-round boxes. Not cheap, but affordable.

I got a wild hair some time back to carry my old Colt New Service .44 Spl on duty. We are required to carry factory loads, so I bought a couple of boxes. These shoot to about same point of aim as a similar commercial cast bullet over 7.0 gr. of Unique.

Best,
Johnny

[Nightcrawler]

Any good factory Keith loads out there for the .44 Special?

Again, if you don't mind expensive factory ammunition. Check THIS (http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#44spl) out. 255 grain Keith-type gas-check semi-wadcutter bullet at 1000 feet per second.

[Bob C]

For carry in the .44 magnum, I prefer the 210 Sivertips. If circumstances suggest a lighter load, I go with a lighter handgun.

The 180 factory loads I tried all had more report and more recoil than the Silvertips.

[zeke]

mec-this particular 696 equals, or in some cases slightly exceeds, the velocitys from 4 in 624. Have never chroned Speer's brass cased gold Dot load, am wondering if the Blazer (alumnum case) isn't loaded a little hotter. The 696 also has considerably tighter chamber throats than the 624 or 24 owned.