Which do you have? 357 Mag, 44 Mag, or both.

Which do you have? 357 Mag, 44 Mag, or both.

  • 357 Magnum

    Votes: 69 31.4%
  • 44 Magnum

    Votes: 13 5.9%
  • Both

    Votes: 124 56.4%
  • Neither

    Votes: 8 3.6%
  • Some other flavor

    Votes: 6 2.7%

  • Total voters
    220
Status
Not open for further replies.

GunnyUSMC

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
9,142
Location
Denham Springs LA
I have always liked the 357 Magnum. I bought my first one in 1984, a Ruger New Model Blackhawk SS.
It is also the first handgun I loaded for, everything from 110gr JHP to 200gr LWC w/gas checks.
I’ve shot my share of 44 Magnums, but never grew fond of them.
So what do you have in your gun stable today when it comes to 357 & 44 Magnums.
Right now I have:
Ruger NM Blackhawk
Ruger Security Six
Marlin 1894CS
 
I have both and reload both calibers and their spl cousins: 357's

Coonan Classic
Coonan Compact
Dan Wesson 715
Magnum Research 357L5IMB
Rhino 40DS
S&W 28-2
S&W TRR8
Kimber K6S

44 mags:

EAA Thor
Freedom Arms FA83
Magnum Research DE44W
Ruger Super Redhawk
S&W 329NG
S&W 629 Hunter
S&W 29-2
S&W 29-10 Engraved
 
Both and multiples of each.
Just off the top of my head, I have a half dozen .357Mag revolvers, both single actions and double actions.
Also own at least four .44Mag revolvers, split evenly between SA and DA.
All get shot regularly, along with about a half dozen other handgun calibers, give or take 2 or 3.
 
No .44s yet, but I have five .357s - a 4.2-inch GP100, an LCR, a 6-inch 686-4, and 4-inch and 6-inch 28-2s.
 
Neither.

I have had a .357, a retired Westerville (OH) Police 686, that was traded off; all I have left is my mom's old .38SPC Model 60.

I have never had a .44Mag, and don't ever intend to. I do have a Ruger .44SPC... the first and last .44 I expect to own.

...you see, I'm a .41 man...
 
I have had both. I have had several of both, and should have kept most of them. The Ruger SBH 44 was unpleasant to shoot because I didn’t know how to hold it, and it was hard on my wrist which I have broken several times. The S&W 44s were simply worth too much for me to keep but were excellent guns. The 357 though has been a close companion since I was 16 and bought my first from a pawn shop to carry as a sidearm while deer hunting. That fall it claimed a small buck. I “upgraded” to a GP100 which shot like a turd, it was replaced by one that shot like a turd, visible chattering in the barrels. Then I traded into a nice Taurus 44 which turned into half of a Delta Elite which turned into a new 686-6 which turned into a like new 10 hp boat motor. Meanwhile I had a 44 Contender that I didn’t like due to high bore axis and significant recoil impulse. I bought a 357 barrel for it and sold the 44 barrel. I also bought a 357 buntline.

In all my shooting, hunting, reloading, etc I have come to the conclusion that the 357 will do anything the 44 does with a lower price tag with the caveat that a 44 will do better on large or dangerous game. Anything short of elk or bear a 357 or 44 are pretty equal because the extra power of the 44 is wasted by being overkill. Only on large game can the extra power be used. So 357 is cheaper to buy, lighter on the hip, easier on the wallet, easier on the reloading budget, and easier on the wrists.
 
Neither.

I have had a .357, a retired Westerville (OH) Police 686, that was traded off; all I have left is my mom's old .38SPC Model 60.

I have never had a .44Mag, and don't ever intend to. I do have a Ruger .44SPC... the first and last .44 I expect to own.

...you see, I'm a .41 man...
So you're one of those 41 snobs huh Charlie;)
I have one too and 357's and 44's.
 
In .357, I have eleven K frame, four L frame and 3 N frame varients of different models and finishes, one J frame scandium, and three Ruger Blackhawks. All get rotated thru range visits, and a Mdl 13 slicked up by Tim Bacus is in my EDC rotation

In .44 Mag, I have a Bowen customized Redhawk and Smith Model 29.

The .44 Mags don't get much use since I left Alaska, and even then, bear medicine was more often a slug loaded 12 ga 870 or Marlin 45/70, rather then a handgun.
 
Last edited:
Ruger Redhawk .44. Not much use for it anymore since I stopped hiking the back country. Also, heavy gun. Either my finger has shrunk or... but I have trouble with the DA trigger contact. So, I mostly shoot SA.

Thinking about a Blackhawk .357 4.625 inch. Had one way back in 1971. Seems that might be handier for my needs now.
 
Own and reload both.

357 Mag in pistols only:
Ruger Blackhawk convertible 6.5-inch
S&W 627PC.

That said I rarely use 357 Mag ammunition for anything. The Blackhawk rarely gets used. The 627 is my USPSA revolver and lives on a steady diet of hot 38 Short Colt. No real interest in a 357 mag rifle/carbine

44 Mag in carbine only:

Rossi M92

In this case a 629 or model 69 is on my short list of new revolvers I want. I see the 44 Mag as a more capable and useful pistol/carbine cartridge.
 
Currently I don't have any .44 Magnums in my collection. Last one was a Ruger Super Blackhawk 3 screw model with the original box and paper work. Sold it for a nice profit and haven't replaced it with another. Closest revolver I have to it is one of the newer Ruger Flattops in .44 Special.

First .357 Magnum I had was a Colt Trooper Mk.III. Had a couple of Colt Trooper Mk.Vs and a number of Ruger Security Sixes; all great guns. Still have two .357 Magnums: a S&W Model 686-no dash and a Ruger Blackhawk 3 screw model.

4qJNUJO.jpg

1ebfioR.jpg

vwUx8gt.jpg
 
Got both. Prefer to shoot .44Mag.

But that Kimber K6 would be a lot more fun if I could find a larger grip...
 
.357 for me. It's just a range toy for those particularly menacing water jugs, and plenty powerful for that. My wrists and wallet like it much better too.
 
Just my old S&W 65-4, mostly shoot.38 spl and a few .357 Mag now and then.
 
My first handgun, bought the day after I turned 21, was (is) a Taurus M66. That was in 1987. I quickly learned how expensive and impractical it could be to try to learn handgunning with the .357 Magnum, even when using .38 Special. The gun has done me well, though and even did sidearm duty for a bit when I was on the job. I still own it.

In 2010, my dad, with whom I had no real relationship until the last ten years of his life, passed on, leaving behind the last two guns he still owned. His Ruger Police Service Six had also been carried as a duty sidearm when he did a stint as a Colorado deputy (during the same general time period in which I was copping here in Florida.) That gun, along with his Charter Arms Undercover, reside with me now.
 
I have both but I bought my first 357 Magnum in about 1980 and have added several since, including a T/C Contender and a lever action rifle. I bought my first 44 Magnum when S&W brought out the Model 69 a few years ago.

For many years, I felt my S&W 25-5 (45 Colt) was the only large frame revolver I needed.

More recently, I've gotten interested in 44 Special guns so a couple 44 Magnums found their way home with me along the way.

I will admit, my 44 Magnums have yet to see a full power 44 Magnum load but also have never seen a 44 Special case. Thank goodness for reloading.
 
Last edited:
I own a 2 1/2" and a 4" S&W 66 ND, the 2 1/2" is my EDC and the 4" used to have that job until I could find the 2 1/2".
I also own a 8 3/8" 629-1 that is the most accurate pistol I have ever shot.
The .357 mags have seen about 60% .38 specials and 40 % magnums, the .44 mags have never seen a .44 special.
 
Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 magnum, 7.5 inch old 3 screw, have no need for anything else but still have wants!
Handload for both .357 & .44 but the wife's .357 does not get much use.
BTW, .44 Rem. Mag. was my first handloading, can not stop me now!
 
I only have a .357 for now. It's a 6.5" NM Blackhawk. I love it.

I'm in the market for a .44, but haven't decided whether to get a .44 mag or a Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Special.
 
At this time I only have one 44 mag. A super blackhawk 5.5" barrel I bought mainly for deer hunting. I have never used it for that but that was the idea. On the other hand I have 6 357 revolvers. They see far more use and get used for plinking and target shooting. I could sell the 44 mag and not miss it. But I would hate to part with a single one of the 357s. And like most I shoot more 38 specials than full bore 357 loads. I have one light 357 that shoots a lead 158gr bullet at around 1100fps. Thats my favorite load of all to shoot. It takes 6.6grs of Unique and a standard primer with one of my home cast bullets, a Lee 158 tumble lube. I have had the bullets, powder and primers so long I don't remember what they cost. So to me its like shooting for free. I like free.
 
Only one .44 magnum, a 5.5" NM Super Blackhawk used mostly when recreating in bear country.

In .357 magnum:

Colt SAA 5.5", my first handgun.
Colt King Cobra 4"
Herter's Single Six 6.5"
Bond Arms Snake Slayer IV 4.25" (one of three barrels)

I've always had a soft spot for .357 revolvers, but I wouldn't mind adding a Coonan to my "accumulation".
I would also like to add a .357 rifle to the mix, probably a lever gun of some sort.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top