Which would you prefer, .44spl or .45LC?

yet I'm starting to become very interested in the full-size S&W 21/Thunder Ranch .44spl or a Mountain Gun in .45LC.

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Mountain Gun is a good option in .45 Colt, especially because you handload. Definitely check out the last section of this Linebaugh article, "Notes on the Smith & Wesson". Long story short, the Smith can be wound up beyond SAAMI, but Linebaugh recommends keeping the pressures at 25,000 or less.

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/heavyweight_bullets.htm

Hi,

Since you don't reload, and since you like the more concealble aspect of things in considering this new wheelgun, I'd either go .44spl (in either a shorter barrelled N frame or as an L framed 696).

Then again, a short barrelled .41 mag (such as a 3" Lew Horton S&W) could be fun if you can find one.

Frankly though, I'm still scratching my head. Man, you really need to get into handloading and start saving MOST of the money you are now spending on ammo! In so doing you can have so much flexibility in various bullet shapes, bullet speed, etc.

And . . . for your SD needs, I still favor the .45ACP wheelguns . . . and if you want to use a revolver cartridge in them you can use the 45Auto Rim invented for these revolvers. I have about 300 rounds of Auto Rim . . . though I see absolutely no advantage in it over .45ACP as a defensive round (they are equal but without the advantage of being moonclipped).

Also, as a backwoods gun, you can load the powerful 45 Super ammo directly into your S&W 625 .45ACP wheelguns.

T.

PS: A word of caution on the older S&W .45 Colt wheelguns . . . these can sometimes be finicky about specific bullet diameters due to variances in the barrel diameters of some of these wheelguns. They shoot great though with the proper bullet diameter in .45LC though. You'll have to slug the barrel to see what might work best.

Good luck! Heck . . . buy one of each caliber . . . you know you'd LIKE to anyway!!!

T.

A 642 will fit in your pocket - and, to me, is a better CCW. I did like - and use - my 296 .44 Special for that - until I got the 642. My 696 is a fun plinker - but it's dimunitive forcing cone's lip limits it to sub-Keith levels - more so than the 296. Besides, you could get a brand new 4" 629 for less than what some folks are paying for 696s. Mine was $439, my 296 was $349 - both brand new - five years ago.

As to the 4" 629 - below you'll see mine and my 696. The 629 sports the Hoque .500 Magnum grips. It weighs in at a whopping six ounces more - but you get another inch of barrel, another hole in the cylinder, and it will take 'Keith loads' - and more! Mine see's .44 Russians, Specials, and my wimpy Magnums - I reload. It was made 4/06 - quite new - and it has a fine trigger. I also have a 6" version - looks similar except for the additional 2" barrel. They are my '.44 Russian/Special' shooters - which, when cleaned, can get 'real' Magnums. They wouldn't be here without my basement ammo factory. The Georgia Arms 200gr GDJHP .44 Specials chrono-ed similar to the same bullet Blazer round - at the same price, but in new Starline brass.

Nearly forgot... my first S&W was a 625MG in .45 Colt to go with my SA Rugers - and my other, actually first DA revolver, a .454/.45 SRH. Over five years ago, at a friend's suggestion, I counted my bagged .45 Colt cases - 2,700+ - I did the math - I ordered a Dillon 550 - and went crazy! Instead of 'reloading to shoot', I now 'shoot to reload'. I soon added more calibers...

The .45 Colt is a favorite here - and highly suggested - if you reload. My Puma M1892 24" SS octagon barrel/Marbles tang sight has launched thousands of rounds in five years, with no feed problems. Okay, my homebrew .45 Schofields, with their larger rim, wouldn't pass through the .45 Colt gate, so more than 12 rounds in the tube didn't work. The higher speed 200gr Gold Dots from Georgia Arms, while they made 1,123 fps from the MG, got to 1424 fps from the Puma. I prefer the newer low speed 250gr GDJHP, loaded by Speer, they made 860 fps from my MG - and, along with some similar ballistics 255gr LSWCs, are my wood's walking gun protection rounds.

Here is the MG, Puma, and a great Fred Vollmer knife:



Stainz

I'm no expert but it seems to me that the best choice is a .44 Mag. Ammo is more readily available and probably costs less (I am not sure what 45LC costs). Persons here suggest that Ballistics are about the same (again I am not sure about the LC)

The .44 is available in S&W 629/29 & Ruger. All good platforms.

If ammo is more available and probably cheaper while ballistics are about equal, why would you even consider a LC.

PigPen

A very practical question Pigpen, and one I would be interested to hear the experts answer.

Why would someone shoot a .44? Because it is big.

Given that line of thought, and all other considerations (cost, availability etc) aside, lets compare the major differences

.41 over .357 = .410
-.358
= .52

.44 over .41 = .429
- .410
= .19

.45 over .44 = .452
- .429
= .23

This tells me that the two biggest gains are between the .358 to .41 and .44 to .45. with a 15% increase for .41 over .358 and a 5 % increase in .45 Colt over .44. Note a 4.6 % increase from .41 to .44.

The main argument people make with the .44 over .41 is that the .44 will do anything the .41 will do but make a bigger hole while doing it.

I submit that the same argument holds true for the .45 over the .44 spl, to almost the exact same percentage! The .45 Colt will do anything the .44 spl will do, but make a 5 % bigger hole.

That being said, I have both .45 Colt and .44 Mag Mnt Guns and enjoy them both. However, if I had to choose between the .45 Colt and .44 Spl, I would choose the .45 Colt hands down! It is what I do now...when I want to carry a large bore in non-magnum, I always choose the .45 Colt for the above noted reasons.

.44 Special, because I've already got .44 Magnum/Special dies and a bunch of bullets and Special cases.

Six of one and a half dozen of the other. I have several 45lc and 44mags, looking for a m29 in 41mag.

Good luck finding a model 29 in .41mag, might have better luck with the model 57.

Since you have an expressed preference for the .41 Mag. and you're looking for a HD and sometimes carry gun, I'd suggest looking for a used Smith Model 58 in good shape. They can be had for $450.00 or so and up, depending on condition, of course.

Then again, if "N" size frames don't put you off and your primary interest is a revolver for self-defense (and price is of little concern ), the Model 327 TRR8 (a PC gun) would make for a formidable weapon with its payload of eight (8) rounds of .357 Magnum.

And the prize

for "Best Description Of A Bullet... Ever!!!" goes to Jim March, who offered this jewel beyond price:

...with a cavity you could serve whiskey in.

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--Shannon

.45LC is expensive and there is no .45 magnum or special or anything, so you're stuck buying .45LC.

With the .44 you at least have a few options.

That said, I don't shoot either of them.

45LC is expensive and there is no .45 magnum or special or anything, so you're stuck buying .45LC

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Not true. There's the .45 S&W (a.k.a .45 Schofield) that can be fired in a .45 Colt. And if your gun can handle it, there's .45LC +P ammo available that is slightly more powerful than .44 Magnum.

The .44spl is still probably a better choice for some things; I don't know of any medium-frame .45LC five-shooters.

That's a tough choice. Handloaded to moderate velocities there is very little difference between a .429" 240 L at 850 fps and a .452" 250 L at 850 fps.

I have had a M624 44 Spl since they were new in 1986. I also have a M625-9 45LC. In an N frame revolver there is very little difference. Both are tack drivers, the older pistol has the better trigger pull, it really gets down to a choice of preferences.

I will say, the older I get, I seem to be preferring the 45 LC.

But it may not be due to logic.

45 LC on Top, 44 Spl on bottom​

Sweeeet!!!!

I love them both. The only consideration that gives one or the other the edge is off the shelf ammo. In this case the edge goes to the .44 Magnum/.44 Special. If one was to handload they are both great rounds that reward with power and accuracy. Bill

You can't go wrong with either, the 45 colt has a bit of an edge due to a large diameter, but I think commercial self defense ammo, you'll find a better selection for the .44 special. I like both as well as the .41 but my favorite guns to shoot are my set of twin 696 no dash's and I never feel outgunned.

I like both. The .45 does have a big advantage in the bullet diameter department but over all for cost and ease of loading the .44 does top it. Another great thing is with the .44s you dont have to worry so much about mixing up loads between .44 guns like you can with the .45s as .44 mag is .44 mag. With a .45 No-3 in the safe I am avoiding buying any hot hunting type .45s, I hate to think what a 35K PSI load would do to that No-3.
What I would love to see is a 25 Mtn Gun in .45 ACP or even better almost a 57 Mtn Gun in .41.