Torn between 44sp or 41mag for concealed carry...

Select your post and post why.

  • 41 mag Snubby

    Votes: 16 17.8%

  • 44 sp Snubby

    Votes: 53 58.9%

  • Spring for 44 mag Snubby

    Votes: 15 16.7%

  • Other, post why.

    Votes: 6 6.7%
  • Total voters
    90
  • Poll closed .
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C

Cluster Bomb

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Jul 3, 2011
Messages
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Location
Maine
After visiting a gun shop i just heard from a buddy of mine, and i came across a 41mag in snub nose, ss, ported, by taurus for $350. I was going to get a Charter arms bulldog 44sp pug for $300 in either ss hammered or black hammerless from either GB seller or a local dealer.....

I belive the 44sp would be better for self def as it is slower bullet, however the charter arms feels...cheap...and i cant bring my self to pay for a 44sp when i can get a 44mag for a "lil" more? I have never shot a 41mag, i have only heard some talk. and consensus is that you should reload....but i dont.....ammo seems to be at about the same as a 44mag.

there was a S&W 44mag ss snubby for $725 but it is out of my budget.

My carry scenarios will typically be some in city time, mostly in car, or doing repairs at customers houses. Also will be working in the woods, hunting and i live in the woods so killing bear, coyotes and mtn lions etc as defensive needs may occor.

please no posts about 38sp or 357mag.

I have done some google searches, and most of it is opinion based on nothing to do with balistics, self defense (many are refering to hunting)

so i get a 41mag or 44sp....hurmmm?
 
44 special over 41 mag. Taurus has a small-medium .40 revolver. I had a CA .44 Pug and you're right, they're cheap feeling. I sold mine a month and 300 rds. or so after buying it. 41 mag has VERY few bullets or loaded ammo suitable for SD against humans. They'd make a fine hiking gun. S&W discontinued their 44 special nightguard but IMO, it's the best carry gun in the caliber ever made. It's an L frame, the 10mm, 41 and 44 mag NG's are N frames.
 
I would caution you with Charter Arms Bulldog. I bought a used one very recently and after shooting it I concluded that I didn't feel comfortable trusting my life with that revolver. It felt very cheap. I had the same thoughts regarding 44 Special. I still think that the 44 Special round is a fine one, but the handgun choices are very limited. I'm currently leaning towards 45 ACP for primary carry and 380 for secondary.
 
44 Special ammo is not terribly common.
41 Mag seems to be even less common.

Honestly, in a small gun I think 44 has to be more controllable - important in SD.

I'm happy with my 70's era Bulldog. Can't say anything about the one you looked at. Charter quality evidently has had ups and downs over the years.
 
Voted before I saw the "other" option. I would go with a .45 ACP myself, for ammo cost and availability, but a .44 Special would be second on the list.
Big bullets and big holes are a good thing in a defensive firearm in my opinion.
 
I wouldn't personally go for a .41 mag for CC unless I loaded it down. I would think that overpenetration would be an issue with the big magnums, which could come into play. Just my opinion.
 
I would think that overpenetration would be an issue with the big magnums, which could come into play. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Whats over-penetration to you?
I feel that unless we are talking about 24+" of gel penetration, its a non issue.
Either way, the solution is simple, use expanding bullets.
 
ClusterBuster

Didn
t you just have a post about getting a Charter Bulldog in 44 , and your wife wont let you have it loaded on a live round?
44 Special all the way, you can figure out the reasons I am sure. I will stick to my two 44's and leave it at that.
 
I wouldn't personally go for a .41 mag for CC unless I loaded it down
Click to expand...

Corbon sells a 180gr.

Didn
t you just have a post about getting a Charter Bulldog in 44
Click to expand...

yes, however, the charter arms felt cheap, and didnt really like it....as it cant handle heavy loads, felt just cheaply made, and something i didnt feel comfortable with carrying.

just trying to get insight on my options that i have and weighing them out.

I am trying to save the cash for a gun show on the 5th....but this new gun shop may empty my bank accounts...lol he litterly has over 10k guns, and is a world famous gun smith...that was called to help with the JFK shooting, can you guess his name?! lol maybe i can get him to sign my dads old lever action......lol
 
For hunting or animal SD, both .44 Special and .41 Mag offer great commercial loads or handloads.

For SD against human attackers, there are better .44 Special loads available IHMO than .41 Mag loads. All the commercial .41 Mag loads except the Silvertip seem geared toward hunting; and even the Silvertip probably has more velocity, blast, flash and recoil than it needs to for SD.
Corbon sells a 180gr.
Click to expand...
Corbon sells a 170 gr JHP at 1275fps, and a 180gr DPX at 1300. Slow either down to 1100, and now we're talking.
 
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between the calibers in a small 5 shooter id take the .44spl.

between the two guns id take the taurus.

BB makes a descent ".41 special" round if the magnum is too much for you. also, for a little over $100.00 you can have that .41 magnum "MagNa-Ported" which litterally cuts recoil in half for me.

if it were between a Taurus .44spl and a Taurus .41mag id opt for the .44spl. i just have not had any luck with the two charter arms bulldog .44spls ive owned in the past.

and .44 special is easy to find on the shelf for me in my area, though not at wal-mart.....here are off the shelf cci 200gr. gold dots, win 200gr. sthp, and hornady 180gr. xtps.

102_8993.gif
 
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I keep a .44 special, older Bulldog in my glove box. Mine is tight and very reliable. Recoil is manageable with moderate loads. Mine doesn't feel cheaply made, however it is not heavy when compared to magnums. Weight doesn't necessarily equate to cheap.

The sights make mine a 15-20 ft gun, not a range gun. Not really designed for 10,000+ round range use.
 
I voted other. My choice would be a 45 LC or a 45 ACP. If you want to shoot a "snubby" the 45 ACP is a very good round.
 
yes, however, the charter arms felt cheap, and didnt really like it....as it cant handle heavy loads, felt just cheaply made, and something i didnt feel comfortable with carrying.
Click to expand...

How it feels to you only you can decide, but they are not poorly built. If you're one of those who equates weight with quality, then I suppose the Charters will seem low quailty to you.

There have basically been four iterations of the gun, with the first and the current being the good ones, Charco and Charter 2000 labeled guns being the ones to avoid.

I have a current (2011) manufacture Bulldog Pug, and it's a good little wheelgun. They will take stout loads, though a steady diet of them is going to take it's toll on the 20 ounce revolver (and your hand).

I'm not going to try to convince you to like the CA guns, but I will say that thinking you're taking a step up with a Taurus is pretty backwards. If your Charter has a problem, they will actually fix the gun.
 
A 41 Mag at 35,000 PSI is going to be a real screaming beast out of a snubby without ear protection.
Shock & Awe on both ends for sure!

I'd go .44 Spl just for the bearable noise level & flash if nothing else.

rc
 
Buy only Ruger or S&W. Some will say new production S&W revolvers are not very good for a variety of reasons (THE LOCK is only one reason). I prefer Ruger because they're very easy to work on.

My vote is for 44 Magnum. You get more versatility and fun out of the cartridge. Remington 180 grain jacketed soft points are a hoot because of the giant, funky, orange fireball when fired.

You can still shoot 44 Special out of it. Speer Gold Dot short barrel 44 Magnum doesn't have much more recoil and blast. I guess get both, test, and see which you prefer. Or not: load three 44 Special and three 44 Magnum cartridges.
 
.44 Special works good for me.

dsc06713g.jpg


34555421.jpg
 
If you can find one I suggest a S&W 625 3" 45 acp revolver. I have the 4" version and it is a great defensive handgun. If big critters are a concern, definitely go for the 44 mag.
 
I voted for the 41mag. Would love to get one of those Taurus Titanium 5 shot's or a S&W NG357's.. Sure recoil would suck, but then it will in 44mag also. Could always go for the 41special load just like with the 44 you use the 44special..
@Black Sky, I like the grips...
 
If you want something that begins with a 4 I would also go with a .45 ACP revolver on ammo prices alone. You MUST practice with your SD handgun and that will be hard to do if you can't find ammo and when you do it costs too much to buy more than 1 box.

The .45 ACP is a proven man-stopper so you aren't giving anything away by carrying one and will do just as good a job as a .44 Special.
 
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