Looking for opinions on what you would do, but first a little background information:
I have chronographed .44 Mag. & .357 Mag. cartridges out of several different barrel lengths. The muzzle energies are impressive for the .357 out of the carbine, but when you look at the power factor out of a .44 revolver, it beats the .357. So, in my mind, the .44 would "hit harder".
I'm stuck between buying a Marlin 1894C (18.5" barrel) & a Smith & Wesson 629 Classic (6.5" barrel). I already handload for .38/.357, so the Marlin wouldn't cost me any more to shoot. I shoot revolvers better than anything else, but I'd have to buy dies and other components in order to shoot "on the cheap". Also, with the carbine, one has to load each round individually through the loading gate. With the revolver, one has a quicker reload with speedloaders.
My intended use for either is for a more powerful option above my 6" barreled S&W 686. Something that I could defend me & mine and reliably take game with in a worst case scenario.
Thank you.
I have chronographed .44 Mag. & .357 Mag. cartridges out of several different barrel lengths. The muzzle energies are impressive for the .357 out of the carbine, but when you look at the power factor out of a .44 revolver, it beats the .357. So, in my mind, the .44 would "hit harder".
I'm stuck between buying a Marlin 1894C (18.5" barrel) & a Smith & Wesson 629 Classic (6.5" barrel). I already handload for .38/.357, so the Marlin wouldn't cost me any more to shoot. I shoot revolvers better than anything else, but I'd have to buy dies and other components in order to shoot "on the cheap". Also, with the carbine, one has to load each round individually through the loading gate. With the revolver, one has a quicker reload with speedloaders.
My intended use for either is for a more powerful option above my 6" barreled S&W 686. Something that I could defend me & mine and reliably take game with in a worst case scenario.
Thank you.