.44 Special vs .45 ACP

[CraigC]

I'm no expert on these two guns, and I have neither the guns or the stats to compare, but are you saying the 6-shot, N Frame S&W 624 weighs less than the 5-shot, L Frame S&W 696? This seems counter-intuative. Also, don't both guns come with the standard S&W red-ramp front, adjustable rear sights? Or am I just totally confused?

I'm confused that you're confused. I clearly stated 24 vs 29 and clearly pictured three N-frames together, a 6" 29, 6½" 24 and a 4" 629MG.

 

[CraigC]

I don't think there is any question that the .44Mag in full-house loads is "too much". I might also point out that the OP never mentioned that the purpose was self defense. So why are we assuming this is a self defense discussion?

John Cleese is a piece of work!

 

[Sam1911]

I don't think there is any question that the .44Mag in full-house loads is "too much".

Having run "Bill Drills" with 300 gr/1250fps loads, and done weak-hand-only work as well with them, I know I COULD. But it's hard to run those .20 sec. splits that way!

I might also point out that the OP never mentioned that the purpose was self defense. So why are we assuming this is a self defense discussion?

Fair enough point. 'Course, he never brought up Magnums anyway.

 

[stevehenry1]

.44 vs .45ACP

To me, the main difference is that you can buy .45ACP just about anywhere, even Walmart. But finding .44 SPL is a LOT HARDER. Also, in factory loadings, the .45ACP has a LOT of options in loading 185-230 grain, FMJ, hollowpoints, etc. .44 SPL, if you can find them , are usually only found in cowboy loads, at least around here.

If you load your own, that narrows things somewhat. It's a personal choice that has more to do with the shooter than it does with the caliber . For me, since I shoot a 1911 as well as .45ACP wheelguns, I will stick with the ACP> That's MY CHOICE, everybody else has to do the same for themselves

 

[Rampant_Colt]

All this talk about velocity, muzzle energy, yada, yada, yada..

Bullet construction and design dictates terminal bullet performance within its design parameters. Having said that, there are more and better bullet designs available like HST, Golden Saber, Ranger-T, etc, for the .45 ACP than for the .44 Special.

Sam1911, the Strassbourg Goat Tests may or may not have even happened, and cannot be utilized as a a credible terminal ballistics reference source, and the Thompson-LeGrande-Hatcher "studies" draws a hypothosis based on unscientific generalizations.



Good information about this subject can be found in the links below:

http://www.gunthorp.com/wounding_factors.htm

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Res...cts+Of+The+Meplat+On+Terminal+Ballistics.html

 

[Sam1911]

Sam1911, the Strassbourg Goat Tests may or may not have even happened, and cannot be utilized as a a credible terminal ballistics reference source, and the Thompson-LeGrande-Hatcher "studies" draws a hypothosis based on unscientific generalizations.

Certainly true enough ... seems the amount of "credible scientific data" to prove which caliber, S.D., bullet construction, energy, momentum, depth of penetration, expansion diameter, etc., etc, is most effective continues to remain at zero desptie more than a century of speculation and attempts to quantify the matter.

But, I didn't bring the Strassbourg or TLH study up, so?

 

[CraigC]

Having said that, there are more and better bullet designs available like HST, Golden Saber, Ranger-T, etc, for the .45 ACP than for the .44 Special.

That is, self defense bullets. The OP didn't mention self defense. There are more, better sporting bullets available for the .44Spl than the .45ACP. So again, it all depends upon your intended usage.

 

[Sam1911]

The OP didn't mention self defense.

True. And now, we've been going around this question for three WEEKS and the original poster hasn't even stopped back in, once, to say what he meant.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

From the OP (whom has been curiously absent from his own thread..)

Would a top teir .44 Special load like this:
<edited>
be as powerful in terminal ballistics as a .45 ACP load like this?

: the .44 is .002" smaller with a little less meplat, but does that matter with hollow points? It's also 10 grns lighter but it's also 150 fps faster.

I've seen people say that the .44's smaller meplat gives the .45 ACP the lead

What people? Where've you been?

<edited>
There are competing theories that would support either as "THE BEST" and until you do ballistic gel testing (or shoot a herd of goats and measure how long it takes for them to expire) you won't know for sure that ... well ... they're just about the same.

"Shooting a herd of goats" is the Strassbourg Tests

The OP didn't mention self defense.

Guys, terminal ballistics is the study of the behavior of projectiles when it hits a target. ie; self-defense.

I stand by what I said about that there are more and better bullet designs available for the .45 ACP like HST, Golden Saber, Ranger-T, etc, than for the .44 Special. But being this is an apparent hit n run thread, I guess it's all in vain.. LoL

 

[Sam1911]

"Shooting a herd of goats" is the Strassbourg Tests

Oh! I didn't see my own reference. Actually, while I did have that in mind when I posted that two weeks ago, I literally meant to say, he could go shoot a herd of goats and see what he thought afterward. In other words -- convince yourself through testing.

Guys, terminal ballistics is the study of the behavior of projectiles when it hits a target. ...

Yes, but...

...ie; self-defense.

Or hunting. Or any other circumstances under which you'd be attempting to cause an effect on a target with your bullet. .44 Spc. makes a dandy hunting cartridge. He hasn't said what he was planning to use this info for. I assumed self-defense, just as you did, but "terminal ballistics" covers a lot more than just that.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

Yup, t-ballistics applies to hunting, too. Until the OP comes back to clarify what he meant, I guess we're all just chasing our tails assuming what his query is about

Paging BluedRevolver to the Handguns and Revolvers aisle

 

[CraigC]

Terminal ballistics has nothing to do with how many legs the target has.

I do not believe we really need to know the purpose to debate the capabilities of each cartridge. As long as we make no assumptions and do not drive in only one direction.

 

[unionguy]

I'll admit I get lost in these terminal ballistics conversations. I keep things simple: I use the most powerful cartridge that I am accurate with (including followups) in my full sized handgun and my concealed carry.

 

[NMGonzo]

.45 colt is the right answer.

What do I win?

 

[CraigC]

In sixguns appropriately sized for the .44Spl, it has it all over the .45Colt.