Are you a fan of the 44 Special?

[RealGun]

Interesting to note that while the .44 Special, New Model Blackhawk may be smaller than the .44 Magnum, it is listed as having an "alloy steel" "grip frame", while all the others in that model line are listed as aluminum. Weight is comparable to a less reamed out cylinder .357 aluminum grip frame and same barrel length. So the density of the material difference is evident.

There is no new .44 Magnum, so we aren't really comparing .44 Special and .44 Magnum in the same platform. It is however, a frame dedicated to .44 Special rather than Magnum, which serves the question well.

It was interesting to note, as one should expect I guess, that the larger calibers at a given barrel length were lighter weight, presumably because of the material reamed out of the cylinder and bored from the barrel. As part of ones (mine) revolver lore, this is what happens, when a single platform is used for a range of calibers.

 

[BobWright]

For whatever its worth, here is one of my .44 Specials, a Colt New Frontier:


And here is one of my .44 Magnums, a Ruger Blackhawk:



Both guns are very similar in appearence, both are all steel. But in the hand, the Colt feels more petite and is slightly lighter. Also, in shooting position, the Ruger's sighting plane is slightly higher, due to a slightly larger frame. The Ruger cylinder is non-fluted and slightly larger in diameter.

Now if I want a gun for knock-around casual carry and shootin', I'll pick the Colt. If I've got something else in mind that may require a longer shot, or not, I'll go with the Ruger.

And sometimes I just pick one on a whim.

Bob Wright

 

[Slamfire]

I really like my 44 Specials. I seldom shoot 44 Magnum any more, the recoil and blast is unpleasant. But the 44 Special has a nice balance of power, accuracy, and range. I bought my M624 when it was new, I have shot tens of thousands of rounds through it, the action is smooth and the trigger wonderful. If I want to shoot a 240 at 1000 fps I will use the Lipsey 44 Spl Flattop. That pistol is heavier, more ruggedly built than the N frame, and very accurate.

Tarus M431



M624



Lipsey 44 Spl Flattop

 

[RealGun]

Check out the new style Pachmayrs (Diamond Pro) now available for the N Frame. There is no square butt version at this point. They do have a K (L) frame number too.

 

[Confederate]

Both the .357 and .44spc have their followers, but the .357 is clearly the better of the two, having more power, a flatter trajectory, deeper penetration and, in many guns, six rounds instead of five. Years ago, I read a story about a guy who changed his Ruger Speed-Six into a 5-shot .44spc. He seemed to think it would give him better stopping power. Instead, I think he mauled a great revolver.

It's not that that the .44 is a bad performer. I just thought, why would someone pay to have a great little revolver changed into an inferior caliber and with one less shot?

 

[35 Whelen]

Both the .357 and .44spc have their followers, but the .357 is clearly the better of the two, having more power, a flatter trajectory, deeper penetration and, in many guns, six rounds instead of five. Years ago, I read a story about a guy who changed his Ruger Speed-Six into a 5-shot .44spc. He seemed to think it would give him better stopping power. Instead, I think he mauled a great revolver.

It's not that that the .44 is a bad performer. I just thought, why would someone pay to have a great little revolver changed into an inferior caliber and with one less shot?

Funny stuff right there!!

What is it they say? "Five million comedians out of work....."

 

[Walkalong]

I think what he was trying to say was no.

 

[Merle1]

I have two, an old Charter Arms 4" target bulldog that I carry with Federal 200gr LSWC-HP ammo.

The second is a S&W 4" M624 that usually gets Speer GDs, but I seldom carry it except for woods walking.

 

[Lucky Derby]

The flat top Blackhawk in .44 Special uses a frame that is smaller than that of the .44 Magnum. I'm not aware of any 5-shot SA .44 Special but there sure may be one.

I own a Hawes. 44 Magnum and it's a bit beefier than my 44 Specials.

Freedom Arms makes the Model 97 in a 5 shot .44 Special.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Yeah, I like the 44 Special.

44 Handejector, 1st Model, Triplelock





44 Handejector, 1st Model, Triplelock, Target Model






44 Handejector, 2nd Model





44 Handejector, 3rd Model.






44 Handejector, 4th Model





This one is a little bit newer. Model 624

 

[Lucky Derby]

Both the .357 and .44spc have their followers, but the .357 is clearly the better of the two, having more power, a flatter trajectory, deeper penetration and, in many guns, six rounds instead of five. Years ago, I read a story about a guy who changed his Ruger Speed-Six into a 5-shot .44spc. He seemed to think it would give him better stopping power. Instead, I think he mauled a great revolver.

It's not that that the .44 is a bad performer. I just thought, why would someone pay to have a great little revolver changed into an inferior caliber and with one less shot?

Hardly. The ONLY advantages the .357 Magnum has is it can be chambered in a smaller gun and still be a six shooter & commercial ammo is both cheaper and easier to find.
.44 Special will do anything the .357 will do, without the recoil and muzzle blast.
Don't get me wrong, I like the .357 too, I just don't see it as the clear winner between these two fine cartridges.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

I've got a Charter Arms Bulldog; like the looks of it but have never shot it. (Waiting to find a box of ammunition that doesn't require taking out a second mortgage.)

 

[Malamute]

I have a 4" Smith 24, I like it quite a lot. Theres a noticeable difference to me in handling and carrying the 24 compared to the 4" 29. The cylinder is slightly shorter and the barrel is lighter and tapered. When not up where the bears live I carry the 24. It has two different loads, one is a bit above factory, the Lyman 250 gr 429421 w/ 6 1/2 grs Unique, and the same bullet w/ 17 grs 2400. The last is fairly brisk, though shoots to the same exact point of impact as the 6 1/2 gr Unique loads.

I don't like cleaning the ring of carbon and crud from the chambers of the 29 when I shot spls, so mostly loaded lighter loads in mag cases.

I like the lighter carrying 24. I'm not at all a fan of the 357 for any purpose, mainly because of the sharp muzzle blast for the power it puts out compared to larger caliber guns.

If I want a lighter single action carry gun than a 44 mag, the 45 Colt in an early Vaquero or Blackhawk work very well.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Look up georgia arms ammo, theyre the best for "cheap" .44 spl ammo . It was the .44 mag and spl cartridges that got me into reloading.

 

[DM~]

Hardly. The ONLY advantages the .357 Magnum has is it can be chambered in a smaller gun and still be a six shooter & commercial ammo is both cheaper and easier to find.
.44 Special will do anything the .357 will do, without the recoil and muzzle blast.
Don't get me wrong, I like the .357 too, I just don't see it as the clear winner between these two fine cartridges.

The ONLY way a "44 spl." will shoot as flat as a 357 mag. loaded with factory ammo, and penetrate as deep as a 357 mag. loaded with factory load, is to "speed it up"....a lot!

Then it NO LONGER would be a 44spl. now would it?? (at least, NOT a 44spl. loaded with a FACTORY LOAD)

DM

 

[newrugersafan]

I like the 44 Special, I had this one made before Ruger offered one on the medium frame.




I use the Skeeter load in my Ruger 44 Specials.

 

[Drail]

After all the years I have reloaded and shot .44 Spls. I think it is maybe the finest revolver cartridge we have come up with.

 

[Malamute]

The ONLY way a "44 spl." will shoot as flat as a 357 mag. loaded with factory ammo, and penetrate as deep as a 357 mag. loaded with factory load, is to "speed it up"....a lot!

Then it NO LONGER would be a 44spl. now would it?? (at least, NOT a 44spl. loaded with a FACTORY LOAD)

DM

I didn't realize we were stuck with factory loads. I don't think I've shot any factory 44 (spl or mag) in 25 years or more, and only then when I got screaming deals on it.

Running the 250 gr Lyman/Keith bullets or a cheap commercial variant about 1000 fps or so makes hits on the 300 yard plate fairly easy, though with more drop than a faster load such as a 357. The drop alone isn't reason enough for me to use the smaller caliber, especially considering the sharp muzzle blast, which I can only describe as hideous compared to larger bore loads. Medium loads in the 357/38 are more pleasant to shoot. I think of them sort of like overgrown 22's.

 

[Stainz]

Ignoring frictional loss, which you shouldn't, that bullet would drop twenty+ inches in the nearly a third of a second it would take to travel that 900 feet. It must be a big plate.

I am reminded of the late Bob Munden's remark on a video as he reached into a bucket of bullets to load his .38 snubby to pop balloons at 300yd, "... of course, you don't know how big that bucket is!".

Stainz

 

[Malamute]

The plate used to be about 18", now its about 22" I think. I'm sure its quite a lot more than 20" of drop @ 300 yards though for any handgun load I've used.

I have no idea of inches of drop, that doesn't figure in to the hold. The most generally successful method for shooting distance is to hold the front sight above the rear, with the target/front sight relationship the same for any range, not holding the sights even across the tops and holding some amount above the target. Keeping the front sight and target relationship the same allows you to see the target better. The amount of front sight to hold varies with the distance or load, but isn't too hard to do once one does it a while. I've made quite a few first round hits with various guns on the 300 yard plate, some from experience with that particular gun, some from an educated guess. The orange insert front sights are good for this, as it gives a good defined reference point for how much sight to use once the gun has been shot some (Keith had a couple gold lines inlaid in the face of the sight to give reference points). The dots on sights are also helpful. The ex's g-19 with WWB loads, I'd put the top of the rear about 1/3 of the way down the dot, and hold center (elevation wise) on the 300 yd plate for one handed. For two handed, it was a hair more dot above the rear, perhaps not quite half. The gun doesn't recoil the same two handed as one handed and requires a slightly different hold.

The shooting spot, showing the 300 and 600 yard plates

 

[kBob]

I am rather fond of an old S&W Model 27 HPM that was rebored and relined to .44 Special myself. Gosh that barrel looks thin though.

-kBob

 

[mikemyers]

.....The ONLY advantages the .357 Magnum has is ............ commercial ammo is both cheaper and easier to find.
.44 Special will do anything the .357 will do.............

I currently have S&W handguns that can shoot 44 Magnum and 357 Magnum. I am now using the 357, loaded with 38 special ammo, that I can buy at every range I shoot at, or over the internet.

Only once was I able to find 44 special ammo, and even then, a box of 20 "Hornady 44 special 180gr XTP" cost $25, while a box of 50 "PMC CFPR 38 special 132 FMJ" only cost $22.

In my case, my only purpose is target shooting, hoping to improve my targets, and I'm never going to get better unless I shoot more.

I expected 44 special to be more expensive than 38 special, but not by this much - and there wasn't any choice as to "which" 44 special ammo to buy they only had this one kind, and even that was someplace behind the counter where you'd never even notice it - one of the fellow that worked at the range overheard me, and allowed me to buy some.


(Many years ago, when I lived in Michigan, a friend showed me how to reload my 44 magnums with a light load, that was easier to shoot. Since all I was shooting at was paper targets, I was told this would be a much better way to learn.)

 

[wheelyfun66]

Love 44 special.
Ruger Sheriff 44 Spec in a Mernickle high ride=perfect packin' pistol

 

[Lucky Derby]

The ONLY way a "44 spl." will shoot as flat as a 357 mag. loaded with factory ammo, and penetrate as deep as a 357 mag. loaded with factory load, is to "speed it up"....a lot!

Then it NO LONGER would be a 44spl. now would it?? (at least, NOT a 44spl. loaded with a FACTORY LOAD)

DM

So we agree then. You admit that a .44 Spl will do what a .357 will do as long as you don't stick to factory loads, which no one said we would.

 

[DM~]

So we agree then. You admit that a .44 Spl will do what a .357 will do as long as you don't stick to factory loads, which no one said we would.

And "then" it won't be a 44 spl. any longer, it will be a light magnum load.

SO no, a 44spl. loaded with factory ammo will NOT do what a 357 mag will do loaded with factory ammo...

Yes, you can hop a spl up to out perform a 357... Then again, ever hear of a 357 MAX?? What them? You gonna switch to a 44 mag.??? AND on up the ladder we go.....

DM