best 44 mag??

[Walkalong]

That's a pretty gun, right fine looking!

Ron

And while Astra isn't famous for being pinned and recessed like the old Smiths are, some of their models are.

 

[Paladin7]

The Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley handles 44 Magnum recoil the best in my opinion. The Bisley grip makes all the difference in the world. Very accurate revolver as well...

 

[.308 Norma]

Of all revolvers, which one handles .44 magnum the best, with the most manageable recoil combined with high accuracy?

Keep in mind, i would like to keep the barrel length around 4 inches and in chest carry for defense or hunting purposes.

My Model 69 Smith is the best 44 Magnum because it's the best 44 Magnum that was ever built.
Seriously theboyscout, I'm certain that a steady diet of full house 44 Magnum loads would tear my Model 69 (which is a "L" frame Smith, rather than their larger "N" frame 629s) to pieces in short order. For that matter, a steady diet of full house 44 Magnum rounds will loosen up even a mighty Ruger Super Blackhawk after a while. Back when the wife and I were in the IHMSA game, and she was running over a thousand full house 44 Magnum rounds a month through her 10.5" Super Blackhawks, she had two of them because about once a year she had to send one back to Ruger for a "tune-up." There was never a charge, but it would be 6 weeks or so before it came back, and my wife didn't want to miss any practice or matches while her gun was away.
But you're not asking about a 44 Magnum for IHMSA shooting. You're asking about a 44 Magnum for "chest carry for defense or hunting purposes." It's just my personal opinion, but I think a Model 69 Smith would serve at least a couple of those purposes well. In fact, those are some of the same purposes I bought mine for in the first place. I don't "chest carry," but that 44 Magnum on my hip is sure comforting when I'm bumming around in the wild. It's as accurate as the 629 I used to have, but I'm nowhere near as good with a revolver as my wife anyway. So what do I know about accuracy? And as far as recoil management goes, I usually shoot mid-range handloads so as to avoid tearing up my gun and/or my tendonitis elbow. However, for defense in the wild, I keep it loaded with 250gr. Keith's over a big charge of 2400. I figure my Model 69 can handle a few large, angry critter loads, just not a steady diet of them. And if I'm ever attacked in the woods, I'll gladly put up with the smell of BenGay for a week if my 44 Magnum prevents me from having my face torn off and/or throat ripped out.
The only one of your purposes you listed that I didn't address is "hunting." I guess it would depend on what you're hunting, but I myself, would want a barrel longer than 4" for big game hunting. I'm just not that good of a shot with a handgun, particularly one with a relatively short barrel.

 

[1stmarine]

I guess it depends on what loads you are shooting.
For high performance loads a 6" is already a handful so I cannot imagine a very short one. It will hurt.
I went with S&W as recommended by Dirty Harry

 

[Crowman]

For me, hands down my choice is the S&W model 69. I have both versions, the 4.2" barrel and the 2-3/4" barrel. The 69 offers the best balance between cartridge, weight and handling. The L-Frame puts the bore axis closer to my hand so that perceived recoil feels less than my Performance Center 629 and I have less muzzle flip with both barrel lengths. The model 69 is designed differently than the 586 or 386 with regards to lock-up. The forcing cone looks beefier than the N-Frame, though I haven't miked it yet. I have no reservations about running 255 grain hard cast SWC GC full house loads through it. That is all I shoot in the 4.2" model. I vary the loads in the short barrel model between heavy 44 Specials and Magnums. If I want the 300+ grain ball-buster loads, I'll use my 454 Casull. I cap my 44's at 240-255 grain, just because...I wanna.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I have shot both the S & W & the Ruger super Blackhawk. The S & W recoils straight back while the Ruger turns or rolls in my hand. I find the Ruger easier on the hand.

 

[.308 Norma]

I find the Ruger easier on the hand.

Single actions that "roll" in my hand are easier on my 69-year old tendonitis elbow too. Double actions that recoil "straight back" as you say, make my right elbow scold me for a week after a half dozen full-house 44 Magnum rounds.
But just to see what it's like, a couple of weeks ago I fired a cylinder full of CorBon 325gr., 45 Colt +P "Magnums" in my regular Blackhawk. They didn't bother my right elbow either, but man-oh-man, my right wrist told me not to do that on a regular basis!

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

The Ultimate 44 Recoil soaker upper lol

 

[Dr.Rob]

Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter model. The grip is larger, the heavy barrel adds weight, great adjustable sights. Think the standard barrel is closer to 6 inches.

 

[MaxP]

Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter model. The grip is larger, the heavy barrel adds weight, great adjustable sights. Think the standard barrel is closer to 6 inches.

It is a fine choice. The barrel is actually 7 1/2-inches long. I had one, albeit a Bisley version:

 

[entropy]

Of all revolvers, which one handles .44 magnum the best, with the most manageable recoil combined with high accuracy?

Keep in mind, i would like to keep the barrel length around 4 inches and in chest carry for defense or hunting purposes.

You don't want much do you?

The criteria you selected are all either mutually exclusive and/or subjective. i.e.;
The least recoiling .44 Mag? Desert Eagle, but it is not a revolver, and not available as small as you want.
Smallest, lightest? S&W 329. but painful to shoot.
Highest accuracy, Desert Eagle again, followed closely by the Anaconda and Rugers, both Red and Blackhawk. DE again not a revolver, the rest, not small. (Although I've found 5.5" Vaqueros to be manageable.)
I agree with 460 Shooter, sean m, and MN Fats; a 5.5" Redhawk is your huckleberry.

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

The Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley handles 44 Magnum recoil the best in my opinion. The Bisley grip makes all the difference in the world. Very accurate revolver as well...

A big ditto on this one. The biggest problem that all the S&W's have is that their grip transmits most of the recoil directly to the web of your hand. The Redhawk's are more of the same. S&W came out with the X frame Houge Grip which helps a lot but it still hits you pretty hard. I have a S&W 696 with one of those grips (they fit all the big S&W revolvers) but I only shoot Midrange Special loads 750-800fps in it because that's all you really need for defensive purposes.. Ruger came out with a GP100 in .44 Special earlier this year (which is essentially a Ruger 696) and it will take anything you can dish out. 250 gr SWC's at 1000-1100 fps will take down anything you would encounter. It also has a Houge Grip that has extra padding in the web of your hand area. These are both 3" bbl'd guns and will require some practice to get good with, but so will a 4" gun .

One thing to consider is that if you plan on relying on this gun as a back up gun you will need to practice with it enough so that you can actually hit a target. This will take a lot of shooting to accomplish, so reloading would be a good idea.

My .44 Mag is a Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley and the grip on that gun handles the recoil best of all by a wide margin. It directs and spreads out the recoil to the meaty portion of your hand below your thumb and that area takes the hit much better than the web area. The Ruger Bisley is the first choice of those building guns for really heavy calibers like .475 and 500 Linebaugh because the gun can take it, and the grip allows you to take it.

Goto here www.customsixguns.com to see them in action.



Once again for your intended purpose a .44 Special GP100/44 would be more than adequate and you wouldn't be weighed down by a gun that weighs between 3 and 4 pounds.

Randy

 

[Clayguy]

Tough question that is rather subjective. I have had a number of Model 29s over the years and have enjoyed them, however, if you want to load your .44 hot and heavy, there are better choices in a double-action than Smith & Wesson's iconic offering. The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are a great choice as they are able to digest basically anything you feed them (within reason). Since I prefer single-actions, for me the Super Blackhawk is hard to beat at that price point. The FA83 is another good choice as is the BFR. I have yet to meet a BFR that didn't shoot really well, and they are the strongest revolver on the planet. You have many choices. W hat will be the primary role of said .44 Mag?

I am a serious S&W guy and own two 29's which are terrific .44 Mags, but the most accurate .44 mag I've ever shot is the Ruger Super Blackhawk. If I were going to shoot 1000's of stout loads or use it for hunting, the Ruger would deserve strong consideration.