Good defensive 44 Mag snubby load?

[zombie44]

I currently have a S&W 5 shot .38 snub as my bedside gun but I also have a S&W 6 shot 44 mag snub that hasn't seen much use since it wasn't so fun to shoot with heavy loads, but it just occurred to me, would even a light/plinking load of 44 mag be just as effective as a .38 spcl +P HP round?

Some load data I've come across in my search:

7.0-8.0gr Unique

6.2gr Bullseye

17.1gr H4227

All I have are 240gr LSWC bullets, would jacketed HP bullets work even better with such light loads?

I'm basically looking for a good defensive round for a 44 mag 2.5" snub with good accuracy, stopping power and minimal over-penetration at 7-10 yds. I'd like to stick with 44 mag brass since that's what I have mostly on hand and to also avoid carbon build up in the cylinders shooting specials.

Thanks for any info!

 

[rcmodel]

The old .44 Special "Skeeter Skelton load" is a Keith 240 LSWC over 7.5 Unique.

It's a real hard load to beat in a .44 Spl, and 8.0 in .44 Mag brass would just about duplicate or exceed it slightly.

It will kill anything that crawls or walks in the lower 48.

However it won't fit your "over-penetration" requirement, as it will shoot through two or three BG's stacked prison lover style.

I think I might look at a lighter 180 JHP over 12.0 grains Unique if it was me.

rc

 

[230therapy]

Look at defensive loadings in various manuals using JHP bullets. I would think a JHP at 950 FPS would be just fine.

Speer Gold Dot in 44 Special is listed at 875 FPS at the muzzle.

 

[dprice3844444]

either one is gonna hurt like hell.in 44,more penetration through walls and excessive flash and noise.hows your hearing doing?in the 44,if you could devise some soft lead hollow base wadcutters like used in the model 52 smith,they would work great.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

A lighter (180gr) hollow-point loaded down to .44spl speed would be a good defensive round. I would use a fast powder and not much of it, otherwise, the sheet of flame that comes out of that snubby barrel would blind both of you and probably give the BG 3rd degree burns (that I care about that).

 

[zeke]

44 mag brass, fed 150 primer, Hdy 180 xtp or Rem 180 sjhp, 11.0 grains unique and heavy LFC for about 1250 fps from 4 incher. Very accurate. Substitute 10.5 grains hp-38 for about 1160 fps from 3 incher, but higher pressure.

44 mag brass, fed 150 primer, Speer 200 gold dot, 9.0 231 for about 1050 fps from 4 incher. extremely accurate.

44 mag brass, fed 150 primer, Rem 210 sjhp, 10.0 grains unique for 1090 fps from 3 incher and very accurate.

The accuracy is dependent on cylinder mouth dia being tighter .429-.430, rather than some of the older models .433-.434

Faster bulkier powders can work very well in the 44 mag case with lighter jacket bullets, if pressures are kept up and there is good case neck tension and firm crimp. Am using the LFC or the Redding profile crimp dies.