Question About .44 Special Ammo.

[If1HitU]

I hope this is not the wrong place for this question on this thread? If you have a .44 Special do you have a hard time finding .44 ammo in the 165 gr. & 180 gr.? I can find all the 240 gr. I don't want to shoot at the range. But that's all I can find here at Walmart and my LGS I deal with. I would like to take my Ruger Redhawk & S&W 69 .44 Magnums to the range and shoot some special ammo less than 240 gr. I'd be happy to find some 200 gr or 210 gr..44 ammo..

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Have you considered rolling your own?

 

[CZ9shooter]

What he said.

The smaller shops around here usually dont have any 44 special ammo on the shelf. The bigger ones only have one variety and the price is not what I would consider cheap.

You could try online shopping too....

 

[.455_Hunter]

I find the Hornady 180 gr XTP and 165 gr CD loads regularly at Denver Metro gun shops.

 

[cfullgraf]

I agree, get into reloading or shop on line.

Reloading opens up the most options but you can find 44 Special on line without trouble. Prices would probably better than what you would find locally especially if you bought in quantity.

 

[Sam1911]

I recall being able to find the Winchester Silvertip 200 gr. .44 Spc. load at a local gun shop. But it proved to be such a miserable excuse for a load that I'd never buy another round of it.

 

[Wishoot]

Reloading solves a lot of availability concerns with 44spl. There's a ton of components out there just waiting to be assembled.

You may also want to check out online resources like Underwood, SGAMMO, Ammoman, Target Sports USA and see their inventory of factory loads.

 

[John Joseph]

Fiocchi has 200gr and 210gr loads, but save that brass and get a press to roll your own next time

 

[CraigC]

The .44Spl has always been a reloader's cartridge. It's the only way to enjoy the cartridge's fullest potential.

 

[Fiv3r]

We have a couple of good size hunting stores here. When I was looking at the GP100 in .44 special, I did some ammo shopping first. Dick's sporting goods, no .44 special. Academy, no .44 special. Wal-Mart, no .44 special. LGS had one flavor for about $30 a box.

Having to reload is my main reason for not getting into the big bore revolvers. Ammo is either difficult to obtain or is prohibitively expensive to afford enough trigger time to get "good".

If I were rich (which I will never be) or if I were retired (I'm only 36) I would probably get into rolling my own. Work keeps me too busy to shoot as it is. Finding time to reload would be problematic.

Maybe one day I'll be able to get into the joys of. 44+ revolvers, but for now I guess I should stick with .357.

 

[Sam1911]

If I were rich (which I will never be) or if I were retired (I'm only 36) I would probably get into rolling my own. Work keeps me too busy to shoot as it is. Finding time to reload would be problematic.

It may be that you will always feel this way, but you don't have to.

I started reloading when I was 16 or 17. I sure wasn't rich. I used a Lee press kit that still today costs less than $150. I've still got it and still use most of it for various things. The money I saved over the years by taking an hour or two to build a few boxes of ammo instead of buying factory stuff would have bought a lot of guns. And I got to shoot FAR more than if I'd had to shell out for factory ammo.

If you want to you can find the cash to get into reloading. If you want to you can EASILY find the little bit of time. But it's up to you.

 

[Dave T]

In the time you spent shopping for 44 Special ammo and posting this question on THR, you could have loaded at least a box of 44s. If you're a slow shopper you could have loaded a couple boxes. Just sayin'.

Dave

 

[Fiv3r]

It may be that you will always feel this way, but you don't have to.

I started reloading when I was 16 or 17. I sure wasn't rich. I used a Lee press kit that still today costs less than $150. I've still got it and still use most of it for various things. The money I saved over the years by taking an hour or two to build a few boxes of ammo instead of buying factory stuff would have bought a lot of guns. And I got to shoot FAR more than if I'd had to shell out for factory ammo.

If you want to you can find the cash to get into reloading. If you want to you can EASILY find the little bit of time. But it's up to you.

Very good points, and I don't want to come across as "woe is me". What I am saying is that my extra spending money and very limited and finite amount of time is better used in other ways.

Reloading simply isn't a priority at this point. I would love to get into it at some point, but currently I clock about 65-70 hours a week with work, and I'm a daddy to a 7 year old princess who is not all interested in shooting. My spare time is best spent building Legos with her before she hits the age where she hates her dad's guts for a couple of years

My point was that I will never FEEL wealthy enough to find prudence in paying over $30 per box of ammo if it is not a performance based hunting cartridge (not to mention i dont hunt anyway), and currently my spare time is focused on doing what my wife and daughter like to do.

One day, I'll roll my own. I applaud anyone who does, but right now time/money needed to invest are not outweighed by desire.

It's just a bummer that a whole class of revolver firearms hits a brick wall at .357. Going any bigger requires a new skillset and equipment or spending twice as much on a limited supply of ammo.

 

[FN in MT]

Can You find someone to reload for You? Buy some good quality cast bullets, a pound of Unique, some primers and cases and You are in business.

The money spent on a few boxes of factory ammo will buy a LOT of components.

The .44 Special IS like the .45 Colt and a few others a REAL reloaders cartridge. Otherwise Your stuck with limited and expensive factory ammo.

 

[farm23]

Like you there was very little 44 special ammo available locally and it was high priced. I bought a single stage press and it quickly paid for itself, however I was once in your position and have never regretted the time spent with the children. My youngest daughter and her children now hunt with me. As FN in MT said perhaps you can find someone you trust to reload for you. Enjoy the princess reloading can wait.

 

[Wishoot]

Reloading simply isn't a priority at this point. I would love to get into it at some point, but currently I clock about 65-70 hours a week with work, and I'm a daddy to a 7 year old princess who is not all interested in shooting. My spare time is best spent building Legos with her before she hits the age where she hates her dad's guts for a couple of years

Been there. Done that.

Completely understand. When my kids were little, I wanted to spend every waking moment I could with them. I didn't get into reloading until my kids hit high school and college age.

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

Doesn't sound like .44's are for you.

Randy

 

[If1HitU]

I'll be honest,i'm a FNG when it come to pistols and revolvers. I started buying guns seven years ago as a hobby when I retired. I got the bug now,but I don't have a clue about reloading ammo. That's a fact!

 

[cfullgraf]

I would like to take my Ruger Redhawk & S&W 69 .44 Magnums to the range and shoot some special ammo less than 240 gr. I'd be happy to find some 200 gr or 210 gr..44 ammo..

Another advantage to reloading your own is you can load 44 Special level loads in 44 Magnum cases. Not a big deal but it avoids the build up of carbon in front of the Special cases when shooting 44 Special ammunition. This can restrict inserting a 44 magnum round without a through cleaning. (Same for 38 Special/357 Magnum)

There are many good sources to learn about reloading. You will need some reloading data manuals and many have "how to" sections in them. A good one is Lyman #50 or its predecessor #49. The Speer, Hornady, and Sierra reloading manuals have "how to" sections as well. There are others.

There is some good information in the "Reloading Library of Wisdom" stickie at the start of the reloading section:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/reloading-library-of-wisdom.649184/

It does have some more advanced information that can be intimidating to the novice.

If you have a friend that reloads that is willing to act as a mentor, that can be a big help.

YouTube has lots of information on reloading but some of it has to be taken carefully.

The folks here on the High Road are always willing to answer questions but it is best to have done some reading and learning so that the questions can be more specific. This will get a better answer.

You can take reloading from the basics to extreme and anything in between to suit your wants and needs. Many folks here enjoy reloading as a hobby unto itself.

I've just scratched the tip of the iceberg.

Hope this helps.

 

[joneb]

As 44 spl and 44 magnum goes reloading is a huge cost saver ,maybe $10 for 50 rnds of 44 spl and a buck more for 44 mag.
I like to shoot my 44's and if I did not reload I could not afford to shoot them.

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have 10 different boolit moulds s for .44's from 190gr to 310 gr. Literally rats to moose, and everything in between.

I use my S&W696 for IDPA with Keith boolits and midrange loads that would take out any man if called on to do so.

The versatility of these rounds is not even debatable. They simply are,,, but only if you reload, cuz you simply can't afford to shoot enough factory ammo to get good with a gun.

You kind of also need to Cast your own Boolits, because that's how you really save money. I can load .44 Specials or Magnum Midrange loads for .07-.09 a round. By doing this I am able to shoot a lot more than I ever would if I had to buy factory ammo. None of the guns I have right now, (3 .44 revolvers and a Marlin 1894) have ever had even one factory round shot in them. Nothing but reloads. I have been loading .44's since 1976 and I still have cases I shoot regularly that I bought back then.

By not reloading you miss out on half the fun and shooting these guns is way more fun than shooting smaller calibers. When you touch a .44 off you know something has happened.

Randy

 

[joed]

Buying factory ammo for .44 Spl is to expensive and there are no choices. In most places the Spl is more expensive then Mag loads.

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

That's why you reload!

Here's a good thing to use to reload with. Best there is and it takes up very little space. About the same as a Revolver.

Randy

 

[RealGun]

I hope this is not the wrong place for this question on this thread? If you have a .44 Special do you have a hard time finding .44 ammo in the 165 gr. & 180 gr.? I can find all the 240 gr. I don't want to shoot at the range. But that's all I can find here at Walmart and my LGS I deal with. I would like to take my Ruger Redhawk & S&W 69 .44 Magnums to the range and shoot some special ammo less than 240 gr. I'd be happy to find some 200 gr or 210 gr..44 ammo..

You would probably do fine if you got used to the idea of ordering your ammo in some bulk instead of relying on pocket money and local supplies.

Be aware that bullet weights vary in elevation where they hit the target. A 44 Mag is probably regulated for 240 gr.

 

[Riomouse911]

I hear you on the money, time and kids things as well, I have a 12 year old son and 9 year old twin girls, I put in 55-60 hrs a week sometimes, and weekends are tied up with softball, dance, and baseball year round. (Desert off road is season is starting for us next weekend)

I find my reloading time when they go out with mom to various places and I have some alone minutes. In an hour you can load up a surprising amount of ammo on a progressive press. With single- stagers it takes longer to put loads together (of course).

For many years I have loaded for .38 spl, .38 wadcutter, .357, 41 mag (just got into this about two months ago), .44 spl, .44 mag and .45 Colt. I also recently ordered 100 .454 Casull and 500 .45 Super cases so I someday can start building loads for them. I occasionally load center fire rifle rounds but I don't shoot them as often, or in the volume, of my handguns.

A lot of it is forming the desire to start, and the ability to buy stuff in stages (on line, local sales, flea market/classifieds etc) makes the hurt of the initial equipment investment lot a less. Start saving your brass now, and you will be ahead of the game in that department when the time comes to get started...