Thank you - i have purchased a 44

[Backpacker33]

I love my Anaconda, but I bought it when prices were WAY more real. Today, I'd say save your money.
The S&W 29 feels more refined to me than the Ruger Redhawk, but that hardly qualifies as a reason to avoid the Ruger.
I, personally, shun Taurus. I have a long experience with their disgracefully poor quality. The Raging Bull in the photo is quite accurate, but the metal in the forward cylinder latch is so soft it fell away like sand when we tried to file it to its proper shape. It has a ledge where a factory "machinist" whaled away at it just to make it work at all. After a couple dozen rounds it looked like someone took a hammer to it.
The Redhawk has hand-held accuracy the equal of the others, at least for me. It is also the least expensive, not counting the Taurus, which, as I said I'd avoid.
I hand load, too. I tailor loads from full hammers to 900fps softies for plinking and other uses. When I go to the range, the 29 is the most likely to be in the bag, followed by the Anaconda.

 

[Trent]

I, personally, shun Taurus. I have a long experience with their disgracefully poor quality. The Raging Bull in the photo is quite accurate, but the metal in the forward cylinder latch is so soft it fell away like sand when we tried to file it to its proper shape. It has a ledge where a factory "machinist" whaled away at it just to make it work at all. After a couple dozen rounds it looked like someone took a hammer to it.

I've had the opposite experience with Taurus Semi-Autos. Every Taurus semi I own I'd trust as a self defense gun (and DO, as I have a PT92 sitting on the table less than 2 feet from me, loaded, as I type this). I've hauled that PT92 through a dozen states, qualified on my NRA shoot with it, and in general love the thing.

Not having owned a Taurus revolver I can't comment on those, no personal experience, but will take what you say in to advisement!

 

[blaisenguns]

I love my Anaconda, but I bought it when prices were WAY more real. Today, I'd say save your money.

When I was first shopping for my thumper, I was going to get an anaconda. But when I could not find one in my price range I bought my S&W just because it kind of looked like it

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Spending money on an Anaconda is not wasted unless you destroy or lose it.

 

[Backpacker33]

Trent:
I've made my rant about Taurus guns on THR before, so I won't redo all the details.
In the late '80s I worked for a personal protection agency. They got a contract for a Brasileiro who demanded we have Brazilian-made guns in our holsters. He made it part of the contract. Da Boss bought 12 Taurus 92s. Not one would work. FTFeed, FTE, etc., keyholing. He sent them all back to the FL distributor who claimed to have corrected them. We won't go into why they needed correcting in the first place. Long story short: none worked. Our armorer modified the Taurus grips to fit Beretta 92s already in our stock. The client never noticed.
I was looking for a .44 Special revolver as a backup. I didn't want to pay the price for a S&W, and I felt the grip was too big anyway. A Big Name Gun Writer praised the Taurus 431 .44 Special 5-shot to the heavens, so I bought one. Trigger pull was so bad NO ONE could keep the sights on target as they moved the trigger. Also FTFire one out of 5. Back to Taurus. Longer story short, went back twice, then to local gunsmith. The trigger was always crap and the FTF rate was either 1 in 10 or 1 in 5.
Third time, my 3 Charming Children wanted .22 Mag revolvers. Another Big Name Gun Writer praised the Taurus 941 .22 Mag revolver to the heavens. I bought 4 because S&Ws were WAY too expensive for me. First time on the range, our 11-yr-old says "Dad, I can't see the sights!" That was because the rear sight DEPARTED THE GUN! All four bound up so badly after about 18 rounds that NONE could be indexed, even by hand. Two keyholed. Back to Taurus, who returned them saying they met specs. Some specs. I've sold three, ONLY to people who understood what they were getting. The fourth is buried in the safe, too expensive to use as a doorstop, and too crappy to inflict on anyone.
Sooo, 20 years later, a friend who I always felt had good judgement, bought a Taurus .44 Mag with 2.5" barrel. He said it was a great gun, and demonstrated uncommonly accurate shooting with it. Convinced me to get a Raging Bull. It is as accurate as any other .44 Mag I have had. But the cylinder would not lock into the frame unless I PUSHED on the forward latch, and would not UNlatch without extra pressure. Took it to a local gunsmith. He found the cylinder base pin looked as though it had been fitted with a coarse file, as did the hinge shaft that goes into the frame. The front cylinder locking block had a step butchered into it that looked the same way. The smith attempted to properly shape the block with a fine file and STOPPED IMMEDIATELY because the metal was so soft it just melted away. It's not going back to Taurus and it isn't going to the range. It's too dangerous.
At one time I was given a Model 100. Keyholed, FTF, FTE. The THIRD time I sent it back to Taurus I included a BLISTERING letter threatening to do a consumer complaint. It came back with a note saying it met spec BUT that they had replaced the internals, including the barrel. It has worked fine ever since.
One good story: I was given a 92 Compact years ago. I had only recently had the bad experience with the 92s for Brazil, so I was skeptical, but he said it was a fine gun. It was. It went "BANG" every time and was very accurate. I wound up turning down a number of offers for it, from people who couldn't get the Beretta Compacts due to high demand.
I'm happy for you that you've had good service from yours. I know others who say that, and I was once pounced upon by a LEO who said his department issued them and had NO problems. He also claimed extensive difficulty with Sigs, which I have found to be built like the proverbial Brick Sh&^ Ho$#@.
I don't trust them and won't recommend any of them to anyone.

 

[Backpacker33]

Anacondas

I guess I've made MY choice! The one on the right is a .45-Colt model. Second from right is Bright Stainless Steel. All are superb shooters, though the wood stocks on the shortie hurt like the dickens with any .44 Mag spec load.

 

[Trent]

She's a nomal Hunter, not a Bisley.



Makes my SP101 look downright TINY.

 

[Archangel14]

Try a less powerful cartridge before you plunge into a .44 mag. I can fire hot 125 gr. .357 loads all day from an SP101 (with good grips), but my S&W 29 was simply punishment for me. Every so often I'd get the ".44 mag bug" and take my model 29 out the the range, only to be reminded after 6 rounds why I never frequently shot it. It may be for you, and is a very versatile cartridge. But before you take the plunge, go shot one.

 

[Trent]

Too late, see the post above yours.

I can't edit my original post at this point, and I can understand people skipping 100+ posts and just replying to the top, I do it too.

 

[JEB]

nice looking revolver ya got there! let us know how ya like it.

 

[Trent]

Will do Jeb!

Shooting rifles Saturday (cold, windy, nasty), pistols Sunday. I plan on shooting some of that Winchester practice ammo I got first, to get a feel for the trigger and gun, then shooting two 6 shot groups of each of those defense loads I bought at 25 yards to get a feel for recoil & accuracy. I'll start with the lighter loads and work my way up, hoping I'm not too sore by the time I'm done.

By my count if I shoot 5x 6 shot groups of the WWB ammo, then 12x shots each of 5 types of defense / hunting loads, that's 90 rounds.

Well, not quite sure if I'll make it through that in one piece. So we'll just have to see how it goes. I'll post my targets, we'll see how bad they get as I get through the endurance run, and if I can even make it to the end.

 

[Hammerdown77]

You'll be fine shooting 44 mag out of that gun. I can shoot endless amounts of full power 44 mag loads out of a single action with a Bisley or SBH length plowhandle grip, but with the Smiths, like I said before, my thumb knuckle starts to complain after a while.

Handloading is going to be your best option, but if you're shooting factory ammo, I like the Magtech blue box stuff, and for SHOCK AND AWE, pick up a box of Remington 180 gr. The UMC stuff in the green and white box. Try to shoot it at dusk. I don't know what kind of powder they use in that load, but I'm pretty sure it's the same stuff they use in flash bang grenades. It's more bark than bite on the shooter's side of things, though; the lightweight bullet doesn't create near the smack in the hand as the 250+ grain loads do.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[HankR]

She's a nomal Hunter, not a Bisley.

You'll be fine shooting 44 mag out of that gun. I can shoot endless amounts of full power 44 mag loads out of a single action with a Bisley or SBH length plowhandle grip

I agree, but it is possible to change the grip frame if you decide later that you really wanted the Bisley. Not sure if Ruger will sell you the hammer or not, but the grip frame is a pretty simple swap. I like the Bisley slightly better, but wouldn't shed any tears over owning the "regular" Blackhawk.

 

[TenDriver]

Howdy

If you want a 44 Mag, the easiest thing to do is go to your local gun shop and look for a used Super Blackhawk. There are always a few on hand, often they come with a half a box of ammo because guys who just have to own a 44 Mag often go through about a half a box of ammo before they decide it is too much gun for them.

True statement. I got a screaming deal on my Taurus Tracker. Including in the deal was a box of 48 rounds.

Speaking of the Tracker, I know people like to poo poo Taurus, but mine has treated me well. It shoots nice, great rubber grips, and ported.

The only issue I've had with it was the last time I took it to the range there were two screws in the case that HAD been in the pistol. I found where they went and put them back. I wasn't happy about it, but the 44 is a pretty heavy recoiling pistol.

 

[Seventhsword]

My favorite that I have.... Very accurate and an amazing trigger!

 

[JohnM]

I'm not much of a fan of snub nosed revolvers, but that is a nice looking gun!

 

[Trent]

That looks.. painful.

 

[Hammerdown77]

Yep, that looks like a great 44 Special carry gun. 44 Mag.....not so much.

 

[JohnM]

Hard to say how wicked it would be to shoot. Looks like a well designed grip.
Maybe the owner will comment a little.

 

[InkEd]

If you're getting a .44mag then get a Ruger or Freedom Arms. These will allow you to achieve the full potential of the cartridge.

 

[Sam1911]

Just a friendly PSA from your Staff:

If you're getting a .44mag then get a Ruger or Freedom Arms. These will allow you to achieve the full potential of the cartridge.

Please folks, when you post in a thread, READ THE THREAD FIRST.

Trent has already purchased the gun, received it, and posted pictures of it here.

Telling him to buy a Ruger, when he's already BOUGHT a Ruger, is ... well, you get the point.

This applies to about a million other threads, too, but this just happens to be a good example.

 

[Trent]

Sam can you edit the original post to say "THANK YOU - I HAVE PURCHASED A 44" or something; it won't let me.

People are skipping the 120 posts and just replying to the original.

 

[Sam1911]

Done!

 

[Trent]

Thanks Sam.

Sometimes the folks on this board are TOO helpful.

Not a bad problem to have!

 

[Trent]

OK. I took off work a little early, got to the range with a few minutes of sun to spare. 31 degrees, windy as hell, and I was under-dressed.

But I had the 44 magnum and I had ammo.

Before I go on, I'm going to say something.

You guys are flipping insane.


And I guess I'm insane now too.

I got my targets set up at 10 yards. I took hold of the Super Blackhawk as I would any other firearm. I lined up my sights, pulled the trigger...

And OW OW OW OW OW OW OW SONOFA....

That trigger guard bites damn hard when you hold it like an autoloader....



It didn't help that my hands were frozen. The jury is out on structural damage to my finger, it's just NOW thawing out an hour after the trip, and stinging strongly, kind of like I beat it with a claw hammer. Gonna be sore for a few days.

Aaaanywho.

First group, 250 gr. Winchester white box; either I flung one completely off target or two went through the same hole. (I probably sent one flying off target).




Second group, again with 250 gr. WWB. By now I'm seriously adjusting my grip. There's an obvious flinch shot way low left (top left is staple hole):




Third group. I switched to the Hornaday 225gr ballistic tips:




Fourth group, still with the Hornaday 225gr. I'm starting to get the hang of the grip. I COMPLETELY changed holds after the first group, and I'm starting to get more comfortable with it. My support hand is shifted down one whole finger, pinky UNDER the grip, so I don't get bit. My support hand thumb was changed to wrap AROUND the back of my strong hand.




Fifth group. I did 6 shots of Winchester 250, and 6 shots of Hornaday 225 gr. The Hornaday hit slightly higher than the winchester. 5 shots of the Hornaday went through the same hole, with one flinch high (I was shivering by now). Winchester was next, 4 shots strung horizontal, a thumb shot wide right, and a flinch WAY high. Winchester was harder recoiling and I found myself grimacing a little when I pulled the trigger.



Sixth group. This was just for fun, and I was determined to get over flinching. So I switched up to weaver stance to absorb recoil a little better, and did my smiley face drill that I do with 9mm, rapid fire, two cylinders worth. It really doesn't look nearly as good as it does with my little guns. In fact, I think I put the nose is a little too close to the mouth. Maybe a demented smiley face. I'll have to work on that.

Oh, it's hard to shoot a single action 44 rapid fire.

And these things take FOREVER to frigging reload when your hands are shaking.




At least I was having fun!