Who carries a .44 Special?

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I have two 44 Specials. Rossi 720 and Taurus 431. Each are carried on a daily base's. Both are loaded with Blazer 200gr ammo. Both carry well, both shoot great. Very reliable weapons.
 
Sticker shock!

For the first time in a long time, I peered at the prices for .44 Special ammo in a store. $52 for a box of 50 Remington 246gr Lead Round nose. I do not know how people who do not reload could afford to shoot very much at that price. High performance ammo in the 20 round boxes were even worse (per round price). I think some were $26-$27 per 20.
 
if you can find those around here, they're about $37/box, then with tax it comes to @ $40/50rds.

Not counting the brass, I can load 200 gr. Hornady XTP for about $13.50/50rds.

+ my time of course. :)
 
I have owned a 296, 696 & NG 396 over the years. I really like the .44 Special cartridge. I no longer handload as my bucket list is too large to allow the time for it. So, the price and availability of ammo caused me to move away from that caliber for concealed carry. I like to shoot my carry guns -- lots! I now carry a .45 ACP revolver or a semi-auto .45. I do still have a Ruger 4 5/8" Blackhawk in .44 special as a woods gun. I practice with Blazer and carry Buffalo Bore loads in the woods. I don't shoot it nearly as often as my .45s tho'.
 
.44 Spl. is not a great choice if you don't handload for it. With handloading though, it don't get much better. Started loading for and carrying .44 Spl. revolvers over 20 tears ago and haven't found anything better (unless you step up to a .41 Mag.)
 
BlackSky...
Sweet looking 624. :)

I owned a 3" "T-word" 431 for a while. An out-of-state friend has it now, and I am allowed to borrow it when I fly in to visit him.

I had an S&W 396 and a 696.

I found the 396 "just a tad" too big to carry, considering it was only a 5-shot revolver (worked borderline in a SmartCarry). At that time, I had a 7+1 3" 1911 that weighed about the same...so it held +3 rounds, was shorter, slimmer and most importantly, I shot it better. I could not justify keeping it--another board member has it now and likes it quite well, as he posts on it regularly. :)

The 696 was an incredible revolver. Sweet to shoot, just enough weight, butter smooth action. Again, I had a steel 1911 that weighed ~the same, held 8+1, or +3 rounds...you get the idea. The 696 was a great range gun, carry...not so much.

That is my take--YMMV.

Every time I see a pic of a 696, or see a 624 for sale, I feel a twinge...why did I sell that one? And why don' I buy another?

But even if I did, I would quickly arrive at the same conclusion I did last time. I am set up to hand load for a number of cartridges...and unless I come across something really special, I don't want to buy any more set-ups. For revolvers, if I can't get it done with .38/357, .41 Mag or .45LC, I guess I am in trouble.

Enjoy those .44s. Great and enjoyable cartridge with some history.
 
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I sometimes carry a S&W 696 on my hip with a outside the waist band holster.
I carry a Ruger Sec six w/a 2.75" barrel the same way.
I mostly carry a S&W 36 or a East German Makarov in the waist band.
 
For the first time in a long time, I peered at the prices for .44 Special ammo in a store. $52 for a box of 50 Remington 246gr Lead Round nose. I do not know how people who do not reload could afford to shoot very much at that price. High performance ammo in the 20 round boxes were even worse (per round price). I think some were $26-$27 per 20.
I do wonder if there is a "tipping" point with regard to ammo prices that could serve to force a caliber into a niche. 44 special and 41 mag are both very expensive (due to less consumer demand) but at the same time...demand will likely remain strained due to the price of ammo alone.

Kind of a catch 22. I reload for both. 41 mag was $64 for a 50 round box at bass pro last week. I reload them for about $11 a box. I shoot a TON of 44 mag and reload for that as well. I have a 44 special (S&W 624) but haven't gotten around to shooting it yet.
 
I don't "carry" them, but have carried one of them in the car when I'm going to work, where I can't carry on the job.

Smith & Wesson 24-3.

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Smith & Wesson 624 (no dash)

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Haven't shot the 624 yet, just got it, but the 24 is a delight to shoot. That is one sweet gun. The 624 may end up as trade bait. I don't really care for barrels longer than 4", or stainless steel guns, but it was too good to pass up.
 
Hopefully my cwp will arrive shortly so I can tote my Bridgeport model charter bulldog 44 special. I also have a uberti cattleman 44 special 7.5" barrel that I would tote during hunting.
 
I carry my S&W M-19 44 spl. once in a while, but i like the 357 magnum cartridge better, so i carry S&W M-19 357 mag. more...

DM
 
I've been carrying my "Target" Bulldog off and on since I traded a Scout soft top for it nearly 30 years ago.

Light, pretty damn accurate, easy-quick reload and I clearly don't care that it gets beat upon - in fact, it looks better that when I got it as these were not pretty pistols outa the box and honest wear improves the appearance.

I used to cast my own for messin' about and when I had no money but now keep Winchester "werewolf" bullets in it.

I also recommend these Pachmayrs as they fill the hand nicely for the size and go a long way to making mine a very natural pointer and are very, very grippy.
 

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Anyone carry a smith mod 24 with a 3" barrel? I think s&w used to sell them with a leather holster. I think cajunbass' mod 24 is a 4" right?

How do you all like the pachmyr presentation grips? Thanks
 
Anyone carry a smith mod 24 with a 3" barrel?

I carried one for a couple years as an off duty gun. It was one of the Horton round butt specials. It was still pretty big. I replaced it with a round butt 3 inch model 25 in 45 acp using full moon clips.

I recently bought and have been experimenting with a Taurus M-445UL. report soon to be posted here.
 
Many years ago I carried the old Charter arms bulldog , when they came out with it. But, after I bought the Colt magnum carry in 1999, it no longer is used. I find the small 357 magnum a real "Bulldog" in performance.
 
I have a Son of Sam I bought new in the late 70’s I give some attention too, now and then. A Charter Arms tech suggested I shy away from any modern high pressure loads like CorBon, BB, or DT, and stick to SD ammo from Hornady, Speer, Winchester, and Remington. For lead I stick with “Cowboy Loads”, but no plan Winchester or Remington round nose lead. I’ve never had any issues with it, and it’s a blast to shoot. Can’t go wrong CC'ing a 44special/S&W. I for one wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of it!
 
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