[calex59]

All of the above and I love the .44 special. Discuss:)

[The KG9 Kid]

Downside to whatever merits the .44 Special has is that there aren’t a whole lot of quality sidearms available for it — unless you buy a .44 Magnum sidearm to fire that round, in which case, what’s the point?

[Outlaw76]

All of the above are true for a few calibers.
Please explain what makes the .44 better than say a .357 or .45?

The .357 will let you practice with cheap .38 loads that aren’t as loud and the .45 has a great rep for stopping power.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the .44 a whole lot, I just don’t see your argument.

[stockpirate]

My grandfather who died 40 years ago at 96 was a gunsmith. He made a 410 over under pistol that was pretty mean. Wish I had in now.

[yarddog]

I agree the .44 special is a good one, especially if you are a handloader. I personally think the best one is the .41 magnum and I don’t even own a gun in that caliber right now.

The .41 can do anything the .44 mag can do with the possible exception of using very heavy bullets. In fact I think the .41 mag will actually beat the .44 mag in energy in a lot of loadings. Plus the smaller hole in the cylinders makes it stronger.

I could get by with no other gun than the .357 magnum and if absolutely forced to, I could use a .22 LR for nearly everything and it is better than most for a lot of things.

[45Auto]

Some years ago I had a Ruger New Model Blackhawk converted from .357 Mag to .44 Special by Dave Clements. In that revolver, the .44 Special can be loaded to much higher velocities/pressures, but not quite to .44 mag specs. Still, it is an admirable performer using 200 grain Hornady XTP’s and Bue Dot powder. Win 296 and Alliant 2400 work also. This conversion using the Old Model Blackhawk was very popular in the “old days”. The Old Model had a somewhat smaller frame (and a smaller diameter cylinder) than the New Model. Consequently, some care had to be used when reloading for the Old Model conversions.

[Tarpon]

It’s big, it’s heavy, you can’t hide it even in baggy pants, it makes pants on the ground sound reasonable, weighs a whole lot, and just doesn’t work when carried concealed.

Yes, I have one, S&W 44 and Ruger Super Blackhawk, and yes I hand load them profusely — for hunting it has no equal. But at the end of the day, you wish it was lighter, even in a shoulder holster. Yep they make slightly smaller versions, in bear country probably a good thing.

With modern ammo a mini 9 is much more likable, and pockets rather nicely.

All in all, I agree with your assessment, butttt

[pingman]

I use the .44 mag in my Ruger Deerfield carbine and S&W 29. Same lead, mo’ bang for the buck, so to speak...

And BTW, my hunting loads are a 240gr XTP w/ 24gr of H-110(slow burning); I get 1” drop at 100 yds vs. 50 yds shot. So much for the “It’s only a brush gun!” theory!

All off the shelf .44 mag ammo is loaded for pistols, w/ fast burning powders.

Off to the range w / wifey; she recently became interested in shooting.

[dfwgator]

"It's an .88 Magnum...It Shoots Through Schools."

[Steamburg]

Wheel guns are fun and the .44 Special is no exception. It is in fact a nearly perfect revolver cartridge. The combination of controlability and terminal ballistics make a pleasure to shoot. Then comes the discussion about cartridge sources in a difficult environment. Reloading only goes so far. No military now uses the venerable .44 Special as a standard round. Weapon round capacity and interchangeably are both factors to be considered in today’s environment.

[snowsislander]

Well, Elmer Keith certainly thought a lot of the 44 Special also. Not only did he use it as the base for developing the 44 Magnum, if memory serves, he also developed the Keith Bullet for the 44 Special.

[Lurker]

I must largely agree with you. I've got 2 handguns chambered in this cartridge. One of them is a titanium frame Taurus and the other is a Charter Arms Bulldog.

You can load the cartridge so that you get almost the same ballistics as the .45 ACP is a smaller, lighter package.

There are more choices in revolvers for this cartridge these days, too. You can occasionally find the Bulldog on the used market. That's where I found mine. It was in really good shape and was less than $200.

If you're a handloader and own a .44 mag you've probably already got the die set so there's nothing holding you back.

L

[oldenuff2no]

The 44 special has it's place but not as a defensive handgun off the pavement. It does not stack up well to the other large bores or mags.
I'm a fan of the 45LC chambered in the ruger blackhawk frame. I can shoot the cowboy action ammo that is like shooting 38 wad cutters in a 357, or I can ramp it up to 454 ballistics by stoking it with Cor-Bon 45LC+p ammo. The 45LC+P should never be used in colt, S&W, or colt clones because there just isn't enough steel in them to make it safe. The 45 does not have the recoil bite that the 44mag does and handles heavier bullets than the 41mag.
I spend a lot of time in the back country and have killed two good sized black bear with this combo at close quarters. The impact energy of the cor-bon soft points is devastating and instant energy displacement into the target is noticeable.
As with all defensive firearms the most important element is practice. I shoot at least 18 rounds every week starting each shot from the holster always concentrating on making that first shot count.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm

According to the above chart, the .44 special is about the worst!

[Old Student]

I like the .44 special, but I have to disagree with you. I had an acquaintance years ago who shot himself accidentally with his Charter Arms .44 Bulldog. Essentially point blank range, into the inside of his upper right arm. It did break the bone, but not badly, and it left fairly neat scars. Dime-sized on the inside, entry wound, nickle size for the exit wound. It did NOT shatter the bone, just broke it. These were soft-lead bullet handloads, to nearly .44 mag specs. I suppose it's possible he just got d*** lucky, but I'm not willing to bet on it. Personally, if I have to shoot someone, I want a round that knocks them down and stomps all over them!

As for the military leaving the .45 to go to 9mm, they did so because the troops could carry more rounds for the same weight and volume. More rounds fired equals more enemy wounded or killed. This is the same reason they switched from .308 to 5.56mm.

[ozzymandus]

I shoot heavy .44 Special loads in my S&W M29. I can shoot them all day, but about 12 rounds of heavy .44 Mag really dampens my enthusiasm.

[OKSooner]

This thread is proof that choices in firearms are among the most intimately personal choices we make. Sometimes way too personal it would seem.

[Jeff Gordon]

Sorry, the .22LR is the best handgun cartridge.

[Oldpuppymax]

This is what’s known as a true “can of worms” post.

[Eagles6]

To each his own. The caliber wars will never end.

I like the .44 Special and .44 Mag and if I had the cash I'd buy a couple.

That being said I've had a couple of .357 Mags and have one now. I can shoot 148 gr HBWC loaded in a .38 SPL case with little recoil and great accuracy up to a 125 gr or 158 gr loaded with H110 that strikes like lightening, sounds like thunder and is accurate as heck.

I have other handguns but if I could only have one it would be a .357 Mag.

[Centurion2000]

I’ll stick with my 45 Colt.