Anybody own/shoot a 44 Special snubby?

I'm not saying I wouldn't do it again, but I've just decided to carry a 629 for my .44 anything needs. the 5 shots in such a big gun just didn't cut it for me anymore. my 342PD Ti is the essence of 5 shot light weights. now a Taurus model 445 I think it was, that was the smallest .44spl made and one I would probably still carry in the light weight version. I found the older pre-locked Taurus revolvers to be well made fit and finish wise. for general carry in the field/woods in the small .44s I liked a hand loaded 240gr. SWC on top of 5.3 grains of Unique. a factory load I would consider for serious carry the 190gr. Buffalo Bore LHP would be my choice. for a light factory load the Hornady line up looks nice.

The 44spl is a fantastic cartridge that bring a lot to the table. I've owned and carried bulldogs since the 80's along with reloading for them.

IMHO:
A 180gr to 220gr bullet's are better suited in the snubnosed 44spl's. Same goes for a lead or pc'd bullet over a jacketed or plated bullet. Every couple of years I do updated testing with bullets/loads in a ca bulldog. Tests I did 2 years ago.


The bullet on the bottom left was cast from a h&g #142 mold with the old style hp pin. The h&g #142 is an excellent bullet, h&g's version of the Thompson bullet lyman uses, the 429215. The h&g version casts a 220gr solid nosed swc and a 200gr hp swc.


The top left bullet is also impressive, it's a lyman 429422 cast bullet. It's a hollow based version of the keith 429421 swc bullet. I used a forster hp tool with a 60* center drill to make a hp in that bullet. The end result is a hollow based hollow pointed swc. Decades ago ww came out with their 38spl "FBI" bullet/load. WW used a hollow based hollow pointed swc for their 38spl/fbi load.


My 44spl hollow based hollow pointed bullet.


A side view of that same expanded hp pictured above. The hb not only compressed (it's supposed to) in expanded from being a hb bullet.


I really like the h&g #142/Thompson design and this year I'll be doing testing in the bulldog with a Mihec custom mold, a spinoff of that Thompson design.


I bought a 2-cavity of the older version that casts the bullets pictured above. 3 weeks ago I picked up a 4-cavity mold with updated pins. The updated version will also cast a 180gr penta point hp. I have that 4-cavity mold setup with:
1 large hp 180gr
1 penta hp 180gr
1 small hp 188gr
1 cup hp 192gr

I'll stay with 2400 for powder. A lot of reloaders don't know it but 2400 not only holds it's own in the snubnosed 44spl's, the pressures are low compared to loads like the "Skeeter 7.5gr of unique/245gr lead swc load". Those 4 2400 loads from 2 years ago pictured above are run in the 18,500psi +/- range. While the "Skeeter" load is in the 23,000psi +/- range.

Anyway you start getting a 180gr to 220gr bullet doing 900fps+ in a snubnosed 44spl, you'll find that they tend to shoot to the point of aim along with putting the smack on anything they hit.

I have a 2016 build Bulldog. All I shoot out of it are some Missouri Cowboy #3 240g projectiles over 5g Unique. That produced 637fps average from that bulldog. It's a modestly comfortable load in that small pistol. I leave it loaded for around the house use and typically, its with Hornady critical defense. I'm going to play with some loads for the thing come this summer to see what I can make for it.

*EDIT*

Thinking about goofing around with these here:

https://www.mattsbullets.com/index....4dac60492a43&zenid=7m460f22haeaiuk4n66ge1pva6

Howdy

Does this count?

A Smith and Wesson 44 Hand Ejector 3rd Model. Also known as the Wolf and Klar model. S&W had done away with the extractor shroud after the 44 Hand Ejector 1st Model (Triple Lock). When Texas gunstore/dealer Wolf and Klar ordered 3500 2nd Models with an extractor shroud S&W relented. And many of the Magnums had extractor shrouds ever since. This one left the factory in 1929 and was carried through WWII by an officer. Somewhere I have the holster he used. Yes, it has been refinished as evidenced by the nickel plated hammer and trigger.






I put some cheap reproduction plastic grips on it to preserve the original very worn grips.

nevadabob said:

I may be on the hunt for such and narrowed the brands down to Charter Arms Bulldog, Taurus, or Ruger. Any concerns or comments ?
For those that reload...what grain bullet do you find manageable for plinking and defense?

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I bought (my wife) a Taurus 445 (titanium) snub in 44 special. She shoots a 240gr lead semi wadcutter with a mild load of W231 at about 850fps. Very manageable even in a light weight gun.

FWIW, although I do handload I recently chronographed Underwoods 245gr FMJ from my 3" GP100. It claims 950 fps and it averaged 920 fps in my Ruger on a rather cool day. Not bad, recoil wasn't bad, it was there but not bothersome.

The 2 Bulldogs I own.
The "custom" was done by a Buffalo gun smith for the "robbery/burglary" division of the Buffalo P.D. back when we all carried wheel guns.

And the other is a stock .44 .

The custom does shoot better but its not a fun gun to shoot for more than a dozen or so rounds.

More than sufficient for what it was made for.

I have a 3" S&W Model 624 and a 3" Ruger GP-100 chambered in 44 Special. I also have a 2-3/4" S&W Model 69. Granted the Model 69 is chambered for 44 Magnum, but I load hot 44 Special loads in 44 Magnum cases for the short barreled Model 69.

I consider all three a bit large for deep concealment but there are times a bit smaller large frame revolver is useful for convenient size with adequate power.

cfullgraf said:

I have a 3" S&W Model 624 and a 3" Ruger GP-100 chambered in 44 Special. I also have a 2-3/4" S&W Model 69. Granted the Model 69 is chambered for 44 Magnum, but I load hot 44 Special loads in 44 Magnum cases for the short barreled Model 69.

I consider all three a bit large for deep concealment but there are times a bit smaller large frame revolver is useful for convenient size with adequate power.

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I have kicked around buying that GP100 in 44 special so many times...but every time I pass on it.

I have a tuned 627 pro that I use for range revolver shooting, I already have a few 44's...but theres just something about the GP in 44 special...

Charter Arms Bulldog .44 & 240 grain SWC's works for me.

I've done a few things to my 69. Bowen rough Country sight, Pachmayr Compact grip, spring & action job and plugged the hole. That's an Azula IWB holster that works well with it. Underwood 120 grain Defenders are usually what's in it although I do shoot a lot of 44 mags too.