44 mag vs 44special

[thefamcnaj]

Hi highroaders
I own alot of pistols (semi autos), but i've never owned a revolver(my wife has two) I havent really shot them alot either but I was wanting to get my first one, and the Charter Arms Bulldog 44 caught my eye I really like this little gun. For the money it looked like a good starting point for my entry into the revolver world.
I was reading on another thread where a guy made a point about a specific revolver being discussed was 44 special and not 44 magnum. I didnt know there were 44 specials. So now I'm having second thoughts on the Bulldog. Is the special less of a gun than the 44 magnum. Is it different rounds? Weaker rounds? Should i skip the special and go to the magnum. The gun is going to serve as a "center console" gun in my truck.

 

[Quoheleth]

It's the same principal as the .38 Special is to the .357 Magnum. The .44 Magnum is a slightly lengthened Special and the guns are also made with a stronger steel to account for the higher pressure.

For a self-defense gun, a .44 Special is a good round, especially with today's modern ammunition. You don't need a .44 Magnum - you probably don't want a Magnum, either, as a truck gun just in case you have to use it in the confines of your truck!

Do some searching here. There was a thread espousing the .44 special as an outstanding SD cartridge. While not all agreed, there seems to be a ground-swell with the Special. It was popular 40, 50 years ago as a police cartridge and then it was with a round-nosed bullet. Now, with modern hollow-points, it's very viable.

Q

 

[Burt Blade]

You would be well served by a Bulldog in .44 Special. You will find that shooing .44 Special ammunition is far easier on the hand than the much hotter .44 Magnum.

 

[BCRider]

You should check into the availability of .44Spl before you commit to buying. In most cases I think folks here will agree that .44Mag cases are far more readily available than .44Spl. And if you have to buy factory ammo you'll find a wider variety of .44Mag and it'll be a lower cost than .44Spl.

So all in all the ideal solution is to get into reloading and buy a .44Mag gun and either ammo or components. Then just load up lighter loads in .44Mag cases that come closer to replicating .44Spl loads.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

.44 special is a very nice round. Non - magnum pressures means a noise level that is not ear splitting, and recoil that is manageable (Depending on the weight of the gun).

There is no questioning that .44 magnum has the capacity to be a more powerful cartridge than the .44 special. However, how much is too much for civilian ccw and range use?

Respectfully, and with no offense meant to dirty harry, I submit that the .44 magnum is not the most practical choice for self defense due to noise, controllability, and the potential to over penetrate. However, the .44 mag would make an excellent woods gun (in which case, you would probably want a longer barrel like a ruger redhawk or smith 629).

For civilian, ccw, and self -defense use, you will be hard-pressed to find a lovelier cartridge than the .44 special.

You are talking about 200 - 300 grain boolits flying around 850 - 1000 fps. There is alot to like there, especially when compared to a .357 which is a 125 - 200 gr boolit flying at 1200 - 1600 fps. Only again, with less noise, blast, and at a lower pressure.

I personally CCW the .44 special, cor-bon DPX load at 200 grain in a S&W 296.

Check out stephen camps review of this particular factory loading and you will understand why many of us enamored with revolvers and revolver history are still enamored with the capabilities of the .44 special.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon 44 Special DPX Report.htm

That said, any firearm chambered in .44 mag will also be able to shoot .44 special (but not the other way round) just like any firearm chambered for .357 mag can shoot .38 special (but not the other way around). The tradeoff to this diversity is in weight and size. In general, you will find .44 special-only firearms are lighter and more suitable to conceal-ability and balance than their .44 mag counterparts.

I hope this helps.

-Tony

 

[mes227]

The .44 Special is probably the most underrated SD round. It's a great round but gets little attention, though that seems to be changing a little. I have 2 .44 Mags and mostly load them with Specials, and on my "want" list is a S&W Thunder Ranch .44 Special. Of the non-magnum revolver loads, the two I like the most are the .45 Colt and the .44 Special.

 

[earplug]

I did same comparison years ago, ended up at 45 ACP

Went from a 6 inch M29 to a 4 inch M29 to a 4 inch 625 to a 5 inch 625.
If you not hunting anything bigger then 170 PF varmints the 45 ACP is just fine in a revolver. I haven't sold the 44 REM MAG, but it does not do anything better then a 625 99% or the time.
Having moon clip verses other loading devices is icing on the cake.
My first revolver was a Charter Arms 44 spl. Moved up and down the caliber wars and i'm real happy with a moon clipped 45 acp N frame in five inch. A 44 spl gun would not be a improvement.
My CCW is a 642.

 

[dallascj]

I love the 44 Special round. I have 2 Taurus 44 Special snubs, 2 with 3-in barrels, a 3-in Rossi, and 2 Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are the lightest of the bunch, so there is a good bit more recoil, but they are excellent carry guns. I really think the Special is a better SD round than the Magnum for faster follow up shots and over-penetration issues.

 

[Walking Dead]

I'm not real sure why anybody would buy the 44 special or 38 special. I have shot both and liked them but when buying a revolver why paint yourself in the corner of only being able to shoot one ammo. The ability to shoot multiple ammos is what draws me to the revolver.

 

[Jim NE]

.44 mag only if you're hunting or if you're hiking in Alaska or griz country. Availability of .44 special ammo is a good consideration, though. With the internet and ordering on line, it isn't as much of a consideration as it used to be.

I personally would NEVER use the .44 mag cartridge for self defense. Just like I'd never use a 30-30 for self defense unless it was all I had.

A .44 mag revolver loaded with .44 special may be the best idea. Also, Charter Arms can be good guns, but they've had quality issues in the past. Make sure you get a good one.

 

[CraigC]

I'm not real sure why anybody would buy the 44 special or 38 special. I have shot both and liked them but when buying a revolver why paint yourself in the corner of only being able to shoot one ammo.

Painted in a corner? Not hardly. However, the .44Spl is a handloader's cartridge. When handloaded in a proper sixgun, it is plenty of cartridge for 99% of what needs doing. Fact is that the .44Spl fits into slightly smaller and slightly lighter yet imminently usable packages. Why carry a 48oz .44Mag when a 37oz .44Spl will fulfill your needs?

 

[NMGonzo]

If I was into handloading all I would have would be .44 specials for carry.

But the guns are hard to come by in the size and price I want to pay for them.

 

[Walking Dead]

If it's something your trying to conceal carry I suppose every oz. Counts but giving up a few oz's and a 1/4 inch would not bother me. Besides the Taurus titanium 2.25 inch 6 shot is only 27oz. And gives you the ability to shoot both calibers. However I do agree the 44 special is about 99 percent affective.

 

[FoMoGo]

I have 2 Taurus M445s .44 specials in my carry rotation.
I LOVE the .44 special.
Wouldnt mind finding a lightweight 445 or a charter bulldog also.


Jim

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The .44 Special is a good self-defense round in the Charter Arms revolver. You would not want a .44 Mag in a gun of that size.

Understand that the .44 Mag is a hunting round -- it was based on Elmer Keith's very hot .44 Special loads in a specially rebuilt Colt SAA (a pretty big and heavy gun.) Keith used his revolver for hunting deer and larger game. The .44 Magnum was designed to be a bit better at killing deer and elk -- it was never intended for use in a small, concealable revolver.

 

[RidgwayCO]

Why carry a 48oz .44Mag when a 37oz .44Spl will fulfill your needs?

I agree wholeheartedly, CraigC. I'll go further and ask why carry a 37oz .44 Special when an 18oz .44 Special will fulfill your needs? Or an 18-1/2 oz one?

S&W M396 Air Lite (Mountain Lite) at 18 oz:

S&W M296 Air Lite at 18-1/2 oz:

I've owned both... the M396 is still here.

 

[dallascj]

I'm not real sure why anybody would buy the 44 special or 38 special. I have shot both and liked them but when buying a revolver why paint yourself in the corner of only being able to shoot one ammo. The ability to shoot multiple ammos is what draws me to the revolver.

Another big reason that you aren't painting yourself in a corner is that you can find some great 5-shot revolvers in .44 Special which make great carry guns. Most .44 Mags are 6-shot (except the Tracker) and MUCH bulkier, even the Taurus Ultra Lite you mentioned. The weight is okay, but you still have to hide that big cylinder. All of my .44 Specials have 2 or 3 inch barrels and get carried. I have bought reloading equipment, but haven't made a bullet yet. Still studying...

 

[dallascj]

Ridgway,
What was the 296 like to shoot? I wondered how comfortable and controllable the 3-fingered boot grips would do with that big of a round. I ask because they also make boot grips for the Bulldog, and I didn't get them because I didn't know if it made the gun too unwieldy.

 

[RidgwayCO]

dallascj,

For me, the M296 was a "carry a lot, shoot a little" type of gun (which is probably why I sold it). The recoil was abrupt, but not painful. It became excess to needs when I found other guns I liked better for the concealed carry role.

The M396 however, handles recoil much better IMO, and gets carried in a belt holster. I can shoot a box or two of reloads for practice, and not pay any physical price. At my age, getting beat up by a gun is just no fun...

 

[dallascj]

Looks like both revolvers are pretty similar, especially in weight. Do you attribute the difference to be because of the grips, the high back on the Bodyguard style frame, or the DAO action? Do you shoot the M396 mostly DA or SA?

 

[RidgwayCO]

The M396 gives me more gripping surface, and a slightly longer barrel. I chronograph it using single action (to help protect the chronograph...), but most of my practice sessions are shot double action.

A member here (Stainz, I believe), posted a picture of his M296 with the recoil-absorbing grip from a S&W 500. He said it worked great to control recoil, but with a sacrifice in concealability. And it made the M296's butt look big...

 

[RidgwayCO]

Double post...

 

[CraigC]

I was thinking more along these lines...

...a 37oz .44Spl.



...a 48oz .44Mag.



So again, yes, you can download but why would you carry a 48oz .44Mag capable of propelling a 355gr LBT at 1200fps if all you need is a 37oz .44Spl launching a 240gr SWC at 950fps???