44 Special fired out of 44 Magnum

[357smallbore]

I have a Redhawk in 5.5 barrel. I shoot mags and specials out of it. I know it doesn't hurt to shoot specials out of the magnum. But does anyone here think accuracy is an issue down range? I really don't see it. I shoot 25, 50 and 75 yards with both loads. I am shooting 200 grn RNFP in Specials. I roll my own.

 

[BullRunBear]

The bullets are the same and barrel bores whether fired from a magnum or special revolver. Shouldn't make a difference in accuracy. It doesn't in mine. (My marksmanship is another matter.)

 

[Malamute]

I have a Redhawk in 5.5 barrel. I shoot mags and specials out of it. I know it doesn't hurt to shoot specials out of the magnum. But does anyone here think accuracy is an issue down range? I really don't see it. I shoot 25, 50 and 75 yards with both loads. I am shooting 200 grn RNFP in Specials. I roll my own.

I don't think it makes much difference. Ive had very accurate loads out of 38 spl loads in 357 chambers, which is the same length difference. The theory is it does make a difference, but as the saying goes, "In theory, practice and theory are the same, in practice, they aren't."

 

[CZ9shooter]

Redhawk, 7.5" barrel, iron sights, under 50 yards, I can't detect a difference.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Some shooters speculate the longer jump to the forcing cone hurts accuracy with Specials, I don't see it. I fire both and I can't see any difference at all.

 

[Blacksmoke]

I bought some low velocity .44 mag reloads for easy target shooting. They do not produce enough gas pressure to cycle my Ruger Deerfield carbine, so I am guessing they are closer to Specials in performance. No chronograph handy for measurement. Back to the Redhawk, I also was concerned about that distance between the bullet and the cone which is why I bought these reloads. Glad to learn my concerns were exaggerated.

 

[robhof]

I heard the same thing with B/p revolvers, and after extensive trials found no difference from lower loads and lower loads with filler to keep bullet/ball close to forcing cone, that being said, I own a 357 Max. and shooting 357 mags results in larger groups off a bench, and 38 special look like buck shot loads out of a OC barrel. So in some cases it does make a difference, with the Max I resolved by loading down the Max cases with 38 loads and get great consistent shots!

 

[murf]

brian pearce penned an article on the accuracy difference between special and magnum loads shot in a magnum pistol. his results showed a slight decreased accuracy for the special loads. most would never notice.

note: be aware of the crud ring that forms in the chamber when shooting specials in a magnum gun.

murf

 

[cfullgraf]

I used to shoot 38 Special cases in my 357 Magnum chambers and never saw any loss in accuracy. Probably mostly a failing of the shooter.

I'd expect the same in my 44 Magnums, but I've never shot 44 Special cases in those guns.

A number of years ago, before I had a 44 Magnum, I decided to shoot the proper cases in the proper chamber. Mostly, it is because I have guns chambered for 38 Special and 44 Special so I save the Special cases for those guns.

I do load Special level loads for my 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum guns in the Magnum cases for when I do not want to shoot maximum level ammunition.

Just one of my idiosyncrasies.

 

[Dog Soldier]

I also think the "jump" from firing a short Ctg. in a long chamber is over done. I fire . 45 ACP rounds in a Ruger chambered for the .45 Colt. That is a jump the .45 ACP is very accurate.

 

[CraigC]

I also think the "jump" from firing a short Ctg. in a long chamber is over done. I fire . 45 ACP rounds in a Ruger chambered for the .45 Colt. That is a jump the .45 ACP is very accurate.

I think the significance of most issues like this are overblown. There's two different scenarios here that no one seems to differentiate. With short cartridges like the .45ACP in proper .45ACP chambers, the bullet is traveling through and is guided by the throat. Same for firing .38's in .357's and .44Spl's in .44Mag's. The bullet enters the throat before it clears the case. With a short cartridge in a very long chamber, where the bullet has enough room to clear the case before it enters the throat, it 'can' cause a little wobble whereby the bullet might enter the forcing cone something other than straight. Of course, you would probably have to be very scientific about it just to find a measurable difference.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Well said. I think your post explained the criteria of magnum chambers very well. Thx.

 

[forrest r]

Depends on the bullet type/design. With wc's/hbwc's I see a huge difference in range time/# of shots fired until accuracy falls off. The 44spl's in the 44mag's fouled (carbon ring) quicker leading to poor accuracy quicker.

Pictured are some wc's that I shoot in the 44spl/mag. The 175gr wc on the left has offset lube grooves that also serve as crimp grooves. The longer end is for the 44spl and the shorter end is for the 44mag. The end result is the same load/oal is used my this bullet for both 44spl & 44mag cases to be shot in a 44mag revolver.


These cramer 200gr wc's shoot their best with 44mag cases in a 44mag revolver. Never could get this bullet to group well using 44spl cases in a 44mag revolver.

 

[Deanimator]

I have a Redhawk in 5.5 barrel. I shoot mags and specials out of it. I know it doesn't hurt to shoot specials out of the magnum. But does anyone here think accuracy is an issue down range? I really don't see it. I shoot 25, 50 and 75 yards with both loads. I am shooting 200 grn RNFP in Specials. I roll my own.

I've got a 4" 29-2. I shoot almost nothing but .44 Specials in it. It's as accurate as any other revolver I own.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Some shooters speculate the longer jump to the forcing cone hurts accuracy with Specials, I don't see it. I fire both and I can't see any difference at all.

I've heard that too, and have never experienced a lack of accuracy either.

 

[cfullgraf]

I think the significance of most issues like this are overblown. There's two different scenarios here that no one seems to differentiate. With short cartridges like the .45ACP in proper .45ACP chambers, the bullet is traveling through and is guided by the throat. Same for firing .38's in .357's and .44Spl's in .44Mag's. The bullet enters the throat before it clears the case. With a short cartridge in a very long chamber, where the bullet has enough room to clear the case before it enters the throat, it 'can' cause a little wobble whereby the bullet might enter the forcing cone something other than straight. Of course, you would probably have to be very scientific about it just to find a measurable difference.

This sounds like a reasonable explanation.

I have found a good, light load in my 460 S&W Mag cases that is reasonably accurate, better than the accuracy when shooting 45 Colt in the long 460 S&W Mag chamber.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

This sounds like a reasonable explanation.

I have found a good, light load in my 460 S&W Mag cases that is reasonably accurate, better than the accuracy when shooting 45 Colt in the long 460 S&W Mag chamber.

Funny, as I was falling asleep last night I thought about this thread and remembered some experiences I've had with my 460.

American Eagle jacketed soft points are reasonably accurate out of my 460V. So are Cor Bon 225 gr DPX +P ammo.

Would I hunt with them? No. they are accurate enough to stop an angry critter or a jerk at 25 yards, but I'd prefer ammo that groups tighter if I'm trying to double lung a critter I want to eat beyond that distance.

I tried Norther Hills 45 Colt FMJ ammo and POI was all over the place. But it was cheap ammo.

As Craig points out, there's no real good way to test the cause of the innacuracy for an average gun owner.

Maybe my gun didn't like that weight bullet. Maybe the powder they used had something to do with it. Maybe the lower velocity mixed with gain twist riffling is a bad combo. Or maybe it's due to the long cylinder jump to the forcing cone. Without testing several loadings in several different guns, there's no way to know for sure what the cause is.

It'd be interesting to shoot 44 specials out of a 445 super mag and see if there is a noticeable accuracy difference that mirrors the 45 Colt/460 mag results I've seen.

It's all anecdotal though, so my post should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[357smallbore]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your insight

 

[Rodfac]

No difference accuracy wise in my experience out to 50 yds with Lyman's 429421, 429244GC, or 429215GC though you do have to scrub out the accumulation of bullet lube, powder residue etc that builds up just before the cylinder throats. Regards, Rod

 

[Confederate]

My .357s are garbage. Can't hit the broad side of a barn!

Now Jerry Miculek...he's got some good guns!

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Many, many years ago (the late 1800s) the most prized target revolver was the S&W New Model Number Three. This one was made in 1882 and is chambered for 44 Russian.





However the two cartridges preferred by target shooters were the 32-44 S&W and the 38-44 S&W. Do not confuse the 38-44 with the high powered 38 special cartridges of the same name from the 1930s. The older 38-44 was basically an elongated 38 S&W. The brass extended the full length of the cylinder, there was no chamber throat. The bullet was fully seated inside the brass. The idea was, there was no chamber jump and no chamber throat for the bullet to jump, it exited the cartridge directly into the forcing cone. Records were set with these revolvers that are hard to match today. At least some of that must be due to the lack of the bullet jumping a chamber or a throat. Of course, the shooters were not average shooters, they were the best target shooters of their day.

Here is a photo of a page from a copy of the S&W catalog of 1900. The 32-44 and 38-44 cartridges are the first two on the left.

 

[GRIZ22]

The loss of accuracy shooting specials in a 357 or 44 mag is pretty much garbage. If the jump from the case to the throat effected accuracy so much then a S&W K frame 22 would be the most inaccurate revolvers out there. We know they're not.

I've fired plenty of 38 and 44 specials in magnum guns with no loss of accuracy.

 

[HighExpert]

I have actually found the .44spec in my Taurus .44mag to be more accurate. I think it has to do with the lower velocity.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have a Redhawk in 5.5 barrel. I shoot mags and specials out of it. I know it doesn't hurt to shoot specials out of the magnum. But does anyone here think accuracy is an issue down range? I really don't see it. I shoot 25, 50 and 75 yards with both loads. I am shooting 200 grn RNFP in Specials. I roll my own.

If you can't see a difference, there ISN'T a difference.