TonyB
Member
My father's looking for a 44spl. snubby for CCW....any opinions.....what's the new Charter2000 buldog like???How bout the Taurus's???
44 spl. snubbies.....
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Tamara
Senior Member
Seen a couple of disturbing failures from new Charter 2000 guns, including a .357 that launched the barrel downrange leaving only the shank in the frame. Wonder what the recoil was like from a thousand+ grain projectile? My Charco Bulldog Pug shot itself loose in less than 400 rounds, as well as all the nickel flaking off the forcing cone, breechface, and underside of the topstrap. The original Charter Arms were swell guns for the money, but anything from their Charco or Charter 2000 successors is suspect in my book. 
The big-bore Taurus snubbies are nothing to fall in love with, but are eminently serviceable CCW pieces. I'd tote one.
The big-bore Taurus snubbies are nothing to fall in love with, but are eminently serviceable CCW pieces. I'd tote one.
TonyB
Member
Thanks for the warning about Charter2000.......I think Taurus is the way to go.if he can't find a S+W.....thanks..
Mike Irwin
Member
It's a bit on the big side, but S&W made, for Lew Horton, a run of 3" 24s and I believe 3" 624s back in the 1980s, based on the 24-3 frame (not pinned).
A friend of mine has one of the 3" guns, I have one of the S&W reintroductions in 6.5" with target sights.
They're N-frames, which are large, but my God are they fun to shoot.
A friend of mine has one of the 3" guns, I have one of the S&W reintroductions in 6.5" with target sights.
They're N-frames, which are large, but my God are they fun to shoot.
I have 2 Taurus 44 spl snubbies. Love'em both. They are around just keep doing a search on Gunbroker or GunsAmerica.
I have a 3" 5-shot I picked up from a pawnshop in GA. for $150. It had some minor rust and looked like it had slid down the street so I had it polished and re-blued looks great now.
The other is a highly polished stainless with a conceled hammer and a 2-inch bbl. Like I said both are quite servicesable for CCW and came in the configuration I was wanting.
I have a 3" 5-shot I picked up from a pawnshop in GA. for $150. It had some minor rust and looked like it had slid down the street so I had it polished and re-blued looks great now.
The other is a highly polished stainless with a conceled hammer and a 2-inch bbl. Like I said both are quite servicesable for CCW and came in the configuration I was wanting.
CZ 75 BD
Member
Taurus 445 Ti
2 3/8" snubby, 5 shot 44spl. It's a handful. Great shooter. The "ribber" grip makes it easy to shoot, but harder to draw. It is my EDC. 19.5 oz empty. Studying wood grips or an alternate to the standard.
Overall, highly recommend for personal protection.
2 3/8" snubby, 5 shot 44spl. It's a handful. Great shooter. The "ribber" grip makes it easy to shoot, but harder to draw. It is my EDC. 19.5 oz empty. Studying wood grips or an alternate to the standard.
Overall, highly recommend for personal protection.
I've got a Rossi M720 5- shots of 44 spec. It is stainless, and has a 2-in barrel. It has been an accurate, reliable shooter for 10 years. I have heard or postings about issues with the Rossi's but I have been happy with mine. I think I gave about $250 for it in 1994.
W Turner
Member
You may also want to look at Gunbroker, Gunsamerica or AuctionArms for one of the discontinued S&W 296's. They have an alloy frame, titanium cylinder, are hammerless, and weigh around 20oz. Price should be in the $350 neighborhood.
Bull
Bull
Brigrat
Member
anybody have any info on terminal ballistics of the 44sp out of 2 in barrells? What rounds are good? What about as a backwoods gun, would 2in velocity be enough for 4 legged threats?
Albert Shear
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- 204
24 3" is in my opinion the ultimate carry bigbore snubbie!
I carry Speer GoldDot 200gr in it.
I carry Speer GoldDot 200gr in it.
Stainz
Member
I highly endorse the S&W 296 & 696 - I have had both for over a year. The 696 is hard to find, larger, and weighs 35 oz - a bit big for CCW. The 296 weighs in at ~ 21 oz loaded with CCI Blazers 200gr GDjHP's - it's only diet here (~1,200 thus far). It is nearly the same size as the 696 (2.5" vs 3" barrel), but the enclosed hammer and fixed sights make it a better CCW. That bullet, Speer #4427, is designed to open by 800fps - they chrono ~805fps from my 296 (~840 fps from the 696). Better grips - like the rounded backstrap enclosing Uncle Mike's combats that came on my new 10 and 696 - are needed. The 296 MSRP was ~$790, it is listed in CDNN's latest sale flyer new at less than half of that ($340 + $10 S/H + your FFL) - quite a bargain. Remember - the 296 is limited to clad only 200gr or smaller ammo in .44 Special cases.
The 696 has the benefit of using any ammo - even in the .44 Russian cases. Mine loves 240gr LRNFP's over various amounts of TiteGroup or W231. I wouldn't consider it a step up in woods-protection from the Blazer-equipped 296. If you want that step up, look for a 629 Mountain Gun. My 629MG sees mainly .44 Special & Russian loads - with some down-sized Magnums. It has a six-shot capacity and the .44 Magnum capability - great for the woods. It will probably be easier to find, too. It is a 4" - but weighs in at ~5oz more than the 696.
Stainz
The 696 has the benefit of using any ammo - even in the .44 Russian cases. Mine loves 240gr LRNFP's over various amounts of TiteGroup or W231. I wouldn't consider it a step up in woods-protection from the Blazer-equipped 296. If you want that step up, look for a 629 Mountain Gun. My 629MG sees mainly .44 Special & Russian loads - with some down-sized Magnums. It has a six-shot capacity and the .44 Magnum capability - great for the woods. It will probably be easier to find, too. It is a 4" - but weighs in at ~5oz more than the 696.
Stainz
Tamara
Senior Member
Forgot about the Smith 296! (Of course, it's so light that it's easy to forget about ) It may be one of the few guns ever discontinued for ugliness, but it's an awful handy way to tote five rounds of .44 Special. CDNN has them right now for a fraction of their original cost.
There's also its 3"-barrelled cousin, the 396 Mountain Lite.
A lot of folks are extolling the virtues of the 3" N-frame. Carrying one of these things requires a little more dedication than the K/L-sized guns we started the thread talking about, but with the right grips and holster, it can be done.
) It may be one of the few guns ever discontinued for ugliness, but it's an awful handy way to tote five rounds of .44 Special. CDNN has them right now for a fraction of their original cost.There's also its 3"-barrelled cousin, the 396 Mountain Lite.
A lot of folks are extolling the virtues of the 3" N-frame. Carrying one of these things requires a little more dedication than the K/L-sized guns we started the thread talking about, but with the right grips and holster, it can be done.
Richard
Member
TonyB, I have a little experience with snubnosed 44 Specials and I will offer the following. The lightweight versions are unpleasant to shoot during range sessions, this would include the S&W M296 and Charter Arms Bulldog. The 3" 24-3 is a jewel to shoot and it along with a Taurus make great house guns but in my opinion are too heavy for carry. My opine on the lightweight 44s is shared by another poster, Lou Alessi, and Terry Murbach. The two pictures are my M296 with Farrar grips and my Taurus M441. Regards, Richard
rikman
Member
I have to agree....I have a 24-3 and it is a jewel to shoot!
To those of you who carry this great snubbie ...what kind of holster do yo use?
take care,
Rick
To those of you who carry this great snubbie ...what kind of holster do yo use?
take care,
Rick
BluesBear
member
Galco Silhouette.
Thumb break and it carries the gun with the cylinder up high.
Thumb break and it carries the gun with the cylinder up high.
I use a Don Hume Double Nine for my 3" M24. It's a pancake style with thumb break.
http://www.donhume.com/Merchant2/me...re_Code=DH&Product_Code=H721&Category_Code=CH
He also offers it without the break.
http://www.donhume.com/Merchant2/me...de=DH&Product_Code=H721+O.T.&Category_Code=CH
http://www.donhume.com/Merchant2/me...re_Code=DH&Product_Code=H721&Category_Code=CH
He also offers it without the break.
http://www.donhume.com/Merchant2/me...de=DH&Product_Code=H721+O.T.&Category_Code=CH
Pappy John
Member
.....and let's not forget....
200-250 gr vs. 125-158 gr
200-250 gr vs. 125-158 gr
The Mighty Beagle
Member
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Hmmm .... the .44 Spec. also has about 150 to 200 foot/pounds LESS energy thant the .357, according to my Sierra manual. Worse yet, some of the .44 spec. snubby velocities I've seen in gun reviews are so low (around 700 fps or less) as to yield foot/pounds in the 200's. That's .38 spec. territory, not too impressive.
A 9mm carries about 360 f/p's, and no one is going around saying it's a dragon slayer. I think 40 S&W and 357 mag., which seem to be the best manstoppers out there, yield from around 450 - 600 f/p/e.
Not saying there's anything wrong the .44 spec. choice, but having recently decided NOT to go that route, I thought I would share my thinking on it. IMHO, picking a .44 Spec. over a .357 is like re-inventing the wheel in a bigger, heavier, less-effective package. Big bore is great, but if hamstrung by too low a velocity, it looses its punch. I decided that you needed something more like a .41 magnum to get markedly better results than a .357 would give. There is a reason why .44 spec. isn't more popular.
In my experience, the muzzle flip and noise are every bit as bad as a .357 snubby. But to me, all short-barrelled guns are too loud.
A 9mm carries about 360 f/p's, and no one is going around saying it's a dragon slayer. I think 40 S&W and 357 mag., which seem to be the best manstoppers out there, yield from around 450 - 600 f/p/e.
Not saying there's anything wrong the .44 spec. choice, but having recently decided NOT to go that route, I thought I would share my thinking on it. IMHO, picking a .44 Spec. over a .357 is like re-inventing the wheel in a bigger, heavier, less-effective package. Big bore is great, but if hamstrung by too low a velocity, it looses its punch. I decided that you needed something more like a .41 magnum to get markedly better results than a .357 would give. There is a reason why .44 spec. isn't more popular.
In my experience, the muzzle flip and noise are every bit as bad as a .357 snubby. But to me, all short-barrelled guns are too loud.
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