Best 44 special for self defense?

shoebox1.1

shoebox1.1

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The 38 SD thread got me thinking about off the shelf carry ammo for my 624 that I’m getting soon and I was looking at BB or underwood 200gr hard cast wadcuttters cookin around 970-1000fps. I think those would be good option. Id like to get into reloading and make my own someday. I’m super stoked to get this 624 and carry it on the weekends
 

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That is a fine looking pistol. I think you won't have to rely on super duper bullets with a .44 sized bullet. That hard cast should work just fine. I've had a .44 for a lot of years and have never shot a store bought round thru it, I load 240-250 Kieth style hard cast bullets for mine. Have more than one. I can't say how well it'll work on miscreants because I haven't had to shoot any, but I believe they would get the job done. I wish I'd had one of my .44 spl back in the day when I was regularly in bear country, I would not have felt under gunned. Not saying that a pistol is the best option against a griz, but it sure beats a big grin.
I think you'll be happy with those hardcast .44's.
 
Excellent. As far as just getting into reloading, if I even went super basic lee loader I’d think 44s wadcutters with let’s say Matt’s coated bullets would be easy? We’re not talking about shooting it all the time. OR it sends me over the edge and I turn into a reloading vampire in the garage! lol I’ve got 1000+ one fired 38 special cases!
 
That beautiful 624 with a 4" bbl. is my #1 grail gun, Shoe....glad you've got it....as to loads, I've used Skeeter Skelton's famous prescription: any good LSWC backed by 7.5 gr of Unique for 900-950 fps in 44 special brass of course.

I own four .44 Spl's: a M-24 6.5", and three Ruger Flat Top BH's (two 4-5/8" and one 5-1/2"). And all of them thrive on that old Skelton load. It's a reloader's cartridge load though. You can also duplicate Skelton's favorite with: 6.7 gr of Win 231, or 8.0 of Herco as well. Bullets are easy to find. Missouri Bullet Co's 240 gr LSWC does nicely but try to order the softer one, BN 12 IIRC.

As a combat load, the above combination is super accurate, with plenty of smack for most any purpose and still allow you manageable recoil. Here on our farm and my son's next door, we've used it to finish off several wounded deer and two horses. Penetration it's got!

Recommendation: Get into reloading...you probably won't save a nickel though primarily because reloading will allow you to shoot more for the same amt. of money. Too, you'll find it allows you to tailor your loads to a particular gun, getting better accuracy and one that better fits your needs.

HTH's Rod

Here's one of mine...with some stocks I made up for it. Hazy in the background is my home range with some railroad tie plates used for plinking off the deck. The cross fence is 25 yds & the distant berm is 93 yds from the porch rail.

​
 
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I think I would go with LSWC's, I like having that shoulder on the round, the nose of the SWC makes them a bit easier to load into the cylinder also.
Not that a WC wouldn't do fine, but can be frustrating to get into the cylinder at times and options may weigh less than the SWC.

If one wanted an $$ HP bullet make sure you got one made for the SPC and not 44mag or it likely won't expand at SPC velocities and perform worse than the LSWC or WC would as those would cut a caliber size hole while the clogged HP likely will act more like a marble (while costing more).
 
Armored farmer said:
I am dreaming of a big bore without churning up the 44mag recoil. 45colt has scratched the itch so far, but I'd like a d/a revolver. 44spl might be just the ticket. Beautiful BH and grips BTW.
.....but where's the skin?
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For those that don't cast their own or buy them from Missouri Bullet Co., Hornady makes a couple of excellent lighter .44 cal. bullets that should open at .44 Special velocities: their 180 gr & 200 gr XTP's have all the accuracy one could hope for and do it with less recoil than full weight for caliber 240 gr LSWC's. Similar loads that I mentioned previously (7.5 gr of Unique, etc) will garner another 50-100 fps placing them well within the Hornady recommended speeds for expansion. I particularly like the 180 grainer for light duty. 700-1500 fps are the limits IIRC.

Armored...Here's one I made for a young friend's .45, but works equally well with my Rugers...Thing about the .44 Mag is that the guns are the same weight as the .44 Specials most of the time. My Rugers are within an oz or two, the Specials being a bit heavier in fact. What I'd really like is to see S&W come out with another run of the Mountain Gun with that skinny bbl....or the 624 as originally produced. But for now, I have a M-69 Smith (38 oz. unloaded) that's really a .44 Special bored for the Magnum...I shoot it with Specials like the Skelton load. Best Regards, Rod

​
 
I load wadcutter bullets for my edc. In this image it is the bullet and cartridge on the left.

IMG_8066.jpeg
I load it over a hardball dose of powder and get 820-850 fps. It gives me complete penetration on Ohio white tailed deer so I believe it will function well for self defense.

Yes, that is a rimless case and yes, it is the 45 ACP. The difference between the 44 S&W Special, the 45 ACP and the 45 long Colt, FROM THE SAME REVOLVER, is negligible, at best. Your wadcutter will work. I would slow it down some but that is just me.

Kevin
 
Im always looking for an older 24 or 624, preferably a snubby, but a 4" would be fine too.

I currently have this 3" 696 Lew Horton run that I really like. All except for the Mag Na Port they did on it, which is more annoying than any help.

00-DboCy8WJYzQR_q_dc-F5BNyntOLdWDP5ZdA7LI-ODz_q5u_NmGf0vUFdpadMBwWg


I also have a 4" 629 that anymore, I load down to just around warm 44 Special. Not much into getting beat up just for the sake of it anymore. :) Both are great shooters though, but Im more of a realist as to what are toys and what are not for me these days. I quit carrying a revolver for anything serious decades ago.

Still, I love shooting the revolvers like maybe I could keep up with the autos and the 44 and 45 Smiths are just that much more fun trying. :)
 
shoebox1.1 said:
The 38 SD thread got me thinking about off the shelf carry ammo for my 624 that I’m getting soon and I was looking at BB or underwood 200gr hard cast wadcuttters cookin around 970-1000fps. I think those would be good option. Id like to get into reloading and make my own someday. I’m super stoked to get this 624 and carry it on the weekends
Click to expand...
If for self defense, regarding revolver, any that you think is the best for you. I would stick to standard of the shelf firearms. Good idea would be take it to a good smith so he can check revolver and adjust/fix if something isn't 100%

As for ammo, no home made reloads, FACTORY AMMO ONLY!!!
 
NeroM said:
Save all of your empties....
Easy to get into reloading,
Attached is a pic of my portable reloading setup, this for 38 Spl, but have used it for 357, 41, 44 Spl and Mag, 45 Colt - it fits in a shoe box.
View attachment 1194182
Click to expand...
Anyone that rolls their own .44 spec/mag or .38 spec/.357 mag should own some of these. Makes things much easier. I even use them for .40 and 10mm too.

www.midwayusa.com

Redding Die Spacer Kit

Redding Die Spacers allow for quick compensation for case length, partial resizing, or to make a no-crimp adjustment without the need to move the...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
 
My most frequently carried load is Skeeter's 240/250 grain LSWC backed with 7.5 grains of Unique. It probably is overpenetrive in most self-defense scenarios, and I often have carried them in hollowpoint version with that in mind.

I also have carried the Lyman "Devastator" bullet, which weighs about 260 grains when made of wheelweight metal, and features a huge hollowpoint cavity. It normally expands violently and should minimize penetration. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if some prosecutor seized upon the name while arguing that "The defendant wanted the deadliest bullets he could get - bullets so deadly that he had to make them himself!" which, combined with whatever issues could theoretically arise from the use of handloads, may be enough to deter a wise man.

My experience with factory loads is minimal. Nearly all of them are mouse farts and I see no reason to waste good money on them. I've carried light JHPs from a couple of manufacturers who claimed a bit more than the usual 750 FPS, but discontinued it when the chronograph exposed their lies. If I was sure I wanted to use factory loads in the cartridge, I'd take a hard look at Buffalo Bore's offerings; either the 190 cast HP at 1150 fps or the 180 JHP at the same speed.
 
StrawHat said:
Strictly your opinion. Some feel any ammunition is good, others want premium ammunition. Heck, there are even those who feel we should not use any ammunition.
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Not so:

Massad Ayoob and Bill Wilson discuss hand loading ammunition for self-defense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpHAgBL4tf8

Why You Should Avoid Handloads for Concealed Carry https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/why-you-should-avoid-handloads-for-concealed-carry/

THE PECULIAR PROBLEM OF HANDLOADS IN SELF-DEFENSE SHOOTINGS: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...f-handloads-in-self-defense-shootings.821474/

Carrying Handloads for Self Defense https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/carrying-handloads-for-self-defense.618021/

In a nutshell, majority would say that from technical point of view, for experienced handloader, very little difference between handloads and factory ammo. For average shooter-reloader, factory ammo has the edge.

However, from legal point point of view, factory ammo only!
 
Onty said:
Not so:

Massad Ayoob and Bill Wilson discuss hand loading ammunition for self-defense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpHAgBL4tf8

Why You Should Avoid Handloads for Concealed Carry https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/why-you-should-avoid-handloads-for-concealed-carry/

THE PECULIAR PROBLEM OF HANDLOADS IN SELF-DEFENSE SHOOTINGS: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...f-handloads-in-self-defense-shootings.821474/

Carrying Handloads for Self Defense https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/carrying-handloads-for-self-defense.618021/

In a nutshell, majority would say that from technical point of view, for experienced handloader, very little difference between handloads and factory ammo. For average shooter-reloader, factory ammo has the edge.

However, from legal point point of view, factory ammo only!
Click to expand...
This has pretty much been a Massad Ayoob thing, with other folks parroting it. I have a great deal of respect for Mas, and his opinion on the matter is worth considering. I'm not aware of any legal cases where handloads had a material affect on the outcome, though, and so consider the arguments against handloads to be essentially theoretical.

Certainly folks should be free to decide against handloads based on Ayoob's arguments, but I wouldn't get carried away here - it's hardly a settled matter.
 
.38 Special said:
I'm not aware of any legal cases where handloads had a material affect on the outcome, though
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So what?
.38 Special said:
and so consider the arguments against handloads to be essentially theoretical.
Click to expand...
Well, it isn't. The rules of evidence prevent the judge, as gatekeeper, from allowing expert witness testimony or data regarding the testing of gunshot residue data to be admitted in court. That comes down from SCOTUS rulings.

Should a defendant's case hinge on the use of GSR data to counter unfavorable witness testimony or other evidence, if he used handloads, his goose is cooked.

The likelihood? Doesn't matter, ir it happens.
 
Kleanbore said:
So what?

Well, it isn't. The rules of evidence prevent the judge, as gatekeeper, from allowing expert witness testimony or data regarding the testing of gunshot residue data to be admitted in court. That comes down from SCOTUS rulings.

Should a defendant's case hinge on the use of GSR data to counter unfavorable witness testimony or other evidence, if he used handloads, his goose is cooked.

The likelihood? Doesn't matter, ir it happens.
Click to expand...
You are welcome to make personal decisions based upon things that have never happened. I find it unpersuasive, myself.
 
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