My journey over Shooters Mountain started around 1969. My first centerfire handgun was a 44 Magnum. No, we did not use 44 Specials as we had too much testosterone and when you're shooting with Reichard in those days, specials were for wusses. It was not until about 5 years later and my first Model 29 that I realized how special the 44 Magnum Revolver is when fed 44 Specials.
This review covers the variety of fun one can have with these two calibers. Now, more info on the 44 Special can be found in my other reviews elsewhere in the forum but make no mistake it needs a little more respect than it has been getting by today's gun owners. Today's vast assortment of factory fodder for both the 44 Magnum and the 44 Special is utopia for IHMSA, Bowling Pins, hunters, and defensive uses.
The 44 Magnum enjoys 700 to 1300 foot pounds of energy at your grasp. It is offered in lighter weight faster moving bullets or a 300/350 Grains of muscle when you need it. There are many offerings of this powerful cartridge. I took my first Russian Wild Boar with a 300 Grain Hornady bullet that did the job perfectly. Now, it is important to know that the longer barrel you have there will be POI differences if you shoot a variety of cartridges. I prefer 240 grains plus in all my 44's. This way I have a happy medium on POI and don't have to keep adjusting sights. Pictured are some factory loads that I like with Winchester being my favorite. However, Remington and Federal are welcome in my ammo locker anytime.
For a whole new experience, we have the 44 Special loaded into a 44 Magnum gun, which at this writing, there are not as many offerings of ammo as the 44 Magnums. The 44 Special is one of our oldest cartridges. It is a sweet shooting caliber and will do the job with great accuracy. However 300 or so on foot pounds of energy is easy to shoot, is very effective, comparable to a 9mm but with bigger diameter and can be loaded hotter than any 9mm ever made. While there is not a large market for 44 Special, handloading is where it is at.
I was inspired to write this review of the 44 Magnum/Special because of another thread pertaining to the danger of carrying handloads in your EDC. I contend that all matters can be debated and while I usually carry factory loads, because there are many great tuned factory loads available, I do and have carried certain handloads in my revolvers. I will not live in fear of a spicy Grand Jury, puny prosecutor, or an uncontrollable jury keeping me from winning the fight. If they want to make out that I crafted loads to kill, then the whole synopsis of buying a gun and practicing my skills and actually having one in the moment of need is up for grabs, and with that they can KMA.
I started smoking Hercules Powders (Now Alliant) https://www.alliantpowder.com/ in 1967. I have and enjoyed many others like Hodgdon and when times were tough I had to use some imported Alcan. For the 44 Magnum Denny and I used a full case of 20 grains or so in the cases. 2400 powder did leave some unburnt kernels from time to time but it was something we put up with for the slow burning pistol powder. It still moved the pins off the table with brute force. Something that some of the 45 ACP had issues with. I ran extensive tests including chrono and group size using regular Federal Primers vs Magnum Primers. No change in data for me so since I got 100 percent ignition and performance with regular primers, that's what I stayed with. I have tried many kinds of primers to see if any made a difference and even with a larger spread of Standard Deviation, I noticed no difference in performance. Hodgdon H110 https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon/ was my back up powder as it did well for me in IHMSA. In the picture. one will see that Hercules used to put their loading data on the back of the can. Note that this one is from 1935 or so and the 44 Magnum had not been invented yet.
When it comes to the 44 Special, my favorite is Unique. I find it economical, case filling and consistent for a variety of bullets and loads. The 44 special is shorter as you can see in the pictures but in both the 44 magnum and the 44 Special O.A.L. is very forgiving in these straight walled cases. You might call it a clue but, I have noticed that all the early straight wall pistol American cartridges were all inherently accurate. European tapers must have been for reliability but I know I have never gotten the accuracy or ease of handloading and handling tapered cases in handguns without a little more work involved.
I shoot both Magnums and specials out of my rifles and handguns. I used to have some dedicated guns chambered in 44 Special but the last one I had I sold to my Lifelong buddy Big Starr. It is a Model 696 and is reviewed in another review in this forum. Now I just use both Specials and Magnums in my guns. Sometimes, I carry a mixed payload with three Specials and three Magnums in my cylinder for the street. If the fight is in close quarters the specials will work great and if there is brush or car doors and such the Magnums are there if I need them. I know, I know, the legal beagles are rubbing their hands together. Well, they will be busy with the 5 shot Judge guys with shot and metallic mixing.
The 44 Special is so close to the 45 Colt that sometimes, I wish I had built my Colt Model P's in 44 Special instead of 45 Colt. The Single Action Army would be a beefier gun with the smaller .429 holes than the .452's but since I can not afford both, I will have to enjoy my Peacemakers in .45Colt and be happy. I will be shooting my 629 4 inch with 44 Specials this year in a few defense matches and ICORE. I will also be shooting my 6 inch Model 29 at Second Chance https://www.pinshoot.com/ and in a few local matches as well. The last Wheelgunners Revenge that I put on, I shot a Model 29 with 44 magnums. It was a hoot.
Shooting a double action revolver is a unique skill set in itself, but to digest Magnum loads fast and accurately is reaching a plateau of fun. The 44 has been with me for the whole journey and now that I am nearing the bottom of this side of the mountain I am glad to have my 44's.
See you on the Range
Trapper
This review covers the variety of fun one can have with these two calibers. Now, more info on the 44 Special can be found in my other reviews elsewhere in the forum but make no mistake it needs a little more respect than it has been getting by today's gun owners. Today's vast assortment of factory fodder for both the 44 Magnum and the 44 Special is utopia for IHMSA, Bowling Pins, hunters, and defensive uses.
The 44 Magnum enjoys 700 to 1300 foot pounds of energy at your grasp. It is offered in lighter weight faster moving bullets or a 300/350 Grains of muscle when you need it. There are many offerings of this powerful cartridge. I took my first Russian Wild Boar with a 300 Grain Hornady bullet that did the job perfectly. Now, it is important to know that the longer barrel you have there will be POI differences if you shoot a variety of cartridges. I prefer 240 grains plus in all my 44's. This way I have a happy medium on POI and don't have to keep adjusting sights. Pictured are some factory loads that I like with Winchester being my favorite. However, Remington and Federal are welcome in my ammo locker anytime.
For a whole new experience, we have the 44 Special loaded into a 44 Magnum gun, which at this writing, there are not as many offerings of ammo as the 44 Magnums. The 44 Special is one of our oldest cartridges. It is a sweet shooting caliber and will do the job with great accuracy. However 300 or so on foot pounds of energy is easy to shoot, is very effective, comparable to a 9mm but with bigger diameter and can be loaded hotter than any 9mm ever made. While there is not a large market for 44 Special, handloading is where it is at.
I was inspired to write this review of the 44 Magnum/Special because of another thread pertaining to the danger of carrying handloads in your EDC. I contend that all matters can be debated and while I usually carry factory loads, because there are many great tuned factory loads available, I do and have carried certain handloads in my revolvers. I will not live in fear of a spicy Grand Jury, puny prosecutor, or an uncontrollable jury keeping me from winning the fight. If they want to make out that I crafted loads to kill, then the whole synopsis of buying a gun and practicing my skills and actually having one in the moment of need is up for grabs, and with that they can KMA.
I started smoking Hercules Powders (Now Alliant) https://www.alliantpowder.com/ in 1967. I have and enjoyed many others like Hodgdon and when times were tough I had to use some imported Alcan. For the 44 Magnum Denny and I used a full case of 20 grains or so in the cases. 2400 powder did leave some unburnt kernels from time to time but it was something we put up with for the slow burning pistol powder. It still moved the pins off the table with brute force. Something that some of the 45 ACP had issues with. I ran extensive tests including chrono and group size using regular Federal Primers vs Magnum Primers. No change in data for me so since I got 100 percent ignition and performance with regular primers, that's what I stayed with. I have tried many kinds of primers to see if any made a difference and even with a larger spread of Standard Deviation, I noticed no difference in performance. Hodgdon H110 https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon/ was my back up powder as it did well for me in IHMSA. In the picture. one will see that Hercules used to put their loading data on the back of the can. Note that this one is from 1935 or so and the 44 Magnum had not been invented yet.
When it comes to the 44 Special, my favorite is Unique. I find it economical, case filling and consistent for a variety of bullets and loads. The 44 special is shorter as you can see in the pictures but in both the 44 magnum and the 44 Special O.A.L. is very forgiving in these straight walled cases. You might call it a clue but, I have noticed that all the early straight wall pistol American cartridges were all inherently accurate. European tapers must have been for reliability but I know I have never gotten the accuracy or ease of handloading and handling tapered cases in handguns without a little more work involved.
I shoot both Magnums and specials out of my rifles and handguns. I used to have some dedicated guns chambered in 44 Special but the last one I had I sold to my Lifelong buddy Big Starr. It is a Model 696 and is reviewed in another review in this forum. Now I just use both Specials and Magnums in my guns. Sometimes, I carry a mixed payload with three Specials and three Magnums in my cylinder for the street. If the fight is in close quarters the specials will work great and if there is brush or car doors and such the Magnums are there if I need them. I know, I know, the legal beagles are rubbing their hands together. Well, they will be busy with the 5 shot Judge guys with shot and metallic mixing.
The 44 Special is so close to the 45 Colt that sometimes, I wish I had built my Colt Model P's in 44 Special instead of 45 Colt. The Single Action Army would be a beefier gun with the smaller .429 holes than the .452's but since I can not afford both, I will have to enjoy my Peacemakers in .45Colt and be happy. I will be shooting my 629 4 inch with 44 Specials this year in a few defense matches and ICORE. I will also be shooting my 6 inch Model 29 at Second Chance https://www.pinshoot.com/ and in a few local matches as well. The last Wheelgunners Revenge that I put on, I shot a Model 29 with 44 magnums. It was a hoot.
Shooting a double action revolver is a unique skill set in itself, but to digest Magnum loads fast and accurately is reaching a plateau of fun. The 44 has been with me for the whole journey and now that I am nearing the bottom of this side of the mountain I am glad to have my 44's.
See you on the Range
Trapper
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