Real world experience with 44 mag
A 44 mag may not be for everyone, but I carry one every day. It will not blow out all the windows in your room if you shoot it indoors. I once shot mine through the windshield of my patrol car (intentionally) and I am not completely deaf. I am a little hard of hearing but that was problably from going to the shooting range back in the 1950s when no one had hearing protection. I carry Winchester Silvertip 210 grain. It is a kind of medium load, more powerful than 44 Special but not a real Rhino Roller. I have no trouble qualifying with it. Corbon and Federal make a good defense loads and of course just like 357/38, you can use any 44 Special or Russian cartridge in it if you want to tame it a little.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL WITH A HANDGUN. I shot a 5"6" 130 lb. guy twice with a 45 ACP Silvertip(once in the sternum and once between the shoulder blades) and he was still able to stand. He later told me that he did not even feel the first one (sternum). He thought the blood on his shirt was from the broken glass (he was an escaped convict driving a stolen car). It is amazing what adrenaline can do. I have never had to shoot anyone twice with the 44 mag but it would not surprise me if I have to someday.
Long guns are easier to hit with, hold lots of ammo and can be more powerful. Try walking through a house holding a pump shotgun in one hand and a flashlight in the other hand while opening doors and peeking around corners. Everytime I took a long gun into a possible burglary in progress I regreted it unless I had another officer with me to open the doors while I covered the room with the shotgun. I now have a Steyr Aug that I can actually carry in one hand and up close to my body and it works pretty good but is still not nearly as manuverable as a handgun.
This year in Texas, we had a LEO killed by guy with a knife because he either didn't get his gun into action quick enough or it did'nt stop the attacker quick enough. An officer in Houston go killed the day before he retired because his semi-auto jammed in a gunfight. Another Texas officer got shot with a shotgun and proceeded to shoot the bad guy 17 times. The bad guy lived, the officer died from his wounds. The shotgun didn't stop the officer from shooting back. The officers semi-auto didn't take the guy out. There is no guarantee that any firearm you can wear or carry will always take em out with one shot.
44 for home defense. You bet. As with ANY calibre, you must be aware of what is beyond your target. In a one story house, you can drop to a knee and shoot at an upward angle to avoid hitting someone sleeping in another room. If it is a multistory dwelling, you may have to go for a pelvis shot so you are shooting at a downward angle. When he falls, then put one in his head. Just because he is down doesn't mean he is no longer a threat.
Big bullets make big holes but they need to penetrate deep enough to get to major organs or blood vessels or the spine. One thing the 44 has never had a problem with is penetration. That was the problem with the 45ACP and 9MM Silvertips. If you can go to the range and shoot a hundred rounds of 44 Magnum, hit what you are shooting at and not start flinching and jerking the trigger, then by all means use it. If you can't, get something YOU can shoot all day.
My wife carries a Glock 357 because she shoots it very very well. It fits her hand. She doesn't want a lot of weight on her belt and she feels well armed with 16 in the gun and 15 in her spare mag. She started in Law Enforcement in 1973 and to this day has never had to shoot anyone although it has been a near thing several times. The way she draws her weapon, her stance, her grip, the confidence on her face, the tone of her voice and the look in her eye has caused more than one outlaw to decided that his chances of seeing another sunrise would be much better if he just did exactly what the lady told him. That's the best kind of firepower.
