44 mag recoil

B

big bore

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Wondering how bad is the recoil on a s&w 629 with 6" barrel(no power port). I shot a ruger single action 44 mag with 7.5" barrel, I was expecting something bad, but it was nothing at all, a little more than the .357 mag I shoot. Do different makes of revolver make a difference?
 
The "point" of perceived recoil is different with a single action than that of a double action. The grip design of the single action, referred to in the past as "plow handle" and "thumb buster", allows the gun to "roll" in the hand. The double action, by grip design, directs more of the recoil into the upper wrist. Perception often times makes the double action appear to have more recoil when in fact it does not.
It can be compared to the difference felt in the "rocking" motion of a semi auto in a given caliber compared to a revolver of the same caliber.
If you found the Super Blackhawk recoil only a little more than the .357 then you should not find the Smith's recoil unpleasant.
Besides with a name like Big Bore owning a model 29 is practically manditory. ;)

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Gunslinger TFL Imperial Potentate

TFL End of Summer Meet, August 12th & 13th, 2000
 
I have both a SBH 7.5" and a GP100 4". I'm not sure what type of ammo you shot through the .44, but I can tell a big difference in recoil. I have to wear a glove when shooting a full box of my reloads (at manual safe levels) or it gets really painful on my middle and index finger from the recoil banging the gun around in my hand. The .357 is very mild compared to the .44, at least in my opinion.
 
I can only speak from experience with S&W's, but the way they were set up in the '60's was horrible. They had these huge wooden stocks which put your thumb in a place where it was sure to be gouged every shot by the cylinder release. Plus the stocks absorbed little recoil. Short (4") bbls. were the worst.

I now have a full lugged 8 3/8" bbl. S&W with the rubber Hogue Monogrips. Recoil is not an issue anymore. Although I still use shooting gloves with all my pistols.

Walt
 
a 240 grain bullet at 1180fps is a pretty standard for factory ammo but it seems a pretty light load for a .44 Magnum.

Reloading It is possible push a 240 grain bullet 1500fps without even going +P.

That oughta give you more kick.
 
Say tstr:

You say 1100 to 1200 fps is about normal .44 mag velocity? I am going to be given a Colt Anaconda this fall by my son from Virginia. I was wondering what it should be loaded up to as far as normal loads. He recently acquired a .45 Springfield and is more comfortable with it than the mag. I havn't owned a .44 mag since 1959, bought it from Kleins mail order house in Chicago. They sold Oswell his Carcano rifle and shortly thereafter they went down the tubes. My Ruger .44 mag was number 954 I think, one of the early 3 screw jobs.
 
When I moved up from a .22 and a .25, my first big bore was a 4" 629 without ports but with those "big wooden grips" that came stock with it. For my first experience shooting it I was prepared for the worst since stories made out that the recoil from a .44mag is horrendous. Maybe it is my size 9 "large" hand and 200lb 6ft frame but the recoil was far less than I expected. No matter what I've fed it, it has been a pleasant gun to shoot barehanded - even after a box of fifty rounds. Some have said the checkered grip bites, but I've no problem with recoil, grip, cylinder release, etc. The Federal 300-grain cast cores and 180 grain JHPs may be the "heaviest" that I've shot (both come in at just over 1000 ft lbs). Perhaps I should try something heavier but I don't want to abuse the gun.
 
I've pushed some quite healthy 180 grain loads out of my SBH, and the recoil and blast gets a bit fun at 30 grains of 296. The only factory stuff I've put through it was some PMC 200 gr. JHPs and they were quite weenie, less than my security six .357. The heavy bullets don't kick me as hard as the 180s, even in front of a big powder charge. I've shot 70 rounds barehanded with no ill effects, but I've got a Pachmayr grip.

J. Vekved
 
tstr,

What reloading manual shows a 240 gr. bullet at 1500 fps?

Halffast

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"There are people who do not mind the fact that O.J. Simpson walks free. There are people who do not mind the fact that Lon Horiuchi is not only not punished for his atrocity at Ruby Ridge, but he continues on the public payroll. There are those who know who killed Vince Foster, but are not bothered by the fact that the subject has been dropped officially. I mind those things. Do you?" - Jeff Cooper
 
My laser-cast manual shows 240gr cast swc's at over 1500fps with h110 or w296. It shows the 300gr's over 1300fps. This may be different for jacketed bullets since lead moves a little faster due to less friction.
 
Yep, 240 gr. lead bullets are just getting started at 1500 fps with H110 or W296. And those two powders will push a 240 gr jacketed bullet over 1600 fps and stay within a safe pressure range. (Midway Load Map)
 
How hard do the bullets have to be to keep from leading the barrel at 1500 fps?

David

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"There are people who do not mind the fact that O.J. Simpson walks free. There are people who do not mind the fact that Lon Horiuchi is not only not punished for his atrocity at Ruby Ridge, but he continues on the public payroll. There are those who know who killed Vince Foster, but are not bothered by the fact that the subject has been dropped officially. I mind those things. Do you?" - Jeff Cooper
 
Straight wheelweights that are water quenched will not lead badly up to about 1600fps. The harder they are the less they will lead. Of course all lead bullets will leave lead in the barrel, but it only takes an extral minute or so of cleaning. Currently I'm using 285gr loads are I estimate, according to load manuals, are doing a good 1400fps. Very minimal leading. Easy to clean.
 
I think recoil is subjective on how you perceive it. Of course you can get all sorts of factual data from the load, weight of the firearm, grip shape & material, & other factors like this. But I can shoot my .44 all day long & have a great time, but some of my friends shoot it once or twice & complain about the recoil. My load is: 315 gr. (weighed) cast from wheelweights with a gascheck over 20 gr.s of H110 with a Winchester primer. My gun is a 6" M29 classic, non ported.

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Guard Freedom from those that "want to do it for the Children."
 
Had one of the first S&W 44 mags in my area. I had to wait a few weeks for the ammo to arrive.My first trip to the range was terrible.Black and blue on the web of my gun hand, with only 1 box of ammo.Tried the RUGER SINGLE SIX style,. and that was much better, and easy on the hand.I soon gave up on both. The shells cost too much for me at that time, and my family was growing , so the guns went.I still only keep the guns I enjoy shooting.Don't even think of getting the biggest or badest anymore.
 
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