If you want to carry a "44" for self defense, I suggest you go with the 44 spl. You simply don't need to power as a civilian for self defense. I personally would rather carry a 38spl and for what might be a once in a lifetime event, the 38spl is plenty.
If you do not mind, what do you base this opinion on? I have seen lots of people shot with 38’s, it is quite a bit less than plenty.
My point about the Bob Ward case was related to post 37.
Bob Ward murdered his wife during a domestic dispute, obviously his defense is going to try any trick in the book.
I found this case with two clicks of my mouse.
Cherry pick thousands of cases and come up with 2 or 3 that meet your criteria, OK.
These are precisely two of the big negatives I was talking about. My statement is unchanged.
Recoil and blast are range issues.
If someone is macho and skilled enough to use .44 Mag, why be so wimpy? Why not carry something in .480 Ruger with a 8" barrel? Who really wants to be able to hear in the future anyway?
Has nothing to do with macho. It’s not about an 8” hunting revolver in a caliber nobody here is even talking about. You saw my snubby and are just trolling for a fight.
I don't think it's very logical to use a .44 mag revolver for carry anyway. A 1911 would be a better choice.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion that is why we are discussing it. The 1911 safely and reliably reaches a certain power level, the 44 snubby surpasses that power level by a significant margin. I do carry a 1911 on occasion but mostly a Glock.
It's important not to gloss over the details of these court cases that involve the .44magnum(or any other lethal force event involving firearms & armed citizens).
Smoke and mirrors by a crafty attorney. That just means when you walk in the door you better be prepared to call BS on him.
Startled by the young man's appearance & his limited English speaking ability, Peairs took out his hunting revolver, a loaded .44magnum which was close by. He shot & killed the young exchange student during the confrontation which created a huge media stir & a international incident with Japan.
What was the threat posed by the young rocker? I have a hard time seeing this as a legitimate case of self defense even though he was not convicted.
As noted, there are court cases where .44magnums, single action handguns, etc are used by the prosecutors or civil court action lawyers(see AZ vs Harold Fish). License holders & armed citizens should take that into account when selecting a defense sidearm. You wouldn't want your actions or choices to be viewed as reckless or irresponsible by a jury who is deciding your fate.
Cylde,
Once the event has risen to the deadly force level the only time force is “excessive” is if the situation de-escalates to the point where deadly force is no longer authorized. Deadly force is the ultimate, once authorized it does not matter legally whether you use a knitting needle or a B-52.
I understand that you worship Mas, he is a great guy. I spent a career as an LEO in multiple jurisdictions and prosecuted many cases successfully. I have been in front of dozens of grand juries and juries in court. There are many factors that influence a jury, not just the negatives as I stated before you just need to be prepared to counter smoke and mirrors with facts, as you should anyway.
So in a nutshell, the total stigma of the 44 magnum is tied to Dirty Harry a movie made in 1971 a 40 year old movie?
I would say that it has evolved since then. As with anything you tailor your carry load to the intended use. I am not going to carry a low powered ineffectual cartridge because I am afraid of the fairy prosecutor. I guess if I lived in a place where the mere act of self defense was viewed as a crime, I would either evolve my thought process or move.
Too many gun toters see the gun as the only tool, when in fact it is the last tool you should reach for.
As I said before I do not carry a 44 magnum every day, it is just not practical for that. It is not illegal to do so, nor is it illegal to carry reloads, in the 44 magnum it may be a good thing to carry loads that are 1/2 way between a 44 special and a full power load with the proper projectile.
