.44 spcl vs. .45 LC for self defense?

H

HiWayMan

New member
I am looking at getting either the model 445 (.44 spcl) or the model 450 (.45LC) made by Taurus to replace my Taurus 651 (.357mag) as my primary carry gun. Both have a 5-shot capacity. Either piece would be taken to the smith for dehorning, hammer spur removal, and grip shortening. Also, I intend to hanload for this gun, so ammo availability won't be an issue. I am curious what everyone's feelings are about these cartridges. Is one historically better than the other as a self-defense load?

Thanks all.

Ryan
 
Since you're gonna handload, get the 45colt - you can get more oomph out of it, when and if you want to. If you said that you were going to shoot store bought ammo only, for self-defense purposes only, I'd say .44 spec.
 
If you handload either can be loaded to the point you will experience pain upon firing! I would recommend a 250 grain SWC at 900 fps in either.

The .44 Special gets the nod for one reason. the .45 colt was made for button ejecting revolvers such as the colt SAA, not star ejecting das and the case rim is so small it sometimes gives trouble in ejection, ties up under ejector star, etc. Also, the .45 Colt just doesn't seem as efficient with modern powders.

Either is quite accurate. For some reason, with equal loads, .45 may kick less, but this may be a trick of the mind. For case rim reasons, then, the .44 special gets the nod. Also, some good defense loads avilable for the .44.
regards
rkc
 
As much as I love .45 bores, second only to .44 bores :) , I'd vote for the .44 in this case. As far factory carry ammo it's a wash. Reloading, again a wash. The above post makes a lot of sense but I've got to say that after many thousands of .45 Colt rounds thru D/A revolvers, I can't think of the star over riding the case rim. My reasons fo the .44 are simply that there is more metal between the case walls. As a reloader that's always worth noting. Added strength without much, if any weight gain.
 
That's true, if you're comparing a 6shot with a 6shot, but if you're comparing a 6 shot .44 spl with a 5 shot .45 colt in the same frame & cylinder size, then that's not true - it will be a wash, or the colt will have more metal between cylinders. So I guess it depends on the size and how many rounds your colt revo holds. That's interesting about the smaller rim of the 45 colt not getting grabbed by the ejection star always - one says yes, one says no that doesn't ever actually happen - anyone have a tie-breaking anecdote?
 
Apples to apples 5 vs. 5 or 6 vs. 6 the answer is the same. I'm not saying it's a big deal but worth considering. Heck, I'd buy 1 of each.
 
The rim issue should not even be addressed unless one is using original brass
from 100 years ago. The .45COLT is going to be more versitile. Downloaded
for plinking or it can be loaded to equal or even surpass a .44Mag with less
recoil and noise.
 
As an owner of both a Taurus 445 and a 450 I would say that the two guns and two calibers are really the same. The idea that the 45 colt can be loaded hotter is true but honestly both with 240 - 250 grain bullets at 900 fps is about all the recoil and blast that anyone is likely to tolerate in the relatively light, short barrel revolvers that these two models are. If pressed to make a choice I would pick the 445 because the slightly smaller diameter and shorter case of the 44 special is easier to eject with the short stoke of the ejector rod. As a reloader both calibers have excellent bullets choices available. In the 44 I like the Speer 200 grain gold dot specifically for the 44 Special. For the 45 their are many bullets for the 45 acp in the 185-230 grain that work very well. My opinion is that either has been a nice gun and you wouldn't go wrong with either, or in my case both! :)
 
taurus

Hiwayman;
A recent issue of Gun Tests magazine, a very honest source with no noticeable vendor connections, was very hard on Taurus revolvers, timing, shaving, trigger pull and throats, all were not up to their standards for even a conditional recommendation to buy.
You may want to get a money back guarantee from your vendor.
Don ;)
 
I have 2 model 445`s. One a 4" blue and one a 3" stainless.No,you can`t have it.They are both exellent choices(44 and 45) for carry guns.Stoke either of them with Winchester Silvertips.Good choice.
 
I have a number of both 45 lc and 44 sp

The 44 sp is a copy of the 44 russan and is considered one of the most accurate callabers, has to do with weight and demention to length.
What ever it has proven to be verry accurate for my use.
I have several S&W 24 and one mod 28 that was modified to 44 sp with a 3 in dogulas berral. It will drive tacks.
I also have several cowboy guns in 45 lc and one of the most beautiful 45lc ever made, a smith & wession mod 25.
Loading, the 45LC is a thin walled case when compaired to the 44 and will not reload nearly as many times, and the bullet selection is massive for the 44.
There are loads for the 44 SP that shoot like 38 and you can top them off better, the problem with 45lc with light loads is haveing enough powder in them, remember the case was origionaly made to be filled up to the line with black powder.
44 there is none like it.
For carry there is no bullet that works as reliabily as the winchester silver tip,
just dont fall for the crap you hear about some bullets that grow to over one inch in dimater when going throung gelleton.
Many of those if you shot them through clothing would do nothing more than a hard ball would.
Good luck and good choice, if you go with the 44.
 
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I like the .44 Special a lot especially when handloading. My wifes carry gun is a .44 five shot revolver that I load for with 180 g. Hornady XTP's @ 750 fps. A real mild load for her to shot well and yet I believe it would be a good stopper for most situations. Much history with this caliber also. I really like .44 Special velocities in a .44 Mag. for target practice. 180's @ 1000 fps.
 
This is a good question. Frankly, I don't see just a whole heckuva lot of difference. But there are some very nice loadings now finally being offered for the .45 Colt, whereas I can't think of many comparably hot loading for the .44. In reloading, the .45 Colt has a bit of an advantage as well. Both are extremely accurate, with the Special possibly having the edge.

I would look at the revolvers. Are they the exact same frame and cylinder size? If so, the .45 will likely be a bit lighter to carry, due to bigger holes having removed more metal. Weight is a definite consideration for a carry gun.

If all things were truly equal, I'd probably go with a .451 hole vs a .429 hole. :)
 
I suppose after some thought the issue tends to favor the .44--- but in a worst case scenario the .44 Special RNL is a very lousy load compared to the good old .45 Colt 255 grain load-- hmmmm---
I think if I owned a six shot big frame gun in either caliber I would buy the smaller gun in the same caliber and carefully seperate my loads.
 
So far I've got 5 votes for .45LC, 4 votes for .44spcl, and 4 votes tallied as undecided one way or another. This is largely what I expected. 6 of one , half dozen of the other.

Thanks all for responding. Reckon I'll probably go with the .45LC though.
 
.44 spl

I would not, ever in my life, unless it was the last hunk of metal I had to defend myself, carry, or use a .44 spl for defensive purposes. Factory ammo for that gun is so underloaded it's not even funny. I do not have access to reloading equipment, and I wont use reloads in defensive guns, except to practice (for legal reasons-dont want to be sued because I loaded a round "to kill". I know it sounds stupid, but why do you think cops aren't allowd to use anything but factory?). This is my sole reason for not wanting a .44 spl. The round IS capable of good defence, but the factories underload it so it won't blow up old guns, making it anemic in new guns.
 
Being a completely untactical ignoramous, I use a .44 Special 296 as my purse gun. A snag-free, 19-ounce gun with a bore size that begins with "4" and can be fired from inside my purse with loads that launch a 200gr Gold Dot seemed like a good idea at the time...

Some folks that post here have played with it. They seemed to think it was a neat concept, and found the trigger pull to be fair-to-middlin' for a DAO wheelie.
 
abelew, If you don't think there are good loads for the .44Special you need to do a little more research kiddo. I truely love to see young people interested in firearms. I used to be that sponge, sucking up all the info I could. Just don't be dogmatic about it. Keep open minded and you'll learn a lot.
 
Tam, my wife and you seem to be on the same wavelength. A great little defenseive gun with plenty of stopping power and sooo handy to use from concealment. Bob
 
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