44 Special vs. 357 Magnum

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ligonierbill

New member
I'm not much of a pistoleer, but sometimes I carry a general purpose revolver in the woods. (Since I grew up in Pennsylvania and hunt there, it has to be a revolver.) The competitors are a Ruger Blackhawk "Flattop" 5 1/2" 44 Special and a Ruger GP-100 4" 357 Magnum. The 357 is more powerful by a third, but the Flattop sends a bigger bullet. It's also lighter and handier. I'm leaning towards the 44, but that's the debate. I should mention that I always shoot the GP-100 single action, so that advantage is mute.

What do you think?
 
The .357 might be more powerful on paper, but I don't buy that in real life and especially not with the short barrel.

The only advantage would be the ability to use .38 Special for certain applications and the general availability of ammo.

But you can reload and have light loads in a .44, too.

I vote for the .44 Special.
 
If you are an experienced reloader, you can load some safe, powerful 44spl.
If not, maybe the .357 would be better.
One thing to remember about Buffalo Bore, they sell some stout 44spl too.
Probably equal or better than a .357 as a woods gun.
 
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You're probably not going to need to defend yourself from any large predators. Possibly black bear in Pennsylvania, but human threats are still going to be the most common problem.

For that the 357 is my choice, you can learn to shoot DA. Ammo is a lot cheaper and easier to locate and there are LOT more options. You can shoot everything from light 38 Special loads up to 180 gr Buffalo Bore loads at 1400 fps.

Even though you handload you still have more options and less cost with 357. And I wouldn't try to duplicate them hot heavy for caliber loads from Buffalo Bore and others handloaded. Those loads are expensive, but a couple of boxes should last a lifetime. They aren't plinking loads.

Of course, if you just like the SA revolver it will do the job too. Buffalo Bore makes some 255 gr loads @ 1000 fps for the 44 that would be a pretty good choice for large predator defense. I just prefer the option of being to shoot and reload faster for the real threats.

I understand why you have to have a revolver, but my woods gun is a 10mm pistol. But my 3" Smith 65 is a pretty close 2nd choice.
 
For me in the woods even here in Montana it is either a SA .44 Special or .45 Colt. Loaded to around 1000fps or so. 240gr SWC for the .44 (Skeeter load), and 255gr SWC with some HS-6 under it for the .45 Colt. Good defensive power for SD situations that we hope never happen. Easier on the ears too than the peanut .357 . As a reloader, I don't 'buy' ammo either.
 
I'm a reloader, so I have both. The 44 Special, with a 250 SWC at 1000fps, is powerful, accurate, and much quieter than the 357. I also prefer my 45 Colt, throwing a 285gr SWC at 1000fps. Penetration measured in feet.
 
Since you load your own, I’d go 44 Special in the Blackhawk. You can load them a smidge hotter in the Ruger. A 240 grain slug at 950 - 1000 fps, or a 180 gr. JHP at 1000+ would out class that .357.
 
Personally I've always felt the factory .44 special loads to be on the weak side.

I would (and did) go with a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Got the convertible so I can shoot ACP, too. (almost never do, but I can)

I don't run the heavy for caliber bullets the internet is in love with these days. Don't have a need or a use for them.

I load 240s/250s in .44s and .45 revolver rounds and 158s in .357s. Those are the slugs that made those calibers reputations, and they don't work any less well today.

In the same calibers the SA revolver is usually lighter than the DA revolver. For a woods gun on your hip or under your shoulder, that matters.

Forget the high round count and blazing speed of Hollywood movies and TV, only hits count, only good hits matter and good hits require aiming. The SA revolver is fine for anything in the woods, even two legged predators, once you're skilled with it. Nothing wrong with a good DA gun, nothing at all, its just different. Different feel to the recoil due to different grip shape and weight, ITs all a matter of how you train yourself, if there is any advantage to one over the other.

No, I wouldn't choose an SA to go into a gunfight, but as a gun I would be wearing all day, and one I could count on to get me out of a gunfight (providing I did my part) I think its a good choice.

.44 SPL and .357 Mag is not an apples to apples comparison. I persoanlly prefer the bigger beefier guns in .357 and .44 Mag or .45 Colt. I don't run any .44 Special guns, I have .44 Magnums and load them down a bit for comfort and plinking. I load my .357s hot, shoot .38s when I want something less.

Choose the gun that appeals to you the most. Either caliber will be entirely adequate, if YOU are.
 
A big bore single action vs a .357 double action for woods usage. I like .45 Colt more, but since this is not focused on conceal carry or home defense I see no reason the .44 Special isn't a better choice and since you reload you don't have to deal with ammo price or availability issues and you can crank up the power some, probably even more than .45 Colt Blackhawk loads.

The .357 isn't incapable in the woods, but that doesn't mean it's better than bigger calibers. It is cheaper to shoot and can hold more rounds, that's good for some things but not the OP's intended purpose.
 
GP100 in .357 is one of my favorites. A little polishing on internals, some springs and a shim kit and it’s one of the best revolver triggers I’ve ever had. The only one of my Smith’s that’s better is my 4” Model 57, no dash. Plus I pair it with my Henry BBS for added fun. I’ve only ever had one SA revolver, my first foray into bigger bore pistols was a Blackhawk in .41 mag. Never liked it, didn’t care for the rolling recoil and ejecting and reloading was a PITA. Traded it in on my 6” Model 57 no dash and have kept it for 37 years.
 
While the 357 and the 44 spl do have their differences, worrying about which to carry is sort of splitting hairs.

Which do you prefer to wear and walk with?

Which one are you more natural with ,smoother in the draw and getting the sights aligned on target?

In other words,which can you count on for delivering a solid first round hit?

I suppose delivering the next 5 rounds might matter,too.

Man or beast,a good hit with either cartridge will punch a hole through most targets.
I don't know that the perforated organs will show a lot of difference.

If you believe they will show difference,figure that in your choice.
 
ligonierbill said:
I'm not much of a pistoleer, but sometimes I carry a general purpose revolver in the woods. (Since I grew up in Pennsylvania and hunt there, it has to be a revolver.) The competitors are a Ruger Blackhawk "Flattop" 5 1/2" 44 Special and a Ruger GP-100 4" 357 Magnum. The 357 is more powerful by a third, but the Flattop sends a bigger bullet. It's also lighter and handier. I'm leaning towards the 44, but that's the debate. I should mention that I always shoot the GP-100 single action, so that advantage is mute.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

What do you think you might be doing with it?

The 357 is more powerful by a third, but the Flattop sends a bigger bullet. It's also lighter and handier.
Click to expand...


.44 Special can be loaded hot.
 
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Out here in the Eastern Sierra's, I carry my .45 Colt Taylors[Uberti] while camping, trout fishing or hiking a bit. Have a .357 BH, but, the .45 Colt goes. Maybe I should get a .44 spl BH to round things out.
 
and you can crank up the power some, probably even more than .45 Colt Blackhawk loads.
Click to expand...

Not really. When you are pushing big bore revolvers to the safe working limits of the gun, they all come out about the same. Measurable differences, sure, but significant ones, not so much. It is the gun used that is the primary limiting factor.

Ruger Blackhawks get a bit tricksy to cover with blanket statements because over the years Ruger has done a couple different sized frames under the name "Blackhawk", and Vaquero.

Top end .45 Colt loads, made to be fired in the New Model Blackhawk (large frame gun) are ok in the Vaquero (original) but too much for the "New Vaquero".

I am not very familiar with the "flattops" Blackhawks, but I expect you could safely increase the .44 Special in one, well beyond the somewhat anemic factory ammo. I wouldn't recommend trying to make a magnum out of it, though.
 
You say .357 is more powerful, yet I would pick .44 Special to shoot a deer. Especially if unexpected and with no hearing protection on, and with only 4" of barrel on the .357.

A .44 Special Blackhawk is an uncommon and sweet firearm. Well worth having and keeping. 5 1/2" is a well balanced Blackhawk. For me, it would be a no-brainer.

When in doubt, start with the bigger hole.

Please note... more people die from tick bites than black bear bites by about 170:1 in the continental us.
 
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