Stephanie B
New member
Do you have any suggestions? I'd kind of prefer IWB, as I've carried a 1911 that way. But since not a lot of 396/696s were made, the selection seems to be rather meager.
44 Spl in Short Barrel?
- Thread starter Nomadicone
- Start date
Yup, compared to twenty years ago the selection of good leather for revolvers has gotten pretty thin. Thank Gaston Glock and his army of marketing folks for that. Galco and Bianchi still make some. Anything listed as fitting an L frame S&W (like the 3 in. 686 will fit) A web search for S&W medium frame (K and L frame) revolvers will give you a good start. Look at Taurus holsters. His stuff is very nice. A lot of the small one man shops will still make you one even if they don't show them on their website. I have always carried revolvers and always will. I worked on semi auto competition guns for enough years to know all of the ways that they can choke. Murphy loves semi autos. And anything worth shooting deserves one big hole instead of 2 or 3 little ones.
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Milt Sparks makes a nice belt holster for large revolvers but you'll have to stand in line. I can't imagine a large revolver in an IWB holster, although I K-frame isn't too bad with a short barrel. They even conceal well but the better the concealment, the harder the draw.
Personally, I think the best .44 special is the S&W Model 29. They also made some so-called Mountain Revolvers in the caliber, as well as .45 Colt and .45 ACP, all good cartridges. I owned two .44 specials, both Model 624s, as well as a Model 29. I did all the experimenting with hot loads and finally realized it was pointless. Eventually I got rid of all my revolvers (though not because revolvers are bad or anything), so it has become academic.
Personally, I think the best .44 special is the S&W Model 29. They also made some so-called Mountain Revolvers in the caliber, as well as .45 Colt and .45 ACP, all good cartridges. I owned two .44 specials, both Model 624s, as well as a Model 29. I did all the experimenting with hot loads and finally realized it was pointless. Eventually I got rid of all my revolvers (though not because revolvers are bad or anything), so it has become academic.
There is the Ruger Sheriff .44Spec from Lipseys.... It will handle what you are looking for although it isn't DA (I never use revolvers DA anyway)..... Just so you know it's out there. I have one and it works great! FWIW, my .44Spec Bulldog (2011) has never locked up once.... and continues to function just fine. Built for standard .44Spec loads only. Shoot at least once a month.... Probably would have never got the Bulldog, but the Sheriff was not available at the time and wanted a .44Spec CC revolver.....
Cool Breeze
New member
I use a .44mag taurus tracker for 44specials and it works great. Seems a bit small for most 44mag loads (it's all over the place) but with the 44special it's nice- in a pretty light piece (34 ounces) and it's ported..........great to about 50 yards anyway in a 8 inch pie plate
I got pics somewhere
YO
I got pics somewhere
YO
I only got 786 or so from a .240 gr. JHP load in my 3" Taurus 441, and barely 850 with the 200 gr. Gold Dots (which are excellent). For anything hotter, I'd go to the Corbon stuff. It really rocks a 3" gun! What I need is a massive flood of target ammo dropped on the market so I can shoot mine. Cowboy action games seem to have actually RAISED ammo prices for this caliber???
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IMO the 200 gr. Gold Dot @ 850 is probably the best carry load we have come up with so far in a .44 Spl. They really will expand at that speed. I've shot a lot of them into water filled jugs and they are always recovered fully intact and perfectly expanded. It can be fired pretty rapidly from a 3 in. if you practice. Does really nasty things to targets.
Nomadicone,
I own a Taurus 445ti. It is a 2", 5 shot, .44 spl in Titanum. I have shot it with +P loads and it did fine, but the extraction was a bit tight. I have since returned to firing only normal pressure loads. I have yet to chronograh any loads, but now you have peaked my intrest. I will chrony some loads the next time I have my equipment set up.
The gun has a ported barrel, so it is a bit loud, but nothing terrible. The thing is very light. So much so that when loaded, you hardly notice it on your hip. Being only a 2", it isn't super accurate, but then I am not a very good pistoleer either!
I tend to ignore those who say Taurus is a bad brand to buy. For $310, I have not had any trouble with my little revolver. It seems to be very forgiving and fits real nice on my hip while riding in the mountains. I would reccomend this gun to anyone.
I own a Taurus 445ti. It is a 2", 5 shot, .44 spl in Titanum. I have shot it with +P loads and it did fine, but the extraction was a bit tight. I have since returned to firing only normal pressure loads. I have yet to chronograh any loads, but now you have peaked my intrest. I will chrony some loads the next time I have my equipment set up.
The gun has a ported barrel, so it is a bit loud, but nothing terrible. The thing is very light. So much so that when loaded, you hardly notice it on your hip. Being only a 2", it isn't super accurate, but then I am not a very good pistoleer either!
I tend to ignore those who say Taurus is a bad brand to buy. For $310, I have not had any trouble with my little revolver. It seems to be very forgiving and fits real nice on my hip while riding in the mountains. I would reccomend this gun to anyone.
Most who use 44 magnum guns for shooting 44 specials are carrying a much larger and heavier gun that necessary. One of the delights of the 44 special is the lighter handier guns chambered for it. One CAN take this too far however. Somewhere along the line is a compromise between a HUGE gun like the Ruger and something that weighs as much as a paperclip. Mr. Newtons laws still apply.
458winshooter
New member
44 Spl 240gr
My old Hornady manual says that their test gun is a 3in Charter Arms and using their swagged 240gr a max charge of Blue Dot gets 900 fps.Three others listed give 850 fps.I have not tried these loads so if you do start low and work up.My Bulldog Pug 44spl wears a 2.5in barrel and I haven't found a bullet weight that works any better than 200gr cast either commercial or my own castings from a Lee mold.I have tried 240gr cast,plated and JHP,also 180gr swagged and JHP.
My old Hornady manual says that their test gun is a 3in Charter Arms and using their swagged 240gr a max charge of Blue Dot gets 900 fps.Three others listed give 850 fps.I have not tried these loads so if you do start low and work up.My Bulldog Pug 44spl wears a 2.5in barrel and I haven't found a bullet weight that works any better than 200gr cast either commercial or my own castings from a Lee mold.I have tried 240gr cast,plated and JHP,also 180gr swagged and JHP.
Big fat bullets moving slow managed to stop threats for many many years when this country was built. It always amuses me how people will throw away technology that worked well for so long for the latest "marketing trend". It is sickening how many Bulldogs I have personally examined that were beat to an early death by owners who were convinced they "needed" use heavy loads. And the "cowboy" games have given us more of the "old stuff" but have been marketed to death by greedy companies.
I think its a some and some in that regard
Making a 44 special move fast does not do anything for you but beat up a gun if its too light.
There never was a man stopper in a pistol slow or fast.
Once they applied science and you study the statistics, you find a 9mm with modern JHP (SD bullet) is as effective as anything out there.
Ft lbs of energy simply do not mean anything. Its shot placement, expansion and penetration that are relevant no matter what you are shooting at.
But there is always the thing about hot rodding something, so people do it.
Making a 44 special move fast does not do anything for you but beat up a gun if its too light.
There never was a man stopper in a pistol slow or fast.
Once they applied science and you study the statistics, you find a 9mm with modern JHP (SD bullet) is as effective as anything out there.
Ft lbs of energy simply do not mean anything. Its shot placement, expansion and penetration that are relevant no matter what you are shooting at.
But there is always the thing about hot rodding something, so people do it.
While I don't carry it, my "nightstand gun" is a S&W 329 Nightguard in .44 magnum. It is only 29 ounces and holds six shots of either .44 mag or .44 special. Has a tritium front sight. I really don't see the point in paying big $$$ for a gun that only shoots .44 special.
And I agree with those who say the .44 special doesn't need to shoot at hyper velocity. This cartridge is the twin brother to the .45 Long Colt. BOTH were made to shoot heavy, big diameter slugs at slow speed. The number of graves with bad guys pushing up weeds is a testament to the effectiveness of big and slow cartridges.
And I agree with those who say the .44 special doesn't need to shoot at hyper velocity. This cartridge is the twin brother to the .45 Long Colt. BOTH were made to shoot heavy, big diameter slugs at slow speed. The number of graves with bad guys pushing up weeds is a testament to the effectiveness of big and slow cartridges.
Mesquito Whitey
New member
I carried a 3" Charter Arms as a BUG for many years. Never felt under gunned and never had a lick of trouble from it. Course that was many years ago and it was one of the old Charter Arms guns.
It's very easy to make. You can get everything off knifekits.com. I use .06" thick kydex. Heat at 325 in a toaster oven or use a heat gun, until the kydex is floppy (if it bubbles or burnishes, you went too far). Cut a rectangle, heat, press, adjust. Trim with a belt sander and buff the edges. There should be barely any pressure on the speed strip or rounds. The speed strip should come out if you pull on it. Note the spine; it's made to catch on the inside of the pocket or act as a ledge for your index finger.
The bottom one has a rounded spine bent out at the top. The top has a folded spine. Both work well, but I prefer the folded spine since it is easier to make (it's faster by about 2 minutes).
