Best .44 Magnum Defense Load?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Hello all! I see that there are some personal defense loads out there in .44 magnum. Loads like the following:

Federal Hyrda-Shok 240 grain Personal Defense

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Buffalo Bore "Anti-Personnel" 180 grain lead hollow point

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This is just to name a couple. It seems the trend is for "moderate magnum" loads for this purpose, hotter than .44 special of any variety but less than a full-power hunting load. This makes sense, as too much power can be a liability in self defense.

I am wondering what you guys think is the best dedicated defense load against human attackers in this caliber. If you have a .44 magnum and use it for carry or home defense, I'd like to hear what you are using in it.

Thanks all!
 
Consider the reputation of the 45acp. 230 @ 850.
Easy to do even better with a 44mag reduced. 200 @1000 for example with a SWC or HP. Lots of choices at this time , look around
 
one load

I have one .44 mag revolver, and it gets fed one load. A 240-250 gr LSWC running about 900 fps. That is a GP reload, and despite all the council regards reloads for self defense, were I carrying the .44 and harm befell me, I would feel adequately armed.
 
Wile the 44 isn't my primary SD weapon I keep some sort of "anti personnel" ammo for every firearm I own. Just in case, ya know.

Personally I load a 240 gr lead HP cast from a 30 to 1 alloy right around the 1200 fps mark out of my 7 1/2" barrel. The soft lead does tremendous damage in my wet pack test wile staying around 10" of penetration.
 
Consider the reputation of the 45acp. 230 @ 850.
Easy to do even better with a 44mag reduced. 200 @1000 for example with a SWC or HP. Lots of choices at this time , look around
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Very good advice this....don't know if such a .44 Mag load is available commercially. Rod
 
Only problem with a reduced load HP is that without the velocity, you can't depend on an HP to do anything other than punch a hole. It will act like a FMJ. Still, nothing wrong with that either. That is why I chose a soft cast SWC for around the house.
 
Well I really do not have what I would consider an actual defense load for my Redhawk. I guess though that in the face of impending or inanimate threat upon myself or a loved one, I could easily use one of my lower velocity hunting loads.

Years ago I would have used a similar load as mentioned above with the Gold Dot as I have come to REALLY respect them and their capability. However since I started to cast my own, and work with the alloys to blend up what I needed to make things work at certain velocities I would nowadays use one of them.

The molds I use are probably used by many here. I purchased them from MP molds and I love the 640 design and have one in every caliber I own for handguns. The 434-640 is identical other than the different caliber, to the bullets pictured in the middle and on the right. (those however are for the 45 Colt)

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I also have a 432-256 which is as near as I have come to having a true Keith SWC only with the additional capability of pouring them with HP's. It is close to the one on the left but in appearance only.

The velocities I shot the ones above at were only around 1100'ish FPS and the 44's do the exact same thing at around those velocities. It makes one heck of a splat when it impacts something as well. I would have no issues using them to protect life or limb from an assailant.
 
+1 for anyone who said that anything coming out of a 44 mag should do just the trick.

If you want a real answer, any name brand defense ammo (Speer, Hornady, Federal PD ammo lines, etc.) should do just the trick given that the projectile is HUGE, and traveling at ~1200 FPS. I would be more worried about too much stopping power (over penetration) with this particular round than not enough.

I would say you should look for light for caliber expanding ammo thats going at the low-mid velocity for caliber.

For the reasons I just explained I wouldnt worry about the best of the best defense ammo in this case. 380/9mm/38 spl is a different story...
 
Only problem with a reduced load HP is that without the velocity, you can't depend on an HP to do anything other than punch a hole.
Click to expand...

As I understand it, with light HP projectiles you need speed to make up for the lack of mass. Now if you have the mass, you don't need the speed as much.

Although at the lower end of .44 Mag projectiles, 200gn is not a light bullet and 1000fps is not desperately slow, so I still think that the HP would expand, IMO.
 
The two rounds your looking at or the Winchester silver tip.
But what I would change is going from Mangum to 44 special.
The time difference for a follow up shot round would be much quicker and at night time the flash and noise would be reduced.
I just don't see the need of the power of the mag for defense where the special will match the 45 ACP which is well know as being a very potent round.
 
Something big and slow so it doesn't over-penetrate. A big Keith bullet would work real well. 300gr+ at 1100fps is fine.
 
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