Does .44 Mag get any easier?

.44 Mag-na-luum a problem?

Sell it.

An entire generation of men gave-up those big block V8s for a good 4 four-banger. Don't worry. It's a free world.

As the WWII Tin Can Sailors said, 'If you need sugar and cream in your coffee, you don't need coffee.
 
Why not explain the situation to the governing authority and ask them what legal alternative you have or if you just need to sell the gun because of their befuddling laws. Maybe they will give you a letter or something that will enable something that might work. Also, do the same restrictions apply to law enforcement? Maybe they can help you.
 
Pond,
are you aware of MidwayDeutschland.com? This is the same company that most of us are ordering from in the US.

Here's some grips for the Redhawk http://www.midwaydeutschland.com/ap...gorystring=649 *** 662 *** 12658 *** 8620 ***

Here's a selection of 44 bullets http://www.midwaydeutschland.com/ap...orystring=9315+***+652+***+19785+***+9015+***

Since Estonia is part of the EU, I would think that it should be easy to mail order from Germany.

I would also imagine that you would be able to find ammo and/or reloading components in Finland.

It's true that ammo and components are easier to find in the US, but most of us end up using mail order and the internet to get what we need.
 
Last edited:
Pond,
are you aware of MidwayDeutschland.com? This is the same company that most of us are ordering from in the US.

Yes, thanks. I have their site in my favourites.

They have a decent choice and I am finding new sites here and there.

Bullets, I don't think I can order from them: it counts as ammo and that is something that I need to do in a gunshop with my licence.

I've looked at reloading stuff too: some nice options, although not much cheaper than here, surprisingly.

As for the grips, I'll have a look, or invetigate making my own...:eek:
 
Some folks think their .45acp is the 'cat's wiskers', and like to downgrade .44 Special. Buffalo Bore sells .44 Special that reaches .357 magnum levels, but starts at .429 inch diameter rather than .357.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=17

If you can comfortably shoot a .357 magnum revolver, then I think the .44 Special level loads would be quite comfortable in a Red Hawk ... though I am not sure what barrel length you are using.

Buffalo Bore is expensive ammo and is great for Personal Defense considerations. Practice with it I find too costly. This is why I reload so that I can produce similar results at a much lower cost.

That is an option if you cannot get something like

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/46...ot-jacketed-hollow-point?productNumber=462521

Good luck and hang on to that .44 magnum Red Hawk.
 
"Mine is a 4" Redhawk with the Hogue grips as seen on the KRH444 page of the Ruger Website." [Pond]

Checked out the Ruger website, very nice. Seems a shame not to enjoy that gun.

Take an old comfortable glove, and cut the index finger off the glove. You may find this takes a lot of the sting out of the recoil.

Also re-read Webleymkv's suggestions re rolling with the recoil, this technique takes 90% of the hurt out of the 44 Magnum. Grip it firmly (but not too tightly) and not too high up, and let your hand ride the recoil, you can choreograph it, dry-fire practice with spent shells or snap caps. Once you get the rhythm of it, you'll be snapping off 6 quick accurate shots.*

Baltic bears beware...


*PS: This method is done one-handed shooting, with 2 hands there is a tendency to hang on and fight the recoil. Hopefully you have large hands.
 
Last edited:
Sounds like reloading is not an option for you ....

Shooting .44 spl ...is not an option for you, but I got confused why ...in the US, that's what most of us would do - if we didn't reload. ( but reloading / we pick our bullets and powder ...to load them down ..so they're softer recoiling - one powder, with the same bullet may feel like less recoil than other powder options).

Another option is "gloves" .../ put some rubber grips on the gun ( like Hogue grips for under $ 40 ) ...and shoot with gloves on .../ I will often shoot my .44 mag's ( especially the lighter guns with gloves on )...and it does help a little.

Reducing recoil ...only so many things you can do but primary keys:
a. add weight to the gun
b. shoot a lighter bullet
c. shoot at a lower velocity....

some function of all 3 ...
 
Installing a Hogue X grip made this M629 shootable. Does not mean I shoot it all that much.

I will shoot a bunch of 38's, 45's, and if I am in the mood I will finish with a 44 Magnum.

Before I get to 50 rounds with a 44 Magnum I have a terrible flinch and my hands start to tremble.

Everyone goes through the Magnum phase, sometime around the head banging phase of life. After enough shell shock and recoil, you either quit, or shoot something that does not hurt as much.


HogueXgriponM629-4sideviewDSCN6334.jpg


HogueXgripbackstrapDSCN6351.jpg
 
I've owned four 44 magnums.... a TC contender ,Super Blackhawk , Redhawk , and S&W 629 ! I hardly ever shoot reduced loads and never used 44 specials because these were and are my medium game handguns and not for general target shooting ! From my own experience with a lot of practice and willingness to learn to tame them...it did become easier to cope with the 44 magnum recoil ! At first I tensed up when anticipating the recoil but through time & practice I became much more relaxed and let the revolver sort of roll up and not fight the recoil so much ! Its hard to explain in a way , but I used to shoot 3 or 4 boxes of 50 rounds at a setting and pop cans out at 75 yards became easy with enough practice !
 
Nice Illustration Slamfire!

Look how the grip leads the hand to the correct hold. It makes you hold it below that trigger guard that bites, and sets up a radius for recoil to roll and dissipate over distance, as opposed to instant delivery if you choke up your hold. And the backstrap is covered. I bet that's one fine ride, if you don't mind me sayin'.
 
I've been shooting .44mag revolvers for the last 14 years. I guess my magnum phase isn't over yet and I don't see it being over any time soon. The .44mag doesn't hurt me at all. Maybe in another 30 years it might but for now I find it enjoyable to shoot and is my preferred round for handgun hunting (deer and the like) as well as a defensive weapon when I'm just bumming around the woods.

Really you just need to learn to shoot the gun properly. That'll make shooting the .44mag easier.

Oh DO NOT downsize to a .45acp just because you don't like the .44mag right now. It takes time to learn how to shoot a revolver in a magnum chambering properly. Once you learn it you will enjoy it. As for the .45acp - you'll just end up angering one of those big brown bears over in your neck of the woods if you empty a mag of .45acp into it. Don't get me wrong, I love the .45acp and in handguns that's all I own aside from my .44mags and a .380acp pistol for my wife to carry in skimpy clothing - oh I forgot my Ruger Single Six in .22lr/.22wmr. When confronting grizzly (closest resemblance stateside to what you have there) I definitely want the power of a full power or even hot loaded .44mag.
 
I know I am biased, having startedt the thread, but this is one of the most informative discussions I've read on TFL.

THanks to everyone for posting and the PMs I've received.

Perhaps it is the passing of time since I last went to the range, but I feel a bit more optimistic about my hunk of steel. I think I should investigate my technique before I investigate resale mediums!

I will look into getting some grips made, too. I have a nice lump of juniper upstairs that could look good!! I will look online for some pics of what RHs can look like.

I'll try and practice the recoil roll, regardless of the grips too. That is only as expensive as the ammo I am buying.

I can't say my crisis is over, but it has abated. Any more advice or observations are welcome!!
 
Well, today was a good day on a couple of fronts.

Firstly, I researched the gun law over here and the only reloading components that I have to buy from a gunshop are the explosive ones, ie primers and powder.

The bullets and cases can come from anywhere I please so, shipping terms and condition issues aside, Midway Deutschland could be an option.

This also means that buy grips should also be possible: it is not a restricted part such as triggers and barrels etc.

Finally, I also found there is a place that could also make nicely shaped grips from wood. I hope they'll call me back!!

All-in-all, I have options to explore to let me adapt to this beast!!
 
Wood grips can be pretty and if your goal is to show off your revolver then I think would be a good choice. If you are after a shooting revolver, then I think you need to look at a recoil absobing material that has a full backstrap cover (like shown on the picture of the S&W 629). The larger, rubber type grip that fully wraps the backstrap, makes a world of difference on felt recoil, as opposed to other 'Hard' materials, such as wood.

Good luck. I'm glad to hear you can buy everything you need except the powder to tame your .44 magnum revolver. Once you do, you will be really glad you did. The .44 magnum is my favorite and with a Marlin M1894SS in .44 magnum I am very comfortable going up into the mountains exploring.
 
I had understood that along with a revised hold on the gun wooden grips would allow that roll in the palm that would dissipate the recoil force in an arc, rather than a shock straight back through my arm.

Is this not the case?
 
While cushioning the backstrap may reduce recoil somewhat, it is not as important, in my experience, as the fit of the grip to your hand. Grips with an enclosed backstrap that don't fit your hand well will likely be less comfortable and make recoil more unpleasant that grips with an exposed backstrap that fit your hands perfectly.

All of my revolvers have grips that leave the backstrap exposed and recoil isn't a problem because they fit my hands well. Likewise, I don't notice a significant difference in recoil from the material of the grip so long as it fits my hand well. Personally, I prefer wood because it doesn't "stick" to clothing like rubber does (mainly an issue for concealed carry) and because I simply find it more aesthetically pleasing. That being said, rubber grips are almost always a fraction of the price of a nice set of wood ones.
 
I suspect the 'revolver roll' being mentioned is regarding single action revolvers that have that 'plowdhare' style grip. A double action revilver, like the Super Red Hawk, does not have that shape grip and the revolver does not roll much in my experience.
 
Back
Top