how to tame recoil of .44 magnum?
- Thread starter chrisintexas
- Start date
I've done a good bit of shooting with big bore revolvers and what I've learned over the years is as follows:
First and foremost, at a certain point a gun can become simply too light to be enjoyable with full-power loads. I learned this the hard way with a S&W M21-4 .44 Special. I bought the gun with the intention of shooting Kieth .44 Special handloads in but when I got to the point of Kieth's powder charge with a 200gr bullet, the 37.5 oz weight of the gun was just too little to soak up the recoil adequately for me. The top-end loading that I could stand in that gun was the Skelton load which ran a 245gr bullet at 900-1000fps. The lightest gun that I can put up with the recoil of a full .44 Magnum load through is my standard 4" 629 which weighs, according to S&W's website, 41.5 oz.
Secondly, it is imperative that you use stocks which fit your hands well. I can't really recommend a brand or style to you because I don't know the size and shape of your hands. I can tell you, however, that in my experience, the shape and size of the grip is much more important that the material from which it is made. What you want is a grip that is large enough to fill your hand but not so large as to make you take an awkward or uncomfortable grip. You don't want too small a grip because it will direct all the force of the recoil into a fairly small portion of your hand rather than distribute it throughout your hand. However, too large a grip will force you to grasp the gun in such a way that the force of recoil is directed into your thumb and/or the web of your hand rather than the palm where it should be.
Right now, my 629 wears a set of Hogue X-Frame grips and these are the most comfortable that I've tried because they fill my hand and have a soft cushioned area over the backstrap. That being said, both rubber and wood Hogues with open backstraps work nearly as well for me because they still fit my hands well. My M57 .41 Magnum currently wears Culina Magnum Profile Targets that, while not quite as comfortable as the Hogues, also fit my hands well and are not unpleasant to shoot with. That being said, I have large hands (I wear XL gloves) and long fingers and what fits me well may not fit you.
Finally, the technique required to shoot a bigbore magnum comfortably is quite different than that used to shoot a semi-automatic or smaller caliber revolver. With a semi-auto or revolver up to .357 Magnum, I find it best to grip the gun tightly and "muscle down" the recoil by trying to prevent the gun from moving as much as possible. With a .41 Magnum and up, however, this isn't really the best thing to do for an extended shooting session. While I can "muscle down" a bigbore (you really have to for fast DA shooting), doing so becomes very tiring and uncomfortable after two or three cylinders full. For a more extended shooting session, you really need to "roll" with the recoil rather than fight it.
What I mean by that is that while you should still grip the gun tightly enough to hang on to it, you don't necessarily want it to move as little as possible. Allow your arms to move at the elbows so that the gun can rise a fair amount under recoil. If done properly, you won't notice any degradation to your accuracy and the felt recoil will be much less unpleasant. Using this technique with a gun that is heavy enough and fits my hands well, I can go through 50 rounds of .44 Magnum in one session without it becoming unpleasant.
First and foremost, at a certain point a gun can become simply too light to be enjoyable with full-power loads. I learned this the hard way with a S&W M21-4 .44 Special. I bought the gun with the intention of shooting Kieth .44 Special handloads in but when I got to the point of Kieth's powder charge with a 200gr bullet, the 37.5 oz weight of the gun was just too little to soak up the recoil adequately for me. The top-end loading that I could stand in that gun was the Skelton load which ran a 245gr bullet at 900-1000fps. The lightest gun that I can put up with the recoil of a full .44 Magnum load through is my standard 4" 629 which weighs, according to S&W's website, 41.5 oz.
Secondly, it is imperative that you use stocks which fit your hands well. I can't really recommend a brand or style to you because I don't know the size and shape of your hands. I can tell you, however, that in my experience, the shape and size of the grip is much more important that the material from which it is made. What you want is a grip that is large enough to fill your hand but not so large as to make you take an awkward or uncomfortable grip. You don't want too small a grip because it will direct all the force of the recoil into a fairly small portion of your hand rather than distribute it throughout your hand. However, too large a grip will force you to grasp the gun in such a way that the force of recoil is directed into your thumb and/or the web of your hand rather than the palm where it should be.
Right now, my 629 wears a set of Hogue X-Frame grips and these are the most comfortable that I've tried because they fill my hand and have a soft cushioned area over the backstrap. That being said, both rubber and wood Hogues with open backstraps work nearly as well for me because they still fit my hands well. My M57 .41 Magnum currently wears Culina Magnum Profile Targets that, while not quite as comfortable as the Hogues, also fit my hands well and are not unpleasant to shoot with. That being said, I have large hands (I wear XL gloves) and long fingers and what fits me well may not fit you.
Finally, the technique required to shoot a bigbore magnum comfortably is quite different than that used to shoot a semi-automatic or smaller caliber revolver. With a semi-auto or revolver up to .357 Magnum, I find it best to grip the gun tightly and "muscle down" the recoil by trying to prevent the gun from moving as much as possible. With a .41 Magnum and up, however, this isn't really the best thing to do for an extended shooting session. While I can "muscle down" a bigbore (you really have to for fast DA shooting), doing so becomes very tiring and uncomfortable after two or three cylinders full. For a more extended shooting session, you really need to "roll" with the recoil rather than fight it.
What I mean by that is that while you should still grip the gun tightly enough to hang on to it, you don't necessarily want it to move as little as possible. Allow your arms to move at the elbows so that the gun can rise a fair amount under recoil. If done properly, you won't notice any degradation to your accuracy and the felt recoil will be much less unpleasant. Using this technique with a gun that is heavy enough and fits my hands well, I can go through 50 rounds of .44 Magnum in one session without it becoming unpleasant.
Pond James Pond
New member
Chris,
I have exactly the same gun and had exactly the same problem. I asked about it and got these responses:
Does .44 Mag get any easier?
I must say the advice was great and I have moved on now, really enjoying the big .44, shooting hot 240gr loads, hottish 275gr and 300gr loads, so if I can get over the recoil, anyone can!!
My best move was to replace the grips with Uncle Mike Butler Creek rubber grips from Numrich who fortunately shipped abroad.
This ARMSLIST ad shows exactly what these grips look like.
I hope you find your balance as my .44 is probably now my favourite gun, even if I don't shoot it the most, it got me into reloading and is what I carry when off in the sticks with my dogs.
I have exactly the same gun and had exactly the same problem. I asked about it and got these responses:
Does .44 Mag get any easier?
I must say the advice was great and I have moved on now, really enjoying the big .44, shooting hot 240gr loads, hottish 275gr and 300gr loads, so if I can get over the recoil, anyone can!!
My best move was to replace the grips with Uncle Mike Butler Creek rubber grips from Numrich who fortunately shipped abroad.
This ARMSLIST ad shows exactly what these grips look like.
I hope you find your balance as my .44 is probably now my favourite gun, even if I don't shoot it the most, it got me into reloading and is what I carry when off in the sticks with my dogs.
madmo44mag
New member
The only true remedy for the recoil of a 44 mag is to shoot it more.
The more you shoot it the better control you have over it and the less the recoil is an issue.
I prefer Pckhmayr grips with finger grooves on my 44’s.
The finger groove IMO help with the rolling effect of the recoil.
The more you shoot it the better control you have over it and the less the recoil is an issue.
I prefer Pckhmayr grips with finger grooves on my 44’s.
The finger groove IMO help with the rolling effect of the recoil.
Guggmeister
New member
Fire it off a 10.5" barrel Smith 
Very tame.
Very tame.If someone does not have control of the revolver and/or has a flinch, that is a separate issue from reducing the felt recoil the pistol generates. No amount of practice will change the physics of the recoil generated. You can shoot numerous rounds out of any handgun and so long as the weight of the gun is the same and the same load is used, it will generate the same recoil--practice don't change that. Options that do change the felt recoil include, but not necessarily limited to, lighter loads, increased gun weight, and different grips.
I have a 460 S&W that I really like. However no matter how good your technique, after a while your joints get fatigued from the pounding. I think Smith did a great job with the design and I would not change anything. But you have to remember you are developing well over a ft/ton of kinetic energy with each shot and that wears on you. My accuracy does not fall off but you get tired from the numerous shocks eventually. I don't see this as a problem because shooting 50 or more rounds at a time with a round this big is something I see no reason to do. It does however give a lot of satisfaction with delivering a lot of power very accurately.
Everything said about the 460 is true with the 44 just to a lesser degree. The big advantage the 44 has is that it has significantly less power so you have more options in reducing felt recoil. IMHO I would start with the grips. Take the smack out of the hands and shooting is a more pleasant experience. YMMV
I have a 460 S&W that I really like. However no matter how good your technique, after a while your joints get fatigued from the pounding. I think Smith did a great job with the design and I would not change anything. But you have to remember you are developing well over a ft/ton of kinetic energy with each shot and that wears on you. My accuracy does not fall off but you get tired from the numerous shocks eventually. I don't see this as a problem because shooting 50 or more rounds at a time with a round this big is something I see no reason to do. It does however give a lot of satisfaction with delivering a lot of power very accurately.
Everything said about the 460 is true with the 44 just to a lesser degree. The big advantage the 44 has is that it has significantly less power so you have more options in reducing felt recoil. IMHO I would start with the grips. Take the smack out of the hands and shooting is a more pleasant experience. YMMV
I recently returned to the .44 magnum after a ten year hiatus. I bought a S&W model 69 (L frame, five shot, rubber grips). I have a pair of PAST shooting gloves that have a little padding in them and they make a world of difference. I also do all of my shooting single action and feel that this makes a significant difference in controlling any potential flinch as well as contributing to accuracy.
My solution is simple. Load down... My general load is around 1100fps for a 240g SWC. I have found absolutely no need to push more as the only result is more blast, noise, and recoil which is harder on ears, elbows, and wrists.... If you don't reload, just shoot some .44Special.
Your Redhawk is a 'heavy' revolver so that should be helping. Using rubber baby buggy bumper grips is a personal thing. I personally can't stand rubber on any of my guns, but other guys like 'em .
Your Redhawk is a 'heavy' revolver so that should be helping. Using rubber baby buggy bumper grips is a personal thing. I personally can't stand rubber on any of my guns, but other guys like 'em
.Technosavant
New member
I've fired a 4" .44 with wood grips... kicks like a mule.
I have a 6.5" full underlug 629 with Pachmayrs that cover the backstrap... much MUCH easier on the shooter.
Even full house 240gr loads aren't quite as bad in that 629, even though I do tend to now load them in the middle of the range- they aren't quite cream puff loads but neither are they barn burners. Those I can shoot for a longer time out of that gun.
I have a 6.5" full underlug 629 with Pachmayrs that cover the backstrap... much MUCH easier on the shooter.
Even full house 240gr loads aren't quite as bad in that 629, even though I do tend to now load them in the middle of the range- they aren't quite cream puff loads but neither are they barn burners. Those I can shoot for a longer time out of that gun.
Billy Shears
New member
Beat me to it.
Unless you live in Alaska or use the gun for hunting large game, the 357 is versatile enough that you may find you don't really need the punishment and added expense of the 44.
Anyway, that has been my experience.
The basic answers have all been given, get a heavy gun, shoot lighter loads, etc. Answers like "get a .357" are not helpful, as they don't answer the question.
There is a lot of difference on what grips are best, and tis a very personal thing. I like the Pachmayr rubber grips. Some don't. Some prefer smooth wood. Most of us agree that the stock S&W target grips are about the worst thing you can use.
And, if you think the recoil from an M29 is bad, try shooting a Contender with the 10" octagon thin barrel. WOW! IMHO, its the worst! (also the lightest).
The Desert Eagle, at 4.24lbs empty is really good at taming the recoil of the .44 Mag. But, the Eagle is not as flexible in ammo as a revolver, and one cannot use cast bullets in the Desert Eagle.
Heavy .44 loads and shooting comfort simply don't go together in a "packing weight" handgun. There is no free lunch. Either go with a heavy gun to soak up the recoil and live with the size and weight of the piece, or go with a lighter gun for easier carry, and live with the ferocious recoil.
Don't feel like less of a shooter if you can't shoot combat master class scores using full house .44Mag in a DA revolver. Only a few exceptional individuals can. Neither the gun, nor the round were ever intended for that.
There is a lot of difference on what grips are best, and tis a very personal thing. I like the Pachmayr rubber grips. Some don't. Some prefer smooth wood. Most of us agree that the stock S&W target grips are about the worst thing you can use.
And, if you think the recoil from an M29 is bad, try shooting a Contender with the 10" octagon thin barrel. WOW! IMHO, its the worst! (also the lightest).
The Desert Eagle, at 4.24lbs empty is really good at taming the recoil of the .44 Mag. But, the Eagle is not as flexible in ammo as a revolver, and one cannot use cast bullets in the Desert Eagle.
Heavy .44 loads and shooting comfort simply don't go together in a "packing weight" handgun. There is no free lunch. Either go with a heavy gun to soak up the recoil and live with the size and weight of the piece, or go with a lighter gun for easier carry, and live with the ferocious recoil.
Don't feel like less of a shooter if you can't shoot combat master class scores using full house .44Mag in a DA revolver. Only a few exceptional individuals can. Neither the gun, nor the round were ever intended for that.
madmo44mag
New member
A 44 mag is a beast and one of the small varieties now on the market.
Regardless of they type, weight and charge practice is the only real solution.
If you shoot it often enough then you master the skills needed to tame the beast.
If it sits in the safe most of the time you will never master shooting a big bore magnum.
Very few people I have ever know shoot 44 DA and shoot one ragged hole.
Most hold a 2 -3 inch group at 25 yards.
IMHO for a 44 mag is DA mode that is pretty dang good.
In single action the group tighten up a bit.
Trust me, the more you shoot your pistol the better you will get and the recoil and weight issues will disappear.
Aside from the good and quite true advice that one gets used to recoil with frequent practice, I shoot lighter calibers at the range before getting out one of my hand cannons (I work up to it). It is the same conditioning principle, I think.
I reload custom ammo, but one could also watch the bullet weight and velocity listed for commercial ammo. Something subsonic, say in the 1100 fps range or even less will be good for practice, but you might want to finish with the real McCoy, full up loads. By then, you should be ready.
I reload custom ammo, but one could also watch the bullet weight and velocity listed for commercial ammo. Something subsonic, say in the 1100 fps range or even less will be good for practice, but you might want to finish with the real McCoy, full up loads. By then, you should be ready.
I found that shooting both the fill-size .460 and .500 Magnum revolvers were FAR more enjoyable than a 5.5" Super Blackhawk .44 Mag. FAR more, and not close.
Part of the reason is that S&W really got the ergos right on the X-frame and their comp does a fantastic job of handling the gas. Also, you simply don't shoot the X-frames many times because of the relative cost of shooting them.
But seriously, a full cylinder of 6 shots of full bore .44 Mag was SIX more shots than I enjoyed from that revolver. But would typically send 10 each of the .460 and .500 down range in the same range session, enjoying those big massive beasts much more.
Part of the reason is that S&W really got the ergos right on the X-frame and their comp does a fantastic job of handling the gas. Also, you simply don't shoot the X-frames many times because of the relative cost of shooting them.
But seriously, a full cylinder of 6 shots of full bore .44 Mag was SIX more shots than I enjoyed from that revolver. But would typically send 10 each of the .460 and .500 down range in the same range session, enjoying those big massive beasts much more.
The 460XVR weighs 4.5 pounds unloaded. That should certainly explain some of the mitigation of recoil. It is also 8 inches+ in barrel length.
The 629 at that same barrel length is rated as 13.5 oz lighter, approaching a pound (.84). Both are compensated.
The Ruger Super Redhawk is in the same ballpark of weight and barrel length as the Smith 629 but not exactly comparable. If the SRH retained the factory rubber grips, it shouldn't so terrible to shoot. That gun is like the homely child that only a mother could love, as they say, so how the grips look has to be very secondary.
The 629 at that same barrel length is rated as 13.5 oz lighter, approaching a pound (.84). Both are compensated.
The Ruger Super Redhawk is in the same ballpark of weight and barrel length as the Smith 629 but not exactly comparable. If the SRH retained the factory rubber grips, it shouldn't so terrible to shoot. That gun is like the homely child that only a mother could love, as they say, so how the grips look has to be very secondary.
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