In Defense of the .44 Special

My only .44 special is my new-production Charter Arms Bulldog Pug.

For carry, i have it loaded with 200-grain JHPs. Those things look simply cavernous.

The other day at the range, I tried a box of 240-grain lead "cowboy action" rounds. Wow, those were a ton of fun! I had small wood grips on the Bulldog, and the rounds weren't punishing at all.
 
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. Nonte review the Charter Arms Bulldog for Shooting Times Skeeter said his pet load of a 240 SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique was a heavy kicker and not that pleasant to shoot.
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I wouldn't load that in my CA Bulldog... I load 6.3g of Unique/Universal under 240g SWC for my Bulldog. Not hard kicking at all. I just would not feel comfortable shooting the Skeeter load in the 'thin walled' cylinder of the Bulldog and I don't think the gun would hold up long to the beating anyway. I save the Skeeter load for my Single Action .44Specials which also is very pleasant to shoot and good woods guns. Once you get to 1300fps or so under 240g bullet do you start to feel that the gun is starting to 'kick' back some.... Of course with .44Spec 1200fps is tops with the Keith Load (unless shot out of a .44Mag of course which is all together different ballgame).
 
Great thread. I'll echo the ideas already presented - that they're both (special and mag) good, have both, but the magnum doesn't get as much field use as in the past. My .44s are all single actions and the .44 Specials (Colt, USFA, Cimarron/Uberti and a duo of Rugers) are just-right sized, delivering just-right punch--without being obnoxious about it--for most of what I need. When I go camping or tromping where particularly large/dangerous critters are likely--which isn't that often--the .44 Mag goes with me. Even then, it's mostly an excuse to continue to "justify" the gun and give it some fresh air! But seriously, both are good, it's just the .44 Special is "better" for 95% duty - for me.

In the midframe SA platforms which commonly chamber the .45 and .44 Special, I like that the .44 is very similar in ballistics to the .45 ACP for close-in SD, but that the .44 can be loaded up for significantly better longer distance/hunting duty. I also like the .44 Sp over the .45 Colt in these "common" platforms for the .44 having an extra margin for "loading up" (more beef between the chambers). And since happen to have the .44 Mag (that'll also chamber the Special) it makes more sense for me than the large frame .45 Colt, which would otherwise be a good platform with hot loads for that hunting/dangerous critter use. Otherwise, I have no doubt the large frame .45 Colts would be an equally versatile platform as the Mag for that heavier duty.

Finally, I have always thought that the .44 Special is what the Colt SAA "was meant for" - had they known it at the time...ie, had cartridge been available in its current smokeless configuration in 1873. By the early 1900s when the .44 Sp came to be, the .45 had such a foothold what with its 30+ year head start and its long Army contract history (and .44-40's 30 year history for that matter with its dual pistol/rifle chambering)...that the "little" .44 never had much of a chance to make its mark. Even so, IMO, a better mating of cartridge and gun doesn't exist than the .44 Sp and the midframe single actions.
 
My problem with the 44 Special is, as far as N-frame S&Ws go the same guns can be had in 45 ACP. Ballistics are about the same for my hand loads and carry ammo. 200g-240g bullets @ 900fps-825fps for the 44 Special and 200g-230g bullets @ 900fps-830fps for the 45 ACP. Because of the larger bore and chambers guns of the same barrel length and design will weigh slightly less in 45 than in 44 and there is always the real advantage of full moon clips making reloads for the 45 ACP much faster and easier than with speed loaders in the 44 Special.

The L-frame versions in 44 Special chambering may be the real advantage for the old revolver cartridge. Having a gun that compact and easy to carry while still chambered for a cartridge starting with "4" is worth a lot. I'm not sure a 5 shot L-frame is possible in 45 but if it were I would do a lot to obtain one. (smile)

Dave
 
Well said Bob. I have a few 240, 1200fps loads that I used to break in my Ruger Bisley; however, the standard load will be 8.0gr of Unique under 240 Hard Cast. After carrying the Bisley in my El Paso Crossdraw, it's hard to lug that SBH!
 
I have some of each....and I love shooting all of them. .44 Specials do not have to be "purpose" specific to enjoy. I carry one all the time while messing around in the desert. Great every day field gun. If I care to go hunting...I will certainly have a magnum with me. But most of my camping, small game hunting, and target shooting fun can be well accomplished with the .44 Special. It is still my favorite cartridge to reload and shoot.
 
At last count there were 9 44 specials in my safe and exactly 1 magnum. The Magnum is nice for when it's needed, BUT it seldom is. The vast majority of 44 magnums fired every year are just for entertainment. Nothing wrong with that, but many people THINK they need one when they don't
 
Some cartridges fill niches better than others. .44 Special for fast double-action, target, self-defense, plinking, hunting small game, can be used for deer. etc., etc. .44 Magnum...hunting.
 
Actually I got ORIONENGNR's ( edited... 396 ) :o... & IMO, it's the perfect gun for both carry, & the 44 Special cartridge, when I got it from him, it had both the wood grips pictured, & a set of rubber grips ( I started out being a big fan of rubber grips... as I became more of a seasoned shooter, I still like the rubber on my "heavy hitters" but prefer wood on my carry guns...

I do shoot this revolver particularly well, though I don't shoot it often, ( afraid of the wear, being an ultra light weight revolver ) I'd love to have a stainless version for range use...

as for the "shoot the 44 Specials in the 44 Mag" comments... I never really liked doing that with my GP-100 in 357... ( the carbon ring thing )... now that I'm an expirienced handloader, & started shooting CAS, using & becoming very familiar with Trailboss, I'm more inclined to just down load the longer brass, rather than stuff the shorter cases into a longer chamber...

IMO, the 44 Special, & 45 Colt are the perfect self defense cartridges, & when you combine the 44 Special with a 396 Air Lite, that's as good as it gets...

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I lost track of them when they started putting the two digit numbers on them! We knew they had numbers, but seldom used them, calling them by names: 1950 .44 Target, 1950 .45 Army, or .38-44 Outdoorsman, for example. These were N-430T, N-451, N-357T.


Bob Wright
 
The S&W 329PD is 25.1 oz. It is a .44 magnum. I find it shoots high end (Buffalo Bore Heavy .44 Special) .44 Special ammunition quite well, while light and easy to pack. It has the plus that it can shoot .44 magnums if needed.

I am surprised you would state that .44 Special can be loaded up to .44 magnum levels, as that sounds dangerous and foolish to me. Then I prefer to load a firearm down, rather than stretch its upper limits.
 
Ozzieman wrote:

Darn Bob you did it again, never heard of those dash numbers before.
THank you.
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Prior to the new system of model numbers put in effect around 1957, the model number was used primarily among factory and distributors. The system consisted of the frame (I,J,K, or N, there being no L at the time) followed by the bore diameter, i.e. 357, 430, 451, etc. The letter T suffix added for target sighted guns.

Problem arose with the .38-44 Outdoorsman and the .357 Magnum, both of which were N-357T. Same as a with the 1955 .44 Target and the.44 Magnum, both N-430T model numbers.

Bob Wright
 
I am surprised you would state that .44 Special can be loaded up to .44 magnum levels, as that sounds dangerous and foolish to me.
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Have you ever heard of Elmer Keith? Taffin? Skeeter? Brian Pearce? Seyfried? Read up :) . The .44 Special Keith Load isn't a 'magnum' load at all as it is only moving a 240g bullet at ~1200fps. That's wimpy compared to 1400+fps of a 'real' magnum load of a .44Mag. And yes, the .44 Special can be loaded up to 1200fps in the RIGHT revolvers (but NOT in a CA Bulldog for example). My goto load in .44 Special is the Skeeter Load (around 1000fps) in my Ruger .44Special flattop revolvers which for me is a good hard hitting accurate load. I have shoot a few Keith loads in mine but not for general use. Know your revolvers! Simple as that. If I want a 'Magnum' I'll grab my .44Mag... That is what it was designed for :) .... but, on the other hand, you don't have to be stuck at 700-800fps with the .44Spec either.

A few Keith/heavy Loads in the .44Spec references

Heavy Loads in the .44Special

Ross Seyfried on the .44Spec flattops

Taffin on the .44 Spec

Brian Pearce .44Spec PDF

A a treasure trove of .44 Special articles : Other .44Special Articles
 
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Well , some might not like the 6.5" barrel version of the S&W model 624 but I do....it's plenty handy & accurate enough for me !
 

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My "go to" load for the .44 Special is 6.5-7.0 grains of Unique under a home-cast .240 grain Keith Type bullet. It is good for 99.99% of all shooting, and will make my .44 Special last a long, long, long time.
 
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