Looking at buying 44 mag, 2" barrel too short maybe ?

So I'm looking at picking up a 44 mag, most likely a Taurus as I've had good luck with them and it's in my price point.

My main question being whether a barrel less than 4" will be usable for target use, i.e. accuracy at 15+ yards ? I'm assuming a 2+ barrel is better served as a defense / hiking gun.
Plus recoil on a 2" may take some of the fun out of it?

any opinions (except for brand bashing) ?

thanks
 
A shorter barrel will always be less accurate and have less energy than a 4". The 2" barrel lacks the weight which results in more recoil. The cartridge itself at regular load is designed for a longer barrel so you lose some powder burn benefits. There are lower recoil loads that could be used. If you are never going to carry, I would go 4". If you go 2" you'll always want the extra inches.
 
Over the years I've run across people who've purchased similar guns with the results being that after shooting one cylinder full, they've had enough fun.:eek:
 
A shorter barrel will always be less accurate and have less energy than a 4". The 2" barrel lacks the weight which results in more recoil. The cartridge itself at regular load is designed for a longer barrel so you lose some powder burn benefits. There are lower recoil loads that could be used. If you are never going to carry, I would go 4". If you go 2" you'll always want the extra inches.

I totally agree that a shorter barrel will always have less energy than a longer barrel (at handgun lenghts). The accuracy thing is debatable. A two inch barrel will be no less accurate than a 4 inch barrel. The shooter may be more accurate with the longer barrel, but not always. For example, I shoot my 44 alaskan more accurately than I do my 4" redhawk. Also, due to grip frame/backstrap differences, my redhawk has more felt recoil than my alaskan, even though it weighs more.

Nice thing about snub nose 44 mags... they also shoot 44 specials, which is a fantastic SD round.
 
My friend has a 2" 38 snub and it still returns under 1.75" group at 7 yards, but the recoil is a bit snappier than my 4" M82.

The heaviest recoil pistol i've run a cylinder through is a co-workers 454 casul. my hands hurt less than my 380 bodyguard. but it was noticable when you pulled the trigger, it felt like something happened :-)
wasn't as bad as i thought it would be.
 
What is your tolerance level?

I only "bash" brands that I have had personal (and poor) experience with, and I have never owned a Taurus. I don't hear great things about them, overall, though.

A 2" .44 Magnum? My first reaction is WHY????
apparently some folks have what they feel are valid reasons, but I don't see them...

Lets look at a few points for consideration, and you can draw your own conclusions..

The bulk of a revolver is in the frame/cylinder and in the grips, An inch or two, even 3 of barrel is the least important factor in concealed carry.

Short barrel revolvers are as mechanically accurate as longer barrels. However, they are less easily USED accurately, however.

PART of the reason is the shorter sight radius is less precise than a longer one. But the main reason is the general situation that snub nose guns usually have "cruder" sights, and less than the best trigger pulls, AND also the smaller size of the snubnose makes it more difficult to use with target level accuracy.

This may not apply to a short barrel .44Mag, as they are generally NOT made on the smallest frames, and don't usually use fixed sights. If the .44 you are looking at is the regular gun, just with a 2" barrel (and maybe a slightly smaller, rounded grip??) then most of the snubgun drawbacks don't apply.

That being said, size and weight are real world things you CANNOT get around. There is no free lunch. To get an advantage in one area, you must give up something in another.

For example, even a relatively low power round will kick the snot out of you when its is fired in a very small, light gun. And a larger more powerful round will be a stick of dynamite in your hand in a small light gun.

Magnums with short barrels are very popular, because people THINK they are getting a more "packable" or concealable gun, and its still a magnum!

Except, in most cases its still only a magnum in name only, despite keeping the magnum blast, flash and recoil.

I've shot a 3" .44Mag S&W. I have .44Mags with barrels ranging from 6.5" to 10".

Regarding the short barrel in particular, it makes a HUGE difference what ammo is used. Shooting the 3" with a tailored .44Mag load using a moderate charge of a certain powder it was not bad. Stout, but neither painful nor unmanageable.

The SAME GUN shooting my standard full house load, 240gr over a case full of 2400 powder was a completely different experience.

Tremendous flash and blast, very heavy recoil just below my pain level ONLY due to the Pachmayr rubber grips, and the torque was extreme, the gun actually twisted 90 degrees to the left in my hands with each shot.

If you want a .44Magnum, and you want it to BE a .44Magnum, don't bother with a short barrel. 6" or more barrels, otherwise, you are "shorting" yourself.

if you want a big bore snub gun, the .44Mag chambering will give you slightly more out of the short barrel than the .44Special, but there is a cost involved, one which can make the gun in your hands less "shootable".

Also while the magnum still beats the Special in short barrels, look at the actual difference, a lot of us don't think the difference is significant in terms of self defense effectiveness, while the blast and recoil to get that small advantage outweighs the gain.

IF at all possible, find the smallest, lightest .44Mag you can get a chance to shoot, and shoot it. It might give you important personal insight.
 
Thanks 44 Amp, lots of good info. I think a minimum of 4" barrel is in order, maybe 6.
the pistol's POU isn't CCW. I just happened to see some special edition 2"+ barrels out there for good prices. wondering if it was a ball-park pistol, doesn't seem to be.

mostly i'll be running mild reloads with the intent being to go a couple runs up the ladder from my 38+P (Taurus 82SS4, great pistol).
 
The length of the barrel has nothing mechanically or through inherent performance that affects accuracy. A shorter barrel has to do with sight radius and your ability to accurately sight the gun.

Longer barrels make it easier and shorter barrels make it harder to accurately sight the gun.

I have .44 magnums with (nominally) 8-inch, 5-inch 4-inch, and 2.5-inch barrels.

The 2.5-inch barrel is a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. It is far more comfortable to shoot than the 4-inch barrel S&W M629.

The Alaskan weighs more and the grips are designed to absorb recoil. I would much rather shoot the Alaskan than the 4-inch barrel M629.

Short barrel guns are made for close-up, self protection scenarios not longer distance target shooting.

If you want a target gun, get one with a longer barrel. My favorite .44 that carries easily in the field as a side arm is the Ruger Redhawk with the 5.5-inch barrel.

For me, it is the perfect balance of size, weight, barrel length and recoil management.
 
Gotta agree w/Buckhorn C -- if you are really set on a 2 1/2" bbl .44 Mag, the Ruger Alaskan would be you best choice from a "shootability" standpoin.

I have a .480 Ruger Alaskan and find it to be accurate, and reasonably easy to shoot comfortably. You obviously give up some sight radius (practical accuracy) and velocity with the 2 1/2" bbl.

Just depends on what you are looking to do.

FWIW,

Paul
 
Forgot to post this picture with above post -- shot target while chronogrphing. Info is on the target. As a point of ref, my 6" FA83 clocks 1,250 fps with the same load.

IMG_0636_zps083f1882.jpg


Paul
 
Is there a 2" 44 Magnum made? I bet the ejector rod isn't long enough to fully punch out cases. Recoil would be severe. Muzzle blast would be horrendous. Even a 2" barrel on a 44 Magnum would be a big, heavy gun to carry.

Frankly, such a gun would hold no appeal to me at all. Not very practical.
 
if you want a big bore snub gun, the .44Mag chambering will give you slightly more out of the short barrel than the .44Special, but there is a cost involved, one which can make the gun in your hands less "shootable".

I'll have to totally disagree with that. I have had a S&W 624 (stainless .44 Special with a 2.5-inch barrel) for over 35 years, and now have the Super Redhawk Alaskan.

There is no way, no how that you can put any round into a gun made for .44 Special that comes close to what you can shoot out of a Super Redhawk Alaskan.

I regularly shoot 305 grain hard cast lead bullets that chronograph about 1100 fps out of my Alaskan. You can also get Buffalo Bore, Underwood, and Garrett ammunition that is slightly above that.

The maximum "bear loads" are far greater than your statement of "slightly more than what you get out of a .44 Special." Look at the Garrett 310 grain "Hammerhead." There is nothing in .44 Special that is even close.

There is no comparison, and the alleged flash, muzzle blast recoil, etc. is not all that fearsome. In fact, the Alaskan is far, far better than my M629 with a 4-inch barrel.

Recoil would be severe. Muzzle blast would be horrendous. Even a 2" barrel on a 44 Magnum would be a big, heavy gun to carry.

The Super Redhawk Alaskan has a 2.5-inch barrel. That is the shortest barrel I've found in a .44 magnum.

The rest is pure speculation on your part as you obviously have zero experience with an Alaskan.

Muzzle blast is no worse than any other .44. Recoil is not "severe," and felt recoil is less than a S&W M629.

Frankly, such a gun would hold no appeal to me at all. Not very practical.

Well, should you find yourself in northern Montana or Idaho for a trip into a forested area; and should you be careful and check in with a local ranger to find out where the latest bear sightings have been - you might have a totally different opinion on the practicality of carrying a short barrel .44 magnum...

Of course, you could forego all of that and simply carry your lightweight, "easy shooting" Glock 19 and hope for the best...
 
Last edited:
Shoot full house loads in one of those and you'll burn all the hair off your knuckles!
I load a 205 grain cast SWC over a mild load of Unique very mild and accurate out of my 5.5 inch barrel I think it make a good load out of a 2" and save your knuckle hair!
 
Shoot full house loads in one of those and you'll burn all the hair off your knuckles!

Please, stop the sensationalism. There's no reason a short barreled gun will "burn all the hair off you knuckles."

Unique would probably be the last powder I'd load in a .44 magnum for a number of reasons. I have no doubt you got quite the muzzle flash as Unique is a fast burning powder. Load a slower burning powder.

My wife shoots my Alaskan with regular .44 loads and has shot it with the heavy loads so she knows how to handle it when we're camping.

She's never complained about it burning her knuckles....
 
Please, stop the sensationalism. There's no reason a short barreled gun will "burn all the hair off you knuckles."

Probably a poor attempt at humor on my part sorry about that :confused:
I load 10 grains of Unique with that 205 grain bullet its mild and accurate been loading it for maybe 40 plus years and it serves me well, I also load 22.5 grains of Win 296 and jacketed 240 bullet.
I don't shoot at night anymore can't recall the last time, but when camping she has a S&W 19-3 2.5 snub nose with Federal 38 spl hydrashoks. and I use a Ruger BH 5.5 inch in 45 Colt loaded 250 hard cast SWC and 8.0 grains of Unique.
Next time out I'll have to try that at night.
 
I have shot 340 grain Buffalo Bore's thru both my Super Blackhawk and my Alaskan and the Alaskan is by far more pleasant to shoot.
 
A 2" barreled .44 Mag, in my opinion, is about as useful as a bent crankshaft. ...You can make a lot of noise with it, use it as a paperweight, or scrap it.
Sure, you do still have a larger, heavier projectile than something like 9mm, but the barrel has neutered the cartridge to the point that you're effectively shooting .45 Auto.

Just buy a 1911... :rolleyes:
 
I have a 3" model 629 S&W...and with full power loads, a box thru it is plenty for one day...( mine is ported - so it helps on the muzzle jump ) but recoil is significant.

An extra 6 - 8 oz in a handgun is a big deal --in terms of reducing recoil...so I like shooting full power .44 Mag loads in 6" or 8 3/8" barreled S&W's ( model 29's or 629's ).

I'm not a Taurus fan ...but its your money, you should buy what you want.
 
Back
Top