Snubbie .44 Magnum: a viable option?

K

krept

New member
First off, yes I have fired 1 .44 Magnum, a Colt Anaconda. Sure, it didn't feel as good as the Desert Eagle I was shooting during the same range session, but when I was almost out of ammunition, I did split the remaining cartridges between the two handguns.

I didn't really like the way the Anaconda pointed for me. This, combined with the lower recoiling DE had turned me off the .44 Magnum for quite some time.


I fear I've been bitten by the bug again...


I've been looking at the various snubbie .44 Magnums, most of them are s&w, but there have been the rare modified Rugers, Dan Wessons, etc. Heck, I've even seen a FA made for Alaskan USPS employees - a .50AE snubby!

What I'm wondering is this: is a snubbie .44 Magnum actually a viable multi-shot weapon. Sure you can touch off the first round, but does it go into orbit after that?

For some unknown reason, something primal inside me wants one of these cannons. Not intentionally for self defense, although a modern .44 Special would do nice in a pinch. Not for range work, I'd get a bigger barrel. Maybe for hiking, as there are some black bear in the mountains of AZ, but that is about it.

I want one just because it would be so extreme, yet still affordable (unlike the $1.5K Freedom Arms .50AE).

So what is the deal on the snubby .44 Magnums? Anyone own or fired one?
 
My 2 favorite .44MAGs at the moment are a S&W Mtn.Gun ( 4 inch ) and a S&W 629PC V-Comp 3" with removeable comp. I love them both and while the appear to be close in configuration they are worlds apart. The Mtn. is only 39oz. and with the
slim brrl is a fine holster AND hunting gun but it
does recoil tremendously with very heavy loads.
The V-Comp is heavier with it's extra 4 oz. in the brrl area. The comp REALLY tames the 300gr.
beast loads and is more fun but the Mtn. is a modern classic.I'm not sure about your snubbie application but both holster well.Best....dewey :D
 
Good stuff...

I was looking this morning at those removable comp PC models. Look very nice. I have my ccw/open carry needs covered and I'm not hunting at this time. It would basically be a range gun and the "a loud war movie is on and I want to admire my gun" gun.

Might be a carry gun, depending on how proficient I can become with it. What kind of holster configuration can be used with them?
 
No problem doin multiple hits/targets with 4" 29. Some think the round butt 3"er is even easier to get rapid hits with. Either is a pussycat with moderately stout .44 special and just fine with off the shelf mag loads...........get into the custom stout stuff....forget it.

Sam.....bang is good, BANG is more gooder.
 
BIG WHEEL KEEPS ON TURNING..............

I've been shooting my 5.5" 44 Redhawk at IPSC/USPSA matches, using 240g LSWC/877fps. Not a stout load at all (my gun wears Pachmayr Decelerators) but long stages heat it up to a point where it literally blisters my trigger finger.
Recoil itself really doesn't bother me (not like a day of testing 'heavies'), and my 'splits' are around .2-.35 seconds, based on stage requirements. (Yes, my reloads are way slow LOL).
 
There are tons of holsters made for the N frames
althought 3 inch ones ARE scarce. I'm tight when it comes to range leather and have a custom FIVE
inch with snap. With this set-up I can holster 6
of my S&Ws for the range.Best....dewey...:cool:
 
My Lew Horton 629 2 5/8 inch snubbie is a piece of cake. I love shooting it, and quick followups are are possible with all but my heavy hunting loads.
 
is a snubbie .44 Magnum actually a viable multi-shot weapon?

BEN THERE--DUN THAT!
Back in the late 80 and early 90's S&W made and sold a 3 inch .44 Magnum. I had one.

The muzzle blast from it with any kind of a "HOT" load, factory or reload was excessive. If you are going to consider carrying it you need to download it to about half way between . 44 Special and .44 Magnum. As with most Smiths they will NOT take many hot loads.
 
I like my Lew Horton 3" 629 A LOT. It has an unfluted cylinder, and the weight makes the gun very shootable. I stay with W/W Sivertips, or equivalent reloads, and do not have issues with recoil, or blast.
 
Um, some years ago I was in the next port to a fellow with a snubbie .44 magnum shooting handloads. If you plan on carrying it for self defense, be sure to carry business cards for a good dentist. It will knock the fillings out of your teeth.
 
FIRST

Try a 3-4" 357 Magnum that FITS YOUR HAND. Load it with R-P 125g JHP's (NOT their mid-level loading, but the real deal) and see how you like that.

If you can handle that then MAYBE you're a candidate for a 44 snubby.
But you'll still want to load it with (suggestion here) a 1000fps/ full-wadcutter for best control. Or not.
 
FITS YOUR HAND
Bears repeating. My .357 Model 66 w/round frame didn't, and even with 125 gr loads was too much for me.
My 4" Model 29 square frame, even w/ 240 gr magnum loads isn't a pussy cat, but is 100% manageable.(least by me anyhow)
 
Interesting stuff about the fit. I never really considered it to affect the recoil as much as the point of aim, but I'll give it a shot. The Smiths that I have held with the Hogue grips felt much much better than the Anaconda did, just the way my hand is built I guess.

Another significant factor to the perceived recoil was the location - I was shooting at an indoor range with basically no sound insulation (other than the range to store interface).

Turns out I'm pretty lucky. A local range out here that I believe was shown on American Shooter (Shooter's World, maybe?) rents a snubby SxW .44 Mag. If I can scrape up the cash anytime soon, I'll rent it and post a range report if I can still type. Gotta support the economy, you know...
 
I have a S & W "Trail Boss" which is a.....

cut down 629 in 44 mag. Has a snubbie barrel that is ported. It is real handy to carry in the woods, particularly on horse back. As far as recoil is concerned the porting really tames it down. OTOH the porting makes it as loud as ----! My son-in-law shot it (against my strong advice) witihout ear protection. His ears rang for hours. He listens to me now.
 
Snubbie 44 Mag

I have a Taurus Model 44 with a 3" bbl. With 240gr. factory loads, follow up shots are a bit slow. No, I don't have Taurus dents in my forehead, but the gun does rise up some.

Since I handload, I have a nice 240 gr. semi wadcutter load that is accurate and fun to shoot, but my shooting hand still gets a little tired after about 50-60 rounds.

For self defense, I have the Cor-Bon 165 gr. 44 Special load which is still pretty hefty (1150 fps) but much more controllable than the 44 mag loads.

One thing about the snubbie that's fun is to see the fireball when shooting factory loads toward the end of the day. This thing looks like a flamethrower!

My 6" bbl. S&W 29-5 is more accurate and easier on the recoil, but I really love my Taurus snubbie.

Nazman44
 
Back in the late 80 and early 90's S&W made and sold a 3 inch .44 Magnum. I had one.
Click to expand...

I've got one, a 3" model 29-5, blue, unfluted cylinder. I love it, but haven't found the right holster yet. Recoil is highly over exaggerated. I can easily put 2 on a piece of 8 1/2 X 11 paper from 7 yards in under 2 seconds with factory loads.
 
I find that with my Mountain Gun, "normal" factory loads in the 240/1200-ish fps class that recoil and follow-up shots isn't much of an issue. The factory Hogues help a bunch. A bunch of new shooters I took to the range with this set of loads had no troubles adapting to the gun, and it was a favorite of the day for most.

However, with heavies like the 300-grain hunting loads, or the loud-'n-flashy Remington-UMC 180-grain softpoints rated at 1600 fps from a 4" barrel, this gun becomes a serious handful. I imagine a heavy-barrel 4" gun, or any of the other "standard configuration" .44's that have some more muzzle weight, would have a lot better time dealing with the initial snap of heavy recoil, although you then have the issue of stopping and dragging that heavy gun back down to point of aim. The Mountain Gun has a particular balance whereby when it's done shuckin' and jivin', it's pretty much pointed right where you want it, which I understand is not the case with heavier barrel set-ups.

Dunno if snubbies do the same thing or not, but I don't much want to try any of the really high-intensity loads outta one. There's only a very few choices of those type of load available, however, so it's a moot point. I wouldn't let that possibility stop you from getting a snubby .44 mag if that's what you want, just be warned, and as reccomended, put medium-power loads or Specials in it for self-defensive purposes.
 
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