What .44 ammo for home defense?

I use Speer .44 Special Gold Dots in my Model 29. This is not my primary HD gun, but I keep it loaded just in case.
 
Im thinking in 44Mag just about any bullet that will chamber will be effective. I shoot HSM 200gr LRN in my Henry for just a plinking round. Just under 1000fps in a handgun. Nice soft shooting bullets with great accuracy in the Big Boy.
 
Special. The two .44 Spl JHP that I know of is Hornady Critical Defense and CCI Blazer.

Buffalo Bore makes some, but it'll be expensive and probably overpowered.

I don't think .44 is great for home defense as Special is not common and Magnum is way more power than needed. I know the guns can be smaller than .45 Colt or ACP revolvers, but if it's home defense only, I think a .45 revolver would be better as .45 ammo is more common and there are some really good options out there for .45 Colt, better than .44 Special, and there are many choices for .45 ACP, all of which will be cheaper than .45 Colt or .44 Spl/Mag.
 
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I'd also assume .44 special. The .44 magnum is probably more than you need for most home invaders and it would be excessively loud indoors. I see .44 magnum as more of an outdoors choice.
 
I have a loaded 629 with Underwood 44 Special 200 gr Hard Cast Wadcutters.

That is not my primary home defense but is available if needed.

I prefer my FNX 45 as my bedside gun and also have a couple of pistols with 40 S&W.
 
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O.K. here is the link to Paul Harrell's Youtube video on his top 5 guns for home defense. He does stress that it is *his* top 5 guns for home defense and that the list can vary a lot depending on a wide range of circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4FESGjiH3s

I recently asked him what he used for ammo for his .44 Magnum when used in a home defense role. He said, "240 gr. hornady XTP HP and 13 grains of blue dot powder." He said that he normally doesn't recommend handloads for self defense but this is one of his few exceptions.
 
Home D brings a lot of barriers that may or may not be substantial enough to stop most defensive ammunition.
I have one blind spot that I can think of that posts a real problem if someone would take cover there. They could pin my ears back real nice.
I used to keep my M29 or my Winchester Trapper loaded with Federal Hydra-Shok 240 grain JHP, .44 magnums.
I think very highly of the .45 acp Hydra-Shok & the .44 Mag has proven just as good (IMHO)

The round does roughly 1180 fps or so & the blast and recoil are far less than a 12 ga.

That would be my pick for HD - - except for one thing.

The overwhelming negative attitude everyone has about using the .44 mag for defense.

Pity - it's an extremely good round with the right loading & it's a shame so many people (for whatever reason) poo poo it.
 
You ever shoot a .44 mag indoors, without hearing protection, possibly in a dark room? Say goodbye to your hearing, and eyesight temporarily. Home defense, to me, usually means indoors. No time to grab ear plugs and safety glasses in a self defense situation. If all you have is a .44 mag, follow what the other forum members have stated, and use .44 special. Over penetration is also a concern. Your ears and neighbours will thank me.
 
Jeff Cooper told the case of the LEO who was adamantly anti-automatic in the days when Cooper was popularizing the 1911. He said that he and Elden Carl found the Sheriff a nice .44 H.E., loaded him a case of 250 SWC at 900 fps and everybody was happy.
 
What .44 ammo for home defense?

Paul Harrell, who has one of the better YouTube gun channels (IMHO), said in one of his videos that one of his top 5 home defense weapons was a .44 Magnum Revolver. If you were going to use a .44 Magnum Revolver for home defense, what kind of ammo would you use?
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Others have covered it, but I will offer that a 44 Magnum gun is not the problem but rather the implied ammo, especially full power 44 Magnum. As a reloader, I would not use 44 Special but rather a mild load in Magnum brass, subsonic and no particular flash. My own choice is a combination of my daily carry on the dresser within reach and a Glock 22 with light and laser on the floor in a combination lockbox, cabled to the bed. There is also a tactical flashlight on the dresser and a billy club on the floor. First line of defense is three little dogs that would go off at the slightest commotion.
 
If I had to: Hornady 180 grain xtp 44 special, factory load.

I’ve used a lot of xtp in years past, pushing some far far faster than intended and they held together in many a deer. I trust xtps.

People tell me one wants to use factory ammunition for home defense in the sad case you need to use it, it gives lawyers less to come at you with.

That aside, a 250 grain wadcutter going 900 FPS makes a big hole and big boom. Unless you anticipate an elk or a bear in your house, .44 magnum is madness for many reasons.
 
I read many years ago that .44 Magnum bullets were not built to expand in the soft flesh of humans but to penetrate deeply and expand in the hard flesh of big game.

If you have the money, get a suppressor for each of your home defense weapons. Ringing ears suck and being deaf has to suck more.

At some point I'll buy a set of electronic ear muffs to go along with every home defense weapon I have so that I can toss those on just as the fun starts. Their amplifiers would be an advantage while their loud noise filters would keep my from hurting myself. My doors are reinforced so a kick in attack should be delayed enough to allow me the extra time.
 
First off too much gun for inside a confined space. You should think of using a shotgun loaded with maybe #6 or 7 and 1/2 shot. This will stop any thug in your house and will not leave the house to hurt any innocent people. Or even think about a Judge loaded with personal defense rounds. This is what I use!!
 
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