.44's
Another 44 special fan checking in. You’ve received some very good advice already so I’ll just add a couple of comments.
I hand load and have used 165g, tcfp (good plinker), 180g rnfp (good all around), 185g wc (Penn bullets, nice carry or target load…impressive holes in targets), 200g rnfp, (best all around) and 240g swc’s (not user friendly in short barrels) in a variety of loads in S&W 21, S&W 24, S&W 624, S&W 2.5" 396 Night Guard, Ruger Redhawk, and Charter 44 Bulldog.
FWIW Bought Charter .44spl. Bulldog new in Jan 2012 - sold March 2012.
First trip to factory, locked up three times in first 15 rounds - new cylinder, adjusted. Second trip to factory - new cylinder accepted 44 MAGNUM rounds…loaded and fired by mistake but were hand loads downloaded to 44 special specs (fortunately) - new cylinder.. Third trip to factory - locked up after 2 rounds of Winchester Super X 200g Silvertip factory ammo - new cylinder. Got gun back with third new cylinder, dry fired it out of box, locked up on third pull. Fourth trip was to dealer who refunded my money and sent gun to factory. Factory sent dealer new gun (still for sale in his shop).
I do carry the 396 NG concealed on occasion with either Black Hills 210g rnfp, Win Silvertip 200g jhp, or hand loaded Hornady 240g hp/XTP over 7,9g HS6 (book-750fps). Other guns and loads are for range only. The 396NG is a great lightweight alloy carry gun but S&W only made them for one year and they are about as scarce as the 696.