Some .44 magnum questions

[orsogato]

Some questions for all you big bore shooters.

1. If you were picking up a .44 magnum and money were no object what would you get as far as the best quality?

2. If money WERE an object (and it is) what would be your best choice for the $$$$. NOt the cheapest but the best value and quality for your bread.

3. Can a .44 magnum revolver safely fire the .44-40, and .44 special (or is it neither or both)as well as the full .44 mag cartridges.

Thanx for the help.

 

[Rod WMG]

Your first question is very difficult to answer because you don't specify the use for the gun. Many would argue that the Freedom Arms single action is the "best," or some custom gun, but it largely depends on whether you want it for hunting, targets, or something else. We need more info.

As far as question #2 is concerned, you'll get a lot of opinions. Most say that the Ruger double action Redhawk and Super Redhawk are the strongest and, therefore, the "best." I have a couple of Ruger single actions that are very good. I prefer double actions and specifically the S&W sixguns because they are lighter and more compact than the Rugers, a big consideration for me in most situations--when I'm carrying a rifle or a tripod mounted camera. Smiths also generally have a better out of the box action than Rugers.

Colt supporters will chime in and vote for the Anaconda.

On question 3: The .44 Spl. will fire in .44 Mag guns, but do not attempt to use the .44-40. It is an entirely different case.

 

[Mike Spight]

orsogato:

1. S&W Mod 629 Mountain Gun.
2. Probably a used S&W Mod 629 Mountain Gun (if you can find one), or a used 629, or finally a used Mod 29...all my choices would be with the 4" bbl.
3. They can safely fire full house .44 Magnums and .44 Special. I don't believe you can put a .44-40 in one...well, maybe you can but I don't believe it will fit the cylinder properly.
Mike

 

[orsogato]

Thanks for your info.

The gun would mainly be for targets. Possibly hunting. But everytime deer season rolls around and I say to myself I am going to challenge myself w/ a handgun (or smokepole in regular rifle season) but I always end up grabbing the old .30-06' off the rack to take into the woods.

Right now I'd say its only hunting application would be to shoot wounded deer dead. But 150 grain .30 cal Nosler Ballistic tips usually dont leave deer around here wounded, it just leaves em dead. So targets mostly.

I also would only want to go DA so that SA gun sounds cool but I'd probably have to pass for a DA wheelgun. When I think of SA's they have to be in .44-40 or .45 colt or they just dont seem to jive with me.

From what I have been hearing it seems like that Super RedHawk is a rugged gun. Anybody know off hand the price difference between that and the SW 629? Also is the recoil a lot worse or just a little worse with the 4 in bar. over the 6'' barrel.?

Thank You

 

[Craig Luna]

1) FA for single action, new DanWesson for Double Action. Best case would we a Redhawk Bowen 5 shot conversion and Dan Wesson barrel/shround retrofit(line bored, pretension barrel, extra long cylinder for heavy bullets or increasing powder capacity to almost half the difference between 44 and 445SM, and a cylinder that will take over 80000psi). I personally would get a DW 445SM since it shoots a 445SM/44Mag and 44Spls(And have one but the Bowen route would be sweet but $$$$$). The less than 2inch groups @100yrds with Casull power doesn't hurt either.

2)Ruger Redhawk/SuperRedhawk/SuperBlackhawk. Can always be improved or converted by Bowen/Linebaugh to a bigbore if bank account grows.

3)Ok for the 44Mag/Spl but no-go on the 44-40 unless you get a convertible Ruger.

CL



[This message has been edited by Craig Luna (edited August 07, 1999).]

 

[Hal]

Price is about the same on the Ruger and the stock Smith at local (Ohio) dealers. The Smith's can run about $100.00 more, depending on the variation. Colts are on some other planet with their price. Taurus also makes a respectable .44, usually around $100.00 less than the Smith. You get what you pay for there though. Trigger isn't as good out of the box, and resale is a lot less.
FWIW, the recoil is about the same with a 4" or a 6", the muzzle blast is much more severe with the 4", depending on the load used.

It all boils down to what feels best in your hands. I started with Smith and Wesson's, and they all feel the same to me.(Older square frames, I personally hate the round frame, but that's just me) Colt, Ruger and Dan Wesson feel different. Not better, not worse, just different. Changing grip and trigger action may or may not bother you like it does me so this may not apply.

The above is all personal preference, the following is etched in stone
.44 Smith and Wesson Russian, .44 Smith and Wesson Special, .44 Remington Magnum can all be chambered and safely fired in the .44 Magnum. The .44/40 Winchester should never be interchanged with any of the above, nor should any of the above be tried in a gun chambered for the .44/40.

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Want to feel your age?Check it out. http://web.superb.net/boy/age1.html

 

[Rod WMG]

orsogato,

For the deer hunting situation, a Smith .44 Mtn. Gun in a left hand holster complements the deer rifle very well and has a short enough barrel and is "packable" enough to be practical to carry in such a situation.

It isn't the easist gun to shoot, due to the skinny barrel and relatively light weight for a .44 Mag, but a very good "compromise." For targets, you could shoot .44 Spl. or handloads in that velocity range for a pleasant experience.

I prefer the Smiths for thier comparative size and actions out of the box to the other brands, though I own two Ruger SA's. In the 629 line, the "Classic DX" is supposed to be more accurate than the other variations, but it's higher priced also.

I think a Smith Mtn. Gun and/or a "regular" 629 in 6 or six and one half inch barrel would serve you well. You can never have too many .44 Mags.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sid Post]

1. If you were picking up a .44 magnum and money were no object what would you get as far as the best quality?

Auto-loader: Desert Eagle Mark 7 or Mark 9
Single action: Freedom Arms
Double Action: Smith & Wesson Power Port 629

2. If money WERE an object (and it is) what would be your best choice for the $$$$. NOt the cheapest but the best value and quality for your bread.

The best bargain I have found in a new gun was a standard Ruger Redhawk blued for $279. Solid pistol and a great price.

For value based choices, the Desert Eagle offers a whole lot but, the price tag is up there. Next, the S&W Power Port 629. All round great gun and not too hard on the wallet.

3. Can a .44 magnum revolver safely fire the .44-40, and .44 special (or is it neither or both)as well as the full .44 mag cartridges.

44 special yes, 44-40 no.

For overall fun factor and great target gun, those Desert Eagles are hard to beat. Gas operated and heavy so recoil is not a problem for most. The polygonal barrel makes those 44Magnums really move (less friction and no barrel to cylinder gap). And, accuracy....these things are incredibly accurate. And last but, not least...the Desert Eagle pistols have one of the hugest fun factors at the range. Everybody has a wheelgun or two but, those D.E. are unique and so much fun to punch paper with.

Sid
---
Tx FFL

 

[Rod WMG]

Sid,

Please don't take this as a flame, but do you have any trouble with that HUGE grip on the DE? I could never grip one of those things properly. I went to the gunstore many years ago with the full intention of getting one in .357 Mag...until I picked it up. With a normal grip, my trigger finger almost reached the trigger. I had to shift my hand around to the right side to get the finger far enough forward. Do they require you to make adjustments?

 

[slabsides]

When I selected a .44, I eliminated all DA designs from consideration. Can't foresee a circumstance when I would use it, except for play. I have run combat drills with a Redhawk, enough to know that I could do the job with DA if I had to, but it would be a stunt, and not something to try when serious work was to be done. Among the SA .44's available, the choice was easy: I have simple tastes. My choice was and is the Ruger Super Blackhawk. If I had extra money I might send a new gun to Bowen and ask him to tweak it...'make it the best it could be'...but since I already have a perfect SBH that wouldn't be necessary. Next time, maybe stainless... slabsides

------------------
An armed man is a citizen; an unarmed man is a subject; a disarmed man is a slave.

 

[Sid Post]

Rod,

Your question is a valid one. No, I don't have a problem with the grip of the D.E. My hands are average size or a just a tad smaller when compared with the people at work. I should note, that I shoot with both hands so I don't find the size to be a problem. I can properly grip the pistol with one hand but, with all that weight, two hands are really appropriate for proper control.

I run into many comments along the lines of yours when people learn I carry a Glock 20 concealed. Perhaps there is some visual illusion when people just look at the pistol. When trying on the D.E. for size, I place my finger on the the trigger in a normal manner for firing and, roll the rest of my hand around to the back strap. This allows me to take the grip I need to use the pistol properly. In this manner, I catch the back strap of the pistol in the meat of my palm below my trigger finger. Yes, it is a full grip but, I have the elements I need for proper control. If the backstrap were into the web of my hand where recoil would act upon the web of my thumb, that would be unacceptable as I would taking the recoil of firing in the joint of my thumb instead of the meat of my palm. Technique can make a difference with this pistol and, I believe that is why so many people either love it or hate it. I don't find much middle ground. Now, when you add the second hand to back up the first, you have a solid shooting platform.

I will note that I normally shoot all my pistols with two hands unless practicing some special drills where I shoot one handed (both left and right). Most of the pistols I shoot are considered large to huge by most people so, perhaps I have become "conditioned" to large grips. I even put larger grips on my wheelguns when I throw the stock grips away (larger surface area to spread recoil so those hard hitters don't "bite" so hard).

Sid

 

[Rod WMG]

Sid,

Interesting, Thanks for the info.

I have sort of average hands and these guns just aren't for me, personally. I tend to use smaller grips on sixguns, but do find the Hogue grips which came on my new Smith Mtn. Gun too small in that my finger doesn't naturally fall where it should on the trigger for SA shooting. Going to have to change those out.

 

[wishbone]

Check out FREEDOM ARMS. You may want to step up to a 454 or so and get a super quality weapon.

 

[Craig Luna]

On aspect of double actions styles that most people seem to forget it the speed at which you can empty and reload a DA gun vs a SA gun. This is more important during practice than during hunting but it isa major difference. The only time shooting double action is really worthwhile is if you load up on 44Spls. I can shoot 44Spls in my DW 445 and it is like shooting a .22LR. Otherwise I thumb the hammer when I shoot.

CL

 

[Fisher]

orsogato,
I have hunted here in Ohio with the S/W 629 and the 29 and have enjoyed them both. They shoot well and I never had a single problem with them. I am very fond of the Ruger single action Super blackhawks also but they do not fit my hand as well as the Smiths do. Obviously since I hunted with these guns I did a lot of target practice with them also. I never had one failure of any kind while shooting these guns.

This all being said, you never mentioned that it had to be a revolver. I currently hunt with a Thompson Contender Hunter in 44 magnum. If you're interested in a target gun or a hunting gun this one will do the trick. It may be heavier than other guns but few can match it's accuracy at long distances.

Good luck in your search for a gun.

 

[The Fat Man]

Realizing I'm posting this kind of late, the only choice that answers ALL of the criteria is the Super RedHawk. Good price, excellent accuracy, double or single action, flawless design, high visibility sights...

Only drawback is the minimum 7.5" bbl length, which I'm thinking could be solved with the cooperation of a good gunsmith...

 

[Anthony]

1. If money were no object I would select the Smith & Wesson Model 629 with a four inch barrel with Ron Power's Custom Combat Deluxe (another $325). Although the intended use of the gun is not combat oriented, the modifications turn the 629 into the most accurate Smith & Wesson you can own without installing a custom barrel. The stainless steel construction and four inch barrel ensure easy maintenance and comfortable packing. The full weight barrel would enhance your shooting comfort at the range. Try carrying the gun crossdraw when you go hunting. It's quite comfortable yet accessable when seated and stays out of the rifle's way.

2. If money were an object, I'd buy the same Smith & Wesson Model 629 and forego the custom work. It could always be added later.

3. The .44 Magnum gun can shoot .44 Special, but not .44-40.

- Anthony