Why do guys buy a 44 mag and only shoot light loads in it?

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totaldla

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Kindof like buying a big 4X4 truck that never goes off the pavement.

Seems like it would make more sense to buy a gun appropriate for the power level you really want. I.e. if you want a 44 special, buy one. Why pay the price and carry the weight for something you're never going to use to it's potential?
 
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BlkHawk73

New member
C'mon don't you know that it's FAR more masculine and a much bigger boost to the testosterone levels to say "I've got a .44 magnum!" rather than "I've got a .44 special."

:rolleyes:

Just like the chomed out never-see-off-road condition 4x4 trucks, it's all about image. ;)
 
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Old Grump

Member in memoriam
Mag for serious, special is fine for honing shooting skills, good for most things that need shooting, its more accurate and it's a lot cheaper. This is a good thing. Gun lasts longer too, ask me how I know.
 
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drail

Moderator
Because .44 specials fired from a gun that heavy are genuinely pleasurable to shoot all day long. I've seen way too many guys develop a bad flinch after a brief session with hot .44 mag loads. The light loads are easier on the gun, your wrist and your brass. And .44 Mag revolvers are generally much more plentiful on the market than .44 Special revolvers. I would gladly buy another S&W 696 if S&W would make it again. I'm not holding my breath on that.
 
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22-rimfire

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I think it depends how many firearm choices you have in general. If you only own a 44, I would think you might like a little variety on power level and hence recoil. I personally don't like getting beat up shot after shot.
 
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rclark

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Why pay the price and carry the weight for something you're never going to use to it's potential?
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I reload. Therefore I don't shoot .44 Specials, but load my .44Mag brass to .44 Special power levels. Why? Because it is much more enjoyable to shoot.... and most of my shooting (woods, target) can easily be handled by .44 Special power levels. Who needs to shoot HOT .44Mag unless you are hunting TRex of course..... I would bet that most people are not..... Of course there is the macho attitude to deal with... "I shoot a .44Mag.... So, I shoot a .454, well big deal, I shoot a .480, Pah, you guys are all small timers... I shoot the .500 express.... I like my palm to sting for a week..." .... and so it goes for some.... Me? I like the lowly .45 Colt for most of my big bore shooting and less than 1200fps too, but faster than the poppers the CAS guys shoot ;) .


One main reason I think people buy the .44Mag is because there just isn't many .44 Specials out there!!! It was just this year that Ruger FINALLY introduced an SA in .44 Spec on the medium frame as a standard catalog item.....
 
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drail

Moderator
I think that was a wise move on Ruger's part. I know that it made a lot of people very happy. Most of them are reloaders.
 
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balin

New member
"Kindof like buying a big 4X4 truck that never goes off the pavement."

Well that is what most everyone does! How many guys actually have driven their corvetts at the upper end of the speedometer?

I like moderate loads out of my .44 mag. But the specials are fun to shot as well.
 
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oilfieldguy

New member
How come people spend so much time thinking about what other folks are doing with their time and or money. To each his own.
 
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smee78

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I dont just think its about being cool its about versatility, why buy a 38spl when you can buy a 357 and shoot both, same goes for the 44mag. In this day and age I need my money to go further and if I spend another 50-100 dollars to get a gun that shoots 2 calibers vs 1 that is a win win in the long run for me.
 
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CRUE CAB

New member
The OPs question reminds me of why people asked me "why 49" tires, if you never off road it?"
My pat answer was "why not".
 
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brian45auto

New member
it's a reloading thing....because you can.
i have a hot load, i like it when i want to feel a small nuclear device go off in my hand.
i also have a nice friendly have a good time all afternoon load for it.
i like shooting the big boy, but do not need big boy loads in it every time.
 
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Rampant_Colt

New member
totaldla said:
Kindof like buying a big 4X4 truck that never goes off the pavement.

Seems like it would make more sense to buy a gun appropriate for the power level you really want. I.e. if you want a 44 special, buy one. Why pay the price and carry the weight for something you're never going to use to its potential?
Click to expand...
That's what's so great about owning a .44 magnum revolver; in one word, "versatile". I have the option to shoot fire-breathing magnums, light plinking rounds and everything in between
 
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munson1

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I think Dirty Harry told one of the Patrol Cops in Magnum Force he used loads in his 29 that were equal to a 44 Special.
 
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knight0334

New member
Why not shoot poofer loads? It isn't necessary to shoot full blown mags all the time for shooting enjoyment. ...and most of the .44mag loads on the market ARE powderpuff loads if they don't meet or exceed a 240gr slug @ 1450-1500fps from a 6" barrel.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I can say that "I HAVE A .41 MAGNUM!"

Not only does it make me manly, it makes me seem dark and mysterious to those who behold me.


But, I also have a .44 Special. The chicks dig it. Makes me seem all sensitive and caring and what not.
 
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jborushko

New member
same reason to load 30-06 down to almost nothing and shoot rabbits with...

course i don't know what that reason is... but i'm sure its the same!

i love my .44mag super black hawk and marlin lever-action! (full boss loads too!)
 
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SIGSHR

New member
"Poofter" loads? That words means something to our British cousins.
IIRC it was found the S&W M-29 really didn't hold up to steady usage of full power 44 Magnums, and as someone who for various reasons is an indoors-only shooter, full power loads are hard on the ears as well as the hand and are distracting and annoying to fellow shooters.
 
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