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

[warnerwh]

I like to shoot. That's why. If I only fire heavy loads I don't get to shoot as much because it is not that easy to shoot 3 boxes of max loads especially out of my short barreled SBH. I bought that SBH specifically to only shoot light loads in. I have a Dan Wesson that is quite heavy if I want to shoot full power 44 ammo which I also have. At 1,000 fps my light load is actually a little stout and a pretty potent round.
I've not seen very many people be able to shoot full power magnum loads continually for a couple of hours. Also why would you want to? It's a waste of money too. At my age being macho is the last thing on my mind.
I will say that one is missing a good portion of the capabilities of a .44 magnum if they don't reload.

 

[LafeHubert]

>>Of course, being a police-only competition with service weapons, the presumption would be the same ammunition as used on the street. However, San Francisco being San Francisco, I cannot imagine full-power 44 Magnum ammo being used. But then, Harry was a bit of a maverick. So, I am unsure.<<

Remember, Harry thought the .458 Winchester Magnum was a good counter sniper rifle in the first film. Imagine those huge slugs rattling around the upper floors of San Francisco apartment buildings!

I am very fond of the .44 Magnum, and I shoot "full house" versions of that round regularly from a 5 1/2" bbl Ruger Redhawk and a 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk. Those revolvers are my defense against rough country predators, and I want to be proficient with them with powerful loads against that very slim chance. If I am carrying the Redhawk I use a load of 20gn 2400 behind either Sierra 240 gn HPs or SPs in Starline brass. If I am in big bear woods I carry the Super Blackhawk and a load of 18.5 gn of H110 and Hornadys 300 gn XTP. I can't practice for shooting those loads in a crisis with mild versions. I don't enjoy shooting those loads, but they have a purpose.

The .44 Magnum is the handloaders wonder cartridge. The cartridge case is strong and durable, easy to load with carbide sizing dies, tolerates a wide range of bullets and smokeless powders, and even makes a pretty good black powder cartridge! I have also loaded Speer shot shells into the .44 Magnum case for quite some time, loading one into the first chamber where panning gold in Sierra Nevada creeks brought me into too many close encounters with Western Diamondbacks. I load the .44 Magnum down with 700-X and lead RNFP bullets for CAS in my Ruger Vaqueros, and it is splendid out them and of my 1894 Marlin. I worked up a load with a 240 grain SWC and shot it from a S&W Model 29 in a PPC league that I was once in.

Good Luck

 

[rclark]

Ya gotta 'wonder' how the western frontier was 'civilized' without a 'powerful' hot .44mag, .454, .480, etc as a backup as some feel they 'need' now a days.... . Guess they had wimpier predators back then hah!

 

[chriske]

Because nobody makes decent .44 Special revolvers nowadays ?

 

[zippy13]

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

What if I just want 4WD for driving on snow laden pavement?

My .44 mag is probably the biggest wuss of them all: It's a Texas Longhorn "Grovers Improved Number Five" It was offered in .45 LC and .44 mag. Since the gun is a tribute to Elmer Keith's #5, it seemed appropriate to order it in .44. Thus far it's only diet has been 200-gr home-cast WCs over 5.7-gr of Unique. I produces very clean holes in target tagboard.

 

[Balog]

To answer the OP: because not everyone needs to try to use a handgun as a penile extension. Why you felt the need to make an entire thread in a poor attempt to bash people who don't is a whole 'nother issue.

 

[.284]

Shot the mag tonight.

I like to use mine to the full potential (I think that's how the OP put it). I shoot 210 gr Sierra JHC with 26 gr of W296. The weapon of choice is a S&W 629 Classic 8 3/8" barrel with an Eotech sight.

 

[totaldla]

To answer the OP: because not everyone needs to try to use a handgun as a penile extension. Why you felt the need to make an entire thread in a poor attempt to bash people who don't is a whole 'nother issue.

Not sure I follow your logic here. But I do believe I touched a nerve. To all you guys who post asking for a 180gr@500fps "carry" load for your Ruger SRH - I apologize.

 

[Balog]

Touched a nerve? I carry a .45 auto, I have no dog in this fight. I just find your premise both juvenile and asinine. And as TFL is a highly public face for gun owners in the world, it vexes me to see such puerile threads.

 

[JohnKSa]

Sure wasn't expecting a topic like this one to generate this much ire...