Another favorite big bore : .44 Special

[Grayfox54]

Since we're talking big bore revolvers (.45 Colt thread), Let's go ahead and talk about my favorite big bore wheel guns, The .44 Special. 

The .44 Magnum may be more popular, but the .44 Special will handle anything a handgun can be asked to do without all that buck & roar.  The special makes an outstanding defense round and is capable of taking any game up to Black Bear. For a big bore, the recoil is mild and the cartridge is famous for its accuracy. I love these things! 

Top row:

S&W 2nd Model .44 Hand Ejector 5" barrel: This one shipped Jan 22, 1924 to the Joplin, Missouri Police Dept. Man if this one could talk....

S&W 1st Model .44 Hand Ejector 5" barrel. AKA the "New Century Model" or "Triple Lock" due to the extra lock built into the cylinder crane. Shipped May 21, 1910 to Birmingham Arms & hardware, Birmingham, Al.

2nd row and middle bottom:

In 1983 Smith & Wesson re-introduced the .44 Special with a run of 7,500 Model 24-3s. Most were 6 1/2" barrels with 2,625 made with 4" barrels. They proved to be so popular that Lou Horton Distributors commissioned S&W to make 5000 3" guns. I am fortunate enough to have one of each. 

Bottom left: Charter Arms Bulldog 3" made in 1985. The original pocket power house! 

Bottom right: S&W Model 696 no-dash. Made in August, 1997. A 5 shot .44 built on S&W's L-frame with a 3" barrel. These are highly sought after as they were the last S&Ws built before the introduction of MIM parts on the dash 1 version. 

I know a lot of you own .44 Magnums, now fess up. Who shoots them more with .44 Special ammo? 

 

[stumpy]

I am also a huge fan of the 44 Special.  My first was a Charter Arms Bulldog.  Wife bought it for me in 1973 after we had been allowed a tour of the Charter Arms factory where we met the Bulldog line.  The tour was in September, and I received the gift that Christmas.  Whatta gal!  I still have the same wife and the Bulldog.  Next came a S&W model 28 that I had caliber converted.  I had bought (2) original S&W M-24 barrels, both 6" and new in the wrap, at a Knoxville gun show.  The seller asked $35 for one or $60 for the pair.  I almost tore the pocket off my jeans getting the wallet out.  By the time the next show came around that same dealer offered me much more for either of them back. One had already been installed, and the other is still patiently waiting and is not for sale.  The converted M-28 is scary accurate.  I used to belong to a local club that held handgun matches - 3 gun competition of rimfire, centerfire and big bore (44-45) matches.  I fired the M-28 in the big bore match (slow fire, timed fire and rapid fire) and won all 3 matches.  That revolver has been a reliable friend and a frequent carry option for me for many years.  Then came a Taurus 431 (3 inch blue fixed sights) that is a compact 5 shot revolver that is handy as a travel companion.  It groups best with a 180 grain wadcutter over a healthy dose of Unique and hits where the sights are looking.  Recently I found a 624 in an estate and added it to the herd.  It is very similar to the converted M-28 and groups almost as well, but not quite equal.  With handloads this caliber can do anything one could ask.    You might think I'm a bit partial to it.

[gregintenn]

I don't often suffer from envy, but that Triple Lock makes me a little weak in the knees!

[wttam]

I know a lot of you own .44 Magnums, now fess up. Who shoots them more with .44 Special ammo? 
 

I recently purchased a .44 Magnum and thought I’d pick up some .44 Special ammo for plinking. Unpleasantly I found that .44 Special is hard to find and a bit pricey. Hopefully I can find some for a good price.

[hipower]

Watch every online seller, sign up for all their emails. Sometimes see it cheap. I know how you feel. I have 2 44spl guns and aTaurus(don't laugh at me) Tracker in 44 mag that I'd intended to use for the 44 spl loads. I think in total I might have 300 rounds that I've bought and squirreled away.

And you may find that the 44mag rounds are cheaper. Maybe not all the time, but sometimes.

[gregintenn]

40 minutes ago, wttam said:

 

I recently purchased a .44 Magnum and thought I’d pick up some .44 Special ammo for plinking. Unpleasantly I found that .44 Special is hard to find and a bit pricey. Hopefully I can find some for a good price.

 

Reload.

[tnhawk]

33 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Reload.

Got to fire enough rounds to have brass, first.

[bduncan1231]

Thats an awesome collection!  I love S&W revolvers

[A.J. Holst]

My buddy just re entered .44 mag land, specifically for .44 special

I had no idea how flexible this caliber can be, especially from a reloading perspective.

 

[Garufa]

27 minutes ago, Gotthegoods said:

I had no idea how flexible this caliber can be, especially from a reloading perspective.

 

.44 Special/Magnum along with .38 Special/.357 Magnum are the most versatile cartridges there are.  Just the history of development of the Magnums show us this.

Since it will be mentioned, a shout-out goes to the versatility of 45 Colt as well.  With the proper gun that thing is just a beast.

 

[RED333]

If you shoot 44 SP from a 44 mag revolver be on the look out for lead build up at the chamber throats.  My question is why shoot 44SP from a 44mag? Just get lite 44 mag loads or reload as others have said. 44mag brass is not that high if you shop around and can be trimmed to 44SP if needed for a 44SP chamber.

10 hours ago, Garufa said:

Since it will be mentioned, a shout-out goes to the versatility of 45 Colt as well.  With the proper gun that thing is just a beast.

I have been looking for a Ruger BH in 45 Colt, you can hot rod them to 10 percent of a 44mag load!

[JAB]

I have a 7 inch SBH in .44 Mag and a 4 inch Taurus Tracker in .44 Mag (no laughter from me, hipower - I like it.)  I have an old (partial) box of Remington LRN .44 Special ammo that belonged to my late father (I don't remember his ever having a .44 of any flavor so he must have had that box of ammo for a looong time before he passed and I got it.)  I tried a few of them out in the SBH when I first got it and out of that big, heavy hogleg they felt about like shooting mild .38 Special loads.  Thing is, though, I bought .44 Magnum revolvers because I want to shoot .44 Magnum.  I probably would shoot .44 Special out of them sometimes just for fun but with the price for .44 Special ammo being the same as for .44 Magnum ammo I kind of don't really see the point.  Now, if either of them were used mainly for defense against two legged varmints I would probably feel differently but they aren't.  Not trying to take anything away from the .44 Special as I am sure it is a great round and, if .44 Special ammo weren't so expensive, I wouldn't mind having a Charter Bulldog.  It just doesn't currently fit all that well into my rotation for my purposes is all.

Edited February 15, 2018 by JAB

[Bob Wright]

I, too, share your love for the .44 Special, though I prefer mine to be of the Single Action variety:

 

 

The two on the left are Colt New Frontiers, the upper right is a Ruger Blackhawk ex-.357 Magnum Three Screw, and an Uberti Cattleman.  More recently I added this Flat Top Ruger Blackhawk:

 

 

But I'm doing my best to remain impartial and do pick up a .44 Magnum or .45 Colt at times, just to keep up appearances.

 

 

Incidentally, while I did use a lot of Hercules Unique for many years, I've been wooed over to HS-6, finding 8.0 grs. HS-6 to be my pet oald so far for the .44 Special.

 

Bob Wright

Edited February 16, 2018 by Bob Wright

[Bob Wright]

 

Oh, yeah, my first .44 Special:

 

 

I bought this gun in September of 1954, a .45 Colt New Service, for $32.95.  Advertised price was $24.95, but "select" grade and shipping got it to the higher price.  It was a Canadian Mounted Police revolver, originally .455 Caliber, but reamed to .45 Colt.  I was a lot younger then, in 1954, and reading a lot of Elmer Keith, so wanted a .44 Special.  I took the gun to York Arms here in Memphis for conversion to .44 Special.  A machine shop here in Memphis mounted the S&W rear sight for me, and a "around the corner" gun shop mounted the Micro front sight and ramp and reblued it.  Lettering was filled in with gold, and I made the walnut stocks.  Before I got it finished, the .44 Magnum had been introduced, but I was too heavily invested in this project to get a Magnum.  It was not until 1971 or so that I got my first Magnum, a Ruger Super Blackhawk.

 

Bob Wright

[JAB]

15 hours ago, Bob Wright said:

 

Oh, yeah, my first .44 Special:

 

 

I bought this gun in September of 1954, a .45 Colt New Service, for $32.95.  Advertised price was $24.95, but "select" grade and shipping got it to the higher price.  It was a Canadian Mounted Police revolver, originally .455 Caliber, but reamed to .45 Colt.  I was a lot younger then, in 1954, and reading a lot of Elmer Keith, so wanted a .44 Special.  I took the gun to York Arms here in Memphis for conversion to .44 Special.  A machine shop here in Memphis mounted the S&W rear sight for me, and a "around the corner" gun shop mounted the Micro front sight and ramp and reblued it.  Lettering was filled in with gold, and I made the walnut stocks.  Before I got it finished, the .44 Magnum had been introduced, but I was too heavily invested in this project to get a Magnum.  It was not until 1971 or so that I got my first Magnum, a Ruger Super Blackhawk.

 

Bob Wright

 

Sounds like a nice project.  Just curious - do you still have it after all these years?  I was feeling all jealous of the gun prices you mentioned but then decided to try and find out what they would be in 2018 money.  According to an inflation calculator I found here: http://www.in2013dollars.com/1954-dollars-in-2018?amount=100 $32.95 in 1954 dollars is about $303.61 in 2018 dollars so I guess the relative prices of police trade ins haven't really changed that much over the years.  Would still be really nice if we could pick up good shooters for $32.95, though.  Oh, and you got our first .44 Magnum the year I was born.  Thanks for helping me not feel as old.

Edited February 16, 2018 by JAB

[Bob Wright]

2 hours ago, JAB said:

 

Sounds like a nice project.  Just curious - do you still have it after all these years?  I was feeling all jealous of the gun prices you mentioned but then decided to try and find out what they would be in 2018 money.  According to an inflation calculator I found here: http://www.in2013dollars.com/1954-dollars-in-2018?amount=100 $32.95 in 1954 dollars is about $303.61 in 2018 dollars so I guess the relative prices of police trade ins haven't really changed that much over the years.  Would still be really nice if we could pick up good shooters for $32.95, though.  Oh, and you got our first .44 Magnum the year I was born.  Thanks for helping me not feel as old.

Unfortunately that colt was separated from me while it was in a gun shop.  Thieves broke into the gunsmith's shop and stole a bunch of guns, including mine.  I was given a new Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mm to replace it.  Traded that off for a .41 Magnum Blackhawk.

 

Bob Wright

 

 

[Will Carry]

I realize that a 38 special has less recoil than a .44 special, but if you ever have to use a 38 for self defense, you will wish it was a .44 special. Those are some fine revolvers you have. I have been wanting a Charter Arms Bulldog for many years but the price and availability of ammo gives me second thoughts. I know they make 45acp revolvers with moon clips and now without moon clips but if I'm going to carry a 45acp it's not going to be in a revolver. One day I'll find me a .44 Special.

Edited February 17, 2018 by Will Carry

[Moped]

I too, have always wanted one of the older .44 spl Bulldogs. But you don't see them much anymore.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[JAB]

On 2/17/2018 at 12:35 PM, Will Carry said:

I realize that a 38 special has less recoil than a .44 special, but if you ever have to use a 38 for self defense, you will wish it was a .44 special. Those are some fine revolvers you have. I have been wanting a Charter Arms Bulldog for many years but the price and availability of ammo gives me second thoughts. I know they make 45acp revolvers with moon clips and now without moon clips but if I'm going to carry a 45acp it's not going to be in a revolver. One day I'll find me a .44 Special.

Nah.  I'll wish it were a 12 gauge pump with an extended tube mag loaded up with 00 Buckshot.  Otherwise, I am really not convinced that it would make all that much difference.  Once you get to the level of .38 +P or so - as long as you get good hits - my belief is that a person who isn't going to be stopped by a few rounds from that probably isn't going to be stopped by the same number of rounds from any common, defensive handgun.  For handgun defense against big critters who might want to have me for dinner I want something with 'magnum' in the name.

All that doesn't mean I still wouldn't like to have a Bulldog, though - that is if, as you say, the ammo were more available and less expensive, particularly good SD ammo.

Edited February 19, 2018 by JAB

[JAB]

On 2/16/2018 at 12:53 PM, Bob Wright said:

Unfortunately that colt was separated from me while it was in a gun shop.  Thieves broke into the gunsmith's shop and stole a bunch of guns, including mine.  I was given a new Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mm to replace it.  Traded that off for a .41 Magnum Blackhawk.

 

Bob Wright

 

 

That stinks about the Colt getting stolen.  I would like to have one of those convertible Blackhawks.  I have heard good things about .41 Magnum but have no experience with it.  Not to take the thread in a different direction but just out of curiosity, as you have a penchant for SA revolvers, did you ever have a Blackhawk in .30 Carbine?  I saw one in a gun shop years ago but didn't have the carbine to go with it at the time.  Now that I have a carbine I can't help but wonder how good a combo those would make.  Not that I would be likely to buy the Blackhawk at this point unless the price were just amazing - seems like I have more guns than I have time to shoot them as it is - but I still can't help but wonder.

[Bob Wright]

As to the .30 Carbine Blackhawk I have practically no experience.   Think I've only shot maybe ten rounds out of one.  I just never warmed up to the .30 Carbine Blackhawk, preferring a .357 instead, especially when the .357 was on the medium frame.

I had some correspondence with a man in Wyoming years ago who swore by his .30 carbine as an antelope gun.

 

Bob Wright

[Grayfox54]

I had a .30 Carbine Blackhawk. It was a older three screw model. Excellent shooter, but you had to pound the extractor rod to get the empty brass out. Ejection was a slow, troublesome and frustrating task. I'm told that this is quite common with these. 

Another thing is that its extremely LOUD! . Gotta wear plugs and muffs to shoot this thing. 

Got a good offer and sold it without a second thought. 

[Garufa]

I always wanted a .30 Carbine Blackhawk solely due to it’s reputation for being loud and obnoxious. 

Curiously, Ruger still makes them.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Garufa

[Will Carry]

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 10:03 AM, JAB said:

Nah.  I'll wish it were a 12 gauge pump with an extended tube mag loaded up with 00 Buckshot.  Otherwise, I am really not convinced that it would make all that much difference.  Once you get to the level of .38 +P or so - as long as you get good hits - my belief is that a person who isn't going to be stopped by a few rounds from that probably isn't going to be stopped by the same number of rounds from any common, defensive handgun.  For handgun defense against big critters who might want to have me for dinner I want something with 'magnum' in the name.

All that doesn't mean I still wouldn't like to have a Bulldog, though - that is if, as you say, the ammo were more available and less expensive, particularly good SD ammo.

When they make a 12 gauge I can fit in my pocket, I will be carrying it daily.  I just looked up ballistic specs on some .44 special and 38sp +P ammo.  You were right. The muzzle energy of a .44 special round that you would shoot in a Charter Arms Bulldog is in the same ballpark as a 38 special. What I found that was interesting is that some 38sp+P has less muzzle energy than some standard pressure 38sp rounds. I carry a 38 special. Standard pressure ammo. I don't guess I'll bother with a .44 now. Thanks

Edited February 24, 2018 by Will Carry

[Patton]

3 hours ago, Will Carry said:

 I don't think the +P gives you much more stopping power. 

The biggest weakness of 38 spl, and other low pressure and velocity cartridges, is the lack of expansion. The 110gr DPX and the old Federal Nyclad are about the only two that will sometimes expand at standard velocities.