Why would anyone want a 44 magnum revolver?

[Jonnin]

The lightest 44s that I have seen that are commonly available are about 150 grains. Even way, way downloaded, its just too big for very small game. However, a full magnum load of shotshell should be able to drop anything that a slug is too large for. The shotshells are expensive for all calibers and 44 is pretty bad for that too, but it would work and its not hard to find it.

So it ranges from around 150-300 grains in all shapes and styles. The two overlap ... a 357 way wimped up may be a great bunny killer but a 44 mag maxed out is considered to be a better choice when being eaten by a larger bear. There will always be something that one or the other is better at.

If you include 9mm and 380 options for a 357, which will fire them just fine, that caliber ranges from 75 or so grains for a light 380 bullet all the way to over 200 grains for the biggest 357 loads, has shotshell that is, really, just as good as the .44 (here, I would say both can do exactly the same thing at about the same ranges). So, the 357 has a much wider selection of slugs, really, for the reloader.

[Guest tymekeeper]

Like Believer, I have a great fondness for the .45 Colt. I shoot both a model 25 S&W with 5" barrel and a Blackhawk with 7 1/2". There is a good selection of bullets available including those for the .45 ACP, and I've handloaded a wide variety of loads from real mild fun-at-the-range type to some hot almost-magnum loads. I shoot a lot of cast bullets to keep the cost down, and load those to velocities below 900 fps to avoid barrel leading. Although I also have a .44 Mag. Super Blackhawk it gets about 1/4 the range visits, so I should probably consider trading it for a .45 Colt Vaquero.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I haven't found a reason yet, but I'm sure there's a good reason that I need a 44 mag.

You don't really need a reason from one of us. They're powerful handguns and fun to shoot.

I love to shoot my cannon, occasionally. It doesn't get used very often and I doubt I'll be around

any dangerous four legged game any time soon, but I know if I ever had to shoot it defensively,

it wouldn't let me down. I like my .357, too, but it isn't in the same class. No big deal.

I am not into justifying, when it comes to guns. It's all good.

[Verne]

The only reason you need is "Because I want it."

Here is mine. Like others have said I don't shoot it a whole lot but when I do it leaves a smile on my face.

[bluedog]

Because "I know what you're thinkin. 'Did he fire 17 shots or only 16?'" just doesn't sound as cool!

[gl19gobang]

. Edited March 28, 2012 by gl19gobang

[gl19gobang]

Because its more powerful than a 41 magnum.

[Sidinman]

Because its more powerful than a 41 magnum.

Hey, I like my .41 mag.

But then I like all my Magnums.

.357

.41

.44

[1gewehr]

What's not to like? Big fat bullets, lots of power, accurate at long range, and not very expensive to shoot if you reload (especially if you cast your wn bullets).

There are only two areas where a .357 is better than a .44: It's hard to shoot centerfire cheaper than with .38Spl target reloads, and the same .38Spl 148gr WC loads are also good on squirrel and bunny. Even a down-loaded .44 Spl makes a mess of a squirrel.

[Caster]

My comment earlier should be clarified a bit. I am taking someone else's opinion as my own. Hamilton Bowen's opinion, it can be said, carries more weight that the normal man's opinion. I take the things he writes seriously as he has earned the right to say, He knows more than most when it comes to revolvers. At the end of the day, it's still just an opinion. Here's an excerpt from the man:

Admittedly, the .357 Magnum cartridge is not a great favorite at Bowen Classic Arms as it always seems not to be the right caliber for the job. It makes a very poor .32-20 or .44 Magnum and lives in a no-man’s land where it has but one useful application. As a self-defense gun. While the .357 Magnum may not be the greatest sporting revolver caliber in the land, it has compiled an enviable record as a service round that makes it hard to ignore.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Caster

[Grunt67]

I haven't found a reason yet, but I'm sure there's a good reason that I need a 44 mag.

You don't need a reason. All you need is money. LOL

[I_Like_Pie]

It is one of those cases If you have to ask - then it is not for you.

Also if you are not a reloader - It is not for you (I reload load a box of 50 for well under $5)

If you are not a hunter - It is not for you

I will save you a lot of time and money. If you have to be convinced of "why" the 44 magnum has no place in your inventory. If you reload and hunt it is the perfect caliber.

[JeffsSig]

It is one of those cases If you have to ask - then it is not for you.

Also if you are not a reloader - It is not for you (I reload load a box of 50 for well under $5)

If you are not a hunter - It is not for you

I will save you a lot of time and money. If you have to be convinced of "why" the 44 magnum has no place in your inventory. If you reload and hunt it is the perfect caliber.

Some of the best words typed on TGO I have seen in a LONG time!

[Caster]

It is one of those cases If you have to ask - then it is not for you.

Also if you are not a reloader - It is not for you (I reload load a box of 50 for well under $5)

If you are not a hunter or a weirdo like Caster - It is not for you

I will save you a lot of time and money. If you have to be convinced of "why" the 44 magnum has no place in your inventory. If you reload and hunt it is the perfect caliber.

Some of the best words typed on TGO I have seen in a LONG time!

Mehh, close, but I will have to disagree with the hunter part. I fixed it though and now it's perfect.

[I_Like_Pie]

Mehh, close, but I will have to disagree with the hunter part. I fixed it though and now it's perfect.

Agree - If you simply love the world of firearms then no collection would be complete without a .44 magnum. One of the truly great chamberings in the history of the firearm.

There is way too much focus on the delivery systems (the guns) and not the actual cartridges these days.

[Jonnin]

For the same reasons it hunts well, it makes an excellent target pistol. You still want to reload for it, of course, but ignoring the cost of factory ammo (which is too high for any caliber, the 44 is not unique here) it is a top choice for marksmanship training. A decent barrel length and decent quality gun net you an accurate starter platform that autos cannot touch until nearly triple the price of the revolver. Other calibers work well too but the 44 has amazing accuracy in general.

[JAB]

Hamilton Bowen's opinion, it can be said, carries more weight that the normal man's opinion.

Maybe but my opinion carries more weight with me than anyone's - and I just plain like .357/.38 better.

Like I said, though, I don't foresee my .44 Super Blackhawk going anywhere. I wouldn't even trade it for a .357 Super Blackhawk (although I do want one in .357.)

A bit of an endorsement for the .44:

I have a buddy whose only firearm is a .22 rifle. He is certainly not an 'anti', he just doesn't own any others at this time. He has a spot on his property where he can shoot so I recently took some of my guns over so he could shoot them. He is a History teacher so I wanted him to shoot some of mine that have some 'historical' significance. As such, I took my Nagant revolver, my Mosin-Nagant 91/30 and used my CZ 82 for my carry gun that day so he could shoot all of them. Just for cheap plinking (no real historical significance), I also took my old H&R 9 shot .22 revolver and my S&W .22A. To round it out, just because it is my 'hand cannon' and because it is single action like the revolvers used in the 'old days' of the American West (even though the actual design and cartridge are more modern), I took the Super Blackhawk. He shot all of them and, I think, enjoyed them all. The one that most piqued his interest, however, was the big ol' .44. He shot it more accurately than either of the other centerfires and just about as accurately as the .22s. I told him that it looks as if, like me, he is more of a revolver guy. He answered that he does, indeed, like revolvers better and that if he gets something else it will most likely be something like the .44. I gave him my opinion that a double-action would probably be better as an all around gun, including home defense, but that a single action could certainly work. I also told him (as he isn't likely to ever reload) that .44 ammo is a bit expensive. Next time, I am going to take a couple of my .38s and my .357 to see if he likes them as well as the .44.

Also, while my SBH can be a bit of a 'beast' as far as beating up my middle finger with the back of the trigger guard when firing 240 grain loads (which has more to do with the gun than the chambering), it isn't nearly as much of a handful with lighter loads. With Remington UMC 180 grain ammo, my 61 year old mother can shoot the SBH, handle it easily and get pretty good hits on the target. Then, again, despite her problems with arthritis in her back and a couple of replacement joints, my mom is not exactly a physically weak woman.

I also have an old box of Remington LRN .44 Specials that belonged to my late father (no telling how old those are - he passed ten years ago this year and I don't even remember him ever having a .44.) When I got the SBH I fired a few of those through it. They were very soft shooting and amazingly accurate from the 7.5 inch barrel - but I imagine they still hit pretty hard on the 'receiving' end. That is why, when I finally start reloading, most of my .44 reloads will probably be more in the .44 Special range. Of course, that isn't to say that (once I gain some confidence in my reloading abilities) I won't churn out a few 'barn burner' full power loads just for fun.

Edited March 28, 2012 by JAB

[Caster]

Agree - If you simply love the world of firearms then no collection would be complete without a .44 magnum. One of the truly great chamberings in the history of the firearm.

There is way too much focus on the delivery systems (the guns) and not the actual cartridges these days.

Ain't that the truth. Also a bunch of reinventing the wheel. People need to just realize that sometimes real improvements are few and far between. You have piles and piles of fancy rifles and short magnums and off in the distance is the 30/06 shrugging it's shoulders saying "Yeah, so what?"

With all the ridiculousness of some of todays larger handguns, people seem to forget who cleared the path through the wilderness for them.

[Will Carry]

It is one of those cases If you have to ask - then it is not for you.

Also if you are not a reloader - It is not for you (I reload load a box of 50 for well under $5)

If you are not a hunter - It is not for you

I will save you a lot of time and money. If you have to be convinced of "why" the 44 magnum has no place in your inventory. If you reload and hunt it is the perfect caliber.

Thanks Mr. Pie,

I think you answered my question. I, had to ask I don't reload (yet) and I don't hunt with handguns. I really want a 44 mag, but a man has to choose between his wants and his needs.

[I_Like_Pie]

Thanks Mr. Pie,

I think you answered my question. I, had to ask I don't reload (yet) and I don't hunt with handguns. I really want a 44 mag, but a man has to choose between his wants and his needs.

Don't get me wrong. It IS a great cartridge and I didn't mean to come off as condescending in that post. It is simply too expensive to shoot a lot if you don't reload, while at the same time you really have to shoot it a lot to get good enough to be able to hunt with it. A lot of people have learned that simple lesson after going though about $6-700 dollars.

I have talked myself out of buying several 10mm guns for the same reason. I could have just as much fun with things I already have and the additional expense of the extra caliber isn't worth it.

[dlm37015]

because you can load it with a big load of blue dot and impress everybody with the flash

[gregintenn]

Read the writings of Mr. Elmer Keith, and you'll find that a 44 Magnum is an essential gun to own. You'll know you've gone off the deep end when you start buying 30-20s, 41 Mags, 256 Hawkeyes and the like.

[HvBikeWlTravel]

"being as this is a .44 Magnum,the most powerful handgun in the world"

Well, that was true in the 60's.

[HvBikeWlTravel]

Read the writings of Mr. Elmer Keith, and you'll find that a 44 Magnum is an essential gun to own. You'll know you've gone off the deep end when you start buying 30-20s, 41 Mags, 256 Hawkeyes and the like.

That statement is a bit dated. There are more powerful options for hunting certain game and I prefer the .41 Mag for recoil, accuracy and penetration. But I do like and maintain a 629 Trail Boss usually loaded with 44 Spec.

I think the conclusion to this discussion is; IF you reload the .44 Mag is very versatile, affordable and just plain fun to shoot.

[RWF]

i have hunted for years with 44 mag ruger, i do love pistol hunting, but have gotten were i just shake to much. i have never hit a deer and not have a pass thru even with the cheapest hollow points.

i also a big fan of the 41 mag, carried one a few years when i lived in AK, but i do not reload and have not seen a box of 41 mag ammo in many years. and have not owned one for about 25 years.

some day i still need to get a deer with a 357, but got to get one first. (again)