Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .44 Special

What is the good, bad, and ugly on the .44 Special from those who have used it?

No bad as far as I can see. 240 grain hard cast and 7.5 grains of Unique. Can't see that getting any better.

I own 2 now and am looking for a Ruger.

Good is 250gr bullets work on everything from deer to bunnies when loaded around 850fps and are a joy to shoot.

And I wouldn't want to catch a 200gr. XTP with my sternum either.

200gr. Wadcutters are my current favoritest and loaded around 800fps.

There is no bad.

There is no ugly.

Be sure a .45 ACP wouldn't suit your needs just as easily though.



Dave

Can't say anything bad, it's a great round and even better when it comes as a Second Generation Colt SAA

I really like the 44 Special. Nothing bad, except I'd like to see S&W make more double action revolvers again.

Revolvers don't throw cases all over. You'll never regret buying a 44 Special.

But mine is a replica. Still like it though.

I like it 100% better than my custom 1911

I like it just fine. This from a 4.5 Inch Cimarron. Yes, it was only 10 yards... but in my defense, it was only one handed.

Top shelf revolver cartridge for sure. If it were my go-to handgun round, I'd have a Bulldog, a 4 3/4" SAA and feel pretty well dressed for any occasion.

I probably carry a Rossi 720 on my belt more than any other single handgun. The living creatures that I'm most liable to shoot with it are rattlesnakes and the CCI shot cartridges work well in it. I usually carry it with 3 hard cast 240 grain semi-wadcutters and 2 CCI snake shot cartridges. I know that a lot of people look down on the Brazilian Rossi and Taurus guns, but the Rossi 515/518/720 series have always treated me well and if it gets dropped on the ground, it isn't as painful as it would be if I'd dropped a S&W or Colt.

My, so far, favorite .44 Special is the S&W 329PD using .44 Magnum brass loaded to .44 Special speeds.

I think of the .44 Special as being the same, more or less, as the .45 Long Colt, but with the disadvantage of having, generally, fewer firearms options and more expensive factory ammo. I guess that you could say the same about the .44 Special and .45 Auto-Rim, but both would be at a disadvantage to the .45 Long Colt.

Is there any down side to firing a 44 special case in a 44 mag chamber? Or are you better off just loading 44mag brass down to Spc velocity?

I've had a couple of good Tauruses and I actually regret trading a Public Defender I shaved for ACP in moon clips. If you got a good one, don't worry about what anybody else thinks of it. Hell I had a run of getting bad Rugers, too.

If you use .44 Special cases in a .44 Magnum cylinder, you get powder residue build up in the front of the chamber and cleaning it out may take a little more effort. I am generally a "course of least resistance" sort of guy, so I decided that I'd build my .44 Special level loads for the S&W 329PD in .44 Magnum cases and make less work for myself in the long run.

I have a new to me (looks like hardly used) S&W 624, that I have yet to shoot. I forgot that I had no large pistol primers and waited until I went to a large town that would have them. Bought some and some loaded ammo. Rain has me so far behind on yard work, I can't seem to get away. miles

If one reloads it is one of the best revolver rounds made...cast and/or jacketed bullets from 165 to 250+ grains can be found. Not sure if I have ever heard of someone loading bullets heavier than that in a Special but it could probably be done....

Before I was a .41 Shooter I had six .44 Specials...three 24-1s and three 624s...they were great shooters.

Bob

I shoot mostly .44 spl. brass in my .44 mags. Also have a .44 spl. In a Ruger. Probably my favorite pistol round.

I'm a S&W 624 fan, have had them in 4", 5", and 6.5". The 5" is a 6.5" that I sent to Ahlman's in Morristown, MN, to be shortened as a mate to my 5" 27. The 4" 624 might be the first/original Mountain Gun N-frame format.

If I didn't already have a 625 MG, I'd probably look for a 4" 624.

Thanks for the input folks.

The gun in question is a like new Taurus Model 431 with a four inch barrel.

I am looking forward to shooting this one and see how it does.

I had a Taurus 441 with a 3" and adjustable sights that was a good shooter, I'd expect the 4" version to be equally good. I had Ahlman's in Morristown, MN, tune it and ream the forcing cone before I ever shot it.

I've long thought that a K-frame 5-shoot .44 Special that was a mirror image of a 4" S&W 66 would be worth owning.

Works fine either way IME. I've always taken care to clean the chambers thoroughly when shooting Specials in a Magnum, but really I think it would take a lot of .44 Sp to cause a problem in the Mag chamber.

My first carry gun was a Charter Arms Target Bulldog. I loved it and kick myself every time I think about selling it.

BTW that was years before concealed carry was legal but I worked alone in a real tough neighbourhood and carried the bank bag home every night. There were bullet holes all over that shop but I never had any problems when I worked there.

I still do in the 3" very nice guns.