Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns SHORT BARRELED 44 MAG

Would the ILUMINATED ILLUMINATI consider a 2.75 inch barrel short?
If not what is? Maybe a 3 inch?

Yep

Sufficiently short to resemble stupid actually...if you want a snubby revolver get one in a cartridge not so severely penalized by a short pipe.

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/44mag.html

It would make a handy fishing revolver in bear country, I suppose.

Probably not something you would enjoy shooting a lot with full power loads.

I put together a fun 44 Russian load for plinking and goofing off with my 44s. Shoots fine, despite the longer jump to the barrel.

A 2-3/4" barrel measures 2-3/4". Same as a 6" barrel is 6". The 2-3/4" will be 3-1/4" less than 6".
Will a shorter barrel be slower (assuming same ammo)? Probably. Louder and kick harder (assuming same ammo)? Probably. Handier and weigh less. Probably.

I like my 5-1/2" Bisley for what it does (.45 Colt). I like my buddie's 2-3/4" 69 Smith for what it does. Different guns.

I can load either one to make it do what I want it to do (within reason).

You pick the barrel length to suit your purposes, arbitrarily comparing it to other barrel lengths is an exercise I've never understood.

3.75"...do it.

I liked my 4" 629-1.
Dunno if I'd go shorter.
180-240gr stuff, loaded to the max.
Was a hoot.
Not bad even w the factory wood grips (but ended up going Hogue rubber).
Blast was pretty big using WW296 or similar.

Part of the fun

I think my next .44 Mag will be a 4" model.

.44 Mag SBH --- 3.75, 4.62, 5.5" ...ALL great!

6.5 and 7.5" 44s are a must have as well.

A 2 3/4" S&W M69 is my favorite handgun. The L Frame just works for me. Mine are equipped with modified X Frame 500 grips. I averge 30 rounds three times a week. 20.1 gr A2400 240gr is my practice load. Here are some chonograph results.

Competion Electronics at 5 Long paces from muzzle
30 to 70 def f
Results recorded on different days and months.
H110 Load used Mag Primers
New or 1X cases.

240gr JHP, Federal Factory No. 44A production date May ’81 --------------------------------------------- 1,137 fps
240gr JFP (Zero) 23.5gr H110, seated and crimped in crimp grove in Mag cases -------------------- 1,126 fps
260gr WFNGC (Mt Bul Wks) 23.0gr H110, seated and crimped in crimp grove in Mag cases ----- 1,125 fps
265gr SWCGC (429244) 17.5gr 2400, seated deep, crimped over fr drive band in Mag cases --- 1,100 fps
265gr SWCGC (429244) 23.5gr H110, seated and crimped in crimp grove in Mag cases ---------- 1,162 fps
310gr FNGCDC (Lee) 20.0gr H110, seated and crimped in top crimp grove in Mag cases --------- 1,100 fps
325gr LFNGC (BTB) 22.0gr H110, seated and crimped in crimp grove in Mag cases --------------- 1,104 fps

H110 Load used Mag Primers
New or 1X cases.

Buffalo Bore, 305 LBT LFN HC rated 1,325 fps
Underwood, 305 LFNGC Plated (HiTech?) rated 1,325 fps
LabRadar muzzle velocity at 33 deg F Buffalo

S&W M69 2.75" ===> BB 1,195 fps ===> Under 1,147fps
S&W M69 4.25" ===> BB 1,276 fps ===> Under 1,248 fps
Ruger SRH 7.5" ===> BB 1,395 fps ===> Under 1,315 fps



After hip surgery, I don't do real well with hip holsters, so I just drop it in the rear pocket of my Carharts when I walk the dog.

FWIW,

Paul

Those are excellent numbers from that short 69, Paul.

Thanks for the numbers Paul, that's a goodly amount of bad in a small and lovely package.

Handsome pistola.

How's it shoot??

Shoots good -

50 yds rested on my range bag - verified another day. 23.0gr H110, 260gr WFNGC . Some vertical stringing - ramp front w/red insert doesn't work well with these old eyes.



25 yds rested on carpet square - 17.5gr A2400, 265gr CSWCGC 429244, deep seated and crimped over front drive band.



25 yds rested on range bag - 7.7gr universal, 265gr SWCGC 429244, deep seated and crimped over front drive band



25 yds rested on carpet square - 5.0gr WST 250gr Keith 429421 deep seated and crimped over fr drive band



Pistol bay at our range - berm with plate & two poppers (large & small) 75 yds from shooting position - plate rack 26 yds.



Changed sights to Dawson Precision front and Bowen Rough Country rear



Paul

Touche'.

Catch em if you can.

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/41mag.html

That is great shooting!

Vertical stringing is on the shooter...gun is excellent.

Congrats!

This, nothing less, if you want to keep your hearing...............barrel length is not the real issue for carrying if 4" or less.

MM

I will with the 8 inch Colt thank you.

My brother has one of the 3" barreled model 629s that some distributer had made up probably in the late 1980s or early 90s. We shot it with full power 240 gr loads. you could see muzzle flash in broad daylight. Pretty good recoil also

. After we shot it we named the pistol "The conversation piece" because all you wanted to do was talk about not shoot it. Ha Ha

Yeah, ditto for the Scandium framed S&W Mountain 44's....................my BIL has one.

MM

Pual how do you like the new sights? Plenty of light around the blade?

The Dawson front is 1/10" - makes for a much improved sight picture for these tired old eyes - yes plenty of light around front blade.

A good 300 grain hard cast at 1000-1100 fps, is pretty potent on the receiving end in my opinion.
In my use, 5” and under barrels have their place. To me, 4” to 2.5” are very handy when with a pack, binos, and rifle.
I have gained an appreciation for the above .40 calibers in the 2.5-3” barrels.

I consider my 4 5/8" to be short because it's a 44 mag.

Paul what sight height did you get for the rough country and did you get the target rear or? Any problems? Thanks

I would not buy a new one from SW, if Ruger made one I would try it had I the money and the time to play with it.

It's the rough country (don't think bowen makes a target adjustable rear for S&Ws). I bought the Bowen .370 back in 2014 for my then new 4 1/4" that shot high with everything but .44 special. That gun (and all subsequent M69s to my knowledge) have .280" high front sights. The gun pictured above has a Dawson .310 (IIRC) and the .370 Bowen is maxed out up elevation to make 240gr Magnum ammo hit POA. Bowen has a list of S&W guns and appropriate Bowen rear on their website http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/parts_store/smith_&_wesson_height_chart.html .

A lot will depend on your front sight height and ammunition you are using. Bowen rear blades are sold individually so you can always change them out (although they are around $50)


The S&W heights and corresponding Rough Country heights are as follows:

S&W .126 uses BCA .370
S&W .146 uses BCA .385
S&W .160 uses BCA .400
S&W .196 uses BCA .430

i have a number of sub 4inch big bore revolvers. a matching set of 41 and 44magnum 3inch lew horton's, and a ruger short barrel.
all of them are capable of throwing a heavy slug at 1000fps or above, and are easy to pack in a simply rugged chest holster.
like them much

Years ago I sent my old three screw Super Blackhawk to Mag-na-port to have have them port the barrel and do an action job on it. While they had it I had it I had them shorten the barrel from 7.5" to 5.5". Was a great decision and now it handles so much better and shoots way better than I can do it justice. But to me, that is plenty short enough barrel for a .44 magnum. Personal preference of course.

I ordered a HIVIZ replacement front sight for my M-69. Tried it out at the range earlier this afternoon. LOVE IT! Much better than the factory S&W ramp with red insert. Found it on e-bay for a little over $30 shipped and paid my gunsmith $20 to install it. Best $50+ I have spent on an upgrade ever, I think.

That's short enough.

I had a 2-3/4" barreled 69 for a while. I had high hopes but jwound up sending it down the road pretty quick. It wasn't that much smaller than my 329PD, gave up one round, and didn't seem to kick any less despite the greater weight. I didn't try the X frame grips, did not seem compatible with my intended use, so it didn't really matter if they'd have been more comfortable to shoot or not, wasn't going to use them.

It's tempting to try a 69 with the 4" barrel. We'll see, no decision yet.

PS: I hain't aluminumated .. erized. Just opium-ated.

It is a blessing that .44 Special can be fired through .44 Magnum revolver. The three inch is odd length, therefore, matching holsters will be more difficult to find and custom made will add to expense of obtaining one.

A 3" revolver will work perfectly in a 4" or 6" holster

I enjoy shooting 629-1 with a 3'' barrel. I mostly shoot cast lead at about 1000-1100 FPS. Easy on the gun & easy on me!

I have taurus tracker 2-3/4”, 32 oz empty. It’s not pleasant to shoot much, but a nice carry piece in bear county. With 300 gr I was only seeing 870fps. I’d be afraid to push beyond book loads. It’s much nicer to carry than my 4” 629 or s&w alaskan 454 and I walk a lot of backcountry miles in MT bear county.

I’ve only seen 4” versions the last few years, so I’m not sure if they still make the ported shorty. Honestly I would not get one to shoot a lot of rounds through.

I think it is Okay for some well ptacticed folks.
My own situation , a 41 magnum , & a four inch Bbl. ( Mod. 58) = as compact and powerful as I am able to master.

To each their own... "A man's got to know his limitations".