Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Small 44 mag for hunting - still looking

VERY long post, sorry.

I have a bunch of questions but will start with a few. First I am wanting an easy to carry 44 mag to hunt with. My current 44 mag is a Ruger Bisley Hunter with a 7 �" barrel. Great gun. Shoots outstanding when I do my part. My eyes are too old to be using fixed sights in low light conditions and I had to add a scope or red dot.

I have tried it with a pistol scope and a red dot scope. Both worked good and have their place. But the gun is big and either scope makes it that much bigger. With the Elite 3200 pistol scope my RSB Hunter weighs 4 lbs and 7 ounces (71 ounces). With a full load, that is about what my ULA hunting rifle weighs!

As a result the 44 gets left at home when I carry my rifle. Of course that is when I see a deer, hog or whatever I am hunting at 80 or 100 yards. When I leave the rifle and carry my 44, everything I see is at 300 or 400 yards. Yes, I know they (deer and/or hogs) have a spotter watching me when I leave the camp.

So I think I need a small 4" or 5" 44 mag light enough to carry with my long guns. In all my searching in stores and on the web, I have not found a �small� 44 mag. Included was a Ruger Redhawk 4" I purchased. Another great gun, but not light and really not small. I sold it the same day I received it.

Now I have purchased a Burris FastFire and will purchase the Ruger base for it to fit the built-in base on my Hunter. Better, but that leaves the barrel at 7 ��. I think the Ruger Hunter model alone weighs 52 ounces. The FastFire weighs 2 ounces and the mount may be another 2. Now my gun will weigh 56 ounces. If I have 2" cut off, the max I think, I might be back at 52 ounces. Still too big and too heavy for me to take on every hunt. I don�t think cutting the barrel off is the solution. The scoped Ruger is a good 100 to 125 yard gun in my hands. With a good rest, that is. So I will use it on handgun only hunts.

But now I have another problem! If I don�t put the FastFire on my Hunter, I need to buy a revolver to put it on. Wonder if a good smith could mill a Weaver style on the top strap of a plain RSB Bisley. Anyone know of one who could or would? I would guess that rig with the FF would weigh 45 ounces anyway. Too much. If the gun weighed around two pounds it would get carried every time.

That points to the Taurus Tracker (34 oz), Taurus Raging Bull UltraLite (28 oz) or the S&W 329PD (26 oz). Of the three, I think the Tracker is the smallest even though it is the heaviest. I am leaning toward it anyway. Anyone know of a Weaver style base for one of these three? Ok, how about a smith that can or will build or mill a base for one of these three?

I have ask Burris and they don�t. Will call Taurus in the morning. After you read this, let me know where my logic is off. And please give my your thoughts on a small and or light 44 mag. Also tell me about holsters and other rigs. I am thinking a cross draw will work best for me. Besides my rifle I carry a backpack most of the time when I hunt.

Thanks for your help,

Richard

My 44 of choice is a 629 Mountain gun in a Bianchi nylon holster. IT will go on my belt or attach to my pack. The 329 PD looks very nice though.

I'd pick up a 4 5/8" Ruger Super Blackhawk and swap out the steel grip frame for an aluminum one. It should go ~40 oz or so in that configuration. Here's my version of the same concept on an old flattop 44.

It sounds to me like the Taurus .44 tracker is ideal for your needs, in .44 mag or .41 mag. It's small, and light while not being too light. The "Ribber" grips are hideous to look at, but they really do soak up recoil.

Other options are the new .44 Special Blackhawk flat top. Or a S&W Mountain Gun.

My first choice would be the Ruger Blackhawk Flat Top if I could get my hands on one. Second choice would be the Mountain Gun...Not that I don't like the Taurus, it's just that the Mountan Gun could be the best large frame DA revolver ever built, and who doesn't want to get in on that?

Kevin,

I have read a lot of your posts and value what you have to say.

So tell me why the 44 Special BH flat top? My "first", first choice was a 5" SBH Bisley in 44 mag. I understand the BH flat top, but why in 44 Special? One in Bisley makes sense because my Hunter is a Bisley and I also have 22LR Bisley for cheap practice. I reload the 44 mag and from what I have seen, the 44 Specials are up there in price with the 44 mags.

I have owned Smith autos but never a revolver. The S&W MG weighs 40 oz. but it looks like the exposed metal on the back of the grip will make it bite. So it might be worse than the tracker. And how long will it hold up to a lot of practice?

Holding up to a lot of shooting is some thing I need to find out about with the Taurus tracker. Kevin, have you had any experience shooting the tracker?

If anyone else has anything to say on these guns, please speak up.

Thanks for your time and help.

Richard

I have basically the same setup with the 4" Taurus 44 Mag only without the cartridge loops with the optional removable IWB belt loops.

I don't know if they are available but it sounds like a set of Lazer Grips would be a good addition to the package for your application..

I just bought the Ruger Flattop 4 5/8". In my mind it is probably the best packing/hunting pistol for the lower 48. It has plenty of power but can be a grouse gun if needed. It packs well.

I have a 44 Mountian gun that I have used for packing over the years. There have been more times I have wished for less power than more.

Just my thoughts,

ddj

Richard,
I have a few thoughts to share with you on the issues you raise. I own a Taurus Tracker in .44 mag. I also own a 5-1/2" Redhawk in the same caliber and a 5-1/2" Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I live in a grizzly area along the Idaho/Montana border so always carry at least one gun every time I go into the woods.

The Tracker is a 3" barrel with a 4" barrel shroud that has a muzzle brake milled into it. Mine tips the postal scales at 32oz empty. It certainly is light to carry and not unpleasant to shoot even with mag loads in 240gr bullets. When I received the gun the cylinder would bind when firing the gun so I had to turn it manually with the off-hand. Sent it to Taurus and they installed a new cylinder so it now functions without problems. My biggest reservation about my particular gun is the lack of really good accuracy. At 25 yards it does not print nice tight groups even using a sandbag rest for my wrists and firing two-handed. In my opinion my gun is unsuitable for a hunting gun. I carry it for discouraging unwelcome visitors when I'm trout fishing.

In contrast, both my Redhawk and Blackhawk shoot quite well and can print tight groups repeatedly. I hunt with both. For me, the weight difference between the three guns is not a consideration with one of them on my belt. To put that into perspective I am 70 years old, 5'5" tall and weight 145 pounds.

With respect to visual problems, my eyes are like all old guys. Our ability to accomodate near and far objects went away long ago. So I simply find a method to make the front sights of my handguns brighter and focus on the front with the target sort of fuzzy in the background. I don't do well with glass on a handgun.

While the Tracker is certainly a conveniently light and handy little gun, the precise placement of a shot is a little uncertain with mine so I prefer my .45 Colt Blackhawk as a first choice.

Good luck in your search.
Gudlif

44 Mag Mountian Gun, stainless.

BMT

629 Classic 5 inch, it is much more pleasant to shoot than the Mountain Gun.

Tony,

Very nice rig. I had one of the 5inch limited run guns similar to that which Ruger produced back in the 80's. It got traded in a moment of sheer stupidity. The rounded trigger guard and Blackhawk grip frame made it sweet to shoot. Very nice!

Keith

Well, Richard, I've owned and shot .44 Magnum pistols since 1967. Right off the bat, I can tell you a 43 oz. S&W, 4 inch M29 kicks and roars alot worse than a 52 oz., 8 3/8ths inch M29. I suspect you'll find that is even more so if you go to a really light .44 Magnum from your much heavier Ruger.
I cannot, for the life of me, see why one would want to own a smaller, lighter .44 magnum. Particularly putting some sort of red dot or scope sight on it.
Frankly, I question the practical aspects of packing a .44 Magnum, complete with scope, or RD, sight as well as packing a rifle. But, of course, that is your call.
But, it seems to me you are either hunting with a handgun or you are hunting with a rifle. Now, if you are carrying a handgun simply to have something along in case it's needed, heck, I do that myself. But unless I really need to carry my 4 inch Smith, I carry something much lighter. And something much less powerful. E

The 329pd is made for that. If you load for 44, you can shoot special level loads that when you practice. It is hard to overstate how light and pleasant the thing is to carry, even IWB.

I want to thank everyone for their help.

It was a tough choice between a Ruger Bisley and a Taurus Tracker. And I settled on the Taurus because of it�s weight. Being a DA is an added benefit to me in a defense gun. But it�s primary use will be a 50 yard deer and hog gun. If I make a BIG hog mad with my first shot, the Tracker will give a faster second and third shot. Besides, it is lighter. I will be able to run and climb faster!

The gun is paid for and should be here next week. I will be asking for help in how to shoot such a light revolver (34 oz.). That will be in a different topic.

Thanks again,

Richard

While this doesn't address the issue of an added optic for the poster, I agree with the 329PD for anyone wishing the lightest high power handgun. Mine is a pleasure to carry, however, with 44 mag loads it may test recoil tolerance of the shooter. That, IMO, is seldom an issue if it were ever needed in a true backcountry emergency situation. K1500's suggestion of lighter handloaded practice ammo is spot on.