What length barrel would you consider for self defense in 44 Magnum?

[Moonie]

My son has a Taurus Tracker 5 shot 44 Magnum with a 2 1/2" barrel. It's not something I'd carry but it is certainly a good candidate to do so with.

[RogerDat]

I think the .357 mag is as big and bad as I would feel the need for. I suppose BG fire fight is a possibility but more likely to be a brief exchange with withdrawal on both sides of anyone still standing or draw and shoot. I'm thinking that round will take the frisky out of most people just fine, and at a lower weight to carry, and less cost for practice rounds might just up the odds of putting that first hole where it does the most good.

I'm no kind of authority but I think the Ruger 101's are a good choice. If you really need 15 shots you need to find a bar with a bit more mellow in the clientele. Not that I think folks who decide a moderate sized auto loader is for them, just doubtful of the need. After all don't BG's prefer unarmed victims? Not thinking they spend a lot of time assessing what they are getting shot with or shot at by.

[Blackwater]

In a .44, I wouldn't consider anything shorter than 4". I already have tinnitus, and don't want ANY more of it than I already have. The .44's cylinder is so large that shorter barrels don't really enhance concealability, so there's really nothing to gain in a shorter barrel. The larger and more bulky the gun, the less is gained from the snubbie barrels. And from a holster, the 4" is plenty fast enough from a properly designed SD holster. Just nothing to be gained from going shorter than 4", really. Blast increases geometrically as you shorten the barrel, and most particularly if you carry full mag. loads. I'd opt for something milder for the sake of faster follow up shots. You never know when they'll come in a small group these days, and that might make quick followups really, really important. Just MHO, of course.

[str8wal]

WHAT? You did not watch movies? Clint Eastwood made the 29 the gun to have until you could not find one. Watch cowboy movies and you HAD to have a .45 Colt and watch Dirty Harry and you HAD to have a 29.

I am familiar with the movies. Was just wondering why someone would want a 44 magnum for real life SD. Too long to recover for follow up shots and far more power than needed for 2 legged critters.

[tygar]

I carry a 325PD .45acp & it is about what a LW Colt Officers weighs. S&W also makes a LW 44Mag that should be about the same weight & size. I don't find the PD uncomfortable or to heavy. I would definately consider the LW 44 for carry but would prefer 2.5-3" rather than 4 for carry.

As some have suggested, using 44 spl, should by fairly easy shooting. I have both a 3" Trail Boss & 4" 44 mags that I carry on the tractor & 4 wheeler & woods walking in regular Hunter holsters & find it easy carry, but not concealed, so different.

[CHeatermk3]

If God forbid you ever need to fire in SD you can take it from me that the 25 in your pocked beats the 44 in your safe.

[JHeath]

Choose a barrel long enough to install a wheel at the muzzle to help drag your .44 around without scratching it.

[Lloyd Smale]

for giggles one day I shot a ppc comp in revolver class with my Alaskan 454. it was moon clipped so loading was easy. I used full power 454 loads and to say it made a racket was an understatement. there was 5 others on the line with me and they allowed them to reshoot there round. Couple said they could feel the concussion in the air and flinched every time it went off. One said a flame came out of the barrel about 10ft. Ended up shooting a 284 which is respectable. My normal average in the revolver class was 293/300 at the time. I still would have placed 6th in revolver expert class that day. So a big gun can be controlled. But I sure wouldn't want to cap it off indoors. If I didn't hit anything id surely make myself and anyone I was shooting at deaf for life! Was good for a laugh though and 5 years later guys still talk about it.

Ruger makes this Super Redhawk Alaskan in 44 mag 2.5" barrel ... I tried to ccw it IWB, it was Huge, and HEAVY, and quite a lot of muzzle blast too!

After six months, and 1000 rounds ... I went back to carrying my SP101 3 1/16" 357 Magnum ...

Ruger just recently came out with the GP 100 in 44 Special, if you don't need/want the Magnum ... 3" IIRC ...



I ended up selling the above Alaskan

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm going to toss in another vote for 44 Special over the 44 Magnum but with the caveat that it be a "Skeeter" type load. I think a 3" barrel would be a good compromise between size, weight and ease of carry. Maybe one of the new Ruger GP-100's in 44 Special? The other options would be one of the 3" S&W 624 (if you can find one) or one of the fixed sighted model 21 Thunder Ranch 4" revolvers (although I don't care for the decoration on the side plate).

The extra weight & bulk of a revolver capable of shooting magnum loads is not going to be welcome for a gun that is "carried a lot and shot a little". The "Skeeter" load pushes a 240-250 grain projectile 900-1000 fps, if that will not get the job done you better go home.

If it REALLY had to be a 44 mag, I would go with a 3" model 629 OR a 4" mountain gun, anything else would just be too much steel to drag around all day and even those are going to be a pain.

[44man]

When young I carried my 7-1/2" flat top all over Ohio in a hip holster, fishing, varmint and small game hunting. I was never without it. But in Cleveland or other places I lived you did not open carry. Only in the field. You can't hide that monster! Back then concealed was still not allowed either.
Game laws were lax except for deer and we could not hunt deer with a revolver. In PA just buy a pistol permit with the license. But not carry in archery season when big black bears were everywhere. Of course it was buck only and to see one you need the Kepler telescope.
I never had a need to carry for SD. But if I did I would not choose a .44 mag. I am used to big guns and longer barrels but they do not fit carry. You can make a .44 mag into a BG gun but it is still large and heavy. At my age I hate heavy boots. I wore my packs last season in bad weather and told my friend I just lift my leg and the boots swing my leg.
A .44 special on a .357 frame would be nice, lighter then a .357 too.
You don't need the same for BD's that you need for big game.
Watched TV where they searched for a killer and found him asleep under a tree. He was shot 400 times! I assume about 5000 shots all told. Most likely Thompson subs and BAR's. Talk about over kill!

[Silver Jack Hammer]

2 legged BG's are usually holding an anti social thing in their hand(s) which presents us with a need to use a projectile that can deal with passing through arm(s), go through clothing, muscle, then travel distance often cross ways through the thoracic. And the market demands that the boolit must expand, and fit with another 14 or so in a package that can be carried comfortably and concealed.

I'd rather use a minimum of 200 gr. calibrated to something that begins with a "4" traveling over 830 fps.

[CDRGlock]

Thanks for the great input. I just considered it because I do shoot it well, but it is a bulky bugger.

I went to the gun show today, and I handled a lot of 44 Magnums. I'll reserve it for hunting and protection against animals.

I'll stick to 45 ACP, 9 mm or 357 Magnum at the most.


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[6pt-sika]

4" S&W 629 in standard .

That's my choice !

[Rainier]

Good gravy! ��
I can’t load anything for the S&W 329PD that’s comfortable/fun to shoot but the thing at 25oz is comfortable to be carried all day, very accurate and make no mistake is a .44 magnum. It comes with a 4” barrel and will launch 240gr boolits/bullets at impressive velocities. With the 329PD and a couple of speed strips I sure don’t feel “under-gunned” against 2 or 4 legged predators.
Just my .02 cents worth - YMMV
Rainier

[44man]

My first love is the .44 mag. I can make it work for anything but the PD can be pain at both ends.
Now I have shot all kinds of guns and even some .357's were harsh, even worse then a .44. The .41 Black hawk can put a hurt on you too. Big needs weight. Still, one shot is best if you hit. Never depend on a magazine full. False security.
I hunt with revolvers and put 5 in any one, never have a pocket full. You have one shot only. But we can now kill two deer on the same day so I need another shot. I do not do a reload. I had five and in days killed three deer with two left to put back in the box.
But you that carry all the time need a lighter gun, I understand. I should carry when I walk my little one because I see fox or a yote and never have a gun. But a revolver would not do it anyway, need a rifle because they run and are far.

[pmer]

This thread got me interested in taking out my Ruger 44 Alaskan. I shot my moving target with 255 grain semi wad-cutters and also had the 1911 on the target too. It really makes you keep an eye on the front sight as its rolling down the hill.

[Rainier]

My first love is the .44 mag. I can make it work for anything but the PD can be pain at both ends.

44man, if I may be so bold, the PD not only can be a pain at both ends it is a pain - a light sprinkling of about any powder is painful in that light of a gun. I truly haven't found a powder/bullet combo that is comfortable to shoot... yet - but the PD with its 4" barrel really can be carried all day very comfortably.

Big needs weight.

Exactly! for an enjoyable .44 shooting experience I shoot my RedHawk.

[Shuz]

I love my 4" Smith 329PD for ease of carry in a Bianchi 5BHL holster with a 1-1/2 strong leather belt. I carry this all day when working around the place, and I hardly know it is there. I keep it stoked with Lyman's Devastator 429640HP and 16g of 2400.
The velocity of this load outta this gun is 994fps. While not a "barn burner", it is easy to manage recoil wise and will do anything I'll ever want it to. For those that want an even lighter load, try 7.1g of Trail Boss and an MP-432-640LHP @218g. velocity is only 774fps,but is real accurate.

[Rainier]

For those that want an even lighter load, try 7.1g of Trail Boss...

Brilliant! Great minds and all I just found a pound of Trail Boss at my LGS and that is the plan - I also got a Lee 200gr mold. Now for the rain to stop so I can get some PC'd.

[tygar]

As somebody said, m/l, carry often, shoot infrequently. These LW big bore carry guns are for "ease" of carry, not shooting.

You won't be feeling anything in your hand if your in a gun fight! If you hurt, use Spl loads.

I don't hurt & use PD power 230s in my 325PD .45. I even use the wooden grips rather than the rubber ones cause it carries smaller. In a gun like the LW 44mag, if it bothers you, practice with light spl loads, a lot, then put a couple cyl of what you carry at the end for familiarization with them.

I carry a number of different CCW guns, usually a 45, but sometimes a nine or 38 & even a 380 on occasion. But, everyone is a LW version of whatever. Just got the S&W .45 Shield. It's 28oz fully loaded. About the same as all the LW 45s & the LW 44. They all feel about the same so extrapolating to a 230ish 950', 44. It should not be excessive. I have the LW Taurus Tracker in .45 LC & with full power 45s, its not bad, especially with those rubber grips on the Taurus. I would not expect the S&W to be much different.

Guess I'll need to get one now, just to make a liar out of myself. I'll come crying back if it hurts!

But...!!! If you can't handle "whatever" gun, get one you can! A .22 you can hit with is better than anything you can't hit with!