Anyone had experience with these short barrel magnum revolvers?. With all the coyote issues we have near me, seems like this would make a great side arms to carry with me in the woods. I've started to look what is available for purchase, but I thought I'd ask some questions about cast boolit loads, grips, etc. I shoot a .44 magnum for deer and I have alot of reloading components for this cartridge.
Ohio Rusty ><>
"This is America !!, where many have fought and died for our right
to celebrate our views with inflatable creatures in our yards ......."
44mg is a little stiff for Ohio woods. Shortest S&W I’ve had is 4”. I had a Bubba job Ruger SBH some idiot made a “store keeper” out of. It had a barrel about 2.5”. Rear sight was removed , no front. It would burn you eyebrows and bust your ear drums. Coyotes are fairly easy to kill. I’ve shot most of mine with 22s while squirrel hunting. A good 38sp would be good as any. Dead is Dead.
Around my acreage, I usually have a 642 (38Spl) in my pocket. When I bow hunt, I'm toting a 357 LCR or a CA Bulldog in 44 Special. Light guns are nice to carry but you pay for it with added recoil. The Bulldog is a handful in 44 Special. I can't even begin to imagine a light weight 44 Magnum. You'll, more than likely, end up using 44 Special loads in it.
Short barreled revolvers are harder to shoot, accurately............due to abbreviated sight radius and less than adequate sights. My preference are CT laser grips. They excel in low light and are a boon to accuracy. You can literally, shoot from the hip, with a little practice.
Winelover
After my brother was bitten I decided to carry a revolver for defense against rabid animals. Any cartridge will kill, but the objective is to stop the attack before being bitten or scratched. I concluded that the 357 magnum cartridge with 110 gr hollow point bullets would probably give the quickest response. Hits on a rapidly approaching target are difficult. My choice for a 4" barrel was based on my ability to shoot this length gun effectively.
I got a 3" Model 60 that I tote in a shoulder holster. 125 gr. XTP over Titegroup makes a nice snobby load.
"If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"
"A rat became the unit of currency"
Around the country place a 4 inch Model 29 with 280 gr. WFN and 20.5 grs 296. No problem.
Here is a huge coyote track that was behind my house. That track is as big as the whole palm of my hand if not bigger. I estimate that coyote between 70 and 100 pounds in size. I want a serious .44 cast boolit for animals like this. When I hit them ...I want them to go down .... now !!
Ohio Rusty ><>
"This is America !!, where many have fought and died for our right
to celebrate our views with inflatable creatures in our yards ......."
I believe you are looking at a dog track unless a Timber Wolf came south for the winter. I have shot several coyotes and only ones I shot with center fire handgun was with a 9mm Hi power. This is because I was carrying it fishing a creek that ran along a state highway. There were a lot of deer hit and that drew the coyotes. Didn’t happen to me but guys were backed into creek by coyotes guarding deer. I did get to shoot a coyote with a 455 Eley, Colt. Along same creek. 272gr lead HP going about 575fps hammered him hard. Range about 20ft.
I hate to break it to you, but that is probably a domestic dog. The largest coyote recorded was 75 pounds... In 1937.
They make the perfect coyote handgun cartridge. It is the 327 Federal. That in an Sp101 with 4.2" barrel is a sweet shooting combo. 44 magnum is bad enough in a big frame. A lightweight and short barrel would not be ideal.
To answer your question....I've got a 3" S&W 629 .44 Mag. that is magnaported. I bought it maybe 20 years ago because a neighbor reported twice seeing a mountain lion on our property near the mailbox. Seemed like the way to go, instead of carrying a rifle up the lane every day to get the mail. Long story short, when I got around to shooting it with a couple of friends at a backwoods shootin' session, I loaded it up with 6 factory JHPs. I fired 2 rounds and it was like being near a detonating artillery shell.Originally Posted by Ohio Rusty
One of the other guys fired it once, and the third guy passed on his turn. At the time it seemed like the way to go, but although I've still got it, I wish I didn't. Much different than my 629 6". I can't even imagine how awful a 2" would be.
If I was you and wanted to carry a snub I'd go with maybe a .357 mag.
44 mag out of a snub isn't gonna be a lot of fun.
Unless your shooting a very large dangerous animal I would look at something a little smaller in caliber.
I have a mint 24 snub (44 sp) that I shot once and just isn't my cup of tea.
On the other hand, I have 3 inch snubs in 41 mag and 45 acp. I really love my 41 mag (657) 3 inch. It has magna-ports.
Been thinking of selling the mod 24 but just haven't gotten around to it as it is a lew horton special and I do have a thing for 3 inch snub N-frames.
Coyotes can be big. A USDA depredation controller shot one that weighed 80# on a friend's property. But if that track is as wide as the length of a disposable lighter, it's a wolf. My 85+# lab doesn't have feet that big, 2" across, but certainly not close to 3".
re: coyotes. at this point, coyotes have interbred with wovles to the point where in some eastern locales, "coyote" is 90% wolf genetics.
you might very well see some 90 pounders.
out here they tend to be a bit smaller, but they haven't replaced a missing, decimated, wolf population.
For cougar, coyote, or pig, I'm happy carrying a .357 SP101, or a bulldog .44 special....or a sig 365XL for that matter. (135gr RNFP)
Honestly, I've SHOT more coyotes with a .22 magnum than any other caliber, and there's no issues.
I won't argue you out of a .44 magnum snubbie, but I'd suggest loading it up with a moderate velocity heavy Keith style in a .44 special case. (If I ever find a charter .44 special with a longer barrel, I'll maybe, maybe, go back to using it as a preference over the sp101)
--
Shoot more!
What about a Coy-dog?
My son has seen a huge one going past his house several times and it's not afraid of him at all. I keep telling him to call me, so I can shoot it. The last time he saw it it was just off his front porch. He ran at it with a sword and it stood it's ground.
If you are going with a very short barrel, then I'd suggest lighter loads for it to reduce muzzle blast.
How about a GP100 in 44 spl?
A S&W M69 2.75 inch is a great revolver. I have two of them and a 3 inch M629. Most of the horror stories are just that, stories. I have nothing but good to say about them
Are you shooting full-charge loads or backing them down?
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Both. Of course I am not a stranger to recoil. Having handguns that recoil considerably more than 44 Magnums. That may make a difference in my outlook. I still stand by what I say though.
Also used to play with a 4.2 inch Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt with 415 grain bullets at 1150. Shot pretty well too.
Also have 3.75 inch SBH and a 4 inch M629 MG.
Last edited by 44MAG#1; 10-11-2020 at 02:54 PM.
Plus one - one of my favorite revolver platforms. Load it to match the threat level in your area or whatever you desire. I've shot over 3,000 rnds of full on .44 mag loads thru the three I have.
Paul
As A Kid I shot many a coyote or feral dog in the LA foothills, usually a a Rifle in .22LR. Or a Colt OP 6" with .38-44 loads.
I have a 3" M624, busted my last coyote with it. A 215gr WC over 7.0grs Unique. Knocked him right of his feet, dead as the proverbial duck at 40 long paces.
I HATE auto-correct
Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.
My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.
SASS #375 Life
The Smith and Wesson Model Model 69 Combat Magnum with the 2.75 inch barrel is a great revolver. A little lighter than a full size gun and easier to carry. I found one of those on Armslist but it was really more expensive that I want to spend...... I can reload the rounds down a bit from full power and still have an effective boolit for 4 legged varmints. The quest continues ...
Ohio Rusty ><>
"This is America !!, where many have fought and died for our right
to celebrate our views with inflatable creatures in our yards ......."
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