44 Specials in 44 Mag - Some guns better than others ?

[RL Parker]

Hi everyone - - this is my first post here. I know that 44 Special can be used in 44 Mag chambered revolvers. I also know that guns chambered for 44 Special don't have the long jump from chamber to barrel that there would be with a 44 Mag gun. - - What I'd like to know is if some models of 44 Mag revolver are 'better' in terms of using 44 Special than others. This might involve accuracy, durability of the forcing cone, or whatever else you can think of. For example, would you prefer a long steady diet of 44 Specials in your S&W 629, Ruger Redhawk or Blackhawk . . . . or maybe it doesn't matter - theyre all fine? Thanks

[theperfessor]

Welcome to the forum. I love my .44s, Special and Magnum, but I have enough brass in both calibers that I generally use the proper cartridges for the gun and have fired very few Specials in my Magnums. The few times I do, it's generally been to shoot out a load that may be a bit too stout (IMHO) for a Special. I don't magnumize my Specials but some upper end loads can get unpleasant in a lighter gun (such as my 296 in my avatar).

Don't think it's any more harmful than shooting .38s in a .357. The only problem I've had doing that is ejection problems with the magnums if you don't get the crud out from shooting the Specials.

By the way, I don't buy the logic that a long jump to the forcing cone causes an accuracy problem. My most accurate revolver is a Smith 625 in .45 ACP, and it has a real long jump to the forcing cone.

[RL Parker]

Thanks Keith for the welcome and for your reply.

I've often heard the 'long jump from chamber to barrel' causes inaccuracy statement. Havent found it true - - but maybe it doesnt appy much to revolvers over other types of firearms.- Then again, maybe my shooting ability isnt good enough to tell any difference ! Regards, - -

P.S. - - - I own several 44 Mag revolvers, only one 44 Special (so far) one of the new Ruger flat tops. Wonderful gun.

[44man]

My welcome to you too.
It is not boolit jump like the Perfessor said. It has something to do with brass length to chamber that even a long boolit that enters the throats does not solve.
Seems to be a slight loss in accuracy I can't explain. It is not bad and should not stop you from shooting shorter rounds, just clean after.

[Wally]

I have a Ruger Superblackhawk and a S & W Model 24 (.44 Spl)... The Ruger shoots .44 Spls better (ie at higher velocity and with better accuraacy) than does the Model 24. I carefully clean the cylinder after shooting them in it. It then shoots .44 Magnums just fine.

[W.R.Buchanan]

It all depends on everything. IE everything that affects accuracy.

My M29 Smith would shoot specials just as well as mags.

So does my Ruger SBH Bisley.

Both guns are 1.5-2" guns at 25 yds. Both are also pretty good guns as I have heard of others that are down right abismal. I personally think the problem with most .44's is more related to the shooter/reloader than the guns themselves.

This is not a hard cartridge or platform to get good results from.

Find the bullet that works right and a powder charge that makes it go and you're there.

I'd start with a 240-250 gr SWC like Lyman 429421 or similar and use Unique, W231 for midrange loads and H110/W296 for your magnum loads. Same bullet for both Spec. and Magnum. Other Powders to use and charge weights are well documented for both rounds at all levels.

Big plus with the .44 is that when you have one on you,,, your cajones feel bigger.

Randy

[RL Parker]

Big plus with the .44 is that when you have one on you,,, your cajones feel bigger.

Randy

LOL - - - thanks Randy, and everyone else for the warm welcome and helpful info.

I'm carrying my Smith 625 Mountain Gun in 45 Colt, so am 'packing' in more ways than one today ! (The cajones & the rest of me, love the 45 & 44s !) :D

[Coffeecup]

From what I've seen, the 44 Mags for shooting 44 specials seem to be those with tight chambers. I've had a couple of nice-shooting 44 mags with sloppy chambers (and good cylinder throats--.430" or so) that just never would do well with specials.

[Frank46]

I have three 44 special revolvers 624 w6.5" bbl, a 24-3 with 4" bbl and a 24-3 with 3" bbl, my 44mag is a ruger redhawk 6.5" bbl. I'd say that the ratio of use between the 44 specials and the 44 magnum is about 75% in favor of the 44 special. Less recoil, cheaper to feed, lighter weight. Frank

[9.3X62AL]

I don't like cleaning out the "crud rings" formed in chambers by the firing of Special-length cartridges in Magnum-length chambers. PITA. I load a significant number of my Magnum brass with Special-intensity powder weights, usually 110%--115% of the Special's charge into the Magnum casing, given the same boolit weight/type.

E.g., Skeeter's Load in 44 Special.......Lyman #429421, 7.5 grains of Unique, CCI 300 primer in W-W 44 Special brass. For the Maggies, it gets 8.2 grains of Unique in the W-W 44 Mag brass, same primer, same boolit. Velocities in both calibers run in the 950-975 FPS ballpark, 5.5" Redhawk and 6.5" 624 barrels. No crud ring in the Redhawk--life is good.

[Ed K]

I do exactly as in the previous post #10...


You get the same intensity loading using the same boolit.
Generally accuracy will always be as good or better than...
No crud ring.


What's not to like? Mag brass is more common than special brass and unless you yourself have a unique circumstance for wanting to do this I can't see any benefit to the specials.

[Larry Gibson]

I find if the bullet is seated out in the 44 SPL case so it enters and centers in the chamber throat that the mild 44 SPL loads in SPL cases shoot every bit as well as the same level 44 SPL loads in magnum cases. I prefer the Lee 240 TL SWC for these loads as the bullet can be seated out and a mild roll crimp used in a farther back lube groove.

Heavy 44 SPL keith type loads have never shot as well for me in any 44 magnum chambered revolver as the same level loa in magnum cases.

Larry Gibson

[trapper9260]

Clean the cilinder of the mag before you shoot the spel. then you are good to go . I do that for 357 to 38spl and I do it for 327 to 32H&R mag and also for the 32 S$W L and 32 S&W I clean the cylinder before I shoot the lower ones after the longer ones or when you shoot the bigger ones after the smaller ones .you can leave the barrel as if as long you will keep shooting . But if not clean the gun after use .and you put it away . hope this helps

[Mal Paso]

My 629 was less accurate with Specials back when the throats were .428" ( .429" bore ). Especially 200g RNFP Boolits. Reaming the throats fixed that.

Chambers are .458", tightest of my 44s.

[MT Gianni]

I sold a 6.5" 624 because te 5" redhawk out shot it @ 25 and 100 yards, not just some but by a lot.

[FergusonTO35]

Every .357 firearm I've ever owned has done just as well with .38's as it did with magnums, so I would think that would apply to the .44 as well. Now, you might see some problems with the long jump if you use really stubby cartridges like the .44 Russian in your magnum. My Charter .32 H&R Magnum doesn't like the stumpy little .32 S&W. It does just fine with the .32 S&W Long though.

[rintinglen]

I have had generally better results with 44 mag revolvers using the Special rounds than I have had using the 44 Special in guns so chambered, especially when using the 429-421.


I have made at least decent groups from every one of the 5 44 mag revolvers I have had over the years using The Skeeter Skelton Cowkiller Load. That has not been true of the 44 specials (excepting only my Ruger Flattop--What a great shooting gun).

[Alan]

Elmer's target load of 8.5, or even 9.0 gr of Unique is wonderfully accurate. I use whatever .44 mag brass I can pick up, and just make sure it's trimmed uniformly.