Help me choose my first wheel gun

[Oreo]

Till now its been all glocks and ARs for me. For a handful of reasons I want to add a good revolver to my collection. I've mostly got my heart set on a 44mag, but which one? I need recommendations.

I expect this to be a do-it-all gun. I want to teach women to shoot who have difficulty operating the slide on an auto. I want to be able to carry this gun for defense on the street and in the woods, and I want hunting to at least be an option. Since I cast and reload I expect all these things are reasonable with the 44mag, but I don't know for sure. Since I already have a 10mm I think a 357mag is too much overlap.

All input is welcome. Thanks in advance.

[rexherring]

Nothing wrong with a .44 mag but if you're going to teach women, it may be intimidating to them. Larger grip, larger recoil, larger period. You can load them down to .44 special loads for teaching but I think a .357 would be better. You can shoot mild .38's in them and can be bought in a smaller 5 shot sized revolver. S&W, Taurus both make nice women sized revolvers that are also easy to carry concealed whereas a .44 is just bigger.

Just my two cents worth.

[Oreo]

Well, that's why I'm asking about which one. Since I'd like to be able to carry the thing occasionally I'm thinking a smaller framed version if such a one exists. I'm hoping I can cook up some really soft powder puff loads for teaching. Beyond that, my women students will have to deal with the size I guess. It's my gun after all. Teaching will be a secondary, and only occasional function.

[palmettosunshine]

While I'm a definite .44 fan, for what you are describing a 3" K frame smith, in .357, is the best compromise. I say compromise because that's what it will be to do all that you have described. To teach women to shoot you can load .38 special that has almost no recoil and work up from there as they get more comfortable. You can also carry this gun for self defense MUCH easier than most .44 mags. Yes, there are some snubby .44 mags but then you couldn't hunt with them. You can also hunt, within reason, with a 3" .357 magnum. My personal choice is the S&W model 65 with a 3 inch barrel. Good luck with your search. If you are like most of us you will go through a half a dozen or more guns till you find the right one.

Here's my "do everything" gun.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff1/palmettosunshine/smithwesson003.jpg

[craig61a]

I agree, I'd start with a .357. My first wheel gun years ago was a S&W Model 19 K frame with a 4" barrel in .357.

[rexherring]

You can pick up a Taurus 44 in 4 inch or their ultralight version. Or S&W 629 in a 4 inch. Not limiting you to 4 inch as they're available in other lengths.

[opos]

I shoot wheel guns exclusively...mine are all Rugers...split between single action and double action. I think the ultimate gun for the type of thing you are planning might be the double action GP100 in 357. You can load it hot as it gets because of the strength of the GP100 and then load it down for the ladies with powder puff 38 special loads and let them work up hotter or into the 357 if they like it. I will tell you I shoot lots of big bore stuff...I'm older and have arthritis and a 4" 44 mag can really be punishing. I have a 4 5/8" single action Blackhawk that I will not shoot with 44 magnum loads...I load 44 specials in it or put 44 special loads in 44 mag brass to keep the ring out of the cylinder throats. I have a Super Blackhawk in 7 1/2 and it's fine for 44 mag loads but it's heck of a big revolver. I'm no sissy...I got several 45 Colt Blackhawks that I've been known to load heavy and hot from time to time (not much these days) and they are tame compared to the shorter bbl. 44 mag...When you hit the local gun store the next time look at a GP100....they are, in my opinion, a tougher gun than the Smith (Smiths have a smoother trigger and are a little fancier) and the GP will save you several hundred bucks. I've never shot a GP loose...not even a little bit but I had a 686 that was not as durable over a significant period with hotter loads. If the 44 is where you are for sure going to go...take a look at the Ruger Redhawk in 44 mag...double action...stronger than anything I've ever handled...got a great grip so not too punishing..can have stainless and a shorter bbl. Most of the "woods" hunters I know carry a Redhawk in 44 mag or 454 Cassual..again, stronger and way less money than some other "name brands".

The Blued gun picture is the Blackhawk 44 mag and the stainless gun is the GP100.
Good luck with your choice.

[btroj]

A 4 inch GP100 in 357 would be darn hard to beat. With 38s about anyone can shoot it easily and comfortably. With heavier mag loads it is quite capable in the field or on the streets.

Easy to load for, huge selection of good moulds, tons of data, and cheep components abound.

If you own handguns, even just one, a 357 needs to be one of them.

[rhbrink]

You can load the 44 down with round ball loads, very mild and lots of fun for the more gentile to shoot. Once the ladies and kids find out how easy they shoot you'll have a hard keeping enough on hand.

RB

[Oreo]

What's an optimal barrel length for a 44mag revolver? 4"? 6"? Longer?

[btroj]

For street defense or easy woods carry 4 inches is nice. For ease of shooting I prefer 7.5 inches or so. What is nice on the range isn't so nice in the field on your belt.

A do-it-all revolver doesn't always exist unless you are willing to accpt trade offs.

Sounds like you want a 44 so I would say to buy a 44.

[Oreo]

I want a 44 for me primarily so its just a question of whether the other things are reasonable and with what.

[btroj]

I have a Super Redhawk with a 7.5 inch barrel. Shoots better than I can. Built to last a few lifetimes. Easy to scope if that is wanted . What more can I say?

Iris awesome at the range, not bad as a deer hunting gun. For carry it sucks. A holster to hold its going to be huge. It is heavy too.

I bought the SRH because I prefer a double action grip to a single action. I also like Ruger revolvers. I own a few.

[rlb]

S why buy only one? 44 for you and 357 for everyone else. :-D I like the longer barrels on a 44, 7.5"+. The GP is a hard gun to beat.

[nwellons]

The forerunner was .44 Russian and it can be a pretty mild round.

[cbrick]

If you are like most of us you will go through a half a dozen or more guns till you find the right one.

Silly Palmetto, all of my revolvers are "The right one". My favorite is simply the one in my hand at the moment. :mrgreen:

Oreo, the revolver your asking for doesn't exist. Would not matter which one you bought you would be quite pleased in some respects and sorely disappointed with others.

If you put a 44m snubbie into the hands of a new lady shooter I can assure you the only thing you would accomplish is that she would never again pull a trigger.

You didn't say what kind of hunting but if revolver hunting is a concern it would be wise to check regulations in the area you plan to hunt, some places have regulations on caliber, barrel length etc. If the 44 is to be a back up gun it wouldn't matter but as a primary firearm it does.

You can thank me later for giving you reasons for buying more than one revolver. One revolver is good, several is great. :mrgreen:

Rick

[rfp357]

I have a Smith 686 plus and a Ruger .357 and I love em both. If you want to introduce people to shooting pick up a used .22 revolver. Then treat yourself to both a .357 AND a .44 if you have a healthy budget. Otherwise I'd pick up a .357 and teach using light .38 loads.

Then again we all will probably have to hand them over to the libtards that run this country so maybe you should just buy bourbon, gold, and silver...

[Oreo]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll have to rethink the priorities and the budget.

I'd never give a new shooter a 44 snubbie. I would have thought it possible to hand load something especially soft in 44 though, Maybe in a 4". Sounds like you guys are saying that won't really work.

[kweidner]

cbrick is spot on. I love my 4 5/8 SBH. Got some tame rounds with TB any female could shoot. I like my .41 DW 6" better for hunting just wish it rode in a holster like my SBH. My 8" smith is just great but can't carry without bandolier.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd get a S&W 629 44 with a 6" bbl.
then start saving for a 357...by the time you have the money for one, you'll know exactly which one you want.

a 44 for street defense...what are you, Dirty Harry :)
a 38 snubby is all you need IMHO.
Jon

[Oreo]

Not dirty harry but if these bastard politicians in this state get ridiculous about magazine capacity this legislative session I don't mind countering with something large and shiny. I want something I'll actually enjoy shooting or else I'd go 500sw mag just for giggles.

[**oneshot**]

A smaller frame for carry and teaching, smaller recoil for plinking and teaching, power when needed. 38/357. I'm not going to say go out and get a gp100 or a smith, but what your asking for has 38/357 to a T in my book.

[rststeve]

new Ruger sp101 with 4" barrel that is the best all around gun not to small and not to big

[viper7342]

Then again we all will probably have to hand them over to the libtards that run this country so maybe you should just buy bourbon, gold, and silver...

Speak for yourself! I personally don't plan on handing ANYTHING over to the libtards, except maybe boolits at very high velocity! Remember this fact "Those who would trade essential Liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety".

[K-Rod]

You have the perfect excuse that all firearm enthusiasts pray for. You have an excuse to buy TWO pistols!!
My pick for a 44m is a Super Blackhawk with 7.5in barrel. New models are ok but I prefer the Old model Rugers. I love mine! As suggested, you can load it down with 44spl for beginners or load it hot for hunting. I got my buck this year with mine. Lyman 429421 boolit on top of 21.5gr of 2400(over published max) @ ranged 80yrds. Out of a 7.5in barrel, the hot loads are not that bad recoil wise. My wife started shooting it with 44spl but now she likes to let er buck!!

My pick for a 357m would be a Dan Wesson with the 4in & 6in interchangeable barrels. I have one & they are very under rated. It's a very accurate wheel gun & you can find them at reasonable prices.

[MT Gianni]

new Ruger sp101 with 4" barrel that is the best all around gun not to small and not to big

The only downside is it's weight as a carry gun.

[Oreo]

You have the perfect excuse that all firearm enthusiasts pray for. You have an excuse to buy TWO pistols!!
I don't need an excuse. I do need the money.

I still haven't heard it answered: What's the softest a 44 can be made to shoot? Can't I find a real heavy boolit and sling it about 700fps for soft shooting? That's gotta do the trick, right?

[K-Rod]

I was given a bottle of Trailboss that I played around with in the 44m. IIRC, 9.0gr with 429421 got me around 850fps. I recall it didn't meter very well so I used dippers. I have a buddy that does cowboy shooting & was getting 600fps using 4.0grs under a 180gr boolit. That was out of a 4 5/8 BH. Trailboss is fun but not very cost effective. It's only a 9 or 12oz bottle. I'm gonna start playing with Bullseye & Unique for reduced loads.

[BCRider]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll have to rethink the priorities and the budget.

I'd never give a new shooter a 44 snubbie. I would have thought it possible to hand load something especially soft in 44 though, Maybe in a 4". Sounds like you guys are saying that won't really work.

NONSENSE! If you reload your own it is most certainly possible to load up mouse fart newbie loads that will do fine for anyone that isn't shattered by the recoil of a .22 rimfire. And some are. You need to realize that some folks you take out are going to be VERY nervous.

A 200gn bullet with a light charge of something that works well when it is just a "dusting" on the bottom of the case could be a fine first time nervous shooter's round. Bullseye is particularly good for not being bothered by having a lot of air and not much of a fill. Or load up some cowboy action loads with 200's in front of a mild charge of Trail Boss. Again these give the shooter a mild recoil that any but the most nervous would fine with shooting.

Even with a smaller and lighter snubbie such loadings would not be at all over the top for a new shooter.

The big deal that I see given all the requirements you posted is that you need to decide on either carry and range or range and hunting. The handguns used for hunting are generally set up with longer barrels to either allow scope mounting or to obtain a longer iron sight baseline. A 4 inch or shorter barrel simply is not going to give you the ability to hit accurately at longer distances. So unless you hunt in dense brush where the common distance to the game is only around 25 yards you're going to gain a lot in both terms of sight baseline accuracy as well as adding a couple of hundred FPS to the round to slow down the drop.

So if you definetly want to carry AND hunt I'd say that you're realistically looking at two revolvers to suit the tasks. The good news is that now you have an excuse to pick up a 5 or 6 shot DA 4inch or less and a 7.5 inch Ruger Super Blackhawk for the longer duties.... :D

[kweidner]

My 44 plinking loads are with Trailboss 9.0 gr IIRC. Around 900 and 1 inch accurate at 25 yds. 255 gr keith. No lead and just fun to shoot. 4 5/8 bbl. Personal defense is the 250g NOE hollow point over 18.3 of 2400. Pretty stout load but not exactly fire breathing again 1" accurate. When people shoot the TB load they generally look at me and ask is that all there is to a 44. If they want more I hand them a full snot cylinder and watch their facial expression after squeezing 20ish grains of 2400 with the same boolit. In that small gun that is approaching fire breathing without the right grip.

[kweidner]

turns out the load for the 255 was 7.2 gr of tb for that accuracy load. sorry. couldnt remembernand wanted to look it up.

[pdawg_shooter]

Start at the top, you can always go down. Colt Python!

[sagamore-one]

Don't neglect the 329PD by Smith-Wesson. It is Scandiun/Titanium, light enough to carry, strong enough to shoot. You can stuff it full of full throttle loads or just pop away with 44 specials.

[Oreo]

A scandium 44mag? Yikes. I figured this would be one gun where some weight is a good thing.

[btroj]

Yeah, I can't think of a better gun to start a woman with than a lightweight, short barreled 44 mag.

If YOU want a 44 then buy a 44. If you want a good beginners gun and something that can have multiple roles then buy a 357.

[wv109323]

The Ruger Redhawk started out with a 7 1/2" barrel. The model S&W-29 was more common with a 6" barrel. I just don't think a 4" barrel in .44 Mag is ideal. About the only reason for such would be to carry in big bear territory.
I would lean toward the .357 in a 6 or 4" barrel. I prefer the 6" barrel in a hunting situation. Like already mentioned you can load down for the women with .38 Special.
With a stiff .357 load that is good up to deer sized game. Any thing bigger than that you probably need a rifle to tackle.

[K-Rod]

A scandium 44mag? Yikes. I figured this would be one gun where some weight is a good thing.

My Uncle has the complete PD series. I've shot them all & believe it or not, the 329PD recoil Isn't as bad as one would think. Although, you could get both a good condition used 357m & a 44m for the price of a 329PD. They are proud of them!!

[MT Chambers]

Single action or double??? If single action is your style(it is mine) and your pockets are deep, Freedom Arms is the king of S/As, otherwise the Ruger blackhawk/super blackhawk, I've come to appreciate the "Hunter models".

[tacklebury]

.45 Colt is my do all gun. 5.5" blackhawk and shoots .45 acp with second cylinder. You can shoot cheap bulk ball ammo with the acp cylinder or do my own reloads. I do bird shot loads, round ball loads, target loads, whitetail (non-bear) loads and H110 linbaugh loads for bear areas. It truly does it all. ;)

Here's a good read from Linbaugh: http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

Pick of my gun and some loads:

57454

57455 57456 57457 57458

[rexherring]

Yes you can load soft loads in the .44. I shoot a 200 gr RNFP in my .45 Colt Blackhawk with Trail Boss and it doesn't kick more than a .38 Special. Can shoot these all day. TB is a cost effective powder because it's so fluffy it doesn't take much by weight to equal the volume. Some powder measures are a little fussy feeding it but you can always make a scoop measure.

[44man]

I will jump up and down over revolvers, they are my love and to just have ONE is NUTS!
Now let me tell you a story. I had the original FT in 1956. I had some light loads and let the wife shoot them. She loved it so I slipped a few full mag loads in the cylinder. She shot and I asked if she seen any difference. She said some were louder! Yeah, never even felt the recoil.

[K-Rod]

44man, I did the same thing to my wife with my 41m BH 4 5/8. Loaded it up with soft handloads for the wife & she said they were "Whimpy". So then I loaded it with some HV Remington Factories. I didn't know my wife even knew the words she was calling me after the first shot!!!

[camotruck]

I read this back when it was first posted and my first thought was 357. after seeing it back at three pages and reading along. My thought is get a 357 mag and a 460 S&W. Teach the ladies with the 357 using 38 and move on up. Use the 460 to shoot 45 colt, it shoots like a cap gun then move up to 454 casual and then when you want to turn heads go to the full house 460 shooting 395gr. I'd still go 357 mag for your first wheel gun. It never gets old.

Camo

[Mal Paso]

I like 4 & 6 inch 44 Mags. 4" for carry. A good belt like Galco makes All the difference. I forget I'm wearing a 3 1/4 pound gun.

5.5g Titegroup behind a 250g boolit makes about 840 fps from a 4" barrel

5g Clays for about 800 fps feels like a 22 LR.

[pmer]

I found a police turn in 4" model 19 357 mag in a pawn shop for around 260.00. I was very dirty inside and out but shoots great now. I can shoot it about as good as my Glock 19 at the same pace.

In the OPs description I kept thinking about one of those 4" Ruger Redhawks in 45 Colt. There is a ton data for 250ish boolits going slow and you can really lean on them with bigger boolits too.