44mag Revolvet Help Needed

[timtonya]

I'm shopping for a 44 may revolver. I'm planning on reloading to cut expense. The gun will mostly be used for target shooting and possibly hunting. I've shot the Taurus Raging Bull, Ruger Red hawk and Smith 629. The Taurus was OK, the Redhawk hurt my hand because of the metal backstrap, and the smith felt like it was going to tear my ring finger off. Lol!! How do the single actions shoot? How's the recoil? I've been looking at the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter or Bisley. But I'd hate to buy something and not like it. Do the metal backstraps on the single actions hurt one's hand? I'm looking for a comfortable 44 to shoot. I also like the looks of the Super Red hawk 9 1/2".

Thanks

Tim

[44man]

Super Blackhawk Hunter with Pachmeyer grips! I have large hands and can't shoot a Bisley, my knuckle gets beat bad.
Next is the SRH, super accurate. Shoots with comfort with the factory grip.
Some love a Bisley and will try to talk you into one but not me. I always say to try a grip FIRST before buying. Everyone has different hands.
I like the hog leg best but not the wood panels. Stay away from pretty and shiny grips that slip and roll in your hand. Hold a SA firm so your hand never changes position through recoil. The back strap itself should never hurt you and if it does you hold it so the gun is slamming back, like a large bore rifle not held to your shoulder. The trigger guard is usually what hurts.

[Ragnarok]

The single-action Super Blackhawks is the only single action .44 mags I've owned...seems to me they tend to roll upward with recoil more than the S&W 629. I've never really had any of the .44 mags I've owned or fired hurt me too bad.

[NSB]

I'm shopping for a 44 may revolver. I'm planning on reloading to cut expense. The gun will mostly be used for target shooting and possibly hunting. I've shot the Taurus Raging Bull, Ruger Red hawk and Smith 629. The Taurus was OK, the Redhawk hurt my hand because of the metal backstrap, and the smith felt like it was going to tear my ring finger off. Lol!! How do the single actions shoot? How's the recoil? I've been looking at the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter or Bisley. But I'd hate to buy something and not like it. Do the metal backstraps on the single actions hurt one's hand? I'm looking for a comfortable 44 to shoot. I also like the looks of the Super Red hawk 9 1/2".

Thanks

Tim

Tim,
I've owned several 44mags over the years, Smiths, Rugers, single actions, and double actions. ALL of them have very stout recoil with full power loads. The single actions aren't any better than the double actions. I currently own a Ruger Super Blackhawk and it's stout with full power loads. It's even somewhat uncomfortable with reduced loads. I've found the Smiths to be the most comfortable if you can call it that. I used to shoot literally thousands of rounds of center fire handgun a year for recreation and competition. It sounds like you're getting into handgun shooting. I'd suggest you start with a good 357mag and shoot 38specials out of it for comfort of recoil. Unless you plan on hunting very large dangerous game with a handgun this will suffice for both target and medium game hunting. I've taken over fifty whitetail with the 357 mag as well as a few more with the 44mag and some more exotic calibers. They were just as dead with the 357. Shot placement is key to hunting with a handgun, not muzzle energy. The 44mag generates very little muzzle energy compared to even the most mild center fire rifles. A bad hit with the 44mag won't kill anything any better than a bad hit with a 357mag. Start with the 357 and work your way up.

[timtonya]

Ya I already shoot 40 and 45 autos. I'm just looking for something different this year to shoot and reload for. I thought I'd load down the 44mag. Has anyone tried the Ruger 480?

[opos]

About 6 months ago a guy here had a new model Super Blackhawk in 44 mag with a 4 5/8" bbl...he shot it about 5 times and it almost broke his finger..he hated it and just wanted to dump it...I bought it worth the money...put a set of Hogues on it....and I shoot 44 special light loads (some very light 44 mag loads in mag brass too) and it's such a beefy gun it's really a pleasure to shoot. Loading the really light 44 mag loads (I use Trail Boss) keeps the carbon ring build up down and again a really comfortable gun to shoot. I've shot a few full house 44 mag's in it and I understand why he wanted to dump it...arthritis and big boom are not happy companions.

[Matthew 25]

Just get what you like the size and function of. If you are going to hand-load you can load some lighter loads until you figure out your grip and how to manage the recoil. Most here have figured out how to shoot full house 44's w/o much discomfort at all. It comes down to technique and maybe swapping out grips.

[Shuz]

Tim the most comfortable .44 mag I shoot is a S&W 629 Classic DX 5" bbl with a rubber Hogue grip. It has great balance and the grips are real .44 tamers. I suggest you stay away from the lighter .44's such as the 629 Mountain Gun, or the 329PD. I have rubber Hogues on them, and while I find them not un-comfortable, the recoil is much more noticeable than with the Classic 5 incher. All my Rugers are single actions and wear rubber Hogues as well, and the recoil from them is slightly different, more of a roll as mentioned above. Stick with the heavier guns and the 5 to 6-1/2" bbls and I think you'll be happy with it. I would not recommend a Redhawk, they are "hell for stout", but in my, not so humble opinion, are like dragging around a boat anchor.

[Larry in MT]

I don't know what S&W you shot that "almost tore your ring finger off" but my 5" Classic is extremely comfortable; even with full house 285 grain hardCasts.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/c542cbf8.jpg

After a dozen or so rounds, my Ruger NM BlackHawk 44 Special IS uncomfortable with heavy loads.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/a668c219.jpg

[rintinglen]

I prefer the Ruger Redhawk with Pachmayr grips, but the fact is, full tilt 44 mag loads are a handful, no matter what the platform. I have a SBH Hunter, my brother has a Bisley Hunter, I prefer the bisley, I have a Taurus Tracker, and a 5 inch S&W, but I enjoy the Redhawk the most, or rather, it bothers me the least.

[Taz700]

I currently shoot the 629-6 and love it. Sure with full house loads it is well, a 44. After 50 most of the skin is gone from the back strap tearing it off (now I use gloves). About to purchase a Super Black Hawk for more casting only fun (and I like single actions).

I do agree for a fun gun to shoot all the tiem 357/38 is hard to beat, I have 3, LOVE them.

[timtonya]

Ya the smith I shot had hard rubber grips. That's why it about tore my ring finger off. Lol!!! Maybe I'll try the super red hawk 9 1/2".

[BCRider]

I'm a big fan of the Super Blackhawk. It's a tough package and the single action style seems to go nicely with the big boom of the .44Mag rounds.

I made up some fatter grips in the stock style and they worked out excellent for eliminating the trigger guard bite. It seems like the factory scales simply don't provide the support in the hand needed.

You see, it's not so much a matter of an exposed steel backstrap or not. It's all about how much contact area you have in your hand and how much surface area there is to transfer the recoil energy into your hand. The stock grips simply did not give me much rear contact area so the gun distorts the hand bones to move deeper into the hand enough so that the guard smacks into the back of the middle finger. A fatter set of scales to spread the recoil energy out into more of the hand results in less distortion of the hand during the recoil and that prevents contact of the guard to the finger. In the picture below you can see how much fatter the grips are around the "neck" if you're familiar with the factory setup.

If this had not worked then the next step was to buy or make something like the Hogue wood grips that fill in the area behind the trigger guard. But these fatter versions of the factory style have worked out so well that I don't need to do anything more.59288

59287

[ironhead7544]

If you put the Pachmeyr full sized Presentation grips (no finger grooves) on the Redhawk or S&W M29 it will tame the recoil. I find the Super Blackhawk with 7 &1/2 inch and 10 &1/2 inch barrels very controlable with the stock grips.

MagNaPort will tame the single actions recoil quite a bit. Cant tell the difference with DA that have been ported.

I only use the full power loads for hunting. A mid range 1000 fps load makes for great plinking/target work.

[Old Caster]

An Anoconda will probably recoil the least because it has a full underlug but it is of course heavier. The difference when shooting the same loads in my Ruger Super Blackhawk, or Smith compared to the Colt is quite a bit. The Colt also has an 8 inch barrel. Some years ago I had a female exchange student from Japan who was quite small but would shoot full power loads in any of the three guns with one hand. She would let her hand go all the way over her head and behind her shoulder and then ask if I had more bullets.

[The Kid]

I have very boney, skinny hands. That fact coupled with calluses that make gripping smooth surfaces tough, makes Blackhawks and Super Blackhawks very uncomfortable for me to shoot with factory wood grips. I sold my old SBH after trying 2 or 3 different variations of round butt and thinning of the front and back straps. I just couldn't shoot anything over about 1100fps with any level of comfort.

With the money I got from selling that gun I bought a brand spankin new Bisley Hunter. It is the most comfortable to shoot 44 I have ever had in my hands. Last week I shot a bunch of Lyman 429215s at over 1500fps with a smile on my face the whole time.

If you decide to get a DA revolver, my recommendation is a S&W 29 or 629 but here's the secret. Get a round butt model and spend an extra 30$ on a set of XFrames grips. These are a direct fit for the N frame round butt guns and have the padded cushion insert on the backstrap.

[fordwannabe]

I have a 4.5 inch ruger super blackhawk in stainless and it was a handful. I sent it off to be Magna ported and it made a big difference....and it's for sale if your interested. Tom

[Lloyd Smale]

all the da guns are tough on my hands with full power loads. About any ruger single action is comfortable at that level. I prefer the bisley but at 44 mag levels the standard grip does just fine.

[Sasquatch-1]

I have a SBH that I have had for 38+ years. It has the square back trigger guard. That is the only problem I have when firing full house loads through it. I have actually come off the range with a little blood on my hand from it. Now, if you are going to reload, try using 10 grns or less of Unique. It seem to give the velocity with a lot kick. I can fire fire the unique rounds quite rapidly and a lot of them with no uncomfortible side effects.

Now the most comfortable 44 I have shot is my Desert Eagle. I have let others shoot it at the range who have looked at with apprehension expecting it to be the beast it looks like. Thing is, because of the weight and the fact that it is gas operated, it is a real pussycat to shoot. The only problem is if you have small hands it may be hard to grip. Also you cannot shoot cast boolits through it. They have to be jacketed.

[44man]

Yeah, I need Pachmeyer grips on the SBH. I have been slashed up bad shooting another guys gun.
With a Bisley there is no room for my knuckle at all. It is stuffed right up to the trigger guard.
The Pachmeyer actually changes the angle to between the hog leg and Bisley a little but the important thing is the filler behind the guard.
What happens in my palm is zero with any gun but I hate trigger guards.

[onlybrowning]

I've had about 12-15 different single and double action .44 mag (and bigger) revolvers. I have found the most comfortable to be the Super Redhawk with a Hogue Tamer grip. The padded back strap really helps my felt recoil. I keep one on my GP100 as well. I can't recommend it enough. My hands are pretty large, but not huge.

[white eagle]

I have 3 different 44 pistola's
a Ruger Bisley 44 sp
S&W 629
and a Ruger super blackhawk
I find them all comfortable to shoot or I don't notice any recoil difference between any of the different models
there is however a noticeable difference between the 44 mag and the 480 Ruger but there again boolit weights for the 480 start where the 44 leave off and get into some substantial chunks of lead

[Para82]

I have a Lipsey's Ruger SBH Bisley 44mag with the 3 3/4 barrel and it is pretty snappy with full house factory loads but it grows on ya after shooting it a while. Need to work up some cast loads for it.

[toolz568]

I'm with 44man, the Blackhawk with Pachmeyer grips. Installation of the grips was a pain , but worth it. You down load to 44 special or load it the hilt for hunting.

[1bluehorse]

all the da guns are tough on my hands with full power loads. About any ruger single action is comfortable at that level. I prefer the bisley but at 44 mag levels the standard grip does just fine.

This is exactly my experience also....the way recoil is delivered DOES make a difference..the DA's with the little "upcurl" on the grip with heavy (45 colt 270gr. over 27gr. H110) will really slam the web between my thumb and forefinger. After six rounds I'll have a perfect indentation of the Redhawk backstrap there..the same load in my Bisley BH, doesn't. In fact it's about half pleasant to shoot..NOT the RH (with this load level) this is really unfortunate as that's exactly the reason I purchased it....I really do not like the looks of Pachmeyer grips on any single action, I can however see where someone with Fred Flintstone fingers would like them (slamming of the ring finger knuckle) in the back of the trigger guard...I guess my hands are more like Wilma's as I've never had that issue..so this would be one of those function over fashion things...again I agree with Lloyd, at "normal" 44mag loads either shouldn't be to bad..

[dnotarianni]

Auto to revolver will feel a lot different as the center line of bullet to grip is higher with a revolver and that equals more felt recoil. If your set on a 44 then load light until you get used to it, or come shoot my 500 Smith first then the 44 will feel like a 22
Dave

[MtGun44]

So I guess that means the S&W 329 is out?

:bigsmyl2:

Bill

[John Allen]

I own six different 44's right now with everything from single action to double action. I feel that the smith or the ruger is the best bet. This is of course my opinion. The major thing that will help alot is to change out to a hogue rubber grip. I just had out my 629 with a 3inch barrel and medium loads with a 250 keith with the hogue grips it is not bad at all. I would not consider it pleasant but it is tolerable. For single actions I like the Ruger super blackhawk hunters with the rounded trigger frame.

[Mal Paso]

I vaguely remember when I first started shooting 44 Mag finding 50 rounds being painful and various cuts and blisters. Mostly I think your body figures what to do with the recoil. The gun is going to move, your body needs to figure how much tension where and when so you are not absorbing all the recoil but still have control. I'll shoot 250+ rounds on a full day at the range with no ill effects. You just have to shoot enough that your body figures it out which means Regular Trips To The Range

[MT Chambers]

Unfortunately those pachmayers make the classic SA look like sh%%, my Bisley Hunter doesn't need them, and is the best .44 that I've had.

[Lloyd Smale]

sure is. there a brute! Even a steal 4 inch n frame gets on me with full power loads. As does a 4 inch redhawk. Ive got big hands and da grip frames and me just dont get along. For the most part my smiths see 1000 fps loads and if i want to shoot big loads its in a single action
So I guess that means the S&W 329 is out?

:bigsmyl2:

Bill

[rond]

I 've shot 100's of rounds in my SBH with pachmayers and really don't have a problem with the recoil. The pachmayers aren't pretty but they work very well. The pretty grips are on my .41 BH, if you want less recoil try a .41 magnum.