44SP to replace 44mag?

[Lefty Red]

Ok, I have one more payment til my Ruger Flattop 44sp with the 4.75"ish barrel is out. Been shooting my buddy's and really taken a liken to it. It fits my hand and like to shoot it.

I have a 7.5" SBH in 44mag that is a good weapon. But its got a few things that need to be worked on, one cyclinder needs work, cyclinder movement, better rear sight. And I just don't want to put money in it. Would rather put that money into a GP100 or Standard Redhawk or a BH in 357mag or 45LC.

But for now, will the 44sp, with 200gr-240grs boolits running 950-1100 fps be enough for deer out to 75 yards? I am think yes. Most of my 44mag loads are only pushing 1200fsp max and I feel really good at taking a deer out to 100 yards with it! Is that speed too much for a 44SP? Am I trying to make a mag out of a spc?

Lefty

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The only question you should ask yourself with deer between the Special and the Magnum is how deep you want to put the boolit in the dirt bank behind the animal.

I've got Specials and Magnums and hot Special loads and everyday Magnum loads are similar. When I was in college I ran 22 gr of 2400 in the .44 Magnum all the time. My .44 Special Colt can handle 12 gr of Blue Dot, a very hot load almost 1100 fps. But I'm running 10 gr of Unique in my .44 Mag 99% of the time in my SBH and 5.2 gr of Bullseye 99% of the time in my .44 Special Colts. I prefer the lighter pistol and shoot the lighter gun almost all the time, my SBH tends to stay in the safe.

The Redhawk is much more comfortable to shoot heavy loads in and I used the Redhawk in IHMSA with 300 gr boolits with no fatigue to my wrist or hand -or to the gun.

That .44 Special Ruger Blackhawk is a great gun and I'll bet you'll be shooting it most of the time. It is completely adequate for deer.

[like it all]

I believe you'll find that most of us are loading our 44mags down to what one would consider hot 44 spl loads. I am using 10.5 grs of Unique with a 255gr SWC . It's chronied at 1138 av but is so easy to shoot in both the SBH and my Red hawk. Full boat magnum 44 loads are not necessary for most shooting.

[Lefty Red]

I guess I was just wanting someone else to confirm what I feel is true.

The "hunting load" I settled on for my 44mag was a 200gr XTP running at about 1100 fps. One, its about the only 44cal j-thing I can get off the shelf around here besides the 300gr non magnum XTP they keep for muzzleloaders. Two, its so damn accurate. Three, its easy to shoot all day long. Its nothing to shoot 100 rounds at a time, Paco's rule in affect.

[Clay M]

The only problem I have had with my Blackhawk .44spl is the front sight is too low for use with heavier bullets. I got Ruger to send me a new rear Micro sight and I filed the blade insert down to make it shoot heavier bullet to the point of aim.

[bhn22]

The 250 Keith, or 250 WFN will kill anything you can hit properly out to 100 yards or so.

[DougGuy]

The load seems alright, Ruger new model flattop .45 Colts can handle 23,000psi which is .45 ACP+P pressures, and they have thinner cylinders so yours would easily handle that much pressure. I don't know how accurate a 4 5/8" will be at 75yds.

[Clay M]

I keep my handgun hunting range to 50 yds with iron sights,but most shots are 100 ft here in the deep woods.

[Lefty Red]

I actually like a short barrel BH. I won't hunt with it unless I can keep the groups in a 2-3" area. I shoot with my back against a rest and sitting down and with arms supported by my knees/legs. Just like when I hunt. I am not a quick shot, I shoot three rounds in about two-three minutes. I focus on a single shot being placed where it needs to go. Here in SI, you don't really hunt deer, you just go shoot the damn things! And I like does over bucks, so I have plenty of targets to choose from. But I do not want animal to suffer due to my ego! If it doesn't give me a clean kill, I won't use it.

I have found out that I do have quicker follow up shots with a shorter barrel BH.

I am no pistolero, I just follow Paco's Rule-one round for every yard you plan on hunting. I have a 4" round "spinner" I picked up from Rural King and I set it up and when I can keep everything in the white middle area, I move it out and practice. Repeat.

For some reason, I never warmed up to the middle of the road 5.5" barrel. I either use the 4.75ish" or the 7.5" barrel. Weird.

Lefty

[Lefty Red]

I keep my handgun hunting range to 50 yds with iron sights,but most shots are 100 ft here in the deep woods.

In the woods, yep sounds about right!
I have a few spots where its on the edge of a field and from 50-75 yards.

[DaveCampbell]

I have both the 4 3/4-inch and 5 1/2-inch barreled FTs. The shorter one has a more-or-less permanent home in my pickup, but for some strange reason the 5 1/2-incher shoots better. I won't publish the load because it exceeds SAMMI specs, but it works well in my S&Ws, Rugers and my Colt SAA. It involved the Lyman 429421 and Unique. I have cleanly killed a whitetail at about 60 yards and two feral hogs at similar ranges with that same bullet backed by 14.5 grains of Alliant 2400 for about 1,200 fps. This load should only be used in modern revolvers like the newer S&Ws, Colt SAA (or New Frontier) and Rugers. I rarely use it anymore because I have a few .44 Mags. laying around for heavy-duty work.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Lefty : the fact that you actually know about Paco Kelly's rule of 100 shots for every 100 yards of distance and actually practice it,,, speaks volumes.

You'll be fine with that gun loaded down in the 900 fps range with either 220 or 240 gr boolits.

Like the guy said above , "how far into the dirt behind them do you want the boolit to go."

Randy

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Lefty, Weird you don't favor the 5 1/2". Me too. When I was a kid it had to be a 4 3/4" bbl., then I met a desperato -for cash who at the end of a 2 day gun show sold me a beautiful Colt 7 1/2" for a song. I could have been criminally charged for stealing it for the price I paid. Now I like my 7 1/2"'s too. Then my gunsmith gave me a 5 1/2" to sell to one of my cowboy shootin' buddies. I was an AWA with a 5 1/2" bbl. I'm a Colt guy but that 5 1/2" AWA was a very fine pistol with a wonderful balance. Weird.

[Dale53]

I have killed all of my deer with a .44 Magnum revolver (either an S&W Model 29 with 8 3/8" barrel or a Ruger Redhawk with a 7½" barrel). My standard practice load was a 250 gr Keith ahead of 23.0 grs of H110. It chronograph at 1200 fps. My hunting load was 24.0 grs of H110 and it chronographed at 1300 fps. One time, the night before a hunting trip I discovered that I had run out of the 24.0 grs hunting load. Since the revolver was sighted for the practice load, anyway, I just took that and hoped it would work well. My reasoning was that Elmer Keith used the .44 Special for years with those specs (a 250 gr Keith at 1200 fps) in a .44 Special.

As luck would have it, I stalked a nice ten point buck with a herd of does, and took him with one shot at 75 yards. He was facing me and challenging me (shaking his head and stomping his feet) probably because he couldn't really tell what I was as I was in camo (permitted when hunting a crop permit). He could only see my upper body over a very large patch of briars. At any rate, I shot him in the chest and when I field dressed him, I learned that the slug had gone full length of his body and into the hillside beyond. That is pretty amazing.

At any rate, 1200 fps with a 250 Keith DEFINITELY has enough penetration.

I am too old and feeble to drag a deer out of the woods these days, but I would NOT hesitate to use my Ruger Flattop .44 Special, loaded appropriately, to take a deer here in Ohio. Hunting regulations do require at least a five inch barrel, so I would use my 5½" model.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/DalesPistolsRevolvers4Selects-0392.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/DalesPistolsRevolvers4Selects-0392.jpg.html)

Reguarding bullets, I might also consider using a hollow point bullet, like these from a Mihec hollow point Keith mould:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/4DalesPistolsRevolversSelects-3330.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/4DalesPistolsRevolversSelects-3330.jpg.html)

FWIW
Dale53

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have some of those as well. Coolest boolit there is IMHO. I think they will expand completely at 650fps.

Randy

[redneckdan]

I had a 4" 629 when I acquired a 4 5/8 bisley flat top 44 spl. My brother in law now has the 629. I use the Keith load for hunting, the skeeter load for carry and a mild red dot / 200 gr HP load for plinking. I've had the bisley for about four years now and most of the bluing is worn of the sides of the barrel and cylinder. Should give you an idea how much action it sees.

[Larry in MT]

I guess I was just wanting someone else to confirm what I feel is true.

The "hunting load" I settled on for my 44mag was a 200gr XTP running at about 1100 fps. One, its about the only 44cal j-thing I can get off the shelf around here besides the 300gr non magnum XTP they keep for muzzleloaders. Two, its so damn accurate. Three, its easy to shoot all day long. Its nothing to shoot 100 rounds at a time, Paco's rule in affect.

I load the same bullet in my 4 5/8" FlatTop 44 Special to 1130 fps (Power Pistol). Under one inch @ 25 yards. Shoots to point of aim at that distance with the rear sight cranked all the way down.

I still like my 629 with 285 grain hardcasts @ 1235 fps for Griz protection; but other than that my Special gets all the use. I just got back from an Oregon Elk hunt where Black Bear have been a problem (ripped up our cook tent) and I used the Special as "camp gun" with 240 grain JHPs @ 1080 fps (2400).

[35 Whelen]

Ok, I have one more payment til my Ruger Flattop 44sp with the 4.75"ish barrel is out. Been shooting my buddy's and really taken a liken to it. It fits my hand and like to shoot it.

I have a 7.5" SBH in 44mag that is a good weapon. But its got a few things that need to be worked on, one cyclinder needs work, cyclinder movement, better rear sight. And I just don't want to put money in it. Would rather put that money into a GP100 or Standard Redhawk or a BH in 357mag or 45LC.

But for now, will the 44sp, with 200gr-240grs boolits running 950-1100 fps be enough for deer out to 75 yards? I am think yes. Most of my 44mag loads are only pushing 1200fsp max and I feel really good at taking a deer out to 100 yards with it! Is that speed too much for a 44SP? Am I trying to make a mag out of a spc?

Lefty

I bought a 5 1/2" Flat Top .44 Special earlier in the year. I wrung it out pretty good in regards to load development. I was really surprised at 1) how accurate an open sighted handgun could be at 100 yds. and 2) just how hot a .44 Special could be loaded. I ran a 260 gr. cast SWC up to a little over 1200 fps and stopped there figuring that was PLENTY:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Ruger%20Flat%20Top%20Blackhawk/429421100yds-ed_zps11ec5c24.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Ruger%20Flat%20Top%20Blackhawk/429421100yds-ed_zps11ec5c24.jpg.html)

I thought I'd hunt with the Flat Top, but have fallen in love with a little 4 3/4" Uberti .44 Special. I carry it around here constantly and shoot it often practicing religiously at 50 yds. A couple of weeks ago I took it out to the back of my place and shot a big ol' dry doe. I used a load similar to the Skeeter load only I use 7.5 grs. of AL 20/28 instead of Unique. It runs right at 950 fps. The old doe slipped out a little under 20 yds. from my brush blind. I shot her behind the right shoulder where the bullet slipped between two ribs, trashed the lungs, broke a rib on the far side, then exited the shoulder:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Doewithpistol1_zpsf93523e6.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Doewithpistol1_zpsf93523e6.jpg.html)

She gave up the ghost about 35 yds. away.

Shoot...who needs a .44 Magnum?

35W

[Oreo]

IIRC, Elmer Keith only lengthened the case of the magnum so that magnum loaded rounds wouldn't fit in older guns not made for magnum pressures. 44sp brass was more then up to the task.

[9.3X62AL]

Lefty Red et al.......

I posted similar text in another thread earlier today. Your 200 grain bullet running 1100 FPS is nearly identical ballistically to those of the most-blooded deer harvester in my gun safe--a Winchester '73 carbine in 44-40 WCF. It was a ranch gun on my great-grandfather's and grandfather's properties/leases, and took dozens of muleys during those years, and at least 2 black bears. It was conclusive in that tasking.

[Lefty Red]

Got to just smile at the 44 special's following. :)
One pistol that I will not be without.

Lefty

[Bret4207]

FWIW, I shot a Jersey cow twice in the head (she jerked her head as I shot the first round) a couple weeks back with a 429421 in front of 6.0 Unique out of a 3" Charter BD 44 Spec. Both shots went through the skull completely. That's a lot more bone than any deer will have and at only about 700-750 FPS. A warmer load is just more of the same but makes it easier to hit with a longer ranges. I would not hesitate to take a shot at a deer within 50 yards with my M24 with it's better sights with something doing 850 or so given a decent chance. The Charter isn't sighted well for longer ranges yet, hitting high and to the left as ranges increase. But it's so darn light and handy! I'm thinking a Wondersight might be worth attaching to it. But if a deer wandered by within 100 feet or so, even with the light load it would be meat with the Charter given a decent shot. Same for the 45AR with 250's at the same speeds. Those big caliber FN or SWC boolits at moderate speeds just plain work.

[WALLNUTT]

Dale53 What rubber grip is that? Is that a XR3 grip frame?

[ironhead7544]

Elmers load works just fine in my Flattops. Skeeters as well. I have the 5 and 1/2 inch. Also a 5 and 1/2 inch Super Blackhawk. If I HAD to keep just one it would be the Flattop. I would just shorten the large amount of 44 Mag brass I have.

I am thinking of getting a good IWB holster for the Flattop. Might switch over to it for CCW. It is just that good.

[bearstopper]

The 44 special flattops are winners for sure and mine is deadly accurate out at long range too. However, no reason to not have a magnum. I discovered the BFR shorty 44 magnum recently and picked one up. Tack driver out of the box and tame with even heavy loads. I do believe that it is the best 44 mag revolver that can be had for a reasonable price.

[Socal147]

I shoot my 45 70, 44 magnum, and 500 magnum at what most would consider extremely light loads. Who needs to cannon these rounds. Unless I am up against dangerous game, I will stick to cool running, heavy and slow boolits. Plenty of energy to tackle table fodder.

[Dale53]

WALLNUTT;
Somehow I missed your post. Those grips are Pachmayr grips made for the Colt Single Action Army. They are no longer made but there are still a few pair floating around. I got mine off Ebay for both my new Ruger Flattops. They are not a perfect fit but they work quite well. I wouldn't be without them.

FWIW
Dale53