How popular is 44 Special and how many of you shoot that cartridge?

[bedbugbilly]

I'm laid up due to some foot problems so just got to thinking about the 44 Special and how many shoot that particular cartridge? I have been a SA Cap & Ball shooter for years and I also have and shoot a number of vintage 38 specials. I would think the 38 spl. is probably one of the most popular cartridges - especially for re-loaders. Personally, I don't like shooting "magnum" cartridges and I pretty much load on the light side for my 38s as I would call myself a "plinker". I cast my own and the reloading is almost as much fun as the shooting for me. That said, I'm always looking for "new projects". I ran across a nice used SA Colt Clone that's chambered in 44 Special - to me, it would be a fun cartridge to re-load and also give me the option of using the 44 Russian cartridge if I decide to pick the SA up. But, I really don't she any experience with the 44 spl. other than to say "it's a larger version of the 38 special". :-) I like "historical cartridges" so I'm looking at the 44 spl/44 Russion as opposed to possibly something chambered in 45 Colt Long.

It seems like the majority of the threads I run across seem to be leaning towards "magnum cartridges" - i.e. 357, 44 mag, etc. I know a lot of folks like shooting those cartridges and that's fine - different stroke for different folks. It seems like when I look at different forums, I see more about the magnum cartridges but not a whole lot about the 44 special.

I'm just wondering how many are out there that roll their own 44 Specials (or 44 Russian) and that shoot them - either competition or for fun? I was considering 45 Colt Long but it seems to me that the 44 spl. would be just as rewarding? I'm sure there are some folks who shoot the 44 spl. for CAS, etc. - so can you give me an idea of your thoughts on that cartridge? Do you enjoy it as much as say a 38 spl or a 45 Colt?

Personally, I've never shot a 44 Spl or a 45 Colt Long. My only experience with either of those bores is 44 (Army caliber) cap and ball with BP and of course, the 45 ACP out of a 1911A1.

Again, I don't shoot competition but do enjoy plinking at paper, cans, lollipops, clays on a bard, etc. I just am wondering if I should go with the 44 spl. or consider a 45 Colt SA? For those that shoot either the 44 or the 45, your thoughts please? Of course with either cartridge, I'd probably be loading with smokeless and black powder.

Many thanks!

[tazman]

My 44 mag taught me that I can't handle big magnum handguns. My hands and wrists just won't take it.
It also taught me that the 44 special is pleasant to shoot in a good pistol. I shot way more 44 special than I ever did magnum loads.
You can easily load a 44 special down to mouse fart loads if you wish. Great for plinking or target shooting.
Also very good for home defense with the proper load.

[44man]

Oh yes, great gun. I profess to liking large for hunting but the special is ,well, special. Just fine for deer and the only reason I don't have one is I can't afford more guns!
Go for it, you will not be sorry.

[shorty500M]

every true bigbore revolver fan should have at least one .44 special

[WARD O]

I believe that all the rounds I have put through the 44 special truely helped me learn how to shoot the 44 mag with good accuracy. Do I like the 44 special?? Yes, very much! Enough to have half a dozen or so....

I have had better success with the special than I have with the 45 Colt. I have had good accuracy across the board velocity & bullet weight wise with the special while the Colt has only given me that accuracy with heavier loads. (I don't know that that is the cartridge but likely more the revolvers I happen to own.)

ward

[phonejack]

I had a "Lipseys "for several years now. I use a 240kt at 875-900' Lots of fun

[nagantguy]

Love the special its fun to shoot accurate and a heck of a good self defense round. Its strange though because I read all the time about how much power you need to kill deer an hogs the big magnum stuff but the critters I've shot with the special seem to call over quite dead.

[Texas Tinker]

I love my specials, both 38 and 44. One of my 44 specials is my c.c. handgun. I find it easier to get accurate loads that are plenty stout enough to get the job done with out blasting my ear drums , smashing my wrist or singing the hair off close targets :-)

[22 rifle]

son you need one!the 44 special is the class of the old time big bore rounds.it's not a high volume round but you'll find out that it's used a lot by people who really like revolvers and know their way around the different rounds.you can load it down to 700 fps for target and up to 1200 fps for any big game in the lower 48 states.almost all of the guns chambered in 44 special are high quality revolvers.the round is real accurate in a good gun and can handle 95% of what you use a handgun for.with the right loads it can take small game without blowing it apart and big game with no problem.also makes a fine home protection piece.mine are keepers.i intend to enjoy them for as long as the Lord gives me.

[lonewelder]

Grab it and don't look back.if you like 38spl you will like 44spl.it can be a kitty cat target load or can be loaded to take deer or stop a threat.the 44spl in a saa is about perfect

[Lefty Red]

BH 44 Special is awesome!
Its a great caliber and should be more popular than it is.

Jerry

[Duster340]

Always loved big bore pistols, especially the .44 Mag. Been shooting/hunting with an old Super Blackhawk since the mid 80's and always had a hankering for a
"Special". When looking for a small big bore revolver to carry when fishing, hiking and playing in the woods with my wife and kids, I settled on a CA Bulldog .44 Special. My first experience with the .44 Special proved to live up to the mystique and cult like following (consider me a member now LOL). The cartridge is remarkably accurate and a joy to re-load. No it's not a high capacity weapon, and No the slugs aren't traveling at bazillion FPS, but the old round will "get er done". Yes. I am hooked on the old .44 Special!

Off Hand and 21 feet, 5 shot group. (yep, I pulled a shot ;-( )

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/emandm/Hunting/IMG_0254_zps6f9b6c03.jpg (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/Hunting/IMG_0254_zps6f9b6c03.jpg.html)

240 gr PFP and 214 gr Lee 429-214-swc

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/emandm/Hunting/IMG_0271_zpsca67e5ed.jpg (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/Hunting/IMG_0271_zpsca67e5ed.jpg.html)

Boolits lubed and ready to load!

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/emandm/Hunting/IMG_0266_zps8c7567cc.jpg (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/Hunting/IMG_0266_zps8c7567cc.jpg.html)


Be well folks

[Guesser]

I have three revolvers chambered for 44 Special. I only have one chambered for 44 Magnum.

[williamwaco]

I have owned several.

It is a fabulous cartridge.

Load a 240 gr SWC to about 800 fps and it is pleasant to shoot and plenty powerful.

[duke76]

Awesome round, I find my self shooting my 44 special more than my 44 mags and if I do shoot my 44 mags it is with 44 special rounds love my lipseys blackhawk

[jrmartin1964]

.44 Special. You need one.
104718
Jim

[Don Purcell]

Yep, have two and probably need another one or two before it's all over.

[chsparkman]

I got my first .44 special a year ago for Christmas. It's a Lipsey's Bisley flat top. It is very pleasant to shoot with medium loads, much more pleasant than my .44 magnum. I'm still working on dialing in the perfect load for it, but so far Bullseye has given me my best groups.

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have a couple of .44Spl revolvers and the cartridge has become a favorite of mine.
I started out with a stainless Taurus 5- shot DA revolver that became a favorite of my teenage son.
I was so impressed with the cartridge that when the Lipsey's announced the flat top Ruger Blackhawk several years ago, I went out the very next day and ordered one.
I have a pretty strong suspicion that there will be more .44Spl revolvers in my future.

[MT Gianni]

I have had a 44 special since the late 90's and a 44 mag or two for a lot longer. I shoot both about as often.

[Patrick L]

Yup I do. I have a Smith 24-3, and a 4 screw pre 29. I only run about one box of moderate magnums a year through the pre 29. I definitely like to baby her. She and the 24-3 see thousands of light specials though. Just a great round!

[Frank46]

I have exactly one 44 mag ruger redhawk. I have three 44 specials, 624 with 6.5" bbl, 24-3 with 3" bbl and a 24-3 with 4" bbl. Saw the 624 first and the rest just happened along. Love the 44 special. Frank

[Petrol & Powder]

Bedbugbilly - I too share your desire to avoid the magnums. I can shoot the magnums and own a few but I have no great affinity for them. I recently decided to return to the 44 Special after a long break from big bore revolvers. Economics drove me to the far more common 44 magnum platform but I predominately shoot 44 Special cartridges in that gun. I always liked the 44 Special and I re-discovered what a fun round it is. Soft shooting, accurate and easy to reload. The 44 Special will never replace the 38 special and 9mm in my house but it is here to stay this time.

[Vulcan Bob]

The thing I like about the .44 Special is that it is sort of like the .45 ACP, just enough to get the job done but not too much to be a handful. My standard load for it is a Lyman 250gr 429421 using Power Pistol at 900 fps or so depending on the gun. what is a bit surprising at least to me is how many shooters have never heard of the .44 Special.

[rintinglen]

104748104749

I currently have three, and have had several (4, IIRC) others, and while most of them failed to live up to expectations--Skeeter, Elmer and those guys told me that the 44 Special was magic in brass--I have to say my Ruger Flat Top greatly exceeds my expectations. It is the most accurate 44 special I've ever shot or owned, and one of the three most accurate revolvers of any caliber I've ever shot. I heartily endorse getting one of the Rugers. Much more fun than a 44 magnum. If you can shoot a 1911 45, a 44 Special will be a piece of cake.

[Char-Gar]

I have never been much of a 44 Special fan. I have owned a dozen or so over the years, but have only held onto one. A 1933 Hand Ejector that has been customized by Micro at some point. It is a nice shooting handgun.

I much prefer the 44 Magnum, but I very seldom shoot magnum loads in mine, preferring to keep the velocity to below 1,000 fps. Very mild shooting and accurate load.

[smkummer]

Easy to load, many boolit options including several cast, power options from lovingly mild to enough to drop deer cleanly so what else do you need to know? My fun range load is with either bullseye or 700X sending either the Lee 200 FP bullet or Lyman's keith 245 grain bullet out at about 700 FPS and its deadly on V8 cans at 25 yards. Mild in my Colt 5 1/2 SAA. Skeeter's load of unique and the 245 Keith bullet going out at over 900 FPS is about as powerful as I load as 2 hands is needed for comfort with a SAA grip frame.

[atr]

I shoot more .44 spl in my Ruger than I do .44Mag....
240 gr at maybe 800fps

[buckwheatpaul]

I really admire the 44 special....since I have a ton of 44 mag. brass I load at 44 special velocity....I carried a S&W 29 on the streets for years until the DPD became kinder and gentler......the 44 special will do anything 99.999% of anything you need it to do....it harvests deer, hogs, and other animals.....it is a good defender round (bigger is better)....recoil is great and a joy to shoot.....it is not obsolete......only getting better IMHO!

[GLL]

Everyone should own at least one .44 Special revolver!
Shooting a pre-war HE is a real joy ! :)

http://www.fototime.com/DB2FB904F454895/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8D96587AC4167C5/large.jpg

Jerry

[GLL]

A modern Model 24-3, 624, or 696 is more common and much easier on the wallet ! :)

http://www.fototime.com/BD3F088AF759890/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/7F853C0A15741E4/orig.jpg

Jerry

[theperfessor]

I have more revolvers in .44 Spl than any other caliber. For fun, self defense, and almost any other legitimate handgun use a .44 Spl can do it.

Edit it add: My avatar shows me holding my winter carry gun, an alloy frame hammerless L frame S&W in .44 Spl. It has all the recoil I ever want. Can't imagine a magnum level load in this size gun!

[screamingjohnny]

I have enjoyed the 44 specials that I have shot and would highly recommend it.

[40-82]

A couple years ago I picked up a 2nd model hand ejector in 44 Special with the relatively hard find five-inch barrel. The young gunsmith doing the paperwork for the gunbroker transfer told me that it was a rare cartridge. I didn't realize that, but thinking about it I suppose he's right. Before WWII in the 44 Special's most famous period Smith & Wesson made very few of them compared to 38 Specials and Colt made even fewer. I always figured that the vast majority of serious field gunners in that day had at least used the cartridge, or knew quite a bit about it even if some of them did prefer the 45 Colt or the 45 ACP. Since 1956 the 44 magnum has supplanted the old 44 Special, but unless you're doing something that particularly calls for the magnum I'd rather use the 44 Special. One of the great things about the 44 Special seems to be that its not touchy as to what loads it requires. Just about any shotgun powder seems to shoot well enough in the 44 Special to use, something I can't always say about the 45 Colt.

[azrednek]

As I age I've become more recoil sensitive. I've learned to love 44 Special as I can shoot it for hours without the fatigue and flinching from shooting a large amount of mags. Just doesn't make sense to beat yourself up shooting large numbers of mag loads to punch holes in paper or kill tin cans. I usually end my shooting session by shooting a couple cylinders of mag loads.

I'm some what embarrassed by the short supply of 44 Special brass. I simply use 44 Spec data in mag brass. If there is a difference in accuracy shooting 44 Spec loads in mag brass compared to Spec brass. I haven't seen it on paper.

That's my 44 Special on top after I replaced the horrible looking factory grips. It was a Christmas present given to me.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/sig-grips007_zps859a1831.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/sig-grips007_zps859a1831.jpg.html)

[GLL]

azrednek:

I would enjoy seeing more photos of your very nice looking nickel .44 Special !
Is it a pre-Model 24? What is its history?

Beautiful grips !

Jerry

[W.R.Buchanan]

GLL: what is the exact model of the Stainless S&W snubby with the Ivory Micarta grips in your above post,,, and do you want to sell it?

I want one like that!

Randy

[Aunegl]

I've been shooting a Taurus 441 3", since the early 90s. I've noticed when I've taken women to the range, they loved shooting the gun. I make sure I have 50 rounds on hand, for my female guest.

[alamogunr]

I've got two .44 Spec, a S&W Model 696 and a converted S&W Model 28. I happen to be working up loads with several boolits right now.

I've got two .44 Mag. Both are Ruger BH. One is the Super with the square back trigger guard. If I don't get it made into something else, I'll probably never shoot it again. My middle finger can't take it and I don't want to wrap it or the glove enough to be comfortable. The other one just sits there because I had rather shoot other guns.

[44Vaquero]

I load quite a bit of .44 special brass for my Vaquero and my 1894 Winchester carbine. It's still got plenty of punch and does not scare the bejesus out of those who are recoil sensitive.

[Outpost75]

I have never gotten as good accuracy from the several .44 Specials I have owned over the years, as I have from .38 Special and .45 ACP revolvers. The .44 Specials have all gone away, but the .38 and .45 revolvers have all been keepers for me. I sold my 5-inch .44 Special 3rd Model Hand Ejector for a Model 1950 .45 ACP and never looked back.

[Kraschenbirn]

Not counting my Marlin 1894, I own three .44s - M24 and M29 S&Ws and an OM Vaquero - but, other than in the levergun, I don't believe I've fired a .44 Mag in the last 12 months.

Bill

[Petrol & Powder]

My only complainant about the 44 Special has nothing to do with the cartridge but rather the cult-like status that it has recently obtained.
Double action 44 Special revolvers like the Model 24 or 624 command much higher prices than the far more common 44 Magnum examples. I believe the 44 Special an extremely versatile cartridge with a very wide range of applications. Unfortunately, S&W DA 44 Specials have become very special in the market.

I would prefer the shorter cylinder and tapered barrel of a Model 24 or old Hand Ejector but the prices of those types of guns have generally outstripped the 44 Magnum models. In a strong revolver, the 44 Special can do most of what the 44 mag is routinely called upon to do. I liken it to the comparison of the .30-06 to the .308 Win. At all but the longest ranges with the heaviest bullets, the .308 can do what the 06 can do and do it with a shorter (therefore lighter) action.
Can the .30-06 outperform the .308 at extreme ranges? Sure, but when is that little extra actually needed?
I believe the same is true for the 44 Special. The magnum can outperform the special at the extreme end of the spectrum but when is that really needed?
I will admit that factory 44 Special cartridges are a bit anemic. Hand loaded 44 Specials can address all of the perceived failings of the factory cartridges; I just wish the guns themselves weren't considered "Cult" guns.

[azrednek]

azrednek:

I would enjoy seeing more photos of your very nice looking nickel .44 Special! Is it a pre-Model 24? What is its history? Beautiful grips ! Jerry

My apologies, I can not get a decent photo using the flash on the nickel plated surface. I'll try again day after tomorrow using sunlight. Tomorrow I'll be tied up, sprang a leak at one of my rentals.

It is a Model 24-6 from the Smith and Wesson Classic series. I'd give my right you-know-what for a pre-24 that looked that good!! The grips came from a manufacture located in Thailand but I just can't seem to find his website at the moment.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/P1010095_zpsaebbe4b5.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/P1010095_zpsaebbe4b5.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/P1010094_zps0b5ace5c.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/P1010094_zps0b5ace5c.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/P1010093_zps79da5dcc.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/P1010093_zps79da5dcc.jpg.html)

[shoot-n-lead]

I love the 44 special...

And, those mid frame Ruger single actions are just SWEET.

I have been shooting the special just as long as the 44mag and 45colt...and it has always been my "go to" cartridge...it will do whatever I need to do...and be a sweet heart while doing it.

Matter of fact, the 44mag and the 45colt have pretty much been relegated to safe duty now as I prefer the 44 special for what I do.

Get one...you will never regret it.

[9.3X62AL]

I've re-configured my handgun loading regimen over the past several months, and did away with the 10mm--the 41 Magnum--and the 44 Special entirely. Regs got much more restrictive for my CCW since HR 218 came about, and the 44 Magnum and 45 Colt can handle my large-bore revolver venues quite well. These 3 chamberings became superfluous to me.

Specific to the 44 Magnum, I have a lever rifle and a Redhawk so chambered, and will seek a Model 29/629 x 4" soon as a supplement. The 4" 29 is an utter delight with Magnum cases charged to "Skeeter's Load" specs, a "44 Special +P" of sorts that uses 7.5 grains of Unique in Special cases/8.2 grains of Unique in the maggies under Lyman's #429421 or similar SWC. Velocities run about 900-975 FPS depending on barrel length. 44 Special ballistics are VERY useful and quite enjoyable, I just go about getting there from a different direction now.

[35 Whelen]

I confess to owning four .44 Special revolvers; 3 Uberti's ('72 Open Top, 4 3/4" & 5 1/2" Colt Repro's) and a S&W Model 24-3 in 4". Also a Uberti 1873 Lever in .44 Special. Can't say enough good about them. Whacked three deer with the 4 3/4" last year.

Oh yeah, also own one .44 (YAWN) Magnum for which I find little to no use.

35W

[Patrick L]

OK I already replied but felt guilty after I saw all the pics you guys posted.

The 24-3, with Ahrends grips
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pistols/GunStuff108.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/patrickl_01/media/Pistols/GunStuff108.jpg.html)

And the pre 29
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29011.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/patrickl_01/media/Pre%2029/Pre29011.jpg.html)

[dougader]

I've been more of a 45 Colt fan, but had to get one of the Ruger Bisley revolvers that Lipsey's commissioned. It's great on the medium frame.

This one was included in Max Prasac's book, Gun Digest Book of Ruger Revolvers: The Definitive History.

http://singleactions.proboards.com/thread/12128/digest-ruger-revolvers-definitive-history

http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Digest-Book-Ruger-Revolvers-ebook/dp/B00GFT7ZT4?tag=533643275-20

http://steelheader.smugmug.com/photos/i-wvtNzp2/0/M/i-wvtNzp2-M.jpg

[GLL]

dougader:

Beautiful photo !

I also picked up the exact same revolver .
It is the only Ruger I own and it is a great shooter :)

Jerry

[white eagle]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v730/kempobb/pix648828574.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/kempobb/media/pix648828574.jpg.html),
here is mine a blackhawk bisley flat top 4.5"
its a gem to shoot and accurate I can hit a 6x9" plate 50% of the time at 50 yds.
a joy to carry and well special

[Wally]

I like this caliber very much. I have a Model 24, but prefer shooting it in the Ruger Superblackhawk. I have found I get 50+FPS more velocity with it vs. the S & W. A fantastic load for me is a Lee 208 WC with 6.0 grains of Bullseye. As Lee has discontinued that mold, the Lee 214 SWC is a very good substitute.

[azrednek]

Sorry I promised more pictures a couple days ago. Here it is again with natural light.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/80a7ad54-3625-464b-8ee0-82e9aeb52d4d_zps887386f1.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/80a7ad54-3625-464b-8ee0-82e9aeb52d4d_zps887386f1.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/73b5f231-710b-4b9c-8253-f61de7dad49a_zpsd9aebbef.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/73b5f231-710b-4b9c-8253-f61de7dad49a_zpsd9aebbef.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/7402cb22-5ad5-4272-a6eb-c691ce603b2f_zps447719e8.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/7402cb22-5ad5-4272-a6eb-c691ce603b2f_zps447719e8.jpg.html)

I still haven't located the grip maker's website. I'll look some more and edit it in. As you can see the grips are not perfect but much more attractive than the press wood garbage S&W currently installs. Despite this being from the S&W Classic Series, it comes with the Mickey Mouse lock. I'm very tempted to remove the lock and replacing it with the buttons currently being sold. I also consider the revolver as some what of an investment to be passed to my Grandson. Keeping it as original as possible is what will make it valuable 30-40 years from now.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/19ec50e0-6f88-4f09-9c5d-94be21e168af_zps4c246ab5.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/19ec50e0-6f88-4f09-9c5d-94be21e168af_zps4c246ab5.jpg.html)

[azrednek]

Here is the grip manufacture. He is located in Thailand, accepts PayPal and grips arrive apx 10-14 days. If you don't see what you want he will take custom orders but only if he has the gun on hand. I ordered the grips in my pictures by telling him I want the same type and color wood as number XX cut the same as S&W N-frame checkered target grips. Took about 30 days for the first order. My second order was delayed due to a flood. He initiated contact with me, advising me of the flood and offered a refund if I did not want to wait an additional 4-6 weeks. He is also an Ebay seller but his prices are a bit better direct from his website. If you have a custom project in mind contact him via his website and not in the Ebay messenger.
http://grandblue-grips.com/index.php

[azrednek]

A fantastic load for me is a Lee 208 WC with 6.0 grains of Bullseye. As Lee has discontinued that mold, the Lee 214 SWC is a very good substitute.

I use the same 208 WC preferring a 4.5 gr load of Bullseye as I also shoot it in a Charter Arms Bulldog.

I really wish I had ordered the 6-banger 44 wadcutter mold the short time it was available. I found the 6 cavity 44 mold on Lee's close out page along with 41 and 45 cal wad cutter molds but was to late on the 44's. I did get several 41's and 454 sized 45 cal wad cutter molds. I made a killing on the discontinued WC molds on Ebay about 2 years ago. I got over a hundred alone for a 2 cavity, 210gr 41 cal WC.

Money talks and BS walks but I really think Lee made a mistake discontinuing all their full wad cutter molds except for the 38/357.

[enfieldphile]

Older gent walking around the gun show had this. The dealers insulted him by offereing the loose change in their pocket for the gun. He had it priced right, I jumped on it! A very sweet .44 Special from the late 80's.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q228/ultramag44/624%20SW/624SampWb_zpsc7071636.jpg http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q228/ultramag44/624%20SW/624SampWa_zpse7d7a85d.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q228/ultramag44/624%20SW/624SampWc_zps3fa11edd.jpg

[azrednek]

A very sweet .44 Special from the late 80's.

"Very Sweet" is definitely an understatement. You are indeed a lucky man to have landed the gem.


The dealers insulted him by offereing the loose change in their pocket for the gun.

I'm sure of any us that has walked through a gunshow with something for sale or trade. Have had to deal with the insulting offers. I don't mind hard core, back and forth negotiations but some of the offers I've had over the years. Just simply insult my intelligence and it is easier to walk away than to listen to their BS. Even worse, when they have a cohort next to them. "That's more than I'd pay" or "its a very fair offer".

[NWPilgrim]

.44 Special is great! I also like shooting .44 mag in my M29 Mtn Gun. At least half the time I am shooting light to medium loads. I am thinking my next handgun will be a .44 Special Blackhawk. Or a .45 convertible.

[Forrest r]

It's going to be the summer of love.

105362

That 624 is a dream to shoot & will chew the x-ring out of an NRA 25yd slow fire target with those cast Mihec hbwc's.

This summer I plan on doing some extensive testing with a couple of other hb bullets.
The Lyman 429422, a 220gr swc hb boolit.

105363

And A Raphine 430212, a 192gr fn hb boolit.

105364

The 44spl has been my favorite cartridge/caliber for decades owning several model 24's & charter arms bulldogs over the years. Shot countless 1000's of the old Lyman 429348 wc's in them along with a bunch of the 429421's. Can't say enough good about the 44spl, they have excellent accuracy that will rival the 38spl & hit as hard as the 45acp if need be.

Another boolit that I wanted to give a workout in the 44spl, the h&g #142 200gr swc hp.

105366

forrest r

[Wayne Smith]

Forrest, all of your links are invalid on my iPad.

[azrednek]

Forrest, all of your links are invalid on my iPad.

I can't open them as well.

[Reverend Al]

I'd always wanted a .44 Special in a DA Smith, but old triple locks and hand ejectors chambered in the cartridge are a scarce commodity up here in the "Great White North". When S&W re-issued the 624's I jumped on it and bought a 6 & 1/2" and a 4" ASAP. A few years later I "fell" into another 6 & 1/2" for a song and so I bought it just to have as a spare. They all shoot way better than I can hold them offhand and they seem to shoot any combination of bullet and powder that I tried. I loaded up a bunch of test loads with Red Dot, Bullseye, 700X, 231 Win, etc. and just ended up with a fist full of targets that all looked the same!
I love all 3 of those guns and the cartridge they are chambered in and have "hoarded up" a life-time supply of brass to keep 'em running for years to come ...
:Fire:

[Forrest r]

Dang!!! I have no idea why the pics didn't upload from the computer.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/624ampammo_zps84ecde61.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/624ampammo_zps84ecde61.jpg.html)

The lyman 429422 hb swc's

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/422close_zpsd6ff2cd2.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/422close_zpsd6ff2cd2.jpg.html)

Raphine fn hb boolits


http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/raphinehb192s_zps25831299.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/raphinehb192s_zps25831299.jpg.html)

The h&g 142 hp's

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/200grhps_zps8d0f7899.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/200grhps_zps8d0f7899.jpg.html)

[bedbugbilly]

I want to thank everybody for their kind responses to my post - it's greatly appreciated! After this many responses, I'm beginning to think that there are a lot of .44 Special "closet shooters" out there! I didn't really realize so many enjoyed the cartridge from what I was seeing on other posts, etc.

You all have pretty much convinced me that I need to give the .44 Spl. a try. I located one used SA Colt Clone but I backed off due to condition of it. Now I'll start looking seriously to see what I can run across. Right now, I'm thinking that I'd like a SA with a Bisley frame/grip. I have never shot a Bisley but have heard lost's of folks who love them. Will just have to see what I can run across whenI start looking. Cimarron also offers a Bisley model in .44 so that would be another option along with a Ruger.

Thank you all again for you kind responses and "educating me" on the .44 Spl. It's greatly appreciated! Now to get serious about it!

[Duster340]

Hey Forrestr. What mould are you using to throw those WC boolits? Been looking for one but nothing seems to be out there.

Thanks!

[luvtn]

Look in your local pawn shops as well as gun stores. You can find some good deals. Good luck in your quest. I have a Charter Bulldog that is my carry gun/woods gun, but have both the Redhawk and Super Blackhawk from Ruger.
luvtn

[canyon-ghost]

105521 The Flattop in my avatar is my 44 Special. New Model Blackhawk to the younger crowd.

[shoot-n-lead]

Already posted to the thread, but I just got another one...might try to take the new off it this weekend.

But, I kinda hate for it to lose the "unfired" status...not really.

105522

[GLL]

Duster340:

Take a lot at Tom's catalog at Accurate Molds !
He offers a wide selection of .44 WC molds and has designed four different ones for me.

http://www.fototime.com/8F95495D13D5995/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/9C41CB68988B17F/standard.jpg

http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php

Jerry

[Forrest r]

Hey Forrestr. What mould are you using to throw those WC boolits? Been looking for one but nothing seems to be out there.

Thanks!

Those are cast hbwc's from a Mihec mold. Any of the custom mold makers have excellent molds/designs, I just like the hbwc's & hb molds in general. A pic of the Mihec hbwc, the one flattened out next to the dime was shot out of a snub nosed charter arms bulldog using a full house load of power pistol.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/44hbwcaround.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/44hbwcaround.jpg.html)

Forrest r

[GLL]

I also have the Mihec HBWC that Forrest r illustrates.
I second his recommendation ! It is a great bullet in the S&W 696.44 Special.

Jerry

[Duster340]

GLL,

Thanks for the info...That mold's a Beaut!!

Be well.



Duster340:

Take a lot at Tom's catalog at Accurate Molds !
He offers a wide selection of .44 WC molds and has designed four different ones for me.

Jerry

[Duster340]

Thanks GLL...Again! :smile:


I also have the Mihec HBWC that Forrest r illustrates.
I second his recommendation ! It is a great bullet in the S&W 696.44 Special.

Jerry

[Duster340]

Hey Forrest r, Thanks for the quick reply. Nice expansion...loaded base up?

Thanks again!


Those are cast hbwc's from a Mihec mold. Any of the custom mold makers have excellent molds/designs, I just like the hbwc's & hb molds in general. A pic of the Mihec hbwc, the one flattened out next to the dime was shot out of a snub nosed charter arms bulldog using a full house load of power pistol.

[azrednek]

Been better than 20 years since I launched any hot wadcutters out of my Bulldog. I do recall seeing signs of key-holeing past 20-25 or so yards. Back when I got my first Bulldog a short time after their introduction. I had a box of what were then named Herter's Half-Jacket bullets. I did recover one from loose damp sand and it mushroomed perfectly. I know this is a Cast Boolit board but I'd love to get my hands on some of those old Half-Jackets for the rare times I do carry my Bulldog. Don't know how well I could handle the recoil today. No where near as well I'm sure as I did in my 20's.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bedbugbilly: your best bet is to find a dealer that deals with Lipsey's. Lipsey's has all of the cool versions of the Ruger guns simply because they commission Ruger to build those guns exclusively for them.

I got my Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special from Williams Gunshop Auburn in Auburn Michigan 989-239-3030,,, Talk to Kevin Williams, and tell him I sent you.

You can either go the Bisley route like I did or the Conventional Ruger Blackhawk version like pictured above in either Stainless or Blued. If anyone can get what you want it will be Kevin!

Should be right around $500 for either one.

You won't be disappointed in any of the above choices and I'm sure many here will pile on to agree with me on that point.

The other choices are a scarce DA 696 or 624/24 Smith or a DA Charter Arms Bulldog with the latter being much easier to find and afford.

I personally have got my feelers out for a 696, but they are a very scarce item in todays market.

Good Luck and I hope you find something to shoot soon as this thread will burn a hole in your pocket. [smilie=w:

Randy

[Combat Diver]

Add me to the list of .44 SPL owners. Still have a CA 3" Bulldog that I picked up used in the mid 80s. At one time I did have a Smith 29-2 in .44 Mag but gave that to my son (I prefer the .41 Mag at full or special velocities). I do like the looks of the new Smith Model 69 5 shot L framed .44 Mag however. Just wish they make the same gun in .41 Mag :p


CD

[Bagdadjoe]

105792 Charter Arms Bulldog at 25 yds.

105794 10 rounds at 25 yds. from the Cimarron I just picked up. I haven't done anthing to it. I general hit to the left until I regulate my 66 yr old eyeballs :-)
I'm in the market for another Special. I also have two .45 Colts which are fun too...but this one is "special".

Bottom target was rotated when posted for some reason...I'm actually hitting left, not low.

[odis]

I would have posted this before but I just recently entered the 1990s anf figured out how to post pics. Horton 624 50rds slow DA at 25 yards. Great gun.

[Duster340]

Nice shooting fellas.

[PWS]

I picked up one of the new Smith 69's and sure wish it was a Special. I even asked S&W about getting another cylinder but Smith said all parts are currently going into production.

In the meantime, I'm sure loving my Flat Top Blackhawk.

[patrick_ford]

I have one if the earlier Lipsey versions of the .44 special Ruger Blackhawk. I love that gun. It is handy, accurate and is capable of light target loads to heavy hunting loads with a little judicious bullet and powder selection. My only issue is I sometimes feel like I have to pick between a .44 special and a .45 colt cartridge as my favorite, but they are both just too good to pick one over the other.

It would be nice to have more .44 special options, but at least we have the few excellent choices available nowadays without requiring custom work.

[azrednek]

I have one if the earlier Lipsey versions of the .44 special Ruger Blackhawk. I love that gun. It is handy, accurate and is capable of light target loads to heavy hunting loads with a little judicious bullet and powder selection.

""I really wish somebody, one of the data publishers work on some Ruger Only 44 Special loads the same as they did with 45 Colt.""


My only issue is I sometimes feel like I have to pick between a .44 special and a .45 colt cartridge as my favorite, but they are both just too good to pick one over the other.

""If you're like me its like picking out your favorite grand kid. My favorite is always the one I'm using. If times were hard, I had to sell out to pay bills and only keep one. I'd lose plenty of sleep trying to decide.""


It would be nice to have more .44 special options, but at least we have the few excellent choices available nowadays without requiring custom work.

If you're thinking of the availability of bullet molds. I don't believe 45 cal really offers much more than 44. Seems like 44 has nearly if not as many different options for molds. Just my personal preference is a gas checked 240 for 44 mag and a 200 through 210 bare bottomed for 44 Special. Most my 44 Specials I use a RNF as it cycles really good in my Rossi lever action. I also shoot plenty of the discontinued Lee button nosed full wadcutter in both 44's. A mild load of apx 4 or 5 grs of Bullseye prints some pretty tight clusters on paper.

[1989toddm]

Awesome round, I find my self shooting my 44 special more than my 44 mags and if I do shoot my 44 mags it is with 44 special rounds love my lipseys blackhawk

Do you have any buildup of powder residue in the cylinder due to a shorter shell?

[marlin39a]

The .44 Spl is my favorite cartridge for the Blackhawk. I have owned several .44 Magnums, and always down-loaded them. I shoot the Lyman 244215GC over 5.0 gr Titegroup for 875 FPS out of my 5 1/2" Blackhawk.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have seen more new .44 Special Revolvers in the last several years than all my previous years combined. When Ruger brought out the flattop in .44 Special, it kind of opened the door for others like S&W to compete. Charter Arms Bulldogs have always been around and now there is even several versions of that gun. I believe that Colt is offering the SAA in .44 Special currently as well. Ruger still has the most variations on the theme and Lipsey's is the outfit that has been driving the resurgence of that platform with innovative choices.

The problem with the .44 Magnum cartridge in a handgun is that unless you are Hercules you aren't going to be able to shoot full power loads enough to get any good with it. If you aren't going to shoot full power loads then you can do anything else with .44 Specials. This is one of the big selling points of guns chambered in .44 Magnum,,, usually you can shoot both cartridges in these guns.

If you get a copy of Handloader #236 (Aug 2005) Brian Pearce did the premier article on loading the .44 Special.

This and issue # 237 (Oct 2005) which contains Mid Range loads for the .44 Magnum are absolute "Must Have Issues" for the .44 shooter. $10 well spent! :mrgreen:

#236 has over 100 different loads from 200 gr lead boolits at 800 fps to 300 gr lead boolits at 1050 fps and everything in between, in three different pressure categories to suit any brand of .44 Revolver. There are 250 gr loads up to 1100-1200 fps and as we know that is very close to what you can do with the .44 Magnum. Close enough for most any intended use.

Just buying these back issues will open your eyes as to what can be accomplished with this caliber. And there is plenty enough data out there to literally keep you busy for many many years.

Then ,,, when you get into casting Boolits, there are literally dozens of boolit moulds out there to choose from and experiment with. "44Man" has the most impressive collection at about 30 different styles that I have seen. I only have 6, but one mould can turn out 3 different styles of HP boolit and one solid. :lovebooli

One last point. If you get a Marlin 1894 CB in .44 Magnum it will feed Specials just fine. (I recommend the CB version, either rifle (24") ,,, or short rifle (20") as they have Ballard style rifling, as opposed to Microgroove on other variations.) This will bump both your accuracy and velocity a bunch. Any Boolit you load will still be short enough to function correctly thru this action. 300 gr boolits at 1050fps from a 4" revolver using 15.5 gr of H110, will be more like 1400 to 1500 fps from the rifle.

This sheds a little more light on this cartridge now don't it? :holysheep

Randy

[alamogunr]

If you don't want to wait for a back issue of Handloader, I believe that article is here:

http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/

It is toward the bottom of the list. Aug-Sept 2005

A lot of info and history in the other articles listed.

[Duster340]

Thanks for the link alamogunr.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto: Lots of good info there and I now have the Brian Pearce article in three places. the mag, a copy of the article, and this thread.

Randy

[Baja_Traveler]

With a 245gr RCBS Keith and 4.5 grains of trail boss this Colt is just a sweetheart to shoot, and is my favorite revolver by far...

http://www.pbase.com/baja_traveler/image/153559236.jpg

[DaveCampbell]

Here's my pair of pennies on the subject: http://www.americanhunter.org/blogs/why-i-love-44-special

[Petrol & Powder]

These days I spend most of my range time with something loaded with 38 Specials but I also enjoy shooting 44 Specials occasionally. While there are plenty of DA revolvers chambered in 38 Special as opposed to the longer .357 magnum the same is not true for the 44 Special. On top of the limited availability, good quality 44 Special DA revolvers command a premium. For whatever reason(s) the manufacturers seem to favor the 44 magnum chambering over the 44 Special. I wish it was different but it's not; so I settled for a 44 magnum and shoot 44 special loads out of it. I don't think I'm alone in wishing S&W would make more 44 Special revolvers or that Ruger would come out with a 44 Special GP100.
As many others have said in this thread, the 44 Special is an outstanding cartridge. I believe that with prudent handloads and a reasonably strong gun, the 44 Special can do 80%+ of what a 44 Magnum can do. It's a shame that the manufactures have opted to concentrate on the magnum chambering. I have no need or desire to shoot 44 magnum loads.

[35 Whelen]

These days I spend most of my range time with something loaded with 38 Specials but I also enjoy shooting 44 Specials occasionally. While there are plenty of DA revolvers chambered in 38 Special as opposed to the longer .357 magnum the same is not true for the 44 Special. On top of the limited availability, good quality 44 Special DA revolvers command a premium. For whatever reason(s) the manufacturers seem to favor the 44 magnum chambering over the 44 Special. I wish it was different but it's not; so I settled for a 44 magnum and shoot 44 special loads out of it. I don't think I'm alone in wishing S&W would make more 44 Special revolvers or that Ruger would come out with a 44 Special GP100.
As many others have said in this thread, the 44 Special is an outstanding cartridge. I believe that with prudent handloads and a reasonably strong gun, the 44 Special can do 80%+ of what a 44 Magnum can do. It's a shame that the manufactures have opted to concentrate on the magnum chambering. I have no need or desire to shoot 44 magnum loads.

This post is spot-on. I've only killed three deer so far with my .44 Special, but I just can't imagine the need for more power. The 255 - 260 gr. bullets at less than 1000 fps worked very well and provided more penetration than needed. To most I'm probably backwards in my thinking but I don't understand buying a big frame .44 Magnum then loading it down when probably 99% of what most of us need in a handgun cartridge can be done with the Special cartridge. To me it makes far more sense to use the Special with standard loads then load it up, as I've done with my NM Blackhawk, to near-44 Mag velocities should one decide, for example, to use it for bull elk.

35W

[duke76]

Do you have any buildup of powder residue in the cylinder due to a shorter shell?

I guess I should have rephrased that a little differently, what I meant was I shoot 44 special loads, 6 or 7 grains of Unique, a special load, with 240-250 grain bullets out of 44 mag brass in my 44 mag, I have shot specials in a 44 mag, it is really no different than shooting 38 specials out of a 357. I havent really noticed any difference maybe a little buildup but nothing to serious

[1989toddm]

10-4. Sounds good, I'm looking forward to trying titewad.

[9.3X62AL]

That carbon crud in Magnum chambers from Special brass is an annoyance for me, so all of my magrevs use mag brass these days. Finicky, I suppose. Oh well.

One of my later-in-life discoveries in revolver-shooting is the extreme usefulness of standard-weight-for-caliber SWC bullets run at 950-1000 FPS from nominally "Magnum" chamberings, to include the 45 Colt. In this latter caliber, such loads are at the upper end of modern Colt SAAs or their clones' capabilities, but I induced no apparent strain upon a Uberti Cattleman x 4-3/4" with such loads. Lyman #429421 run at 1000 FPS from my Redhawk is positively docile; this might well be regarded aa a "44 Special +P" of sorts. These loads are accurate as can be, and can be run all day without fatigue......other than that induced by that boat-anchor's weight. Recoil? Not much to it. Same deal with the S&W 686 x 4" and #358429 at 1000 FPS--deer-capable, and can be fired all day.

[azrednek]

Really appreciate all the suggestions. Only having a Charter Bulldog for years I kept the loads mild. 4.0 Bullseye with various cast boolits in the 210 - 240 gr range. Another load I found uncomfortable using HERCO I didn't bother to record. Now that I have the N-frame S&W. 850 - 1000 FPS should be within reach without beating my ageing wrist to death.

I'm going to have to get out of the lazy mode. Slug the bore of my S&W. I have several hundred various 44's cast. Most were sized .431 for my Rossi 44 rifle. I will likely have to reduce the size for the S&W. The Charter didn't seem to care as it shoots poorly with everything but did leave a clean barrel with .431.

[35 Whelen]

I personally shoot first, then if lack of accuracy is a problem, slug the cylinder throats and barrel. For example, my Uberti's shoot, and have always shot wonderfully, so I have no idea what their throats and bores measure. I just size everything .430" for them and it works.

35W

[Catshooter]

Yup, it's results that count.


Cat

[BruMatt]

One is not enough. The only limitation is that you have to load your own. That said, it is the best all around caliber.

[992B]

Three Smith's, Two Rugers and one Seville in 44 Special. A 240 cast bullet and some Unique powder make for a lot of fun. Excellent self defense round also!! Gary

[krems]

One Colt, 2 Custom Rugers in 44 special. Pair any of these handguns with a properly sized Lyman Keith 429421 bullet and the powder of choice and you'll put meat on the table. My favorite target and all around plinking cartridge. Tough combo to beat.

Krems

[Bonz]

I would buy a 44 magnum so I could shoot either 44 specials or 44 magnum

[35 Whelen]

Oh....we're counting? :smile:

Charter Arms Bulldog 3"
S&W 24-3 4"
Colt SA 4 5/8"
Uberti 1873 1@ 4 5/8", 1@ 5 1/2"
Uberti 1860 Conversion 7 1/2"
Ruger NM Blackhawk 5 1/2"

35W

[Frank V]

Wow how popular is the .44 Special & how many shoot the cartridge.

I think it's pretty popular, it deserves to be, it's actually a ctg that can be loaded from mild to wild in proper guns.

The proper gun would be a S&W N frame, Colt SAA built after 1900, the Ruger SAs, Freedom Arms, & possibly some others. One I wouldn't get too carried away with heavy loads in is the Charter Arms Bulldog, which is actually a pretty good carry gun, but I don't feel is suited to heavy loads.

But we are talking about the ctg. not the guns that fire it. It is also a very versatle cartridge. It can be loaded to very mild levels which most factory ammo is, or it can be loaded to within about 200fps of the .44Mags top velocities. With most loads in a good gun the cartridge will be very accurate & in the std level velocities pretty pleasant to shoot.

How many shoot it?
I do.

[Combat Diver]

Don't forget you can reload shot cartridges very easy for this one and it has enough shot to do a good job on vermin.

CD

[alamogunr]

I've been following this thread since the beginning and had some time today, so I looked for a .44 mold. The one I found, I had forgotten. I must have bought it 15 years ago, probably on Ebay. It is a single cavity 429421. The box said it was "Ideal by Lyman". The mold itself only says Ideal and 429421. This mold has the rounded lube groove. The box was a small orange cardboard box. Until today it had never had lead in it.

After cleaning the dried oil off and scrubbing it with Dawn, I set it on the hot plate while the pot came up to temp. I got good boolets from the first pour. They ran about .432+. The only thing I couldn't figure out was the bases, while not rounded, were not real sharp either. Tomorrow I'm going to look at the cavity with a magnifying glass to see if there is a minute ledge around the base.
I've got Lee molds that cast sharper bases than this. I don't know if it matters or not.

I only cast 20. It takes awhile w/single cavity. I don't have a size die for .44. My two .44 Specials both have .429-.430 throats. My wish list for my next order is getting longer.

[Frank V]

alamogunr

I was having rounded bases on a RCBS mould the other day till I turned up the heat about 25 degrees. That solved it, you might try turning up the heat just a bit. The Lyman 429421 is one of the old good bullets for the .44 Special & mag. I've shot a bunch of them. I think years ago Lyman put a rounded lube groove in the bullet to facilitate the bullets droping out of the mould more easily. It really doesn't hurt anything, the bullet is still one of the better bullets for the .44. I don't think anything is wrong with your mould.
I have also had WAY better results using a Lyman dipper & putting the dipper spour right on the hole in the sprue plate, letting the lead pour into the mould with the dipper in contact with the sprue plate then leaving a puddle of lead on the sprue plate to solidify & draw lead from.
Good luck, good casting, there is just something about shooting your own bullets that is really satisfying.

[alamogunr]

Anybody know when Lyman quit putting Ideal on their molds?

I'll give that mold another try in the next week or two and up the temp. I do like sharp bases.

[35 Whelen]

Experiment with the mould different distances from the spout. Like Frank, I find it usually best to have the mould very near the spout. Also, I find a large puddle sitting on top of the sprue sometimes helps. Turn the temperature up a bit. What alloy were you using? Maybe a little tin added would be in order. I have a mould exactly like you describe and it works fine.

Good luck!
35W

[ghh3rd]

I've wanted that mold -- nice that you realized that you had one!

[Gray Fox]

I recently picked up a like new very early Charter Arms 3" .44 Bulldog at a good price. Interestingly enough in checking load data in volume 1 of my two-volume Hornady 4th Edition of Handbook of Cartridge Reloading the .44 Special data is computed for a 3" Bulldog. Most manuals I have list it for 6" or 8 3/8". Some are pretty hot, but the starting loads should be manageable and effective for realistic carry gun ranges. I also found that boolits sized .428 for a .44-40 won't drop through the cylinder chambers. This one is tight. GF

[Piedmont]

Anybody know when Lyman quit putting Ideal on their molds?



I have read they ran out of the Ideal stamped blocks somewhere around 1962.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I would think that mould has a square lube groove? I know they changed it at one time but if it's and Ideal marked mould it could go way back.

At any rate the mould will break in with a little more use and that may fix your problem any way and the tin added would probably do it too.

You've got one of the best for this caliber.

Bonz: The reason you get the .44 Special guns instead of the .44 Magnum is for the weight. All .44 Magnums are heavy 3lbs + with the exception of a S&W 329 PD which weighs 26 oz, and you can't stand to shoot more than twice with Magnums. Real Snappy, almost bought one once. The idea that I would only shoot Specials with it killed that deal and I bought a Ruger BH Bisley instead. I've got a SBH Bisley as well so I can shoot Magnums if I really need to. I've shot like 12 Magnums thru that gun and shoot Specials almost exclusively in it as well. It weighs 50 Oz. or 3lbs 2 oz.

Another idea behind the .44 Special is the CA Bulldog which as a carry gun is very light but not too light. One must consider that if a 250gr slug at 900 fps will go thru an Elk, then the same slug at 650 fps will easily go thru a man,,, and leave a big hole behind.

So the idea of a light carry gun that packs a serious wallop is what were looking at . You don't necessarily need Magnum performance for viable self protection from either man or beast. The fact that this type of gun is lighter and more compact means you are more likely to have it on you when needed. And that is a major consideration that no one can dispute.

Still if I'm fishing in Alaska (which is something I really want to do some day) I kind of want the SBH Bisley on my chest with High Mid Range Magnums in the 6 holes. Anything below that the Specials will be fine.

I'm working on buying another .44 Special Revolver as we speak.

Randy

[azrednek]

One of my favorites for the 44 Special is the gas checked Lyman Spire Point. The number escapes my aged brain at the moment. The Spire Point really tests one's patience getting it to drop from a mold. I had to get Lee to make seating plugs to keep the point intact. The Spire Point loaded one at a time really performs out to 100 yards loaded either as a Mag or Special out of my Rossi lever. The big downside to the Spire Points besides being a bit difficult at the casting and loading bench. Is it is prone to ricochet easily.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/AA-spire-A.gif (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/AA-spire-A.gif.html)

The point is a bit flat in the picture from not using a suitable seating plug. They come out considerably sharper now that I have a seating plug that protects the tip.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/dnisbet/A-SPIRE-1.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/dnisbet/media/A-SPIRE-1.jpg.html)
Discovered this photo in my library. I Mickey Moused and old Herters tool. If I remember right there is a 270 seater plug buried in the die. I managed to seat these without flattening the tip.

[Frank V]

I recently picked up a like new very early Charter Arms 3" .44 Bulldog at a good price. Interestingly enough in checking load data in volume 1 of my two-volume Hornady 4th Edition of Handbook of Cartridge Reloading the .44 Special data is computed for a 3" Bulldog. Most manuals I have list it for 6" or 8 3/8". Some are pretty hot, but the starting loads should be manageable and effective for realistic carry gun ranges. I also found that boolits sized .428 for a .44-40 won't drop through the cylinder chambers. This one is tight. GF


I'm another who likes the Bulldog for a semi-small carry gun. I've been using the 200gr RCBS 44-200-FN sized .428 , the same one commonly used for the .44-40/.44WCF under the old Skelton load of Unique & it's right at 900 from the 3" & right snappy to shoot, but managable. I've found sizing that bullet .428 works very well for me.

If you want a fun load try some Trailboss 4grs under most any 240gr bullet. It's fun, reasonably accurate, & recoil is about like a .38 Wadcutter load. I like it a lot in the Bulldog.

[huntnman]

My favorite squirrel combo, my 629 loaded with 44spl. Works on any thing I've come across on the farm.
I save the mag loads for deer only.

[W.R.Buchanan]

My 'lightweight load" is a Magma 190gr SWC over 5.0 gr of W231.

Virtually no recoil very accurate and great for short range plinking and Steel Plate shooting.

The one on the left is the .44 on the right is a similar boolit in .41 cal.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Well,,, I managed a bit of a coup today by procuring a Smith & Wesson 696 from a Private Party in CA! I started looking for one Saturday before last, and for a gun this rare in CA I think I did pretty damn good! [smilie=p:

My Thanks to GLL (Gerry) for keeping me from getting arrested from buying the gun illegally.

I had to pay for this one but the fact that I got one at all is a pretty significant deal. This gun is NOT on the CA Safe Handgun List and as such the only way I could get it legally was by purchasing it from a CA resident who already had it. Apparently it had been on the list when purchased but has ran it's 5 years on the list and since S&W is no longer producing the gun was not renewed.

I am now in the 10 day mourning period, until I can claim my prize.

These guns are a little heavier than I had previously thought and this gun is a handful, however that will also make it pretty accurate. This one has had less than 100 rounds thru it. It will easily swallow the heaviest .44 Special Loads with ease. Not sure if I can,,, but the gun won't be the problem. The good thing about the .44 Special is even mid range loads can be **** kickers. :holysheep

I can't wait to do a Front Sight handgun class with it.

I now have to get a Mernickle Holster for it, and some speed loaders. :mrgreen:

Randy

[alamogunr]

When I first got mine, I was warned not to give it a big dose of heavy loads. I was told that the barrel that extended thru the frame didn't have a lot of meat around the forcing cone. It shows in the picture. I haven't pushed mine past medium loads. I guess gas checks would mitigate the obturation of soft cast boolits. I wish I could remember more of the advice I was given.

By the way that is a beautiful gun. I love those stocks. Mine has the Pachmayr rubber grips.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I'm sure you've read my posts on the various .44's and the thing about the .44 Special is that you don't have to push it that hard to get satisfactory results.

If I was in Bear Country I could conceivably use medium hot 260 gr loads at 1100 fps. I doubt a cylinder full of these will kill the barrel, and for 99.9% of my shooting with this gun it will be fed 190's and 240's at 6-800 fps anyway. :cbpour: I can almost guarantee this gun will never see a factory loaded round.

I got this more as a Carry Gun in the car than a Back Country Back Up, still it would serve well in any role I could dream up, simply because the .44 Special is just that versatile a round.

Also I have a Ruger BH Bisley I can run the hot loads in, and a SBH Bisley I can run the really hot loads in. :Fire:

Probably have the Big Ruger with me in Bear Country anyway, but who knows. I wouldn't feel weak with any of these guns on me.

Something about .44's just makes your cajones feel bigger. :mrgreen:

Randy

[358wcf]

You have to experience the 44Special to understand what it is all about-
I looked for perhaps 20 years to find a Smith 44Special for sale- no luck at all.
Finally sent my 4" Smith model 27 to Hamilton Bowen for his professional conversion to 44Special. Received it back in only 6 weeks! He did a fantastic job- you can't tell this revolver didn't leave the factory as a Model 24 (blue) until you open the crane and see the model#. Magnificent work in my book, at a fair price as well.
Not 6 months later I stumbled upon a new, unfired 6.5" Model 24 (blue) in Paso Robles- needless to say, I bought it without delay.
The 6.5" gun is very, very nice, but the Bowen 4" revolver is by far my favorite. He did an action job that has to been seen to believe as well.
Any further 44Special revolvers I find are MINE!!! End of story-
Chuck 358wcf

[Joni Lynn]

44 Special is an interesting round but it has to be handloaded to really appreciate it.
My father passed his 44 Special addiction on to me. I gave him a USFA Flat Top Target for Christmas a few years ago. The gun was junk but he certainly appreciated the thought and at least most of it was pretty to look at.
The next one I gave him was a S&W Performance center 24-5 which is a very nice gun. It went well with his 24-4 and my 24-3. I think my favorite 44 Special though is my 5.5" Ruger flat top.

[Catshooter]

Joni Lynn,

Welcome to the forum. See you hanging around the Smith forum for years.

358wcf,

Absolutely did not happen (the Bowen) without pics. High definition ones, preferably please! :)


Cat

[Joni Lynn]

Thank you. I cut down on a lot of my forums, S&W was the first to go.
Life got to busy for all of it.
The 44 Special is one of my favorite revolver cartridges.
Most of my time here is spent in the chat room but I couldn't resist the 44 Special thread.

[slughammer]

Well,,, I managed a bit of a coup today by procuring a Smith & Wesson 696........

These guns are a little heavier than I had previously thought and this gun is a handful, however that will also make it pretty accurate. This one has had less than 100 rounds thru it. It will easily swallow the heaviest .44 Special Loads with ease. Not sure if I can,,, but the gun won't be the problem. The good thing about the .44 Special is even mid range loads can be **** kickers.

The forcing cone area is a bit thin on the 696,I would avoid the 17gr load from Speer no 8. I saw these on the cover of Gun Rag Magazine when they came out and just had to have one. The first shop I checked in had one, but was ported? I stopped in a second shop and asked; they didn't have one, but would get one for me. (I liked that shop and they got my business). IIRC that was about 96 or 97. As a competition shooter it never got shot a lot, but was just the coolest gun I had to take to range day with my buddies. I don't compete as much anymore, but I shoot for fun every week. Here is a picture of mine with a 25 yard offhand target for the postal match that Bullshop Junior just held.
107301

[Forrest r]

Another plinking bullet for the 44spl that you don't see allot of, a cramer 200gr wc.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/cramer44wc_zpse3e1911c.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/cramer44wc_zpse3e1911c.jpg.html)

A light load of trailboss or bullseye coupled with that light target bullet make for a good day @ the range.

[Grizzly Adams]

I realize it's been several weeks since the OP, and I hope that I am in time to stop you from making a huge mistake. DO NOT BUY A 44 special, it is a shame to let perfectly good .38s lie around and collect dust, and that's what is going to happen if you pet the big dog. Those little.357s won't even look right. Oh (I forgot we're supposed to be enablers) on second thought you probably won't even notice a difference. 😈 ENJOY

[Frank V]

Heh Grizzly you make it sound like the .44 Special is the only good ctg out there, :smile: it's not the only one, but one of the best.
I like it a great deal!;)