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44 Magnum: Your experience?

7K views 56 replies 57 participants last post by  Rightwing 
#1 ·
So I saw a Smith and Wesson 44 Magnum Stainless with 5" barrel. It had Hogue Grips and a trigger job that really made the trigger smooth. I have never fired a 44 Magnum or 44 Special. I would only use it for "Fun", not for defense. What is it like to shoot? Are they any much worse than shooting a Snubnose 357 Magnum? I have 2 Snubby 357s and the recoil is not pleasant but not bad.
 
#3 ·
I have a Super Redhawk .44

When in the smaller frame guns the 44 can be a handful but with what your looking at you have enough weight to absorb most of the pumishment.
When you get to some of the really hot hunting loads they still jump quite a bit but it's manageable.
 
#6 ·
I own a .357 snubby and compared to my brother's .44 Mag, I'd say the .44 Mag is more pleasant to shoot being that it's a good deal heavier.
 
#14 ·
I think that you need to get your lil 642 fixed.:rofl:

I kept a Ruger Redhawk .44 mag in Alaska, and it's kick was NOTHING like a lil 642. It was a BIG boom.:yup:
 
#10 ·
I've got three .44 Mags - a 4" Taurus, a 5-1/2" Redhawk, and an 8" Dan Wesson. None of them kicks as much as my 2-1/2" .357 Security Six with full-house loads. The .44 Mag is not a practical CCW (whatever the Dirty Harry wannabees may say), but they're a blast to shoot, and I carry either the Redhawk or the Taurus as a BUG when I'm out hunting wild boar. The Dan Wesson will be my primary on a hog hunt sometime soon! :yup:

Loaded with .44 Specials, the .44 Mag is a pretty good HD gun.

Go for it!

Just my $.02.

Regards,
Jim
 
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#13 ·
Hey--if it feels that bad on the back end, can ya imagine what it feels like on the front end? LOL

I load .44 HOT. I'm running a bit over 1900 FPS on a 200 grain Hornady HP/XTP, and no deer has lived past it's shadow. Does it recoil? It does. It doesn't hurt, it's not like a grenade is going off in my fist, but yes, it has a considerable amount of flip. My USPSA buddies, who shoot mouse fart 9mm loads? They don't like it one bit. But I do. Deadly accurate, power to spare, and they die in their own hoof prints. WHat's not to like???
 
#15 ·
I've got 2 snubbies - a S&W Model 60 (2.125") and a Ruger Alaskan (2.5"). I don't understand why folks complain about shooting 357 in a J frame, but I've never tried more than 30 rounds at a time/hand. And my J frame is steel, so 21 oz to help with the recoil. I use 38+P because I find it easier to get the gun back on target, but that might change with more practice. Oddly enough, the recoil of my 357 Dan Wesson bothers me more. :blink:

The Alaskan, with both stock grips and the old-style GP100 grips, kicks more - not the recoil as much as the muzzle flip. I just got some Badger grips and I THINK they will help, but there was too much rain today for me to go try it out. I'd also say the 44 is more push than snap.

I haven't tried a 5" S&W, but I'd assume it would tame the flip better. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably get the S&W in a 4 or 5 inch barrel...but I also have to admit there is just something about lighting off a hand cannon that is fun. For about 15 shots. Then I switch to the left hand, and about a dozen later I've had fun enough. And since I'm not reloading yet, 30 rounds of 44 at a sitting is as much recoil on my wallet as my hand!

Personally, if you enjoy 357 snubbies, then a 44 Mag is almost a 'must buy' gun...and if my finances recover from my recent spending, then a S&W 5 inch may join the stable.
 
#16 ·
I have a Colt Anaconda 6". Its probably the most accurate revolver I own.
Using iron sights, headshots on a silhouettet at 100 yards aren't that hard to do.

Most shooting consists of a 245 grain Keith SWC, loaded to 1000 fps. This load is accurate, dosent lead much, and is capable of killing anything out there.

For hunting, I'll use a 240 JHP around 1500 FPS. There is some recoil but the Colt is heavy enough that its not a big deal to shoot.
 
#18 ·
I use mild velocity (1075 fps) Gold Dot 44 Mag rounds in a 4" Ruger Redhawk. It's like shooting 38 non-p wadcutters out of a 4" k frame. Completely anti-climatic, and definitely less recoil and blast than from a snub 357.
 
#19 ·
Get it, you'll love it. Pricey to shoot nowdays, but not bad if you reload. Specials cost about the same as mag loads, that's where reloads come in. Specials are also great for the nightstand, or playing Dirty Harry in winter coat months if you don't want over penetration.
 
#20 ·
If you reload, you can load ammo that has very little recoil. My son and I shoot 44 Mags and we shoot 240 gr HC SWC's over a mild charge of Unique. You can shoot them all day without fatigue. We also load hunting loads that after a couple dozen you are ready to pick something else up for a while.
 
#21 ·
The big-frame Smith & Wesson keeps the .44 magnum manageable. If you're ready for it, go ahead and get one. There's something quite enjoyable about seeing that basketball-sized muzzle flash, in full sunlight.
 
#22 ·
When I was a young'un I bought a blued S&W model 29 4" just because I could and to stroke my ego. I loved it but it really wasn't practical for a young family starting out. I wish I still had it, there's no way I can afford something like that now just for a toy. It's definitely a 2 fister, you'd better be paying attention and have a tight grip on it when firing magnums in it. I agree 44 Specials would make it a great house gun though. Around here you can find the 44 magnum ammo though not a lot of variety to choose from and it is expensive. Even during the worst of the ammo drought Wal-Mart would usually have a couple boxes of 44 Mag laying around. It's hard to find the 44 specials even at the gun stores and the price isn't much less than the magnums. Fun toy if you have the play money. Get it, it'll be a blast!
 
#23 ·
My S&W 629 had a much higher release of energy as compared to my snub .357. The .357 stung a little when shooting full house loads but the .44 rocked my hands when I shot 240 grain loads. I ended up shooting .44 specials most of the time but it was nice to have the option of a larger blaster if I needed it.
 
#26 ·
44 Magnum: Your experience?
I've shot a .44mag Ruger Redhawk revolver, 4" bbl. Very nice and controllable, for a relatively small revolver. I've also shot a .44mag Ruger Super Redhawk "Alaskan," which by comparison is a bit of a beast (with the same loads), giving a hard "slap" of recoil due to being so much shorter. The .44mag cartridge in a lever-action rifle works very well and is a nice "twin" for a .44 revolver if the goal is to keep to one caliber while out in the field.

A more lightly built Ruger SP-101 "snubbie" revolver in .357mag has quite a sharp kick, as compared to the Redhawk .44mag. Personally, I much prefer the Redhawk .44magnum's balance, feel, ability to suck up recoil.

As for lever-action rifles in .357mag versus .44mag, the .357 feels almost like a .22LR by comparison, IMO. Practically no recoil to speak of. The .44mag has a much heavier and sharper recoil, particularly with "hot" .44mag loads such as Buffalo Bore or DoubleTap.
 
#27 ·
Great handgun hunting round, not the best SD round as to control. Lot of recoil but managable in a heavier handgun. In AK, my buddy carried a .44, I opted for a .41 Mag. Penetration thru trees was about equal, but the .41 had less recoil.
 
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