...the one .44 Mag I would like for CCW is the Smith stainless snub that they made a run of a few years back...3" barrel, round butt, iron sights...I'd love one...but probably would carry nothing but .44 Special in it...unless I was in bear country...I've seen a lot more officers carry a .44 Magnum than I have seen shoot it well...the discipline you spoke of being the problem...rather the lack of it...
The 44 Magnum
Once called “The most powerful handgun in the world”. But it was not for long, the 454 Casull made its debut just 4 years later. It is however, a great personal protection gun if you have the skill and dedication to master it.
Much has been written about the 44 magnum and it is a powerful, versatile cartridge fired from several types of guns. My focus here is on the 44 magnum as a defensive concealed carry gun. This by definition rules out rifles and long barreled revolvers, as well as the Desert Eagle because those are too large to effectively conceal on a regular basis. My focus is on the 2 ½” to 4” revolver.
Handloaders discovered the .44 Special and until the 1950's touted a 250 grain hard cast bullet at 1200 feet per second as the ideal handgun load. The .44 magnum brings us a 240 grain bullet at 1400 feet per second. One of my favorite loads for this purpose is a 180 grain JHP that does about 1300 FPS from my 2 ½” Smith and Wesson 629 PC. Another is the 210 Grain Winchester STHP at about 1250 FPS. These same loads from a 4” revolver should give the shooter 1400 -1600 FPS depending on the specific load. There are companies such as Buffalo Bore who market SD loads specifically for the mighty 44. Even in these times of ammo hoarding 44 magnum is plentiful.
The 44 magnum is infinitely versatile giving the hand loader the option of mild to wild. One of the things that I laugh about is the timeless argument of “big and slow” VS “small and fast”. I prefer big and fast. Both the 38 Special and 45 ACP which was born to replicate the black powder 45 Colt designed with low pressures and early smokeless powder. The 44 magnum was developed with higher pressure and modern propellants and as such enjoys more benefit from current technology. Energy is defined as the ability to do work; those who discount energy are being as naive as those to whom energy is everything.
I prefer Smith and Wesson revolvers over Ruger, Taurus, Rossi, and Charter Arms for my carry revolvers. I own and have owned Ruger single and double action revolvers for many years but they just do not have the level of refinement I want in a carry gun.
A couple of speed loaders, a good holster/belt and you have it covered. The skill and commitment is what you supply.
Much has been written about the 44 magnum and it is a powerful, versatile cartridge fired from several types of guns. My focus here is on the 44 magnum as a defensive concealed carry gun. This by definition rules out rifles and long barreled revolvers, as well as the Desert Eagle because those are too large to effectively conceal on a regular basis. My focus is on the 2 ½” to 4” revolver.
Handloaders discovered the .44 Special and until the 1950's touted a 250 grain hard cast bullet at 1200 feet per second as the ideal handgun load. The .44 magnum brings us a 240 grain bullet at 1400 feet per second. One of my favorite loads for this purpose is a 180 grain JHP that does about 1300 FPS from my 2 ½” Smith and Wesson 629 PC. Another is the 210 Grain Winchester STHP at about 1250 FPS. These same loads from a 4” revolver should give the shooter 1400 -1600 FPS depending on the specific load. There are companies such as Buffalo Bore who market SD loads specifically for the mighty 44. Even in these times of ammo hoarding 44 magnum is plentiful.
The 44 magnum is infinitely versatile giving the hand loader the option of mild to wild. One of the things that I laugh about is the timeless argument of “big and slow” VS “small and fast”. I prefer big and fast. Both the 38 Special and 45 ACP which was born to replicate the black powder 45 Colt designed with low pressures and early smokeless powder. The 44 magnum was developed with higher pressure and modern propellants and as such enjoys more benefit from current technology. Energy is defined as the ability to do work; those who discount energy are being as naive as those to whom energy is everything.
I prefer Smith and Wesson revolvers over Ruger, Taurus, Rossi, and Charter Arms for my carry revolvers. I own and have owned Ruger single and double action revolvers for many years but they just do not have the level of refinement I want in a carry gun.
A couple of speed loaders, a good holster/belt and you have it covered. The skill and commitment is what you supply.
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