.44 Magnum carry ammo?

[SinCityGlocker]

I bought myself a S&W 329 night guard that is now part of the carry line up. It was a 2.75" barrel, scandium frame, and steel cylinder. Although recoil is pretty stout, it isn't a huge factor for me. I expect a .44 mag to have some kick. I have three different hp loads in the ammo stash. The ammo I have on hand for this gun is a 200 gr speer gold dot .44 special. The round just "looks" devastating. The hollowpoint cavity is enormous. I have shot a cylinder and it was definitely the easiest shooting. Then again it is not magnum and it is the lightest of my 3 rounds. Next up is a Hornady XTP .44 magnum weighing 240 grains. Definitely more recoil. Lastly I've got a box of Hornady custom 300 grain .44 mag. I only shot 2 rounds and the recoil is substantial, but controllable. I have a box of 20 and I wanted 3 cylinders worth if I decide to carry this.

Ultimately, my question boils down to weight, as I believe all 3 hp designs to be of high quality. For the .44 what is preferred between faster and lighter and slower and heavier? In .45 I carry 230 gr ammo because I just believe a .45 should weigh 230 grains. 9mm I stick to 115 or 124 grain stuff. I use 180's in .40 and 200's in 10mm.

Of these 3 loads, what would you carry for urban self defense? What is your ideal .44 mag load not limited to my 3 options? Thanks in advance for the info.

[GunFighter45ACP]

for SD, I'd stick w/those 200gr 44spec rounds that you mentioned, or anything on the heavy side in 44spec you can find if/when those need replaced. The combo of shorter barrel/scandium frame that you've got mkes me think of this as a 'carried alot, but shot a little' type of gun, which is fine, but IMO, it would not be a worthwhile combo w/heavier, full power magnum loads more ideally suited to hunting or long range shooting applications. Not that you couldn't do either of these, but they'd be more suited to a 44mag in a heavier frame w/longer barrel

[CanyonMan]

I bought myself a S&W 329 night guard that is now part of the carry line up. It was a 2.75" barrel, scandium frame, and steel cylinder. Although recoil is pretty stout, it isn't a huge factor for me. I expect a .44 mag to have some kick. I have three different hp loads in the ammo stash. The ammo I have on hand for this gun is a 200 gr speer gold dot .44 special. The round just "looks" devastating. The hollowpoint cavity is enormous. I have shot a cylinder and it was definitely the easiest shooting. Then again it is not magnum and it is the lightest of my 3 rounds. Next up is a Hornady XTP .44 magnum weighing 240 grains. Definitely more recoil. Lastly I've got a box of Hornady custom 300 grain .44 mag. I only shot 2 rounds and the recoil is substantial, but controllable. I have a box of 20 and I wanted 3 cylinders worth if I decide to carry this.

Ultimately, my question boils down to weight, as I believe all 3 hp designs to be of high quality. For the .44 what is preferred between faster and lighter and slower and heavier? In .45 I carry 230 gr ammo because I just believe a .45 should weigh 230 grains. 9mm I stick to 115 or 124 grain stuff. I use 180's in .40 and 200's in 10mm.

Of these 3 loads, what would you carry for urban self defense? What is your ideal .44 mag load not limited to my 3 options? Thanks in advance for the info.




I been carrying (on the ranch 44mag/44special/45LC) and shooting them and loading for them for about 45 years now. Love 'em ! All the ammo you mentioned above is just plain nasty on two legged types. That being said. Your talking a 2.75" barrel Scandy frame. Although I am not bothered by recoil since I been shooting these guys most all my life, I will tell you, 'since you ask', that if it were me, I would stuff that 2" boy with 44 specials and not look back.

You are going to get tremendous results with the 44 special.

Jumping to this question of yours for a moment. you ask...

"Ultimately, my question boils down to weight, as I believe all 3 hp designs to be of high quality. For the .44 what is preferred between faster and lighter and slower and heavier? In .45 I carry 230 gr ammo because I just believe a .45 should weigh 230 grains. 9mm I stick to 115 or 124 grain stuff. I use 180's in .40 and 200's in 10mm.

Of these 3 loads, what would you carry for urban self defense? What is your ideal .44 mag load not limited to my 3 options? Thanks in advance for the info


The word you mentioned in your question above: "preferred." This is going to be subjective. But, I know that for me, over all these years, I do not wander below 250grs, and stay mostly with 255/275/300 grains, understanding now, that i carry 98% Hard Cast bullets on the ranch both in 44mag and 44 special and 45LC.

So, that being said. If I were to carry the 44 mag for SD aginst two legged stuff and have, a good 250gr JSP or same weight semi wadcutter. But I would still encourage you in the 2.75" tube to carry the 44sp. NOT because your scared of recoil and such, you say your not, but there is no need in that Scandy to pump full house mag loads through it all the time, (as in practice sessions), and I don't see much advantage in a 2" tube with 44mag over 44special, in this particular gun, except some x-tra veloscity of course, but it is beating the gun up IMO.

The GD 44special is only 875fps and that is out of a 6.5" barrel with a 200gr bullet. Wow, your going to lose perhaps as much as 250/275+ fps outta that 2" barrel. The Speer GD 44mag out of a 6" barrel is 1450fps with a light 210gr bullet. Again much veloscity loss with much more recoil. Whether your used to the recoil or not is not the point. If you have not fired tons of rounds through these magnum handguns, and done it very often, you are going to have serious recovery time in bringing your weapon back down.

I shoot A LOT, and ALL the time, and for over 4 decades with big magnums. Would I carry one? Yes! I have many many times 'IN TOWN.' But even with a 3" Ruger Sheriff's model, as heavy as it is, recovery time for me, (as much as I shoot), I can do it and pretty darn well, but it is difficult.

Out of a light weight 2" barrel it is going to be very difficult.

To fully answer that weight question. (and this is all IMO through all these years and test, and use, and hunting etc). I do think the 44mag should be kept to minimum of 250grs, and max of 300 for peak performance in most all the models I have dealt with and especially the Rugers. I do not like light and zippy. It is just not the nature of these calibers. Never has been.


If you DO NOT re3load:


Hornady offers a 44 special at 1,000fps in an XTP.
Speer the 44 sp 200gr GD at 875fps
Black Hills has a 44mag 240gr @ 1260fps
Winchester offers a 240gr lead @ 750fps


Seriously, out of a 2" barrel in that lite a gun. For TWO LEGGED SD purposes, I would go with the Hornady 44special XTP @ 1,000fps. (would be my first choice out these named factory loads) If you just got to do the 'magnum round," then I would suggest for "that gun," the BH load above here 240gr @ 1260fps which will end up about 950/1,000 fps "maybe."


Anytime you take the barrel down this short it makes things more difficult in the veloscity picture. I like the 2" + ' barrels in the Ruger big bores, BUT they got 'meat on the bones to pack a bad boy heavy round in there and absorb the recoil much better than the scandy, and you can control it better, and not worry about it coming unwound with multable hundreds of rounds.

These are my "suggestions" to you with "this particular gun." ;)


The suggestions I made, I would use myself if were mine ! ;)



Best of luck to ya. Enjoy your ney hog leg.






CanyonMan

[mitchshrader]

Use the .44 specials you have. When they get low buy more.

[SinCityGlocker]

CanyonMan, thanks for taking the time to type all that out. It pretty much answers my questions. Between everyone it seems unanimous that the .44 special will do the job. I like shooting the magnums in a caveman sort of a way, but maybe in the future I will pick up a used ruger in 44 mag that will be easier on myself and the gun to shoot full house out of.

[CanyonMan]

CanyonMan, thanks for taking the time to type all that out. It pretty much answers my questions. Between everyone it seems unanimous that the .44 special will do the job. I like shooting the magnums in a caveman sort of a way, but maybe in the future I will pick up a used ruger in 44 mag that will be easier on myself and the gun to shoot full house out of.


You are more than welcome amigo, and time is something I have on my hands for a little while it seems recovering from a back situation. :wow:


I really like the Hornady 44special @1000fps for your scandy, knowing vel will drop down to a 'still' reasonable SD vel.. ;)


Ley us know what you think bud.


Stay safe and watch those cave man urges ! Ha Ha. I know them well ! Ha.




CanyonMan

[TED]

Checkout the Winchester Silvertip .44 mag 210gr.

TED

[Zombie Steve]

We're talking about .44 mag... right? You get big, heavy and fast. You don't have to compromise.

:supergrin:


My ideal load I found by loading a 200 grain XTP over roughly 12 grains of Unique. It falls right into the .41 mag range / about 1,250 from a 4" barrel, 1,360 from a 6.5" barrel. You still know you're shooting a .44 mag, but not nearly as much recoil or blast. Even from a 2" barrel you'd still be easily in 10mm numbers. For this stretch of the Rockies, that's plenty. For an urban area, it should do pretty darn well too.

I wouldn't feel undergunned at all in town with the 200 grain .44 specials. I've shot them quite a bit, and I've been pretty impressed.

[voyager4520]

In the last issue of America's First Freedom(one of the other NRA magazines) they showed Winchester's new Supreme Elite Dual-Bond. Looks like a mix between a SilverTip and a Ranger T.

[EL COLONEL]

Look at corbon 165 gr at 1300ft per second , just saying.............:wavey:

[Ak.Hiker]

Lots of good information so far. In such a light weight 44 Magnum a good 44 Special load would be a very good option. I have an old school suggestion that would make an interesting carry load. It would be long on penetration however. Double Tap loads a 240 grain Keith style hardcast bullet in 44 Special. Buffalo Bore loads a 250 grain hardcast as well. They both look like good loads to me. Similar to the old Skeeter Skelton loads. If you ever need to load your S&W for protection from large animals Buffalo Bore makes a very good load that is designed just for such a light weight 44 Magnum. They load a low recoil 250 grain Keith hardcast in 44 Magnum. One thing you really need to watch with the light weight Magnum handguns is bullets that jump the crimp under heavy recoil. The BB load is built to run in light weight 44 Magnums.

[FlyBoy007]

I carry a Ruger 4 5/8"bbl in stainless in my "oh crap" bag (for un-scheduled landings) that I keep in my plane.

I figure as a overall "down in the bush" sidearm it is tough to beat, I have several loads for it, shot-shells for small game, 240 hp for signaling and 250 hard cast Keith solids for.... well anything.

I can't add to the wisdom you have received from others, the advice is sound. 44. special is bad mojo for use on bad guys, as much as you will ever need for two legs.

Canyon Man is right on track....I am old school as well, there is no substitute for cubic inches.

[fredj338]

Checkout the Winchester Silvertip .44 mag 210gr.

TED
THis would be my choice for carrying in my M629 3" when transitioning from the field to the city. I would also violate my rule of not carrying handloads w/ the 44mag. Here a good 240-250grLHP, cast soft, running about 900fps makes sense. They will definetly expand, easy to control & penetrate deep but not blast through your target like a 300gr.