Posted: 9/23/2011 6:12:19 PM EDT
| I'm considering a revolver in .44 Special. I don't know whether to buy a .44 Special only revolver, or get one in .44 magnum. What revolvers can you recommend? I like S&W but they are pricey. The pistol will not be used for hunting. |
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My wife has a 44 spl, and it's a pain in the ass to find non cowboy action ammo. Just get the magnum. ETA: This is hers. http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=220&category=Revolver&breadcrumbseries=&search=44%20spl |
| I have a couple of 44 Mags. One is the Taurus Tracker 5 shot. It is the size of a S&W K/L frame and is perfect for me as a carry gun. I have about 600 rounds through it so far and it operates perfectly. Do yourself a favor and check one out yourself and don't listen to the bashers to make your decision. I got my blued version for $389.00 brand new about 2 months ago.. My gun's favorite load is a 240 SWC over 7.5 gr of Unique in Magnum Brass.. Kind of a 44 Special +P. Very accurate, plenty of power, and easy on the hand. Good luck in your search for what is the best gun for you. |
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Don't overlook used for a S & W .44 magnum...never saw a worn out .44 magnum except for finish on some blued guns.
There are a lot of .44 magnums owned but most are shot very little with full house loads. Ammunition costs/muzzle blast/recoil are a couple of reasons. I own eight  .44 magnums as follows;
629 6" 629 Classic [5"] 2 Ruger Vaqueros 2 Ruger Vaqueros [ Bisley grip] 1 Ruger Semi Auto Carbine 1 Marlin 1894 Unless I'm hunting, sighting -in or practicing for same seldom shoot full house loads...do shoot a lot of .44 special because its fun...and cheap. Former Cowboy Action shooter reason for all the Vaqueros and the 1894. Lot of folks shoot .44 magnum 4" and less quite well with full power magnum loads but I'm not one of them..could be fine with .44 special only. Be safe and have fun. |
| I have both a S&W 296(Al frame, Ti cylinder) and all SS 696 in 44spl. Great shooting guns. The recoil in the 296 is bit much with factory 44spl ammo, but I reload, and load the bare minimum recommended by the loading manual, which makes for a semi-pleasant shooting gun. |
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I'll tell you a few advantages of specials, but they don't amount to much.
S&W makes their .44 special revolver a little lighter by tapering the barrel a little. I can't tell you the weight difference, but I would expect it to be insignificant in a gun this size. Same with the K frames, the .357s have a heavier barrel (model 10 vs. 13, 15 vs 19). Specials are usually more accurate than magnums if you're using special brass since there's a little unsupported bullet jump in the cylinder of a magnum. I'd expect around 1/4 to 1/2 inch better accuracy at 25 yards, but I'm just basing this on my experience shooting the same .38 specials in both Pythons and Diamondbacks. Colt even made a Python Target chambered specifically for .38 special, probably for that reason. If you're not going to shoot it in bullseye competition, I can't imaging you'll ever notice the increased accuracy. When you shoot specials in a magnum, you may have a little more work cleaning the cylinder, but in my experience it's just a few extra strokes with a brush, no big deal. I'd recommend a magnum because its more versatile and it seems to me that they hold their resale value better. Most of my .38 specials are Colts, bought because I like those models, and those models aren't made in .357 magnum. If choosing between the S&W revolvers where the specials are about the same size, I'd go with the magnum unless you see a special for a great price. |
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Quoted:
I like my "lipsey's", but I also reload.http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee379/phonejack/lipseys44special.jpg sorry about the image size How do you like those grips? They were made by Altamont and are relatively cheap. http://altamontco.com/ |
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I have several Specials...S&W 624s, 24s, 2nd Models....Ruger Blackhawk (Lipsey run 2010)...looking for a Great Western.
I also have .44 Magnums. I shoot my Specials more...I do reload. Here's my latest....you can pick these up for about $300.00....If you go for a C.Arms...suggest you go with first generation guns. The later guns are not what I like in terms of quality. Bob The Dawg... 
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