The .44 Special is the best handgun caliber

Me | N/A | None

[calex59]

I believe the .44 Special is the best handgun cartridge ever made. It is accurate and has enough energy in factory loadings to drop the bad guy. It can be handloaded to near .44 mag velocities if the revolver is of good quality.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... Charter arms still makes a .44 special, their guns are reliable and accurate and easy to carry concealed. I happen to have an old S&W with 2.5 inch barrel, a 3 inch Taurus."

Right. That's what I meant when I wrote:

"(there) aren’t a whole lot of quality sidearms available for it"

I'm sure that your elderly S&W is a nice .44 Special revolver, but I think I'll pass on Charter Arms bulldogs and Taurus anythings.

Charter Arms revolvers are klunky inexpensive guns typically geographically limited to the New England states and intended for use by either crazy women in shooting Andy Warhol and the Scarsdale Diet doctor, or by use of the 'Son Of Sam' killer in New York City.

Taurus... well, I haven't really liked anything they've ever made.

[Hardraade]

I personally think the best one is the .41 magnum and I don’t even own a gun in that caliber right now.

I have one, and with Remington factory loads it's more uncomfortable and louder than the M29. It may be because of the shorter barrel (6' to 8 and something). Thing about the 41, it seems now very difficult to get ammo for it.

[calex59]

Yep, Old Elmer was great. I remember his articles and his book, "Hell, I was there", was great also. I simply love the accuracy of the .44 special, I can shoot the center out of targets with it all day long, and hit long range targets as well. Regardless of new calibers that have come along, the .44 special is still great.

In fact, Elmer used the .44 to push for the .44 mag cartridge.

[pingman]

Kinda expensive to shoot, but heap big fun!

[Tarpon]

Most of the police around here carry Kel-Tec mini 9s. It’s hot so you dress light. I doubt they shoot at animals that often. The trainers for the CCW classes also recommend the 9s with modern ammo as totally enough gun. Some of those who train people I know, say the .380 is fine with modern ammo.

After owning my first 44 mag for over 40 years, I have more than a passing experience with what different calibers and ammo type will do on animals .. never shot a human but shot towards more than one for reasons of purpose. I used to play with hunting handguns at long ranges, and the steel challenges that go with it.

I used to prefer revolvers, most of the handguns I have had over the years have been revolvers, but as my hunting has waned, mostly hogs, black bears and deer, I now prefer simple light weight self defense auto ‘appliance guns’ like Glocks and Kel-Tecs. But don’t let my 45s know.

The advantage with guns is their are lots of choices ... that you hope you never need making.

We had a little ruckus outside our house late last night, I doubt any knew my mini-9 Glock with night sights, was in my pocket. They left quietly.

[Lurker]

I must largely agree with you. I've got 2 handguns chambered in this cartridge. One of them is a titanium frame Taurus and the other is a Charter Arms Bulldog.

You can load the cartridge so that you get almost the same ballistics as the .45 ACP is a smaller, lighter package.

There are more choices in revolvers for this cartridge these days, too. You can occasionally find the Bulldog on the used market. That's where I found mine. It was in really good shape and was less than $200.

If you're a handloader and own a .44 mag you've probably already got the die set so there's nothing holding you back.

L

[calex59]

Well, see there you go, you are biased. I have owned many Taurus arms and they have functioned reliably and continuously for quite a while. You are obviously a gun snob. The S&W, BTW, is fine and not old or klunky. However, I strongly suspect you are both. I am old, but not Klunky or stupid, nor have I failed to shoot just about every caliber in the books to date. I am 68 and have been shooting since I was 10.

I repeat. I(get the I)think the .44 Special is the best defensive handgun round ever made, and I will always think so, regardless of biased tools like your self.

[2111USMC]

I've got an older Taurus Falcon .38 Special with the 4” barrel. It seems to me to be a very well made gun.

The gunsmith I purchased it from told me to feel free to run +P ammo through it (even though it was manufactured before +P became popular).

I don't care much for the sights (I have an Armscor .38 Special in 4” barrel that is actually more accurate.) But overall, you can tell just by handling the gun that it is good quality construction.

[calex59]

While I was being humorous with the dog and cat remark, I really have nothing against the 9mm, in fact I have a .380 I am quite taken with( a semi auto S&W)and carry it on occasion. But, I carry my .44 special and my .45 long colt(rarely)more often than I do the .380. Any caliber is fine if you can shoot well, which is my point with the .44 special, it is extremely accurate and lends itself to head shots quite readily. Thanks for your comment.

[The Comedian]

My grandfather who died 40 years ago at 96 was a gunsmith. He made a 410 over under pistol that was pretty mean. Wish I had in now.

It's never too late:

Bond Arms in Texas makes a series of these double-barreled derringers. The majority are in .45 Colt Long / .410 and all use the same frame and design with a top-hinged swing to reload. This is actually one of the larger models with a 4 inch barrel - most have 3 or 3 1/2 inch barrels, and are available in a variety of chamberings such as .22 Long Rifle, .357 Magnum, 10mm and more. A nice-looking chunk of stainless steel overall.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[oldenuff2no]

The 44 special has it's place but not as a defensive handgun off the pavement. It does not stack up well to the other large bores or mags.
I'm a fan of the 45LC chambered in the ruger blackhawk frame. I can shoot the cowboy action ammo that is like shooting 38 wad cutters in a 357, or I can ramp it up to 454 ballistics by stoking it with Cor-Bon 45LC+p ammo. The 45LC+P should never be used in colt, S&W, or colt clones because there just isn't enough steel in them to make it safe. The 45 does not have the recoil bite that the 44mag does and handles heavier bullets than the 41mag.
I spend a lot of time in the back country and have killed two good sized black bear with this combo at close quarters. The impact energy of the cor-bon soft points is devastating and instant energy displacement into the target is noticeable.
As with all defensive firearms the most important element is practice. I shoot at least 18 rounds every week starting each shot from the holster always concentrating on making that first shot count.

[calex59]

Just as a passing comment to yours, There used to be a .45 long colt derringer on the market. One day, while listening to the news, I heard that one of the officers in our area had been shot during a traffic stop. They caught the perp and it turned out he shot the cop with a .45 derringer!

BTW, he(the perp)didn't have a CCW!

[AnAmericanMother]

I really like my Model 57.

Shot metallic silhouette pistol with it for years, it's flat shooting and I find the recoil much more reasonable than the .44 (I wish I had a dollar for every .44 mag out there that somebody put 5 rounds through and then put it back in the box . . . awful lot of them like that!)

The old Bulldog was not a bad pistol, and was the favorite of one of our judicial lights, sadly no longer with us. The late Charles Worrell was nicknamed "Two Gun Charlie" because when he was an Early County superior court judge he presided with 2 loaded Bulldogs on the bench, using one for a gavel. The order in his courtroom was something wonderful to behold . . . .

. . . but I just don't trust Charter to make a decent pistol. I just don't.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm

According to the above chart, the .44 special is about the worst!

[calex59]

I also have .45 Long colt and love it, but the .44 is more accurate and I carry it frequently where as the .45 colt not so much. They are both sub 3” barrels. Thanks for the input.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... I repeat. I(get the I)think the .44 Special is the best defensive handgun round ever made, and I will always think so, regardless of biased tools like your self."

Okay. You sure showed me.

I suppose that I can only blame myself for foolishly stating my opinion in your Saturday morning thread that should have been titled:

"I prefer to shoot expensive and uncommonly available antique ammo through inexpensive handguns of questionable quality."

[calex59]

Charts can be BS. I tell you what, stand out there at 25 Yards and I will shoot you with the .44 special and see if you survive. Deal?

[calex59]

One. .44 Special ammo isn’t that expensive, especially since I handload. It isn’t obsolete except to people like you. Two. I don’t care if you disagree but you didn’t just disagree you were very rude and full of sh**, so I was rude right back at ya. Want me to courteous with you? Use courtesy next time.

[Old Student]

I like the .44 special, but I have to disagree with you. I had an acquaintance years ago who shot himself accidentally with his Charter Arms .44 Bulldog. Essentially point blank range, into the inside of his upper right arm. It did break the bone, but not badly, and it left fairly neat scars. Dime-sized on the inside, entry wound, nickle size for the exit wound. It did NOT shatter the bone, just broke it. These were soft-lead bullet handloads, to nearly .44 mag specs. I suppose it's possible he just got d*** lucky, but I'm not willing to bet on it. Personally, if I have to shoot someone, I want a round that knocks them down and stomps all over them!

As for the military leaving the .45 to go to 9mm, they did so because the troops could carry more rounds for the same weight and volume. More rounds fired equals more enemy wounded or killed. This is the same reason they switched from .308 to 5.56mm.