What 44 special do you shoot?

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Last Post 13 April 2022

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Idahocaster posted this 08 April 2022

Recently I have been intrigued by the 44 special cartridge. I like the idea of the heavy large diameter bullet at reasonable pressure and velocities. I'm in the market for a 44 special handgun, probably a revolver. What 44 special handguns do all of you shoot and enjoy?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 08 April 2022

... my nostalgic dream rig would be an original Colt " peacemaker " in 44-40 ... preferably with a little patina here and there ...

but my budget would point toward a version of the Ruger B-Hawk in 44 Mag, loaded down a lot ... i could settle for that ...

...and yes, 22 rf are fun to plink at bean cans and clay pigeons and old cucumbers ... ... but with a 44 you don't need hollow points ...

ken

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Little Debbie posted this 08 April 2022

Hamilton Bowen conversion of a 5” S&W .38-44. A sublime.44 Special.

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delmarskid posted this 08 April 2022

I like my Ruger flat top

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Clod Hopper posted this 08 April 2022

I own a Ruger BH in .44 special (4-5/8 Bisley) and a Ruger GP100 in .44 special (5 shot 3 inch). Both are stainless and were special runs by one of the distributers. Look on Gun Broker.

ETA, there are a lot more .44 Specials on GB than I thought. S&W 624, Colt SA and clones. Rugers and Charters too.

Dale M. Lock

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RicinYakima posted this 08 April 2022

I found a Colt New Service in .455 Webley frame, and rechambered a 38 S&W Special cylinder to 44 Special. Added a heavy Green Mountain 5 inch barrel, and S&W adjustable sight. It shoots so well, I sold all my other 44's. FWIW

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oscarflytyer posted this 08 April 2022

44 Specials

Ruger NMBH Flattop Lipsey Special 4 5/8" bbl

Smith 624 6 1/2" bbl

Smith 21-4 Thunder Ranch 4" bbl

and since I see 44(-40) mentioned... (which I also love)

Uberti SAA Army clone 4 5/8" bbl

Cimarron 1873 Winchester Sporting Rifle (clone)

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Bud Hyett posted this 08 April 2022

I've owned two Charter Arms .44 Special Bulldogs. I let one go to a policeman friend who shot it and wanted it for backup. The second one was traded for a S&W 696 that will stay in my possession forever. Both Bulldogs shot well, have great double-action pull; they are good pistols.

The 696 feels right, shoots right, and can be hid in the front pocket of my jeans for serous social situations now that I'm losing weight. I shot it on the practice day of the Elmer Keith Memorial Shoot at 140 yards and regularly dinged the hanging steel target once I figured out the holdover.

It also carries well in a full flap holster using shot loads while prairie dog hunting. I've been told a full flap holster is overkill for this pistol.

The 696 is no longer in production. The S&W 69 in .44 Magnum with the four inch barrel is too big and thus unhandy.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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G.Chapman posted this 08 April 2022

A 3" Ruger stainless GP-100.... 5 shot cylinder, built like a battle tank (not Russian)! It is the most accurate short barreled revolver I have ever owned. I feed it a steady diet of 429-421 Keith SWC's, powder coated, with %.# grains of Red Dot. Elmer would have been in 7th Heaven had he had one of these wheelguns. Believe me.... I knew him! Carries well in an IWB holster. No Glocks for me... 'Nuff said!

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shjoe posted this 08 April 2022

around the farm i carry a charter arms bulldog with semi wadcutter cast bullets. simple fixed sights adjusted for 25yds. not a target pistol but plenty accurate to dispatch critters. about the size of a 38 but with more authority. be well

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gunarea posted this 08 April 2022

Been feeding and casting a 44 since 1966. Hog hunting was to satisfy my mother's requests. Hence the 44 but in magnum. A Ruger SBH has never failed to produce and protect. Tried to use a S&W 629 combat classic for IHMSA, back to the Ruger and got another just for the possible failures associated with high power usage. Started shooting low power 44 in mid 1980s for various shooting games. Cowboy action, Hunter pistol and Lawnsteel do not need magnum power to excel. The 44 magnum platform, allows for one to enjoy a wide spectrum of high performance. Nowadays, the magnum power rattles my bones. But, with a Lyman 429215 or a Lee 200gr rnfp running 810fps, steel chickens at 40m and 75yds are not difficult to me. 44 special brass is less common and 44 Russian even rarer. 44 mag tames easily and gives the option to become the beast just as easily. Why ride a donkey when a rhino will eat from your hand? Just my opinion.

Roy

Shoot often, Shoot well

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ten-mile posted this 09 April 2022

S&W 1950 Target w/ rosewood cokes

S&W 696

Taurus Titanium

S&W 629 Mountain (qualifies since I only feed it Specials)

and a 7-1/2" Triple Lock Target

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rjmeyer314p posted this 09 April 2022

Smith and Wesson 1950 Target

1926 Military 3rd Model Hand Ejector

Charter Arms 44 Bulldog

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Millelacs posted this 09 April 2022

I picked up a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Mag at the Army Rod & Gun Club in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, in January 1975.

I wanted a Blackhawk Convertible in .357 with a second 9mm cylinder, but would have to special order it.

I went in to lay down a deposit on the special order, but the guy in front of me was rotating out, and wanted his deposit back on a gun he ordered two years earlier. The R&G Club gave him his deposit back with no argument, but it got me thinking maybe a special order wasn't such a good idea.

There was a Super Blackhawk sitting in the display case, missing a rear sight blade.

I bought the Super Blackhawk, and ordered the rear sight blade.

Been shooting .44 Mags and .44 Specials in it since.

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Eddie Southgate posted this 10 April 2022

Second model S&W from the mid 20's 6.5" barrel

Ruger Blackhawk Flattop 5.5" barrel

Charter Arms stainless Target Bulldog 4" barrel

Cimarron Model P 4 3/4" barrel

I shoot the Skeeter load as an everyday load and use Elmer's 2400 load when I want a bit more horsepower . I shoot the Keith square groove and the 255 gr Thompson gc bullet mostly but do have several others as well.

Grumpy Old Man With A Gun......Do Not Touch .

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Boschloper posted this 10 April 2022

3 Ruger SA’s, a Super that I cut the barrel back from 7.5 to 5.5, an old model Vaquero 5.5”, and a SBH Hunter with Nikon 2X scope. I love the caliber and I love the Ruger SA’s. The Hunter is the only one I enjoy shooting full magnums in, the Vaquero with it’s XR3-RED grip is unpleasant to hold on to with magnums but a cream puff with specials. I use either special or magnum brass for my light loads. Lee 200 gr RF or Lyman 429421 and HP-38 for the light loads.

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GregT posted this 10 April 2022

Love my five shot Ruger GP100. I have all the Keith bullets!

GregT

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Urny posted this 10 April 2022

Mine is a Colt New Frontier 7 1/2", shoots well with Skeeter load. I had a 3" stainless Bulldog that was pretty lively with that load, so I switched to a much friendlier Red Dot load before selling it at an Idaho gun show.

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Ed Harris posted this 11 April 2022

I'm still looking for a Colt New Service in .44 Russian or .44 Special with 5-1/2 inch barrel.

Have several .44 Magnums and .44-40s, but currently no .44 Specials...

Have several times considered having a .44 Special cylinder custom made and fitted to my 1905 Colt Frontier Six Shooter .44-40. Looking for a donor Gen1 Colt cylinder to send John Taylor if anybody has one lying around...