.45 LC vs .44 Magnum

[MMichaelAK]

six of one, a half dozen of another.

I prefer the .45 Colt. Over 120 years old and still stopping anything you point it at.

 

[Stiofan]

After due consideration my suggestion is to get what I did, a .41 Mag. :lol:

 

[Bones507]

I have shot a few 44 mags and dont like the recoil at all, Then again i have also shot 44 specials out of the mag and they are quite pleasant to shoot also. . I own 2 45 Colts and love em both, can load em mild with Trail Boss for plinking or Unique for the hotter levels. That said i will stick with the 45.

 

[29 Wheelgunner]

As far as revolver loads go I shoot a little more .44 than .45 Colt. Only because I have more .44's than .45's.

My solution is own both and start reloading. The whole world opens up when you reload. If that is not an option or reloading has no interest to you, go with the .44. More factory options at more shops than .45 colt.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I'm talking using 'store-bought' ammo. Which would be the more powerful handgun; .45LC or .44 Mag?

Hi,

When you say "store-bought" I think of what you SHOULD be able to find in MOST stores (assuming present shortages ARE temporary), and I'd say it's a no-brainer: .44 Mag.

If "store-bought" includes the likes of Bufffalo Bore and similar "hot" loadings, then the balancing act begins. And once one starts handloading, the game's wide open.

Some have mentioned the pressure differences. Whether they actually make a difference in felt recoil is purely subjective: what one feels as a solid hit another may feel just as a big bump.

From an objective standpoint, I'm rather conservative. The .44 Mag is built from the ground up to handle the higher pressures. Because of the nature of the cartridge and guns built around it, I doubt you'll find a gun mfr who will ok .45 Colt loads above SAAMI specs. So, while it's pretty well agreed "on the street" that some .45s can handle near .44 Mag pressures, the pressure issue MAY become important depending on the launch platform. (Just for giggles, you might think of a .454 Casull which will handle pressures even the .44 Mag would wince at! And it'll handle .45 Colts all day... course you've gotta find someone willing to part w/ one!)

The choice is yours! Personally, when I was trying to make the same one, a .44 Mag RH followed me home and I've been happy.

Rick C

 

[Profirefighter]

I shoot both. Mostly plinkin in the yard with the kids. Have read a lot about case wall thickness and pressure and such. As far as felt recoil goes, I guess it all depends on the gun. My 10 1/2 Super Blackhawk .44 don't kick nothin like my Birdshead Sheriff's model Vaquero .45 with 3 3/4 in barrel. Of course the Super also has a hougue rubber grip on it. I shoot all store-bought ammo. Some of it being factory reloaded.

 

[Bucks Owin]

From an objective standpoint, I'm rather conservative. The .44 Mag is built from the ground up to handle the higher pressures. Because of the nature of the cartridge and guns built around it, I doubt you'll find a gun mfr who will ok .45 Colt loads above SAAMI specs. So, while it's pretty well agreed "on the street" that some .45s can handle near .44 Mag pressures, the pressure issue MAY become important depending on the launch platform.

Rick C

Not to beat a dead horse "too" much but "I beg to differ sir". I'd imagine that the decades old loading manuals with "Ruger only" data didn't just throw it out there at the dewey cheeked masses without thorough testing and without their lawyer's CYA in mind. It's been know pretty much since it's 1970 (I think) debut that a .45 Blackhawk will handle 25K with ease and some such as Linebaugh put that limit at around 32K for a lifetime and that's with a 100% safety margin. We all know that Elmer's timeless reference to "a weak .45 Colt case" involved "A" weak folded head case. (Likely compromised by black powder corrosion and old age too. I doubt Elmer was throwing any cases away in the depression unless he had to) I'm somewhat conservative too and feel no urge to push a 325 gr .45 much over 1200 fps. Nothing walks this continent that can soak up a solid hit from that load and live long. Yet many savvy reloaders feel no qualms at going for 1400! The fact remains that a .45 BH will safely do anything the .44 SBH will at less pressure. Rein in a .45 Ruger BH or RH to 13 or 14K? Whatever for! Rick, were you TRYING to rattle we .45 Colt fans? :lol: Best regards, Dennis

 

[piratedude]

The whole position that .45 Colt will blow up your Ruger Blackhawk or Vaquero (not the New Vaquero) is a joke. People have been shooting those hot loads for 20 years. But realistically you could take the doubters and take a Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt (old model) and load it up with the hottest stuff Buffalo Bore sells and shoot 10 cases of that ammo right in front of their face, and they would still blather out the same drivel about thin case walls.

Having said that I prefer .44 because it's just too darn hard to find .45 Colt in the store and I live in a really remote area that UPS does not service.... .44 mag is really what people should opt for. There just isn't enough difference between the two rounds and having 2 types of ammo that are almost the same thing just doesn't make sense.

 

[GhosT]

Gobe,

Ya said...
"I'm talking using 'store-bought' ammo."

Years ago,that would make the 44 mag a lock.
But .45 long cold factory loads have come a long way.

Both hit hard with best factory loads.
Ends up personal choice!
I went the .44mag route,but The .45 can do pretty much the same damage.

 

[maxpress]

the store bought .44 will be stoughter , except buffalo bores in.45 which will be equal to most .44 but will be over $1.50 a pop.

the speer manual list there 300gr at about the same speed in .44 and .45 blackhawk only.

as others have stated if our buying off the shelf get the ferty fer. there is always the cowboy loads and .44 spc if you want low recoil later. though i would really suggest reloading if its going to be a shooter. i have more than paid for a press after a thousand rounds. think i sit at about 9 cents a round instead of the .75 thats common for .44-.45

 

[Redhawk4]

If you reload go with whichever your heart tells you - you can be a Cowboy or a Dirty Harry follower. All things being equal I don't think whatever you shoot will know the difference between the two.

If you don't reload then go with the 44 mag it gives you a much better range of over the counter ammo from 44 special to the likes of Buffalo Bore heavy bullet hot 44 mag. Generally store bought 44 mag is considerably cheaper than Colt 45.