Can You Handle The .44 Magnum?

[buckeyeshooter]

good thing he never had a chance to shoot a 500!

 

[WESHOOT2]

So I (also) use my 5.5" 44 Redhawk for USPSA competition in the Revolver Division; I load a 240g LSWC to 873fps.

When I woods-wear I fill it with more appropriate ammo to include 220g and 250g Sierra FPJ, Hornady 300g XTP-HP, or 300g Swift A-Frames.
Or Beartooth 255g or 280g WFN.
Or Cast Performance big heavy bullets.
Or something.

I haven't shot the revolvers (I alternate between the 44 and my 7.5" 357 Redhawk) in competition since 2005 due to elbow and wrist deterioration (and surgeries), but I think this year I'll be strong enough.

 

[twobisquit]

I had shot the big .44s over the years but never bought one because I just preferred the .357 for quicker follow up shots. In the early 90's I got the bug for a Smith and ended up with a nice 629. I got the bug again when Ruger's anniversary .44 came out. I still cannot get that second shot off as fast as the .357's but I love my .44's

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I own 6 44's and none of them have recoil issues for me. I have from 3" guns to 7.5" bbls on the different ones. They all shoot good in my opinion. A favorite load is 22 gr of h110 with a 300 gr for the 44's this is a fairly hot load and no problem with recoil from any of my guns.

 

[Donaldjr1969]

good thing he never had a chance to shoot a 500!

I have never fired one but I have heard from several people that, while robust, the .500 will not "snap your wrist" like some pundits claim. My friend and his wife have fired the big Smith. They actually found it more pleasant to fire than some .44 Magnums. It certainly cannot be worse than the person with the T/C Encore fitted with a custom .600 Nitro Express barrel. We've seen that video and the results! :lol:

 

[41manor44]

I've only found 2 44's that were a bit tough to handle with full power loads, and neither one of them are Rugers (T/C and Taurus Tracker). 4 rounds with the contender and it opens my knuckle on my off hand when I wrap it around the control hand. The Tracker in 4" is just to light but would make a great 44 Special.

Mr Skelton left us much to soon. He had a lot more stories to share and hope he gets to shoot dailey where ever he is.

 

[ClintB]

I haven't shot many .44 mags, just a few my friends had, a Smith and a Blackhawk. It was just a few times but enough to know it was a handful but nothing to be afraid of.

Just a few months ago I came to own a 5.5 .44 mag Redhawk that my late brother-inlaw bought while he lived in Alaska.

I was a bit concerned about the smooth grips and being able to hang on to it. I bought a box of factory ammo and took it out for a spin.

It was actually very easy to shoot, I had no issues with it slipping in my hand or jumping uncontrollably.

After I was adjusted to how it felt, I ran through a full cylinder as quickly as I could and maintain control. The recoil was manageable but the muzzle flash impaired my ability to see the target.

Now to sit down with it and dial it in.

 

[Donaldjr1969]

I was a bit concerned about the smooth grips and being able to hang on to it. I bought a box of factory ammo and took it out for a spin.

It was actually very easy to shoot, I had no issues with it slipping in my hand or jumping uncontrollably.

After I was adjusted to how it felt, I ran through a full cylinder as quickly as I could and maintain control. The recoil was manageable but the muzzle flash impaired my ability to see the target.

When I purchased my SRH at a gun show, I was deciding between it and a 7½" RH Hunter. Since the SRH was only 30 dollars more, I went with it to get the factory Hogues for recoil absorption and the beefier frame. At that time, I actually was unaware that the SRH used a different trigger group for improved feel. So I am quite happy with my SRH. Based on your experiences with the 5½" barrel, I probably would have done just fine with the recoil on the RH Hunter. Heck, I can easily control the SRH firing one-handed albeit with reduced accuracy over a proper 2 hand grip.

Whenever I move up to a caliber with higher recoil than anything I have previously shot, I intentionally lobster-grip the gun for the first few rounds so I get an idea how it behaves under recoil.

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I have only shot 1 gun in my life that hurt me. It was some type of a flare gun that a 10 gauge shell fit perfectly. The gun fit a 3.5" 10 ga. shotgun shell great. It was a quality built gun and had a brass gripframe with wood grips. The gun belonged to a friend and we were looking at it and I had a 10 ga. browning pump shotgun and had some 10 ga. shells lying around. the shell fit the gun and we had no flares for it so I decided to try it. The gun held together but when I tried to take it out of my hand the wood grips had pinched a strip of meat in under them on both sides of the brass gripframe. I had to tear it out of my palm. And in doing so I left a strip of meat under each grippannel. Needless to say that was the only shot we fired out of that gun. That was about 30 years ago and I have never forgot it. The lord takes care of fools and drunks and I don't drink.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Interesting article.
I really like the 44 Mag now, but it took a while to grow on me. I started off with a 357 Blackhawk as my first 'big' handgun, just after I turned 21, simply because I didn't think I could handle a 44. That was a long time ago. About 15 years later I got a 7.5" Redhawk in 44 and learned to shoot it well, working up from lower powered cast bullet handloads to fire breathing dragons using 300gr jacketed bullets and lots of 296. I found out how accurate the 44 can be with that gun.

I recently traded it off for a Lipsey's 44 Special that I shoot with some pretty stiff handloads that are close to 44Mag low end loads. Now for my 44 Mags I prefer a 5.5" Vaquero, or especially my 4 5/8" SS SBH, or a 4" barrrel S&W 629. Besides, I still have a 5.5" Redhawk in 45 Colt that handles even heavier loads than the old 44! One that will definately get your attention with full power loads is my old 8" octagon light contour barrel on a T/C Contender with factory wood grips and forend. It is very light and develops some significant velocity with that barrel length!

Anyone can learn to shoot a 44Mag, it just takes working up to it. My wife learned to shoot heavy recoiling loads in a 45 Colt Blackhawk, 250s around 1000fps mostly. She got a 6" nickel S&W Model 29-3, just because she thought it was pretty (and was 'bigger' than my 4" 629), and learned to shoot it quite well, mostly range/target loads with cast 240gr LSWCs at 1150fps, but also with full 44Mag jacketed loads. She really enjoyed taking it out to the range often, and being a big shiny bright nickle N-frame that roared mightily, it always attracted a lot of attention when she was shooting it. Now, the funny thing is a lot of folks seem to think 45ACP hardball in a 1911 makes for a hard recoiling gun that is difficult to master or shoot well. She decided to get a S&W 1911 target model and I'll never forget the first trip to the range after the 1st mag full, which were centered and tightly grouped on the target at 25 yards, she turned to me with a puzzled expression and said "That's it? I thought these were supposed to be some kind of 'big gun'? Seemed kind of wimpy. Now I understand why those guys shooting the 45s didn't want to shoot my 44 when I said they could try it. " Funny.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

good thing he never had a chance to shoot a 500!

I have never fired one but I have heard from several people that, while robust, the .500 will not "snap your wrist" like some pundits claim. My friend and his wife have fired the big Smith. They actually found it more pleasant to fire than some .44 Magnums. It certainly cannot be worse than the person with the T/C Encore fitted with a custom .600 Nitro Express barrel. We've seen that video and the results! :lol:

I have a 6 1/2 inch version. Its about the recoil of a 44 and 1/2 with top loads and heavy bullets.

 

[br6ppc]

I bought my first large caliber handgun in 1992 (Ruger SBH SS 7 1/2 bbl). Someone forgot to tell me to start with a smaller caliber. Since then, I have never been without at least one 44 mag. Most of the 44's that I have owned shot their best with full power, heavy bullet loads. A max load of H110 and a Nosler 300 gr JHP has always given me good accuracy. Only last year did I purchase my first 357 Mag (Ruger BH SS 6 1/2). It's a nice "plinking" gun with 180 gr WFNGC's and a max load of H110 after shooting the 44's.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I bought my first large caliber handgun in 1992 (Ruger SBH SS 7 1/2 bbl). Someone forgot to tell me to start with a smaller caliber. Since then, I have never been without at least one 44 mag. Most of the 44's that I have owned shot their best with full power, heavy bullet loads. A max load of H110 and a Nosler 300 gr JHP has always given me good accuracy. Only last year did I purchase my first 357 Mag (Ruger BH SS 6 1/2). It's a nice "plinking" gun with 180 gr WFNGC's and a max load of H110 after shooting the 44's.

I think that was the point of Skeeter's piece. The mighty maggie isn't as fearsome to shoot as those who've never fired one might think.... :wink:
I remember reading all the hoopla about bleeding hands and broken wrists back when I was a youngster, and the thought of dropping the hammer on a ,44 mag sixgun put me in a cold sweat! I later learned it ain't nearly as bad as I had feared...

 

[tek4260]

Childs play...... Can you handle the 45

 

[Donaldjr1969]

I remember reading all the hoopla about bleeding hands and broken wrists back when I was a youngster, and the thought of dropping the hammer on a ,44 mag sixgun put me in a cold sweat! I later learned it ain't nearly as bad as I had feared...

Bucks, seems that same hoopla still remains with the X-Frame Smiths as well as the LCR 357... :roll: And such hoopla is further reinforced by those jackwads that post videos on YouTube of inexperienced shooters firing such guns with an improper grip to boot... I am quite certain I would never get a case of "magnum eye" with a .500 Smith, even in its snubnose variety.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Childs play...... Can you handle the 45

Well, so far....But then I haven't fired your 325s over W296 yet! :wink:

 

[mraywi]

I remember reading all the hoopla about bleeding hands and broken wrists back when I was a youngster, and the thought of dropping the hammer on a ,44 mag sixgun put me in a cold sweat! I later learned it ain't nearly as bad as I had feared...

Bucks, seems that same hoopla still remains with the X-Frame Smiths as well as the LCR 357... :roll: And such hoopla is further reinforced by those jackwads that post videos on YouTube of inexperienced shooters firing such guns with an improper grip to boot... I am quite certain I would never get a case of "magnum eye" with a .500 Smith, even in its snubnose variety.

I enjoy my 44 mags and 45's but must admit a 17 ounce 357 does not sound pleasant in any way to me.

 

[Unconverted]

Yes I can. And, I specially like my 4 5/8 Vaquero .44 Mag with alloy gripframe and ejector housing.

 

[Donaldjr1969]

I enjoy my 44 mags and 45's but must admit a 17 ounce 357 does not sound pleasant in any way to me.

A 15oz derringer chambered in 44 Magnum made by American Derringer probably is downright sadistic! :lol:

I do not want to get off topic. But in a previous issue of Guns & Ammo, they commented on firing the LCR 357. While they said it barked and jumped, the so-called reports of bloodied thumb webbing and numb hands were way overblown. While it is not something that one would want to fire 100 rounds or more through in a range session, the vast amounts of full house 357 ammo disappeared quite quickly. And nobody was any worse for wear afterwards. So like the 44 Magnum hype, people, especially those with little experience with heavy recoiling guns, blew it out of proportion.

Me, I am not afraid to fire anything within reason. My very first shell from a shotgun in 1987 was a 3inch, 1-7/8oz turkey load. People said it was a hard kicking round but I found it more than tolerable. Heck, give me a .700 nitro express double from H&H and I will be willing to fire it. I just will not do anything stupid like fire that aforementioned T/C Encore with the .600 NE barrel.

 

[don44]

Childs play...... Can you handle the 45

You betcha' I can.