Can You Handle The .44 Magnum?

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freakindawgen

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
284
Location
Perryville,MO
My first gun was a Superblackhawk loved shooting it. Went thru a few M29's 629's didn't realize the grips were wrong. I have small hands and the hoage grip that comes on the 629 Classic is perfect for comfortable one handed shooting. Have a 4" Redhawk and went with the stock wood grips.
 

JackAsinus

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2022
Messages
135
I've never fired a 44 mag but I have owned a couple of 454 Casull revolvers.

Generally speaking correct form can mitigate tremendous amounts of felt recoil, and generally speaking shooting large caliber rounds gives you a workout.
 

johndm1967

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Messages
37
I've got mid sized hands, poor muscle tone in both arms, and metal implants where my shoulders used to be. And shooting full power 44 magnum through a Ruger Super Red Hawk and S&W 629 is pure joy. It's a true challenge of handgunning skills, knowing the muzzle blast and recoil that's coming and still following through on the basics of handgunning and hitting the target. Nothing like a Saturday morning putting 200-300 rds down range!
 

173rdLRRP

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 17, 2022
Messages
199
Location
Colorado
I had a girlfriend 50 years ago who was a slim 5'10" and 140 lbs. I took out shooting. She shot the .45 GM superbly after a few minutes of instruction and dry fire. "I thought they were supposed to kick" so we spent time going over use of the Bkackhawk 6.5". All I had was commercial .44 Mag loads. She said it did kick a bit more but not excessive.

It all depends on the person.
 

pleadthe2nd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
213
Location
midwest usa
As stated above, proper fitting grips, and grip frame, can tame the recoil of the 44 mag, I use 19.5 grains of AA #9, with 245 lswc, which is at the upper level, but #9 doesn't have all the flash and bang of some of the other powders like H110, and 2400, I find it very manageable, if it seems a bit much, on some days, I stop shooting it, before the flinch starts kicking in
 

buckeyeshooter

Blackhawk
Joined
Nov 8, 2004
Messages
857
Location
Ohio
I shot one once, then asked myself why I would want to punish myself? People who say they do not kick, recoil is Ok, they do not hurt, are in denial & their ego is talking.! IMHO. I have several J Frames that i love, just because. People who shoot +P loads or .357 out of J Frames are also gluttons for punishment IMHO. I shoot target load wadcutters, around 600-700 fps, that are accurate and never make me feel that I do not have enough power etc. I am the same way with rifles. Recoil is useless and solves nothing but can hurt technique etc., and cause someone to be a worse shot then they otherwise would be. I hunted for years with a .270 win Pre 64 Model 70 featherweight. It was all the recoil I needed and always got the job done. Just one mans opinion.
I have been shooting 44 magnums for 46 years. I do not find the recoil excessive with full power loads. The bulk of the shooting is done with 200 grain cast and 860 fps. This is my Cowboy Action load and I fire 400 rounds a week between competition and practice. I also have a 500 SW and I do not find it abusive with my hunting load (275 grain Barnes XPB at 1900fps). Now, my friend has a Taurus raging bull in 454 Casull. Full power loads with 250 grain bullets are not fun to shoot.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
978
Location
Northland
…Both my .44 Mag revolvers are Ruger SA revolvers.

Same here. The SBH has always been my favorite for shooting the .44 Magnum round.

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holdstill

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 10, 2022
Messages
3
I shot one once, then asked myself why I would want to punish myself? People who say they do not kick, recoil is Ok, they do not hurt, are in denial & their ego is talking.! IMHO. I have several J Frames that i love, just because. People who shoot +P loads or .357 out of J Frames are also gluttons for punishment IMHO. I shoot target load wadcutters, around 600-700 fps, that are accurate and never make me feel that I do not have enough power etc. I am the same way with rifles. Recoil is useless and solves nothing but can hurt technique etc., and cause someone to be a worse shot then they otherwise would be. I hunted for years with a .270 win Pre 64 Model 70 featherweight. It was all the recoil I needed and always got the job done. Just one mans opinion.
im about to unload a blackhawk for all of the reasons. if you collect i get it. if you view guns as tools and utilities with specific function as I do, then for my needs the 44 is overkill. some who are in rugged land with big game etc have utility justification.

and i would agree with you about the 357, but i have an sp101 and when i came to these forums i read on trausch grips and how he died in 1985 and how no one could find them......the very same day a pair was offered on gun broker and i snagged them.....i could easily put out 100 rounds without any hand fatigue now, before i would shoot 10 rounds and would give myself break. i have a new pair of trausch what a find....too bad they are not in production.....
 

RCA1504

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
83
Location
NW FL
For many people heavy recoil is a very real obstacle. I was a Range Master for over 40 years and saw many folks that could not tolerate heavy recoil.
Unless there is a reason to do otherwise it is best to concentrate on becoming proficient with a comfortable cartridge or gun.
A problem with recoil can be worked through, only if desired by the shooter, with practice methods and with incremental loads.
 

vlavalle

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 10, 2022
Messages
261
Location
Chandler, AZ
Again, recoil is a factor of the power of the round you are shooting, and you do not have to shoot powerful .44Mag rounds! Perhaps this is what is going on in that people are not aware of this factor and think .44Mag MEANS it has to be a powerful round. And so they shot hot loads!
 

holdstill

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 10, 2022
Messages
3
Again, recoil is a factor of the power of the round you are shooting, and you do not have to shoot powerful .44Mag rounds! Perhaps this is what is going on in that people are not aware of this factor and think .44Mag MEANS it has to be a powerful round. And so they shot hot loads!
i mean i guess, but the way i look at it is the same as shooting 38 through a 357, i want to use the gun to its capacity by design, otherwise i would keep the cobra im about to sell.
 

vlavalle

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 10, 2022
Messages
261
Location
Chandler, AZ
Well, that is your choice, but you do not have to shoot high powered ammo with your .44 Mag. I do not shoot high power ammo thru either of my Ruger Blackhawks regularly, just maybe once when I go out shooting. Shooting high poweer on any caliber is hader on the gune, on the shooter, and more expensive. I do shoot a lot of .38 Spec in my .357!
 

aciera

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
76
You will learn.......
When my daughter started shooting pistol at 13-14 she tried a 1911 45 acp. "Too much!!"
6 months later we were at an inside range and asked what else to shoot
44 Mag says I
"Can I do it dad?"
Yes......just regrip it each time as it will roll in your hands.
"Okay dad.....can I shoot it one handed?"
Yup.....
No problem...........
She was 5'8" at about 115 lbs.
what I'm saying......learn.
Try sighting in a 475 L Maximum off a bench.......you don't do a hat on the first day.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
3,208
Location
Alabama, in the bend of the Tennessee River
My youngest daughter got married about 2 years ago. I took my new son-in-law to the range one day and let him shoot a variety of my guns. I don't think he'd ever shot anything except perhaps a 22. He shot the .38-357s, .45 automatic. What else you got? He said. I handed him my old flat top 44 mag with full house loads in it. He squeezed one off turned around and smiled really big then shot the other four. This, I like! he said. He went on to burn through a whole box of Elmer's favorites, smiling the whole time. Matter of perspective I guess.
 

vlavalle

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 10, 2022
Messages
261
Location
Chandler, AZ
6GunsOnly - Do you have the ballistics for the high powered ammo you son-in-law was shooting, or were there self made loads? I ask because I doubt he was shooting truly high powered .44 Mag ammo if he shot as many rounds as you said.
 

LDM

Blackhawk
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
789
To quote Dirty Harry in Magnum Force, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Between arthritis and carpal tunnel, I can't safely handle the recoil from a .44 Mag handgun. I'm still able to properly control a .357 Mag so that's the highest I'll go.
 
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