Looking at your very nice collection, what I'd say you're missing that would round it out is a stainless N Frame. The caliber doesn't matter. Although I own and shoot .44 magnums, it's because I want to not because peer preasure says I "need" to. My opinion is if you don't reload you're not going to shoot the .44 enough to justify it tying up gun money and safe space.

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Join the NRA today

To comment on the detracting qualities of the .44 mag I most often hear voiced in this thread & others - Ammo is cost prohibitive) yes, if you do not load reload (I do not) it isn't a cheap gun to put in extended shooting sessions with. Neither do I have much disposable income, but it doesn't prevent me from shooting it with a fair amount of frequency. I guess it's all relative; the cost versus the amount of shooting one does, but it brings me deep joy and satisfaction to shoot it within the limitations of my means. The recoil is excessive) no, I don't find this at all personally. Although mine has a 6 1/2" barrel with full lug. This absolutely makes a huge difference in felt recoil as I've fired .357's in L frames with short barrels that were far more uncomfortable to shoot. They're unnecessarily over-powered) no. Especially if you ever have any intentions of hunting or using it for trail carry. A .357 will cover a lot of bases but not all of them when it comes to larger game and four footed adversaries. I bought one with the intentions of covering as many applications as possible. Same as I do with all my guns, rifle, shotgun or other; because I cannot afford an armory's worth of different firearms all suited to very singular/specific purposes, nor do I want that. In deciding to get a .44 mag revolver i sought a gun for hunting, trail carry, home defense, and even open carry where permitted. If I had to, I could shoulder strap it concealed under something, but it wouldn't be my first choice for concealed carry. You often hear that 44 mag is too much for home defense or CC. That it will over-penetrate and is thus a poor/unsafe choice, and I understand the logic behind this completely. As others have pointed out, 44 special or mild magnum loads could be the answer to this 'problem', but there is another thing to consider here - myself, God forbid, I ever find myself in an 'End Days' type of scenario, well if so I WANT to be able to shoot THROUGH walls, doors, car doors, refrigerators, etc. just my two cents.

To start with "need" has very little to do with it. If you plan to hunt with it or have large dangerous critters in your area, then "need" may come into play. But a long gun is much better suited for those tasks. The real question is do you "want" one?

I'm a huge fan of big bore N-frame revolvers. I have one .44 magnum. Its a Model 29-8 that was left to me when a dear friend passed away. Otherwise, I would probably never have owned a .44 magnum. I just have no need for one and don't really care for all that buck and roar.
However, I do own six .44 Specials as I really love the cartridge. I also own four N-frames in .45 Colt being a fan of that round as well.
BTW: Considering that a standard velocity 250gr .45 Colt round will go completely through an average whitetail, there's no need to "magnumize" that fine old round either.

There's little doubt that in order to round out your current collection that you should add a N-frame of some kind. A .357 would probably be just fine. But there's just something special about the big gun in a big bore caliber that brings a smile to your face.

I'll go along with the suggestion that you find someone who owns a .44 Magnum and ask to give it a try. If you decide you want one, by all means get one. Only you can decide if you "need" one.

(WARNING: about to commit sacrilege) I like S&W wheelguns better than any of the others except when it comes to hunting revolvers (which the 44Mag is to me) and in this case I'd go with a SRH. Even in 454 I find it to be very shootable.

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K & N S&W revolvers

Do you need a Smith & Wesson 44 magnum? Yes

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Randy
Provenance nerd

The little recoil the 44 Magnum has can be tamed with a shooting glove or a pair of gloves. Very good idea especially for extended shooting sessions.

As the owner of 454 Casull and 500 Wyoming Express revolvers I cannot consider 44 Magnum as a heavy recoiling caliber, not even in short barreled guns. The lightweight 329PD is a bit more demanding but not severe either. 44 Magnum is a plinker caliber that requires only moderate concentration to shoot without flinching.

Model 629 3" Trail Boss in action


Model 29 4" Mountain Gun posing


Model 329PD 4"


Model 29 3"

holy cow, you guys...

I don't reload at the moment, but i saved all the 38 special brass. So shooting 44 won't be a frequent thing for me. I will take some of your advice and shoot my friend's 629 first and decide whether I like it or not. For now, I should just have fun with my j, k, L frame wheel guns.

You can influence penetration via bullet weight ... you don't have to go light on power. Underwood has 180gr .44mag JHP's that are full-power, but expand so fast (and cause so much destruction) that they don't penetrate any farther than a 9mm or a .45acp.

If you are asking the question you already know the answer has to be yes.

I can't speak for you but I definitely need another. I am down to only two. A Model 69 and a 29-3. I have the itch for a 6 inch 629. Only a matter of time until I scratch it too. Like them 44's!

Hell yea get a 44 mag better yet get two one each hand

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My brother is my Hero

Need one? Of course not. But you know you want one.

To the OP, yes you need one!

Here are some of my opinions of the caliber (.44 mag).

I disagree that you need to reload to shoot one. At least when it comes to full power jacketed factory loads. When I was 21 they cost $35 a box. With the influx of foreign brands I quite often buy it today for around the same. Its cheaper to shoot .44 mag today than it was 25 years ago!

Not to many shooters are going to go through more than one box of full power 44 mag per shooting session.

Its nice to just to own and collect Smith .44 mags even if you don't shoot them. No such thing IMO as wasted space in the gun safe.

Yes there are larger calibers but there are also rifles which are even better. The Smith N frame .44 mags are the pinnacle of handgun power combined with ease of carry based on sheer size/bulk and weight. I never have found much use for the larger calibers and larger revolvers.

The standard barrel four and six inch versions do have some recoil (even more so in the mountain gun version). The full lug 5, 6.5 and 8" versions are more pleasant. The 329 PD has extreme recoil.

I didn't need one either, but my son and I just bought a new 6" 629 on Gun Broker last week. As far as Smiths go, we had a J, K, and L frame but no N frame. Sometimes there are things you don't really need but can't live with out. This was one of them...

I said just a little 😃

I had the 6", it ended up weighing about 16 tons at the end of the day. I found a 629 4" and sold the big dog. Recoil is not a problem for me so having one that barely weighs more than my 686 is nice.

16 Tons. Just remembered where I heard that one. It predates Dirty Harry.

The original.

I shot this 44 magnum revolver tonight, I believe it's a model 29. I definitely don't need this one. Why would they make a snub-nose in this caliber? It's one mean bitch.

I am very fond of the 629 no dash-I have and have had several-all barrel lengths, but I favor the 8 3/8 . There is just something about them.

Why would you not want a 6" M 29?
"Go head, Make my day!"
Then again, it's a ***** cat compared to my 500 Magnum.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Compared to a longer barreled one:

Easier to carry, faster to deploy, easier to have sights in proper focus, shorter barrel time for bullet so slightly more accurate both mechanically and in practice, looks better.

CAUTION! The 44 Mag can be a slippery slope. Some years ago in my youth I saw that Clint Eastwood movie. Went right out and begged and pleaded at every gun store in town and finally got a 6 1/2" blue 29-2. I already had a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag. I got a 14 " 44 barrel for my Contender. The Contender has a Leupold 2x scope. I also picked up a Desert Eagle, I have taken big game with all. My newest is a 3" 629-6 PC Carry Comp that will be on my hip next month lookin for hogs in South Carolina. I bet you shot Magnums out of that snubby 44. If you can go back and shoot some cheap lead out of it at about 1000FPS and you may fall in love. There are quite a few here that really like our 44 snubbys.

old 1911 fan

I have every 44 I ever bought!

I like 44 mags and specials a lot. I like them at the range. I like them nice and hot. I like them in the woods with deer or elk on the other end of the barrel. I started with a 629-3 in 8 3/8". Killed my first cow elk with it that first year, 91 I think it was. Now I have that one, a 6" and a 3 1/2" snubby round butt and I even have a Redhawk in 7 1/2" The Ruger is mostly for upper end hunting test loads. No you don't need one. Yes you want one cause there so much FUN!!!. Oh and you must roll your own. That's half the fun.

Remember: Shoot, Shoot, Shoot and then Shoot some more. We must all be proficient at least. What ever you Shoot.

You may not need a .44 Magnum, but they are a nice addition to any collection, and good condition pre-MIM 29's (through -6) and 629's (through -4) are out there at reasonable prices. The big N-frame .44 is the very definition of "Smith & Wesson," with a history dating back to the original .44 Military Model of 1908, aka .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model or "Triple-lock."

My .44 Magnums:
Gila's 629 MR_a.jpg 4" 629-2 Mountain Revolver. The light, tapered barrel makes it a handful to shoot.

IMG_3328.jpg 5" 629-3 Classic. Balance, recoil absorption, and accuracy in a manageable barrel length.

SW29CKrein05Walkabout.JPG 6.5" 29-6 Classic, my first and favorite .44 Magnum. The weight of the long, full-lug barrel really soaks up recoil. It's a serious tack-driver.

A couple of my favorite .44 Specials:
Gila's 24-3.jpg 6.5" Model 24-3 "1950 .44 Target Reintroduction."

TL 13823 Right.jpg The great grand daddy of all S&W N-frame hand ejectors, the .44 Military Model of 1908, the "Triple-lock". This one was built about 1914 and shipped in November 1916. Still a great shooter!

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

Shoot one of your friends .44s. Try some factory magnums and some 44 specials. Then and only then you'll know if you want one.

I wasn't joking. Sorry. For normative, practical handgun shooting the .44 Magnum is an over powered beast and anything it can do the .45 Colt can do equally well except, maybe, as I noted, take down large, dangerous game. But if that's what you're after then a .460, or .454, or .500 is likely better.

Perhaps in the field against soft game like deer a 6 inch barreled .44 Magnum will outperform a similar .45 Colt, if there is one, but that is barely within the standard, practical use I was discussing.

Nota bene:Standard loads are under discussion - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not shoot hot .45 Colt loads in a Single Action Army or replica thereof, except one built heavier and stronger like a Ruger single action.

Tell me in what way, please. I'm not being disrespectful or mean spirited about the .44 Magnum, I just want to know what you folks think a .44 Magnum can do that a .45 Colt in an N frame or a Ruger Vaquero (for instance, especially an original one) cannot do.

Further, in one afternoon's shooting session you can probably shoot twice as many standard .45 Colt rounds in an N frame than you can .44 Magnum rounds.

This has nothing to do with .44 Specials in a .44 Magnum - I used to load my 3" M629 only with .44 Specials. That is not the point here.

And, for the record:

The .44 Magnum is an American icon mostly because of the Dirty Harry movies and while it might have been the most powerful handgun in the world for a short while there is a flaw in the story - if you research the Dirty Harry stories you will find that Inspector Callahan admits that he loaded that gun with .44 Specials.

Eminently sensible.

Well, it's a small club to be sure; I don't know about elite and, either way, I quit that club long ago.

One side story, just because:

A number of years ago I became a certified Texas concealed handgun license instructor. Because revolvers and pistols are used by our general populace instructors must pass the shooting test with one of each. On that particular day I used a now sold Norinco 1911 and a 6" barreled 586, just for fun. High score is 250 and I scored 248 with each, dropping one 15 yard round out of the center of mass 5 ring. 50 rounds per gun - lotsa fun and no big deal, just an intro to what follows:

The young man next to me was a police officer from a town near San Angelo, Texas. His pistol is long forgotten. His revolver was a 4 inch barreled .44 Magnum and his ammunition was factory, full house .44 Magnum. I looked at him and asked him if he was out of his mind and in pure Texas fashion he snorted that it was no big deal. (After all, I'm under 40 and I'm a policeman from Texas!)

At the conclusion of the test, which somehow he managed to pass, his shooting hands were bloody, blistered, and immediately bandaged. He looked at me sheepishly and said, "You were right; I'll never do that again."

And that's the gun and caliber you folks adore?

YMMV, as they say, and I'm not interested in that caliber. Period. I'll likely use a .45 Colt (Model 25-5) for my next test; I don't expect any blood or blisters.

I don't buy ANYTHING because some friend dares me to do so. If you have either a want or a need for it, then by all means, buy a 29 or 629.

That said, ask yourself whether you are buying it for yourself, and if so get it to satisfy a use you actually have. If you are buying it because of Dirty Harry, then get the 6 inch blue. If you like the idea of Elmer Keith, then get the 4 inch blue.

If you just want a range toy, then the 629 should do nicely.

The reason the .44 magnum was developed was for the handgun hunter of larger game or defense against dangerous animals. Outside of that the only need to have a gun like that is enjoyment of a powerful handgun. Since I'm not a handgun hunter and I don't live near anything that my .357 can't handle I don't suppose that I 'need' a .44 magnum. I think it would be cool to shoot one once in a blue moon but that's about it. Another reason I have is that components for reloading larger calibers are more expensive than medium and I don't see that sending a 230 grain slug downrange as any more advantageous than sending down a 158 grain round.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Nobody NEEDS a .44 Magnum revolver, but is sure is cool to have one...or two...or three...or four...or more. Blue, Nickel, Stainless, 4", 6", 6.5", heck even 8 3/8" if you want to go all in!

Heck yea, You ought to have a 44 Magnum in your collection.

Attached Images

image.jpg (79.8 KB, 36 views)

Everybody needs a smith & wesson 44 magnum revolver. Or more the one.

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby

If you have to ask then the answer is YES

I don't know why I can't stop reading this thread or refrain from commenting. But you (OP) are obviously a fan of smiths, the .44 mag is Smith's CHILD. It's an amazing round that is so successful on a variety of levels and in many manufacturer's firearms, but it's smith's baby. I could go on to argue that if there is one round MOST suited to REVOLVER over auto-loader... But I will not. If you appreciate S&W revolvers, I would tell you the ONLY one, or the FIRST one you should posess is a .44 mag.

My S&W69 shooting 180gr JHP's at 1700 ft/s is an AWESOME two-legged predator stopper.

Because a snub nose in that caliber is one of the most versitile firearms ever made.....especially in the hands of a reloader.

It can be used to plink with light slug low velocity rounds all the way up to something that can drop a brown bear.

I've had my .44 Blackhawk since 1970. I shoot mostly .44 special because the 44 mag is uncomfortable for me to shoot. The specials are a pleasure to shoot. I would not sell it unless I really had to.
I suggest going to a range and renting one or borrow one and try it out.
What's kind of fun (indoor range) is to start shooting specials and when the range loads up sneak in 6 magnums and light the place up a bit. I know; I'm a nasty man. :-)

Couple thoughts...

1. Yes, you need a 44 mag. Every collection should have one.

2. I love when threads turn into show and tell!

3. I think a 629-2 or -3 Classic Hunter like the one below would go great with your collection.

So many variables when comparing 45 Colt/ACP to .44 Special/Magnum,
IIRC the 45 Colt goes back to 1873 in the black powder days compared to the .44 special which was introduced around 1907 as a smokeless powder round ,
IMO when comparing .44 special to .45 Colt they are quite similar with perhaps a slight advantage to the 45.

While there is nothing stopping someone from pushing a 45 Colt round to Magnum pressures and velocities older .45 Colt handguns still exist and if that "Magnumized" ammo finds its way into one it can spell disaster.

For this very reason the .357 and .44 Magnums were introduced with slightly longer cases so those rounds would not fit in older guns accidentally (product liability) .

The old Military .30-06 rifle round had a similar limitation since it pre dates WWI leading to the development of the .308 Nato round in the 1950's.

Arguably the greatest advantage in choosing a.44 Magnum handgun over .45 Colt (especially if you dont handload) is the greater availability of modern ammo in retail outlets as well as a larger variety of firearms chambered in the .44 Magnum over .45 Colt .

Im admittedly a bit of a Ruger .44 carbine fan and enjoy the interchangeability of ammo between my S&W .44 Magnum revolver with my Ruger rifle while having the option to tame my S&W revolvers recoil with factory .44 Special when punching holes in paper .

I decided 357 is enough for me.

I hear you, not all guns/calibers are for all folks.

You mentioned standard 45 Colt. As soon as I ran the 950 FPS AMMO I went Elmer Keith on my old Blackhawk loads. I fired 4 boxes one afternoon and somewhere in the 3rd one I noticed a stinging in my right hand from sweat. It was a popped blister about the size of a dime. I grabbed a glove and continued on.

Nothing standard about those loads. But then I like magnum rifles too.

I "think" that I want something without someone's help. I am 63, and never fired a 44 magnum. I "think" that I want 1 still! I have a 25-15 in 45 Colt, and a Ruger Bisley in Colt also. So far, it is keeping me from taking the plunge. BUT... if the right deal came along, who knows??? Bob

I have this gem for sale! It needs a good home... Lew Horton Smith & Wesson Model 624 (S&W #103580), serial number ALU05XXX, is indeed a Lew Horton Special Edition. This model was unique in the market place at that that time, being chambered in .44 Special and having a three inch barrel. This gun is one of 7000 units produced. These Model 624’s were manufactured by Smith & Wesson and delivered to Lew Horton Distributing from 1985 to 1987. This particular gun was shipped from Smith & Wesson to Lew Horton’s in June of 1985.

Smith & Wesson 624 Lew Horton 44 Spec. 3" Barrel : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

And I guess we'll have to wait about 60 years to see if they retain that same 'relevance'.

I consider myself a revolver guy and I don't own a .44 magnum nor see any need to unless I was venturing in into bear territory or something, which I don't plan on doing.

I do see a practical defense need for snub revolvers and that is what I own exclusively.

I've owned rugers in 44 mag since the DH days. But in my sub conscience I wanted a S&W m29. Four years ago I got one. I think every revolver guy shouldn't be without a S&W m29. It's a crime not to own one.
Shame, shame, shame on you if you don't own a m29.

Look for a nice, older one. You'll appreciate it.

Yes.....you need a S&W .44.....YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE TO STOP A VEHICLE....lol

My agreement with your 2 cents is absolute. I love 44 mags. I never understood the problem with over penetration. If you shoot someone with a .44 hollow point, it would make a huge hole going through that person and I'd imagine that'd do the trick just fine. I get what the guy above you is saying, but I only make it to the range 1-3 times a year and I'd absolutely love to own a .44 Mag. I saw a YouTube video where a guy lined up about 20 phone books and had them braced and from maybe 10 feet away, it blew through 10 of them!! Not tiny phone books either! It even damaged the 11th one. If that does take down your intended foe, I'd highly recommend tucking your tail between your legs and boltin!! That is immensely awesome!! I don't reload either, but I can buy a couple boxes of rounds for it. I plan on getting an old school 4 inch Smith & Wesson Model 29 one day, but I plan to get a blued, snub, square butt Chief Special, a 3 inch nickel Chief Special and a blued, snub 19 first, but the 29 or 629 had moved up quickly on my list of guns to aquire.

Wow! Zombie thread!

In my puerile interest, I read through it and I came away with two thoughts...

1.) Doesn't own a 44. Why the heck not?! Get one! Heck, I have 4 mags and 4 specials, least you can do is get one.

2.) (and this is the big one) Doesn't care about Dirty Harry. OMG! I'm going to walk away and let you guys edit your posts before I come back...

Everyone needs the basics:

22LR
12 ga
30-06
44 mag

The 44 is my threshold gun. I got my first 44 Magnum from one of my best friends, a S&W PC 629 7.5" Hunter.



I went bigger, and bigger, and bigger still, getting a 454 Casull, 460, and then a 500.



I found, though, that the 454 Casull was my magic spot around my area, so I have 3.

To round it out, I also recently acquired a 3" 44 Magnum.



As beautiful as wood looks, it's not conducive to shooting heavy loads. I'm expecting a set of Hogue grips to tame the punch.

So do you need one? Yes. Particularly if you're a reloader. It is a versatile caliber where you can go very hot (bear load 44 Magnum) or quite light (44 Special).


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