As a young man just out of college and the Army way back in 1972, I wanted one of the just released Model 66s. There were almost no SS guns on the market then and they were in huge demand. For that matter, all S&W revolvers were hard to get and had, for years, often sold at a premium over MSRP, especially magnum calibers.

Well, I couldn't find the 66 but one day found a nice 67, brand new, reasonable price, and I bought it. As a mere 38 Special, it wasn't the gun of my dreams by any stretch, but it ended up serving me well and I still have it.

But if you love guns, this is just the beginning of a journey. 30 or 40 years from now you'll most likely have a bunch of nice guns and will look back fondly at that 44, if that's what you end up getting. My point is that if you don't get the "perfect" or "ideal" gun with your first purchase, no big deal, you'll still be getting a very nice gun (just as I did) and there are lots more where that one came from!

As a number of guys mentioned earlier in the thread, handloading is a huge boon to shooting, at multiple levels, not just economic, although that is certainly a big one. I'm continuously surprised by how many shooters and avid gun lovers/shooters do not handload. I cannot imagine loving guns and not reloading. I strongly suggest that any new shooter take it up at the earliest possible opportunity.