.44 Large Frame Revolvers for home defense.

Miami_JBT · Jun 1, 2023

I have a literal pile of firearms to choose from and there are some guns that haven't really been getting the light of day. Well, I aim to rectify the situation.

My poor once ignored Colt Anaconda and S&W Model 29-3 are now getting new attention due to a new stud being introduced to the stable; a S&W Model 29-9 Performance Center.

Yes, I took off the nice Altamont stocks and replaced them with a pair of Hogues. Why? Because wood is pretty, but rubber meets the road.

Now, why am I putting these beauties to work as home defense guns? Here's the reason. I primarily carry a mid-70's vintage Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special and I have a good supply of Space Coast Bullets 225gr SWC .44 Russian of all things along with a box or two of PMC 180gr SJHP .44 Special.

I find both to be very viable self-defense loads. The .44 Russian is a softer shooting cartridge out of the Bulldog and out of Big Blue's N-Frame and the Rampant Pony's MM-Frame, both .44 Special and .44 Russian are powder-puffs.

Yeah, I have a pile of full-throttle .44 Remington Magnum for the guns, but I think for self-defense purposes, a .44 Special 180gr SJHP is more than adequate for the intended tasks needed.

All three are six-inch guns and I'm not going to conceal them. They're intended as home-defense pieces. For carrying, the Charter Arms does the job.

With this current set-up, I'm sharing one cartridge between all the guns. And, my poor shuttered .44s get some fresh air and get to stretch their legs at the range.

junglefighter · Jun 1, 2023

I have been carrying my 629-6 Deluxe 3" bbl.as my CCW lately and it is next to me as I write. My Ruger Alaskan in 44 Mag. is next to my bed. Both are loaded with Sig 200gr.JHP 44 Spl.I think 44 Spl. is a great defense round and I really like revolvers.

Bald1 · Jun 1, 2023

I like it. Take them out for a walk and some fresh air. Now you’ll have an excuse to go shooting to reacquaint yourself with them. If 44 spl doesn’t do the trick you can knock’em over the head with it.

BLACKHAWKNJ · Jun 1, 2023

I have often wondered why the large bore DA revolver went out of fashion.
My 4" M-57 is part of my rotating roster.

Marlin57M · Jun 1, 2023

My 629 Mt. Gun with 44 Special Buffalo Bore 200 gr hard cast wadcutter bullets by my bedside help provide me with a restful night sleep.

CCantu357 · Jun 2, 2023

I love the look of a good forty-four. If I could get a nice 4" 29 or 629, sans lock, I figure it would be a good defensive handgun. Especially with Specials.

I noticed that Charter Arms continues to make the Bulldog in several variations. I just wonder how their quality and reliability compares to Colt, Smith, or Ruger. I know the old Charters were considered to be pretty good, but Charter Arms has gone through many different iterations over the years.

stansdds · Jun 2, 2023

BLACKHAWKNJ said:
I have often wondered why the large bore DA revolver went out of fashion.
My 4" M-57 is part of my rotating roster.

I think the big-bore N-frames began to lose popularity when S&W started chambering their K-frames in 357 Magnum. Lots of energy in a smaller, lighter weight firearm.

alwslate · Jun 2, 2023

BLACKHAWKNJ said:
I have often wondered why the large bore DA revolver went out of fashion.
My 4" M-57 is part of my rotating roster.

Weight, bulk combined with a six round capacity. I love my two 29-2 4" .44 magnum revolvers. But I can carry a much lighter and easier to conceal 9 mm or even .380 with more rounds on tap. A .44 mag is ok for open carry in the outdoors but a bit much for concealment.

SGT ROCK 11B · Jun 2, 2023

CCantu357 said:
I noticed that Charter Arms continues to make the Bulldog in several variations. I just wonder how their quality and reliability compares to Colt, Smith, or Ruger. I know the old Charters were considered to be pretty good, but Charter Arms has gone through many different iterations over the years.

CA has never been a match to a S&W. CA started business in 1964 and since day #1 they had a bad reputation.

Charter Arms - Wikipedia

Echo40 · Jun 2, 2023

One of my Home Defense firearms is a .45LC Revolver.

I've had this Taurus Judge Magnum at my bedside since 2017, loaded with Barnes VOR-TX 200gr SCHPs and Federal .410 Handgun 000 Buckshot.

SGT ROCK 11B · Jun 2, 2023

It depends on where you live.

When I lived on a Horse Ranch I carried a S&W 29. You can easily empty the cylinder of your self defense rounds and load a "shotshell". Around horses plenty of pests mostly rodents.

I'm a reloader and a 44 Magnum 240 grain LSWC at 950 fps is a great all around load.

Miami_JBT · Jun 3, 2023

Forte Smitten Wesson said:
One of my Home Defense firearms is a .45LC Revolver.

I've had this Taurus Judge Magnum at my bedside since 2017, loaded with Barnes VOR-TX 200gr SCHPs and Federal .410 Handgun 000 Buckshot.

.45 Colt is a very viable option for self-defense.

stansdds · Jun 3, 2023

Miami_JBT said:
.45 Colt is a very viable option for self-defense.

As the saying goes, a 9mm might expand to a .45 caliber, but a .45 won't shrink to a .38 caliber. As much as I like the 9x19, it is true that a bigger bullet will not shrink.

serger · Jun 3, 2023

SGT ROCK 11B said:
CA has never been a match to a S&W. CA started business in 1964 and since day #1 they had a bad reputation.

Charter Arms - Wikipedia

About a month ago I picked up a Charter Arms Bulldog 14420.
So far I've shot 150 rds of the HSM 44S-5-N Cowboy Action
(200gr LFP) and 100 rds of Lee 200gr LFP powder coat over 5
grains of Herco, That load chronographed in the mid 730's out
of the 2 1/2" barrel.

It's not a Smith but it does have a MUCH better trigger. And it's
about the size of a K frame. In the pocket it feels good and I've
been calling it "the big J frame" since it's a 5 shot. I'm going to
get a Mika pocket holster for it. I "think" if I use just CAS level
velocities and the 200 grain bullets it will perform better than
the 36 or 442. And I only paid $367.00 for it,$20.00 more than
the 442 cost in 2005.

I might get a 74410 which looks like a nickel Model 49 or the
Model 74421 which looks like a DAO 64. They aren't model 69s'
but they will do for me.

Rustyt1953 · Jun 3, 2023

zeke · Jun 3, 2023

For a good number of years the night stand gun was 44 mag Mt Gun. Knowing a custom loader, had him make up some 180 sjhp's at 1250 fps from 4" barrel. At the time, one of the rationalized advantages was the deliberate effort to pull the trigger.

Echo40 · Jun 3, 2023

stansdds said:
As the saying goes, a 9mm might expand to a .45 caliber, but a .45 won't shrink to a .38 caliber. As much as I like the 9x19, it is true that a bigger bullet will not shrink.

Also, if the .45 does expand, it will expand to a greater diameter than 9mm, so basically, .45 is always better than 9mm.

Rustyt1953 said:

Meanwhile, 10mm Auto and its younger sibling .40 S&W are laughing in the background, surrounded by their harem of .30 Super Carry.

Rustyt1953 · Jun 3, 2023

Long ago I removed "caliber" from my vocabulary. I don't give a deep-fried, double-battered damn about diameter. When the astronomically rare instance arrives that I have to use lethal force to defend myself I am only interested in punching holes in the appropriate places.

Miami_JBT · Jun 3, 2023

Forte Smitten Wesson said:
Also, if the .45 does expand, it will expand to a greater diameter than 9mm, so basically, .45 is always better than 9mm.

Meanwhile, 10mm Auto and its younger sibling .40 S&W are laughing in the background, surrounded by their harem of .30 Super Carry.

.41 Magnum laughs at all three.

junglefighter · Jun 3, 2023

While 44 Special is just sitting back and saying"I have been here the whole time and ignored". It can and will do anything needed.

.44 Large Frame Revolvers for home defense.

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