I have reached a conclusion...

[Art Doc]

I am a total recoil wimp and I flat out do NOT enjoy shooting the 44 Magnum. I have two of them, both 29-2s in 4" and 6.5" but even with Pachmayrs and a padded shooting glove it hurts too much to enjoy shooting these beautiful revolvers. I will give up loading full power Magnum ammo and instead make hot 44 Special loads for my 29s.

I shot the 6.5" gun today to try the grips and glove, and while they helped, they didn't completely solve the problem. I didn't even try the 4" gun because I know it's worse. The load was 240 grain JHP over 22 grains of 2400 (the classic 44 Magnum load).

Here's the first group I shot. No idea how the sight got so far to the left. I corrected but none of the subsequent groups was anywhere near this good. Can't shoot well wearing a glove and getting my hand pummeled didn't help, either.

I can't even imagine shooting a 460 or 480 or 500 or what have you.

 

[gmborkovic]

Frank, what a wimp. That is a nice warm load. I sold mine and got a few
K22s for the old wrist. Best

 

[keithherrington]

I'm with you

The "snap" of the 44 Mag recoil is what I don't like. Same reason the 454 Casull is so hard to take. That's why I'm such a fan of the 45 Colt. You can hotrod it a lot (in the right gun) or tame it down to a very reasonable level. Much more pleasant to shoot. 250 grain pill with 8.5 of Unique is my favorite. Plenty of punch but not much discomfort with the right grips. Shooting gloves? Yuck.

Keith

 

[rwsmith]

Change powders........

Change to a medium burning powder and don't pack them so tight.

 

[Peak53]

Agreed. I keep a few magnums on hand for my friends, then we all go back to Unique

 

[Nightowl]

I recall that the latest recommended load has been reduced to 20 grains of 2400 for the 240 grain LSWC. I have been loading 18.5 grains for my working load. It is easier on me and the gun, and it is plenty for shooting holes in paper.

 

[arjay]

I've still got some of those loads around here,but I haven't shot any of them in 4-5 years.
10 gr of Unique under a 240 gr lswc is still potent,but much easier on you.

 

[Gamecock]

I load 200gr bullets to 1,000 fps in .44 SPC cases. Works great for me.

I enjoy shooting more with less recoil.

 

[Laketime]

I going to assume you enjoyed shooting these guns in your younger years.Nothing wrong with taming down as we grow older.

 

[CajunBass]

I've always liked magnum guns, but not so much magnum ammo. I never saw much sense in all that flash, boom, and kick just to punch a hole in a piece of paper.

 

[RKmesa]

SP:

I would be very proud of that grouping with factory loaded 44 MAGs. Every time I shoot my one shooter (a shortened 3.5" Model 29), I shoot exactly one shot well - that is the first shot. All the other 5 shots are scattered all over the paper. That is what that recoil does to my accuracy. I only break out that gun when my sons' friends want to show how macho they are. BTW - none of them can hit jack squat shooting the 44 Mags. After one cylinder, most of them are finished with the whole macho thing...

However, all of us ususally shoot fairly well with the 38 specials propelled out of N frame pre-27's of all barrel lengths.

 

[rgm36]

Come on!

That recoil is what is fun. No sense shooting a gun if it's not fun.

My motto has always been "Too much is never enough"

Stay young - go for it like you were 18 again.

Although I have to admit that I wont be carrying my .44 Mag for protection. It's a bit big to conceal - darn it! I have to carry one of those wimpy little K frame things.

 

[MichiganScott]

I've still got some of those loads around here,but I haven't shot any of them in 4-5 years.
10 gr of Unique under a 240 gr lswc is still potent,but much easier on you.

My all time favorite load. I probably shoot 100 of these for every six full bore loads.

 

[Old cop]

As I've grown older (69 now) I don't even like shooting a .357. It seems I pay the price the next few days with a sore wrist and hand. These days it's .22, .38 or .380.

 

[LimaCharlie]

My first owned handgun as a teenager in the 1960s was a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum. I am pushing 70 with arthritis and still enjoy shooting my Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull with hot loads and my .44 magnums.

 

[19leben]

Totally understand. I have a 6.5" that hurts me with full power loads so don't normally shoot more than may be 3-4 cylinders worth.
Also have one of the 3" round butt -3s that I can usually get 1 cylinder shot before I am hurting.
I'm going to be moving to either light magnum or Special loads when I can get some brass.

 

[BC38]

I am a total recoil wimp and I flat out do NOT enjoy shooting the 44 Magnum. I have two of them, both 29-2s in 4" and 6.5" but even with Pachmayrs and a padded shooting glove it hurts too much to enjoy shooting these beautiful revolvers. I will give up loading full power Magnum ammo and instead make hot 44 Special loads for my 29s.

I'm down with that idea man. I'm not particularly adverse to some stout recoil, I just don't see the point when punching holes in paper.

I load my 200gr target loads just above the 44 spl range in magnum cases using AA#2. Lots of fun without the punishment. Must have something to with getting older - or the wisdom of age or something like that

I still shoot a few full house magnums - but usually only a few and usually towards the end of the session.

I can't even imagine shooting a 460 or 480 or 500 or what have you.

I dropped the hammer on a guy's 460 ONCE at a shooting event. Just to see what it was like. Once was about enough for me.

The concussive force about knocks the air out of your lungs, the recoil will about drive your shoulder socket out of joint, and the sting to your hand is about like letting a firecracker go off in your fist.

Fun to experience a time or two, about once a year maybe, but that's enough for me.

 

[RobertJ.]

The vast majority of the .44 Mag ammo I shoot is reduced. I shoot bear busters now and then, but mostly target type loads, in the .44 Special range. I do like having that power available, though.

The older I've gotten, the more I've come to appreciate the .38 Special!

 

[Pondoro]

I'm with those who enjoy a bit of recoil. 10 rounds of 44. Then back to my 357s, 38s and my 32s.

 

[WCraven]

My first handgun if you want to call it a handgun (did need permit) was a T/C Contender in 35 Remington with a 14" super bull barrel and the fear of God rained down on you when that thing recoiled with factory 200 gain loads.. my friend I use to target with had a Super Black Hawk in 44mag and it felt like a 38 after firing the 35 Remington from a pistol ..