357 or 44...which one?

For myself, I choose the 357 over the 44 for the reason of the extra 2 shots. Both calibers are great for various reasons. While you are looking for a "woods" revolver as the main reason ,why would you not pick a 4in. or even 5in. model? If that is the case I would absolutely choose a 44 or for that matter a hot loaded 45 colt. If you are going to also carry that revolver in a metro area , I think you would be ahead of the game with the 357 with more rds. Not by law but by frame size I have had the same discussion with my son, do I carry a 696 44 special holding 5 shots or a 681 pc holding 7 shots. I always choose the 681. Not being limited by law, I do carry the 696 loaded with snake shot when I am varmint hunting prairie dogs out west. Bigger is better with shot and if they made a 60 caliber I'd carry that. What ever choice you make will not be a bad one but what you,who is the most important, is most comfortable with and both calibers will do if you will do.
 
Joe Kent said:
For myself, I choose the 357 over the 44 for the reason of the extra 2 shots. Both calibers are great for various reasons. While you are looking for a "woods" revolver as the main reason ,why would you not pick a 4in. or even 5in. model? If that is the case I would absolutely choose a 44 or for that matter a hot loaded 45 colt. If you are going to also carry that revolver in a metro area , I think you would be ahead of the game with the 357 with more rds. Not by law but by frame size I have had the same discussion with my son, do I carry a 696 44 special holding 5 shots or a 681 pc holding 7 shots. I always choose the 681. Not being limited by law, I do carry the 696 loaded with snake shot when I am varmint hunting prairie dogs out west. Bigger is better with shot and if they made a 60 caliber I'd carry that. What ever choice you make will not be a bad one but what you,who is the most important, is most comfortable with and both calibers will do if you will do.
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Thanks for the input! I like the shorter barrel. Longer barrel is uncomfortable for me in the 2 o'clock position. If this was for daily carry, I'm sure I would go with the 357, but since I have other guns for daily, I'm leaning towards the 44. I am a huge fan of the 45 ACP, so if I was carrying in town, I could go with specials and be very happy. Not arguing that the 357 is a great choice too...that's why I'm somewhat on the fence.
 
Blackgun1, a great discussion among friends, one about caliber that we all have enjoyed for years. Thanks for welcoming and letting us all enjoy the discourse and thoughts of both yourself and our many interesting forum friends. All the best, and as I said above, you really cannot "make" a bad choice between two great choices. Joe.
 
Thanks Joe! Thanks to everyone contributing to the thread. I really appreciate it! This is a great forum!
 
Blackgun1 said:
Thanks! I like the P320 option for two legged, but not on the DOJ California Safe Handgun list:mad: This state sucks!

I have the 9 and 45 in the other guns...just want to use one of my guns for animal defense.
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I feel your pain. While as a retired LEO, I can carry whatever I have, I still have to qualify with every handgun I intend to carry every year. Our qualification cards have room for four handguns. I'm trying to limit it to one card, but have yet to be successful with that. I head up to the hills once in a while and wanted something other than .45 ACP, 9mm or .38 Special. I decided on my 681PC+. I load it up with heavies (180 gr.) .357, carry a couple of speed loaders and several moon clips and I'm good. Even most of the Black bears we have around our mountains are usually small enough to down with well-placed .357 mags in 180 gr.

Another option for you, if you don't mind an auto, would be to get a Glock in 10mm; either the 20 or 29. You can get a .40 conversion barrel for it as well, giving you other options.
 
There are some nasty critters.....

There are some nasty critters in CA, I'd carry .44 specials in town and .44 magnum if you go anywhere the big ones live. Bears and cats? What else lives there? Coyotes, wolves. Most other dangerous critters are probably best exterminated with snakeshot. I've been disappointed with .38 special snakeshot. 44 has to be better.
 
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snowman.45 said:
I feel your pain. While as a retired LEO, I can carry whatever I have, I still have to qualify with every handgun I intend to carry every year. Our qualification cards have room for four handguns. I'm trying to limit it to one card, but have yet to be successful with that. I head up to the hills once in a while and wanted something other than .45 ACP, 9mm or .38 Special. I decided on my 681PC+. I load it up with heavies (180 gr.) .357, carry a couple of speed loaders and several moon clips and I'm good. Even most of the Black bears we have around our mountains are usually small enough to down with well-placed .357 mags in 180 gr.



Another option for you, if you don't mind an auto, would be to get a Glock in 10mm; either the 20 or 29. You can get a .40 conversion barrel for it as well, giving you other options.
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Yeah..I did think about the 10mm, but I think that that 44 mag/44 special is going to give me similar results. I'd say 44 mag would be better than a 10mm, but I am dealing with a short barrel. The extra rounds in the G29 would be nice!
 
I also live in CA.

For my "woods gun" on my permit I chose a 60-15 3" 357 magnum.

It's light enough and small enough for carry in the city also.

I can pocket carry it, with the holster shown, in cargo pants/shorts.

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What you're looking for, it seems to me, is a gun capable of stopping a four legged critter that perceives you as a threat or the next tasty meal.

With that in mind, and that California doesn't have reintroduced brown bears, yet, I'd opt for the .357 Magnum.
With that said my woods carry, and city gun, is a model 58, .41 Magnum.
 
44 44 44 44

Check out the TKO Big Man (Taylor Knockout formula below. Typical TKO for 357 mag is 12 vs 18 for .44 special vs 21 for .44 magnum)

Any bear or cat in Kalifornia or the lower 48 will be stopped faster
with our 44. Plus you have the specials for 2 legged ner do wells.
If the 44 doesn't do the trick, you can have them stop'em and show them your grips.

Taylor Knockout Formula Comparison Chart
 
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Stupid question here.... Why CCW when walking in the woods and large animals are the concern? Why not open carry? Strap on anything legal in Confiscornia. Me thinks I missed something.....
 
I mentioned in my first post that I already have two other guns that I want to list. They both fill a gap for me.
 
I noticed that. I wouldn't want to choose between a .357 and a .44 is all. If you have to have the other two, get the cheaper one to shoot because you most likely will be just carrying it to the range. If you have it and need it for SD, you will be more adept with it. My two cents...
 
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I hear ya, and appreciate it! I think with the 45 as my go too for ccw, I feel that for urban carry, I'm good. I really wish I wasn't limited.
 
Blackgun1 said:
Yeah..I did think about the 10mm, but I think that that 44 mag/44 special is going to give me similar results. I'd say 44 mag would be better than a 10mm, but I am dealing with a short barrel. The extra rounds in the G29 would be nice!
Click to expand...

And the G29 (10+1) takes the G20 mags for 15+1. Imagine you're loaded up with 16 rounds of 220 Grain hard cast Buffalo Bore at 1200 fps / 703 ft lbs. If it were ONLY for the woods, I'd say 44 mag, but if I had to choose one for both applications it would be the G29.
 
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