.44 Magnum/Special Self-Defense Ammo

[SuperMan]

A friend bought a Thunder Ranch .44 Special a few years ago with the thoughts of carrying as his everyday gun. He bought every available .44 Special round and found after extensive expansion testing that none of them expanded worth a ****. JHPs at under 900 fps and some under 800 just didn't expand and that included the above listed Speer 200 grain .44 Special.

He then bought a 3" S&W 629 PC Ported and I gave him some of the Speer 200 grain .44 Magnum Short Barrel Loads. He sent back pics that every one turned inside out and some even lost their petals. The recoil is very mild but the velocity is more than enough to guaranty expansion from a 3" barrel.

As for controlability...NE450 and I have a friend who put three rounds of the Remington 240 scolloped JHP into a guy at 10 yards in less than 2 seconds. The first round started him backwards, the second kept pushing him back on his heals and the third round caught him angling backwards...and all three bullets fully expanded and stayed inside the guy. A great all-around load if you can handle it. This was from a 29-2 6.5" nickel gun...

Jacketed bullets need a lot of velocity to expand properly unless it is designed with a BIG DEEP HP like the 200 grain Gold Dot has. I was so impressed with them I bought a 629 Mountain Gun to shoot them out of as Speer doesn't have a similar bullet in .41. They also work great in my friends 329PD.

Bob

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I would like to see what happens when a 200 grain wadcutter hits at 1300 fps. I bet it is messy. It probably doesn't fly to well at longer ranges though.

That one would figure to be an "up close and personal" load. I calculate that the 180 grain gas-checked, LSWC-HP, in .44 Magnum would be a real fight stopper! At close range, the hollowpoint might blow apart and cause multiple wound tracks, leaving the base to drive on through, or it could just expand to the size of a quarter, stop, and stop whatever you shot with it.

ECS

 

[Marshall 357]

Good thread......I use to really enjoy the 357mag,then I started shooting the 44,I dont shoot full magnum loads in my 29's I dont want to beat them up or myself ...I have it loaded with specials for H D,

 

[zeke]

200 grain gdhp at 1070 fps from 44 mag. This bullet is extremely accurate and controllable in every 44 caliber handgun tried in so far. If your revolver is sighted in for 240 grainers, the poi changes substancially and you may have to crank the rear site up to the top, especially with the older models.

Easy to handload for these velocitys with the powders listed in Speer's manual. 180 jhps (rem or hdy) at 1250 fps are also very good.

44 mag is very versaltile, and bulky quick burning powders can be used.

 

[Nemo288]

Yep. The 200gr GD is a winner. It is designed for use in the 44 Special
and AFAIK it should be kept under magnum velocities. The 210
is the magnum number.
I also use the 200 GD in both calibers with great success.

Stock up on those bullets. They are sometimes hard to get. Midway is back ordered right now.
I have a few hundred in the cart right now.

The noses of these bullets are so soft I have yet to find a seating die insert that doesn't deform them
a little. Sure doesn't seem to affect their flight any judging by the above target.

...Nemo...

 

[Nanuk]

I was looking at all of the data I could find and out of a 3" or shorter barrel a 44 special or 44 Mag does not give you much over a +P 45 ACP except you can use those nasty BB Full wadcutters. The downside is also increased blast and recoil. Am I wrong? I love my 44 mag snubbies as much as the next guy but a 45 is a good concealed carry option.

 

[one eye joe]

The .45ACP has been taking out bad guys since 1911.

 

[silentflyer]

I have shot several deer with 225 gain HP and JSP from 20 out to 125 yards, never had a running deer go more than 5-10 yards, if standing they dropped in their tracks.

 

[StatesRightist]

I was looking at all of the data I could find and out of a 3" or shorter barrel a 44 special or 44 Mag does not give you much over a +P 45 ACP except you can use those nasty BB Full wadcutters. The downside is also increased blast and recoil. Am I wrong? I love my 44 mag snubbies as much as the next guy but a 45 is a good concealed carry option.

I've always loved the.45, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the round, particularly with the Barnes loads. I carry .45's, as well as N frame .41 and .44's. There are advantages to the mags, they expand to a larger diameter and offer the advantage of different levels of loads. For example I carry the GD SB's in my 3" 29, however, my speed loaders carry 180 gr Fed's and 300 gr Hornady's. I figure by reload time, barriers could very well be an issue, the 180's offer a good combo of penetration and expansion, the 300's are barrier busters. The disadvantage of course is 6 rounds and speed loaders vs 8-10 rounds of .45 and mag changes.

I carry multiple guns, which offsets limited capacity concerns.

 

[Nemo288]

I've always loved the.45, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the round, particularly with the Barnes loads. I carry .45's, as well as N frame .41 and .44's. There are advantages to the mags, they expand to a larger diameter and offer the advantage of different levels of loads. For example I carry the GD SB's in my 3" 29, however, my speed loaders carry 180 gr Fed's and 300 gr Hornady's. I figure by reload time, barriers could very well be an issue, the 180's offer a good combo of penetration and expansion, the 300's are barrier busters. The disadvantage of course is 6 rounds and speed loaders vs 8-10 rounds of .45 and mag changes.

I carry multiple guns, which offsets limited capacity concerns.

Good plan.

I have often wondered if hauling a howitzer behind the truck would be a good deterrent.

...Nemo...