Best factory 44 Special defense round for a 3 inch barrel ?

[hassiman]

Hi,

I was just wondering what members consider the best factory 44 Special defense round for a 3 inch barrel?

Thanks....

 

[snuffy51]

Bout' any .44 spec. load that you and the gun shoot well.

 

[MrOverlay]

44 Spl

I have been very satisfied with Winchester Silvertips. Soft shooting and accurate.

 

[CA Escapee]

I carry Sig Sauer 200 grain V-Crown JHPs in my 696. They recoil less than the Hornady 165 grain loads. Are they the best? Dunno.

Bill

 

[moosedog]

Gold Dot is what I have tested and used for several years.

 

[Joed49]

For self defense .44 Spl I've always used either the Blazer or Speer 200 gr. Never had to shoot anyone but I think either of these would stop someone intent on harming me.

 

[Buckeye63]

I'd like to see some serious 44spl Gel tests done ...

 

[M E Morrison]

I'd like to see some serious 44spl Gel tests done ...

yeah, me too!

personally, I carry Federal 200 gr LSWC-HP in my 4" Bulldog.
even if it don't expand, it's still SWC....

 

[dr. mordo]

My new .44-spcl carry round

Best .44 Magnum Defense Load?

 

[Shark Bait]

I like the Buffalo Bore heavy 44 Special loads. They run 1000+ fps out of a 3 inch barrel.

 

[Skeet 028]

Heck the only 3 inch 44 I have ever had is a 29-3 Round butt gun....and it is going to bet sold...just too big to carry. All the others were 4 in or longer. I shoot the Win Silvertip factory loads in them all. Otherwise I use mostly reloads with cast bullets. Most 44 loads from 700 to 1000 fps will work fine in any bbl length. I quite often carry a Ruger 44 Flattop 44 sp in a Ringler crossdraw holster here on the ranch with reloads for any critter loads...including 2 legged varieties. My wife carries the same way except in 45 Colt. Both are 4 5/8 inch. Concealed carry is seldom a revolver...except in Winter. Wife does carry a 3 in Chiefs Special...but she carries it in a purse or under a coat

 

[RMFnLA]

​

I have been very satisfied with Winchester Silvertips. Soft shooting and accurate.

I used those when I carried a Charter Arms Bulldog.

Never needed it against an assailant (fortunately) but I once used it to "unlock" a master lock; worked quite well...

 

[JJEH]

I like the Buffalo Bore heavy 44 Special loads. They run 1000+ fps out of a 3 inch barrel.

Another vote for Buffalo Bore. Great ammo/variety and great people to deal with.

ANTI-PERSONNEL 44 Special Pistol and Handgun Ammo

BUFFALO-BARNES 44 SPL LEAD-FREE

Heavy 44 Special Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

 

[Borderboss]

I carry the Hornady Critical Defense round in my M69 with a 2-3/4" barrel.

It's near impossible to find gel tests of 44 Spl with a short barrel. There are none on Youtube, and Lucky Gunner hasn't tested the caliber at all. If I can find a range around here where I can set up my chrono, I could at least see how fast the rounds are going.

 

[triaxle]

I picked up a older stainless Bull Dog in the black and gold box , also was looking in a gun shop junk box and saw some speed loaders with 5 big holes for 5 bucks each I new what they were for scoped them up , found a nice leather holster rig for the gun , and anything in 200 gr lead works for me or even the older 246 gr.

 

[geartow]

i like the sig vcrowns in my rossi 720 3 inch , i carry then in my mag when not hunting.

 

[roundgunner]

I use the Speer gold dots in my 3" 629. (Not the ones in the photo) 44 spl GD, Huge Hole.

 

[dannyabear]

The Speer 200 gr. 'Flyin Ashtray' is tough to beat

 

[HamHands]

I have been very satisfied with Winchester Silvertips. Soft shooting and accurate.

I shot a cylinder full of them out of my 3" barreled M629-5 Mountain Back Packer this past weekend that I got a couple of boxes from (along with a lot of other factory/boxed ammo) from an estate sale. They were certainly factory 200gr Winchester Silver Tips with the date of 02/01 and the original price tag written on them. They were really quite accurate at 12 yards, pretty soft recoil too... but the damned fireball that came out of the barrel was pronounced. They matched the 240grain .44Mag Privi Partizans I later shot. Maybe the new Silvertips have flash retardants mixed in the powder but their vintage stuff is a light show... especially would be at night. S&B, Hornady, Underwood, American Eagle, and CCI... none had any real muzzle flash, almost zero mostly. But the Silvertips and Prvi were/are BBQ worthy. Something to think about.

I prefer either 200 grain Federal Champion LFN-HP's or 200 grain CCI/Speer topped with Speer Gold Dot's for street carry, no flash.

For woods 305 grain Hard Cast "Keith-Style" Underwood, OR 240grain Federal Fusion in a pinch both make for a great 3" M29/629 "Woods-Loads..."

 

[vipermd]

44 Spl, Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point, Bare Gel (PC HP Test) YouTube

Speer Gold Dot my choice. Good video in gel. Be Safe,