Deciding on 44spl or 44acp revolver

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ontargetagain

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Hello folks..............I'm a little lost on which way to go and model to consider so I could use some input.

I once owned a 625JM and probably should have kept it but.....
I currently have a Redhawk 5.5" 44Mag that I shoot mid range target rounds out of in full Magnum cases. I also have a Ruger Blackhawk SA convertible 45 Colt/45acp.

I am contemplating another 45acp DA revolver or a 44spl DA revolver. Something 4" to 6". Anyone have a favorite in 44spl DA to suggest, pictures are appreciated too. Blue or stainless is fine.
Thanks for any input.........
Karl:cool:
 
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Not being a handloader, availability of factory ammo is a plus for me. I just returned from Walmart. There were countless boxes of .45ACP ammunition, including 100rd and 250rd multi-packs. There was not one round of .44Spl or .44Mag. in the ammo case. If I were in the market for a new big bore revolver, ..45 is the way I would go.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
I dislike loading and unloading full moon clips, so that's an easy one for me. At any rate, I would just get a 44 Magnum revolver and shoot 44 Special through it, or load 44 SPL in 44 RM cases...save yourself a little cylinder scrubbing.

If you absolutely have to have a 44 SPL revolver my $0.02 would be a 4" 624, or its blued counter part the 24.

Ultimately, I would go the route of a 4" 629 44 MAgnum. Why not have the ammunition versatility?
 
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If you do handload I'd say get the .41 Magnum but that's not part of your post.

I'd be inclined to go with a .44 Mag if it were me for the versatility. To really experience that versatility you need to reload. I load powder puff target loads, biped defense loads, and flaming bear busters for mine. :)
 
kaaskop49 said:
Not being a handloader, availability of factory ammo is a plus for me. I just returned from Walmart. There were countless boxes of .45ACP ammunition, including 100rd and 250rd multi-packs. There was not one round of .44Spl or .44Mag. in the ammo case. If I were in the market for a new big bore revolver, ..45 is the way I would go.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Click to expand...

Thanks, availability of ammo is not an issue, I reload. Thanks for your input and thoughts.
Karl
 
ontargetagain said:
Hello folks..............I'm a little lost on which way to go and model to consider so I could use some input.

I once owned a 625JM and probably should have kept it but.....
I currently have a Redhawk 5.5" 44Mag that I shoot mid range target rounds out of in full Magnum cases. I also have a Ruger Blackhawk SA convertible 45 Colt/45acp.

I am contemplating another 45acp DA revolver or a 44spl DA revolver. Something 4" to 6". Anyone have a favorite in 44spl DA to suggest, pictures are appreciated too. Blue or stainless is fine.
Thanks for any input.........
Karl:cool:
Click to expand...

29-10 4" or 6.5" made today in SW Classic N Frame series.

Then when you get serious you just load up .44 Magnum rounds instead of .44 Special. Stainless is softer than Carbon Steel so I'd go BLUE!
I'd want to shoot the gun a lot and stainless is not as durable as BLUE!
 
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The .44 Special is the quintessential N-frame. My 24-3 is likely my "cold dead hand" handgun.

The down side is, except for possibly a 21-4, initial cost may be quite a bit more than a 625. Prices on the 24s & 624s have gone crazy of late, and there is no .S&W 44 special in regular production that I know of.

I'm debating a 625 for my next Smith (which is a ways off!)

If you don't like the moon clips and especially if you reload, you can use .45 AR brass.

For just a plain shooter, I'd go with the .45 ACP.

Tough, tough call.
 
SLT223 said:
I dislike loading and unloading full moon clips, so that's an easy one for me. At any rate, I would just get a 44 Magnum revolver and shoot 44 Special through it, or load 44 SPL in 44 RM cases...save yourself a little cylinder scrubbing.

If you absolutely have to have a 44 SPL revolver my $0.02 would be a 4" 624, or its blued counter part the 24.

Ultimately, I would go the route of a 4" 629 44 MAgnum. Why not have the ammunition versatility?
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of moonclips either. Could always go rimmed 45 cases though. The model 24/624 is appealing, is that on an N frame I would guess?
Maybe I'll see what it takes to get my Redhawk smoothed out on DA, I tuned my old 625JM and it was sweet but not too familiar in the Redhawk trigger and action works department.

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions, appreciated
Karl
 
BikerRN said:
If you do handload I'd say get the .41 Magnum but that's not part of your post.

I'd be inclined to go with a .44 Mag if it were me for the versatility. To really experience that versatility you need to reload. I load powder puff target loads, biped defense loads, and flaming bear busters for mine. :)
Click to expand...

LOL I was afraid this would come up on 41mag as that is another want of mine too. Yes indeed reloading is a much enjoyed part of the hobby for me, thanks.
Karl
 
Why get a six gun dedicated only to .44 Special when every single .44 Magnum made shoots .44 Special just as accurately?

Somebody help me to understand this limitation. Weight is no limit the frame is N.
 
I have a couple of S&W 45 ACP revolvers. My favorites are the ones with the 4" tapered barrel. I have not ever had a 44 Special but the ballistics are similar enough as to be the same. You can also include 45 long Colt in that category, from S&Ws. I have the ACPs, so that would be what I would recommend. Unless you stumble on a good price for the 44!

Kevin
 
jtcarm said:
The .44 Special is the quintessential N-frame. My 24-3 is likely my "cold dead hand" handgun.

The down side is, except for possibly a 21-4, initial cost may be quite a bit more than a 625. Prices on the 24s & 624s have gone crazy of late, and there is no .S&W 44 special in regular production that I know of.

I'm debating a 625 for my next Smith (which is a ways off!)

If you don't like the moon clips and especially if you reload, you can use .45 AR brass.

For just a plain shooter, I'd go with the .45 ACP.

Tough, tough call.
Click to expand...

There is a certain lure of that 24-3 you mention, have been looking at them and seem to be in $900-$1200 range. Looks like another 625 is the more affordable approach. Might have to work a plan for both and just keep an eye out for a deal on a 24 model.
Thanks
Karl
 
jhcii said:
Why get a six gun dedicated only to .44 Special when every single .44 Magnum made shoots .44 Special just as accurately?

Somebody help me to understand this limitation. Weight is no limit the frame is N.
Click to expand...

To me, it is a question of balance. Usually, the 44 Special has a tapered barrel, the magnum has a bull barrel. There is a very subtle difference in the way these two barrels balance in the hand.

Kevin
 
ontargetagain said:
There is a certain lure of that 24-3 you mention, have been looking at them and seem to be in $900-$1200 range. Looks like another 625 is the more affordable approach. Might have to work a plan for both and just keep an eye out for a deal on a 24 model.
Thanks
Karl
Click to expand...

I've had the dedicated .44 Special in Thunder Ranch model and 624 stainless. They shoot great. I sold the Ranch because it was 3" or so and too short while I sold the 624 back in 1990 or so with a 6" barrel because it scratched too easily (!).

All accurate and surely worth dedicating your 1K to only a simple weaker .44 Special of 700 fps or so in a 246 gr bullet.
I found the .44 Special likes to ricochet off tree limbs dangerously while the .44 Magnum goes like the Laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation=LASER).

Want a light .44 or heavy .44 that is your think tank. I am here saying unless you want to by a triple lock from old time SW in .44 Hand Ejector the .44 Magnum today in N frame is going to do equal and double the performance in the original 29.
 
I have both but prefer the 45 acp due to ease of reload with moon clips. My S&W 325 AirLite is also wonderful to carry. MUCH less weight. Hard to have a bad outcome with either caliber. Be well.
 
I never hesitate to shoot 45ACP in my 25-2 without clips of any kind. The case headspaces on the case mouth. Light loads just fall out of the cylinder & heavier loads might require a fingernail for a few. For slow fire practice, I stand over a acp brass bucket, LOL!
For serious social loads, I load in AR brass or moon clips... but I really shoot fewer of those.
 
ontargetagain said:
I'm not a fan of moonclips either. Could always go rimmed 45 cases though. The model 24/624 is appealing, is that on an N frame I would guess?

Maybe I'll see what it takes to get my Redhawk smoothed out on DA, I tuned my old 625JM and it was sweet but not too familiar in the Redhawk trigger and action works department.



Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions, appreciated

Karl
Click to expand...


IMO, a Ruger DA, and especially the RedHawk with its single, does-it-all
spring, can never equal an N-frame Smith, especially given the same amount of work.

I say that having owned a RedHawk over 30 years and loved it's accuracy (not much else.). It needed work just to get an acceptable SA pull.
 
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