So I was thinking of going back to a .44 Magnum carry gun

[moxie]

The Redhawk is stout for sure but also very heavy, big, and clunky. Also, unless you have a pretty large hand, you will find the trigger reach awful long. Longer than a SRH.

 

[Fastbolt]

I may have to use that quote! Kidding aside, isn't that what drove the popularity of the big bore Jovino and Behlert style snubbies and the Mag-na-port Combat Minis like the 29-2 below? It was their popularity, that market niche, that pushed Astra and S&W to offer their own large frame/large caliber snub nose revolvers. If you can conceal it and handle the horsepower, then carry it!

Nice M29.

 

[flyerdoc]

Just purchased a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 44 Mag. Very nice gun. It will serve on deep hiking trips. Will I ever need it, doubtful, but it is a nice security factor. I wanted to try a S&W Backpacker or other Maintain guns but there were none to be had, so, Alaskan it is.

 

[Fastbolt]

I bought other guns in the last 30 days or so without issues, so am appealling the NICs denial.

My .357 Ruger Match Champion is going to have to go back to Ruger, which further complicates things. There were some cosmetic issues I could live with, but something seems to be physically wrong with my gun. I let two other people try it as well. It will not group but throws an inaccurate pattern. I will call Ruger tomorrow and see if they will take it back and fix it. Once it is fixed I will sell or trade it.

A friend had a new Ruger AR that had to go back too. So I have lost some faith in Ruger.

I don't really want to go any lighter than a 4" all steel N frame, based on my experience with N frames.

I'm a long time Ruger owner and enthusiast. I learned to shoot using an original Ruger Standard .22 pistol (also referred to as a Mk I) and an assortment of Blackhawks.

Even so, over the years I've had to return a SBH (first year of New Model production) for a jumping cylinder pin; a Redhawk for a "timing" hammer/trigger clearance problem; and an early KP90DCf or a slide galling (heat treat) problem. All of them were returned in good condition and have provided many years of good service since being repaired. I also had a bull barrel MK II with a minor functioning issue (resolved myself) and a SP101DAO with a nasty burr (resolved with help of former revolver armorer, who was NOT a Ruger fan ).

There was one electroless nickeled Security-Six that had received some previous owner "help" at some point, which never quite seemed as good as the many other Security/Speed/Service-Sixes I owned.

I had to call Ruger to replace a takedown pin in my first LCP (sometimes jumped under recoil), but the gun's been fine with the replacement pin. My second LCP has been good, although some magazines require a bit of a snap to fully seat. Might be the mags, or the mag catch, but it's more an annoyance than a concern to me.

The rest of my Rugers from over the years were just fine from the start.

I'd give Ruger a chance to correct the revolver, and then if the problem was resolved, I'd not worry about it.

 

[Motorsporting]

I am not suggesting anything wrong with a .44 for what you need, nor do I have much experience with it. I ask this out of curiosity while seeking enlightenment - would a 10mm be an option for you?

 

[GatorFarmer]

I called Ruger today. They emailed me a form and shipping label. I will go about boxing the gun up and getting it sent back. I will see how it works and looks once they have a chance to go over it. Any factory can have a bad one slip out. The results will determine whether I would buy another Ruger revolver any time soon.

The 10mm is a good question. I suppose I could buy a Glock 20, I think that is the full size 10mm. Ammunition for the ten was hard to come by for a while, harder than a .44 Magnum. The Glock would probably be cheaper. But I suppose I have more faith in the .44 Magnum, having had a 29-5 when I started shooting handguns 20 odd years ago and others so chambered since.

Better the devil I know maybe?

I suppose I do not know enough about woods loads in 10mm or the various platforms other than the Glock. My mind is open to it.

I really liked the .41 Magnum I had about ten years ago. Wish I still had it. But ammunition was expensive and rare, both then and now.

On the topic of rifles, while certainly possible to carry one around, if it is not hunting season one may invite questions from a game warden. It is also more problematic to work outside, fish, take the trash out etc with a rifle than it is a holstered handgun, even a large one.

 

[Acroyer]

I'm a huge fan of the 10mm cartridge, and on occasion, I will CC a Rock Island Armory TAC II commander size 1911 in 10mm. Ammo is obtainable with a little internet searching, so that's not a great problem. The trouble is, 10mm cartridges come in such huge varieties of power factors. Some commercial offerings are downloaded to the point where they are no better than a standard 40 S&W. Others, from boutique loaders such as Double-Tap, Buffalo Bore and Underwood are set to downright nuclear specs. There are also offerings from these loaders that are meant for woods-carry applications, and are hard-cast lead in the 200 to 230 grain range, and are meant for medium-size game and bear protection. Using these woods-carry rounds on two legged critters will result in some serious pass-through, being way more than is needed. The cartridge is fairly easy to shoot in the somewhat light Glock 20, and even more controllable in heavier pistols. Using Underwood loads at the range, recovering from a shot is not all that bad. 10mm loads can be worked up to the .357 magnum, light 41 magnum range.

That being said, it is not a .44 mag by any stretch. If you have something you need to shoot with a full load .44, a 10mm is not going to do it for you, regardless of what people try to tell you.

The 10mm shines in it's versatility: going where there are human predators, load up on appropriate ammo. Going into the woods, slap in a mag of the hard cast nuclear stuff. Of course, you get more shots with the 10mm. In a Glock 20, you get 15 plus 1 as opposed to the 6 shots with a .44 mag.

 

[S42N8]

Second on the 10mm. I like the 29/629 for two-legged critters, but the clear advantages of the semi-auto in 10mm for big nasty critters are undeniable. I would consider the Desert Eagle in .44 Mag, but size and weight are prohibitive (cost is kinda silly too.)

 

[Harkrader]

I carry a 29-10 Lew Horton Special with 4" barrel, just because I can.



There are two important considerations, for me:
1. Holster. It's heavy and needs to be well supported. *I* like the Galco CM126B Combat Master Belt Holster. Snug fit, firm without digging into me.

2. Ammo. Full-spec 44 Magnum ammo is way too hot for self-defense use in a 4" gun, I don't care WHO you are. The kick, recoil and muzzle blast make follow-up shots slow and difficult, and may give you pause even on the first shot. Of course, if you're close enough to your target, you can burn them to death with the blast.

That said, I do like Hornady LeverEvolution 44 MAG 225 GR FTX ammo, and Federal Cartridge makes the PH44HS1 Hydra Shok, or P44XB1 Barnes Expander total copper bullet with a deeeep cavity, that I find controllable in the 4" 29.
My preferred self-defense round is the Hornady 44 Special 165 gr FTX Critical Defense. Quite manageable, and highly effective. I keep them all on hand.

Another caution: big booletts mean more heavy stuff to distribute around your body, and another deterrent to reloading under stress.

Also keep in mind that such a large, heavy revolver will almost certainly be slower to bring into action than smaller ones, or autos. Soooo:
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice - - -

 

[SilentKnight]

I am a fan of the 44 magnum for hunting trips. I carry a 44 special or 45 ACP with fragmenting bullets for EDC. I think the magnum rounds could over penetrate in crowded places plus getting the second round off is faster with lighter recoil. If it is bear or big ugly hairy critters you worry about that is one thing... we need to adjust to the situation. Good news is you can carry 44 spl in a 44 magnum as the situation dictates. Good luck.

 

[h2so4]

Here is another vote for a 329PD. I have one and have carried it on many back country adventures. If it had a 2.5" or 3" barrel that would make it even better. I might trade some weight for a smaller barrel- It just depends on how you carry it.