Where does the 44 Special fall short compared to the 44 Magnum?

[junglefighter]

SGAmmo has both on their web site. Silvertip has had a good following and the new improved(?) is supposed to be better and I have not spoken to anyone who has fired/tested it.The new ammo is 210 gr. in both calibers.








I was incorrect in stating Win. Silvertip was 210 gr. in both calibers. Spl. is 200 and Mag. is 210.

 

[Kurusu]

I have two new to me 20 round boxes of the 200grain .44Special ammo dated from 2001'. I bought a bunch of ammo from "OldEnough" when he sold me his last Smith .44 Mag. I plan to get 2 boxes of the new Winni Silvertip .44Special ammo and compare the two's groupings, velocity, and muzzle flash.

I've not seen any 210grain .44Special Silver-Tip though.

Depending on the range trip results the .210 Silver-Tip Winchester might just replace my current CCW .44Special loads, the Blazer cased 200grain Gold Dots. They group nice but consistently shoot one inch low and one inch to the right at 12 yards in both my 629-5 and 29-3. Weird...

Not that weird. I'd expect that from something going at least 100 fps faster than the loads the gun is sighted for.

 

[junglefighter]

The only 44 I own is a M69,4.25" bbl. I am currently using Sig 200 gr. 44 Spl. as my carry round.It shoots well and just thought the Silvertip might be better.I also bought some Speer Gold Dot for SB revolvers in 44 Mag.I am new to revolver carry after so many years of semi's.Still in the learning stage.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

...velocity...

...44 Magnum is a 44 Special +P+ ...

 

[dr. mordo]

I haven't seen anyone mention this, but the trade off is you lose the capability of firing light magnums. I personally like to load my 44 MAGs hotter than a 44 SPL, but lighter than full strength. A 180gr bullet at 1100fps is a nice stout load without being abusive to shoot.

I guess since you are shooting the SPLs in a 629 you could just overload them, but MAG brass is much easier to find and if you discuss your hot SPL loads online you are certain to have a know-it-all calling you suicidal for exceeding published load data.

BTW, I love my 3" 629 Deluxe and highly recommend it to all revolver enthusiasts. After I got a 44 and started loading for it, my only question is why I waited almost 30 years to get one.

 

[HamHands]

Not that weird. I'd expect that from something going at least 100 fps faster than the loads the gun is sighted for.

I'd tend to agree except for one caveat... Both the M29 and M629 are sighted in for Full-House Mags that are significantly hotter than the .44special GD's. Of my first range trip with both of them I took a 50 caliber ammo can slap full of 15 different kinds of ammo, 60% .44Mag, 40%w/ .44Specials, all different weights and pressures loaded to. The only ammo that shot a different POA to POI was the CCI Blazer Gold Dots, different lots each gun but same results. Now that I think about it, the 629-6 "Talo" that I sold to my little brother did the same thing.