Why Do People Love the 44 Special So??

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

I have another question and this one may seem really dumb. Don't forget that I am a novice at these BIG BORE handguns having never owned or fired anything other than a 44mag in the BIG BORE area.

Anyway, I have read a lot of people talk about how great the 44 Special is. Michael Bane, the TV guy says it is the best pistol cartridge ever made, or words to that affect. He clearly LOVES it and he's not alone. I'm not criticizing him or anyone else, I'm just asking. The 44 Special may well indeed be the finest Big Bore round ever made. One other thing that attests to it's popularity is the fact that you can't get a 696 without throwing in a kidney for starters.

I ask this question because in doing some VERY BASIC research last night looking through ammo tables it looks like the 44 Special doesn't pack much of a wallop. It looks like it's way less than the .357 mag. Now I know there's the added versatility of being able to shoot them in your 44 mag handguns, which I admit is a definite plus in it's favor. Comparing it to 44mag rounds it seems like the special would be akin to plinking rounds.

I am NOT trying to pick a fight or start one with anyone here or between you all. I am wanting to LEARN. I DON'T KNOW why the 44 Special is so popular and liked over other more powerful offerings, that's why I am asking.
I also agree that seeing those great BIG BULLETS is intimidating, no question about it and that would certainly give the user an added boost of confidence.

So can someone help me understand it? I fully admit that I could have made a mistake and read the ballistic info wrong and mixed up the muzzle energy figures with some other cartridge.

I just want to know and am curious as I LOVE revolvers...

Hope I don't ruffle anyone's feathers here.

Thanks again for indulging my questions and comments.

Nalajr

 

[murphydog]

Not a bad question at all. Here's a few reasons, and I'm sure others will come up with more:

A long history, starting with the Triple Lock and through the Elmer Keith "hot-rodding" era and law enforcement use, and its lineage with the .44 Russian and the .44 Magnum
Availability in small to large frame guns (not all S & W)
Can be loaded light (factory) to heavy (see Elmer, above)
Reputation for accuracy, especially with proper throat and bore dimensions
Has the number "4" in front, therefore we Americans like it

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Dennis The B]

The .44 S&W Special, like the .45 Colt, fires a big bullet at moderate velocities. It makes a nice large wound channel, and does not over-penetrate like a .38 Special with a 158gr round-nose bullet.

In the large N frame revolvers, the recoil is readily absorbed and doesn't feel like your wrist has been whacked by a karate expert. In the larger frames, it feels more like a .38 when fired. Even in the smaller L frame revolvers, the recoil is very mild, not unlike a .38 Special.

It's been refined for over 130 years, so bullet weight/caliber combinations are optimized.

They're easily reloaded. Since the pressures are relatively low, the brass tends to have a very long life. You don't need magnum primers nor hot powders, so the revolver doesn't get beat up with hot loads.

I own three S&W's in .44 Special - A Model 24-3 (3"), a model 21-4 (4"), and a model 696 (3"). I've yet to own or shoot anything more fun than these.

 

[delta-419]

I agree with what the other members have said, its history, the ease of reloading, its big bore, and its accuracy. I have 4 S&Ws in 44 special; a triplelock, 2 of the 44HE 2nd models, and a 3rd model HE (1926), all old timers. I love shooting them, its that simple for me. Try one, you'll like it.

 

[Andy Taylor]

I have a hard time deciding if I like .44 Special or .45 Colt better. They are my two favorite cartridges. They both fire large, heavy projectiles with little drama. Meaning low flash, low recoil, & low noise (compared to magnums). In an N frame sized gun, they kick like a .38 in a K frame sized gun, and substancially less than a .357 in any sized gun.

Don't know what ballistic tables you were looking at, but they can be loaded mild to wild. Unfortunately most factory ammo is on the light side, as there are many older guns in these two fine chamberings, that just wouldn't stand up to the warmer stuff.

I have 3 .44 specials. Two 624s and a 696. I also have a 29-2 that sees a lot more specials than magnums.

 

[BruceHMX]

We like the history of the round and the great guns loaded in that caliber.

Added plus already stated the round is extremely easy to reload. Economical with lead 200gr cowboy loads. My 9yr old(soon to be 10) can shoot it all afternoon and enjoys it!!

 

[Snapping Twig]

Due to anemic factory offerings, it gets little respect and the fact that magnum revolvers fire it, purpose built revolvers fell out of favor.

Older revolvers could not take modern loads, so factories don't load it to its potential - for the most part.

Now, if you reload, you can control what it is, and if you have a modern firearm to fire it in, you're golden.

Long known as an inherently accurate cartridge, modern revolvers do nothing to dispel that. Up the velocity to something in the 900fps range and you have a 250g cast bullet going exactly where you want it to. 900fps does not sound like a large deal, but realize that moderate speed allows MORE penetration.

By way of example...

Consider the 45-70 vs the 458. There is no dispute which is the more powerful, the 458 rules the roost. Using the same weight and diameter bullet, the 458 moves @ 2800fps and is devastating! Compared to the 45-70 moving @ 1800fps, there is no contest.

When you take these two rifles to a penetration contest, well, there is no contest - the 45-70 with its slower bullet blows the 458 out of the water! Not even close. Shoot a cape buffalo with the 458 and you'll drop it and when you open up the bull you'll generally find the bullet.

Do the same thing with a 45-70 and you better be sure there's not another bull behind the one you're shooting or you'll end up hauling both away. The 45-70 so out penetrates the 458 that it's legendary.

Back to the 44Spl.

You have a bullet weighing the same as a 45 colt, moving at the same speed as the 45 colt. What's different is the sectional density (SD) and the ballistic coefficient (BC) which is BETTER in both cases for the 44Spl.

This means the 44Spl will fly farther and shoot straighter (theoretically) than the 45 colt, and once it gets there, it will penetrate further (theoretically).

Not a world of difference, but a difference none the less.

All this accuracy and hard hitting downrange performance in a non magnum that's pleasant to shoot, easy to carry and has the blessing of both Skeeter Skelton and Elmer Keith - among others.

Most people that shoot the 44 mag eventually get around to shooting specials and in many cases they enjoy the easy shooting the special provides. There's little argument that the 44 mag is superior and I'd be lying if I told you I didn't giggle like a little girl when I touch off some foolishly hot rounds in my magnums, but the elegance and accuracy of a purpose built 44 Spl is something you come around to once you have your basics covered and are looking for a refined thing.

I have all the options I desire in firearms, I am fortunate that way. Now I am having a renaissance with old school firearms, things that toss pumpkin balls accurately. Not much can stand up to big chunks of lead at moderate speed.

Take the Civil War. Black powder, low velocity, but they made up for it with big chunks of lead. Look at the damage those bullets caused. Of course they were actually HUGE bullets, but perhaps you get my point - bigger IS better. Velocity is one thing, but there's no replacement for displacement.

I ramble, please forgive me. I hope this sheds some light on the topic and in some way helps.

G

 

[one eye joe]

Owning a modest collection of handguns, ALL of which are shot, I have never owned a revolver chambered in solely .44 Spl or .38 Spl. I do own many weapons chambered in .44 Mag and .357 Mag. The overwhelming majority of the ammo I shoot out of these weapons is in the diminutive Special loads. While I admire many of the revolvers chambered solely in the Special calibers, I am a shooter first and foremost, not a collector of safe queens. I enjoy the versatility of being able to shoot Specials or Magnums out of the same weapon as it suits my purpose. That being said, one of my favorite things to shoot is .44Spl out of my 629 Mountain Gun......

 

[DCWilson]

Data tables are sometimes taken to impart a meaning that is not actually there. Yes, by the numbers Loading X may be half again as powerful as Loading Y, but don't let that obscure the fact that Y may be more than powerful enough for more than 90% of situations.

A century's history of proven service and accuracy is all you need to justify the .44 Special's existence. There are one or two things a .44 Magnum will do better; but the longer round's extra energy cargo does not mean that the .44 Special is functionally less capable.

Power is not the single yardstick to determine a cartridge's commercial success.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I love the .44 SW Special for all the above reasons and will add that it is a very all sizes loading. Able to be chambered in small sized revolvers, large sized revolvers, and up into rifles and be fully functional in them all.

 

[Revolver-time]

I like it because it is a great range round. A 240 gr. SWC with about 11 grains of 2400 in my Smith 24 or Ruger Blackhawk gives a nice comfortable push in the hand when fired. Plus, I can see the hole on the target so I can make an adjustment with the next shot. And lastly, when I was hunting deer with a pistol, I found that full loaded 44 mags would just blow thru a West Virginia whitetail. But when I reduced the loads to 44 special pressures the deer seemed to drop quicker and closer.

 

[BlackSky]

 

[batmann]

The .44 Special is one of those rounds that just defy explaination. In a world of bigger, faster master blasters, the special just keeps chugging along. The .44 Special, the .45 ACP and the .45 Colt are the basic rounds we keep coming back to.
Why? Because they work. They work without undo recoil or muzzle blast. They work because they are powerful enough for most of our handgun needs and we feel a connection to history when we use them.
The .44 Special is finding some new love as Ruger has chambered their Blackhawk and NV SA's in the round. Colt has reintroduced the .44 Spl Flattop and Smith has flirted off an on with a gun chambered in the round.
Not the most powerful of rounds and logic says just get a .44 Mag and shoot specials out of it, but there is just something about a SA in .44 Special.

 

[bizloancoach]

question on 44 special

Can anyone tell me who makes a small frame 44 special-- not a K or an L (medium) but a small frame. Would love to have one of those.

 

[NKJ nut]

The .44 spl. is a great round. The revolvers are generally lighter and handier than the magnum, and given good loads it will do just about anything you need to do with a revolver, from plinking to hunting or protecting your hide from two legged varmints.

 

[lawandorder]

It's Skeeter's fault.

 

[murphydog]

Can anyone tell me who makes a small frame 44 special-- not a K or an L (medium) but a small frame. Would love to have one of those.

Charter Arms makes the smallest one, in between a J and K frame in size. Taurus and Rossi have (I don't know if these are still in production), but they are closer to a K frame in size.

 

[NKJ nut]

It's Skeeter's fault.

and yours

 

[CQB27]

Very informative thread, I am enjoying the read!

 

[Maximumbob54]

Charter Arms makes the smallest one, in between a J and K frame in size. Taurus and Rossi have (I don't know if these are still in production), but they are closer to a K frame in size.

I would think this Taurus 445 is about as small as you are going to get in a .44

But truth is I shoot most of my Specials through my M29...