Author Topic: .44 magnum question (Read 1469 times)

Neubob · « **Reply #30 on:** May 05, 2007, 09:53:58 AM »

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I grew up around pistols, but am trying to branch out with this one. I remember my first exposure to a .44 Mag at an indoor range in Inglewood, CA, and how my first impression had nothing to do with the severity of the recoil, and everything to do with the accuracy, consistency and solid feel of a nice, well-built revolver.

Now, living in Central PA, there's a lot more opportunity to take something like this outside and have some fun with it. I'd be cheating myself if I didn't use the opportunity before moving back to an urban area in a couple years.

So, thanks again for the discussion. Hopefully, in a couple years, we'll be able to talk about some high-end precision rifles...

Anyone know anything about .338 lapua?

Odee · « **Reply #31 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:51:23 AM »

Final comment on the .44 mag from me...

Get some regular .44 special ammo, not the magnum and practice, practice practice. then interchange Mag and Special, roll the cylinder and enjoy the difference. It should help you learn not to flinch when squeezing off. I know it did for me with the .357 and the .44.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #32 on:** May 05, 2007, 11:34:29 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Neubob
Thanks for the responses, guys.

I grew up around pistols, but am trying to branch out with this one. I remember my first exposure to a .44 Mag at an indoor range in Inglewood, CA, and how my first impression had nothing to do with the severity of the recoil, and everything to do with the accuracy, consistency and solid feel of a nice, well-built revolver.

Now, living in Central PA, there's a lot more opportunity to take something like this outside and have some fun with it. I'd be cheating myself if I didn't use the opportunity before moving back to an urban area in a couple years.

So, thanks again for the discussion. Hopefully, in a couple years, we'll be able to talk about some high-end precision rifles...

Anyone know anything about .338 lapua?

Where abouts in Central PA?

Neubob · « **Reply #33 on:** May 05, 2007, 11:42:21 AM »

Good ole' Carlisle.

Home of Dickinson College, The Army War College, Penn State Dickinson School of Law(Carlisle Campus) and not much else.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #34 on:** May 05, 2007, 11:50:58 AM »

Nice. You're about an hour and ten minutes away from me. I'm up at University Park right now.

Neubob · « **Reply #35 on:** May 05, 2007, 11:59:26 AM »

You've been there for a while though, haven't you?

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #36 on:** May 05, 2007, 12:28:34 PM »

Yup. Still got another year though. At the time it seemed like a good idea to sign up for a 5 year program.

Neubob · « **Reply #37 on:** May 05, 2007, 01:58:34 PM »

Well, if it helps any, my tuition checks are going to the same institution, and I too am cursing the day I made the decision.

lazs2 · « **Reply #38 on:** May 06, 2007, 09:29:23 AM »

I would not tell anyone with a 44 mag to buy 44 special ammo unless you will never reload. the cases are so close that they make reloading more difficult.

You can load 44 mags to 44 special like recoil but there is no reason. 240 or 250 grain lead slugs at 1000 fps are not in the least uncomfortable to shoot and are more accurate and far more powerful than any 44 special load.

Why have a lot of expensive and useless 44 special brass lying around and why make your gun that much harder to clean by using 44 special ammo in it?

44 specials are almost as expensive as 44 mags and not near as powerful... 44 mag brass will last almost forever at 1000 fps.

38/357 is a somewhat different thing.

I shot a box of 44 mag reloads at 1200 fps with a 250 kieth clsw slug yesterday and will shoot another box in a few hours. The gun is a cut down to 4" Ruger redhawk with stag grips. The recoil is very managable. I have the sights set for 50 yards and it will shoot flat out to 100.

I was shooting at some 5 inch long 6" PVC pipe that is/was about 1/4" thick a 45 will make a hole in it and crack it.. The 44 makes a spray of plastic bits when it hits at the 50 yard distance or so that I am shooting at.

Recoil is in your head. A 5'2" woman I know thinks the 44 does not feel bad at all and a 6'2" guy at 260 lbs I know is so scared by the 44 that he actually closes his eyes as he fires.

lazs

Neubob · « **Reply #39 on:** May 07, 2007, 11:45:17 PM »

Lazs, you ever see anything like this happen first hand?

results of a doubleload

lazs2 · « **Reply #40 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:46:20 AM »

I cracked the cylinder of a ruger superblackhawk with some loads of AA #5 at max. Ruger fixed the gun for free even when I told em what happened.

What happened was... my load was within sane limits but.. I had a lot of 8 lbs of AA#5 that was bad.. I called the factory and they said to send em some loaded rounds.. the rounds were way over even tho they were correctly loaded... I had also trimmed the brass to minimum length which did not help.

I had to take apart 300 rounds or so. My redhawk was not damaged but I had to beat the brass from the 2 rounds I fired out of the cyl.

In all my years of reloading this is the worst that has happened to me. A friend was injured by a factory ought six remington round that blew up his gun and that was later recalled.

The shooting sports are less dangerous than golf but nothing is completely safe.

lazs

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #41 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:54:57 AM »

I'm not Lazs, but I'll answer that. I have seen one bulged and the top strap bent.

The story is ABSOLUTELY correct. What happened is EXACTLY the reason I NEVER use fast burning powders in large cases, because they use very small charges and it is EXTREMELY easy to load a double charge. I always use a powder and a charge that takes up well over half the case, so that a double charge will over flow. My other habit is that when I drop a powder charge into a case, I top it with a bullet IMMEDIATELY.

lazs2 · « **Reply #42 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:02:53 AM »

I still use a single stage press and bullets are seated right after I dump a charge into the case.

lazs

Odee · « **Reply #43 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:11:20 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
I would not tell anyone with a 44 mag to buy 44 special ammo unless you will never reload. the cases are so close that they make reloading more difficult...

lazs

I guess I was assuming the reloader folks would figure I was talking to a non-reloader when I recommended getting the 44 special loads. In 20/20 hindsight, it's a shame this needs to be pointed out.

IF YOU RELOAD YOUR OWN: Get a chitload of .44 MAG cases and go effing crazy making up your own pressure chambers.

IF YOU DO NOT RELOAD: Listen to Lazs anyway.

Brenjen · « **Reply #44 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:16:09 AM »

I'm partial to the Ruger Redhawk. I have a Blackhawk & I really like it.