44 mag

There was A S&W 44 up for sale on ctshooting.com a few weeks back, but I think he pulled the ad and decided to keep it.
PM me, if you want me to dig up who it was, and maybe you can convince him to part with it. (This is a CT owner, fwiw.)
 
So this could not be a one hander which is what I wanted to be able to do.

That depends on you, your size and experience with handguns. I think the .44 has a lot of recoil. I wouldn't consider it a one-hand firearm ala-Dirty Harry, but I'm not much of a handgunner, either.
 
Fully-loaded magnum loads are stout enough; you'll probably be happy just shooting 50 rounds before giving your hands a rest. Not to say it's brutally punishing, but it will be enough to bloody your fingers and hand. Also a handfull, especially if you shoot it bullseye style. Of course, you can always load some .44 Specials for more mellow shooting, but that may be too tough on the macho factor (but isn't that why there's a 500 Magnum?). The way I see it, a 240g bullet at 800fps almost matches a 45 ACP load, so you should be able to still pack a fair whallop.
 
how much kick is in a 44?
With .44 Spcl, not much. With full power .44 Mag, enough to be unpleasant.

So this could not be a one hander which is what I wanted to be able to do.
An N-frame S&W with a 6" barrel is one big, heavy gun. Most folks won't want to hold it at arms length with one hand for very long -- it's heavy.
 
So this could not be a one hander which is what I wanted to be able to do.

I think EC one-hands his .500 revolvers (don't quote me on that, I could just be adding to the legend)...so it's all based on the shooter. The N-frames are heavy, but not unbearable. You could probably shoot a .44 magnum one handed if you knew what you were doing and had the hand/arm strength. I wouldn't. If you loading it with .44spl, you could get away with it easier. I'd shoot a .44 magnum before I bought one to shoot one handed - the recoil is quite heavy on them.

Is there a particular reason you are looking to shoot it one handed? Just for fun?
 
My target handloads are about 85% and I can shoot it all day. 100% loads are a different story. I have a 8 5/8" 629 Classic which I love. Will never sell it!
 
how much kick is in a 44?
.44 mag has a lot of recoil. Takes some getting used to depending on what your experience is. When I had a 6" 629 I could handle it one handed. Don't let it scare you. The recoil is very manageable once you learn it.
 
I have shot a .38 special and it didn't seem like any recoil. I want a .44 for its size I just hate that its 600 bucks!
 
I have shot a .38 special and it didn't seem like any recoil. I want a .44 for its size I just hate that its 600 bucks!

.38 out of a medium to large frame revolver is nothing. My 28-2 (N-Frame S&W) feels like a BB gun when I run .38 through it. .357 is much more, and .44 is more than that.

Charter Arms has their Bulldog in Mass, now, which does .44spl. It'll be much cheaper, though harder to find ammo for.

Shoot a .44 before you buy it.
 
You should buy the dies and the reloading gear before buying a .44. Then you can make whatever "recoil" you want... and the whole setup will quickly pay for itself. .44 mag ammo is stupidly expensive otherwise.

-Mike
 
You should buy the dies and the reloading gear before buying a .44. Then you can make whatever "recoil" you want... and the whole setup will quickly pay for itself. .44 mag ammo is stupidly expensive otherwise.

-Mike
Truth

If you want some fun, try some Buffalo Bore 300 grain loads.
 
I have shot a .38 special and it didn't seem like any recoil. I want a .44 for its size I just hate that its 600 bucks!
If the purchase cost of the gun is putting you off, then you're really not going to like the cost of the ammunition.
 
First off, S&W makes a number of 6" .44 magnums so depending on the model, full lug, ported, etc. will vary the costs. I have the 629 but in 4". I prefer the 4" as it matches up to my 686 and 617 which are also 4". I am assuming that at $600.00 it is a used model as I would expect to pay $800.00+ new for a 6" 629. If you do decide to buy it and it is used, you may want to have someone who is somewhat knowledgable in revolvers to accompany you to check it for wear and tear because as others have stated, you want to know kick then fire some Buffalo bore 300 grainers out of it. As for shooting one hand, go for it. I don't, but then again I don't fire any pistols one handed except for a brace of Vaqueros but that's a rarity. I use a second hand to stabilize, not to fight the kick. As for the recoil, it will rise almost perpendicular to your upper arm. Your better off rolling with it then to trying and fight it. Comparing a 38 special to a 44 is like comparing a .22 to the .38 by way of recoil. A box (50) of 44's is what I'd call a day, if even that many. I use the 617 as a practice/warm up for the other 2. Pretty much the same everything except recoil. For ammunition, if your not into reloading, expect to pay $30.00-$40.00 a box of 50 for run of the mill and that much per box of 20 for high end.
 
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