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Old August 15, 2010, 11:53 AM   #14
Webleymkv
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 10,435
Looking only at ballistics is a bit of an oversimplification I think. The answer to the question ultimately depends on the individual, where he or she lives, and what type of lifestyle he or she has.

For someone who lives in a fairly rural area, particularly in a colder climate with larger animals, the .44 Magnum is probably the better choice. Also, .44 Magnum is an excellent choice for a handloader as expense and ammo availability are of much less concern.

For a city-dweller, particularly one in a warmer climate, I think that .357 Magnum would probably be the better choice. Simply put, the .44 Magnum requires a pretty big gun. Choices any smaller than a S&W N-Frame are pretty slim while smaller gun in .357 Magnum abound. I find that a S&W K-Frame (far from the smallest .357 Magnum available) is much easier to conceal than an N-Frame with the same barrel length.

Recoil is another factor, I find the recoil of 158grn .357 Magnums from my 2 1/2" barrel M66 to be much more pleasant and controllable than even 180grn .44 Magnums from my 4" barrel 629. Likewise, while neither is unpleasant, I find .38 Specials from the M66 to be softer shooting than .44 Specials from the 629.

You also have to take into account ammunition availability and cost. Not everyone is an handloader and even those of us that are often use factory ammo for certain applications (I only use factory ammo for self-defense). .357 Magnum ammo is less expensive than either .44 Magnum or .44 Special ammo and .38 Special ammo is cheaper still. Also, nearly any halfway decent gunshop in my area will have both .357 Magnum and .38 Special ammo in both JHP and cheaper LRN, FMJ, or JSP varieties. .44 Special ammo can be a chore to find at all, much less to find any sort of variety. While .44 Magnum ammo is usually available, it is often only available in JSP with good JHP's being a bit more difficult to find.

Really, I've never been fond of the one-gun-for-everything school of thought. Different tools are for different jobs and using the wrong tool for the job will always yield mediocre results at best.

Last edited by Webleymkv; August 15, 2010 at 11:59 AM.
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