Shooting the 44 Magnum

Real Gun · September 29, 2018, 09:54 AM

I recently acquired my fourth gun in 44 Magnum. I sold the two S&W 629s, which were nice guns and shot well, but I preferred to focus on the single action.

The 50th Anniversary New Model Blackhawk Flat Top has that smaller grip of the flat tops and made it hard and painful to control powerful loads. That grip also contributed to flinching. My latest acquisition seems to be the sweet spot for me. It is a Ruger NMSBH Bisley 6" blued from 1997. It has an engraved cylinder and high gloss finish. It came with ivoroid grips that set it off nicely. The original grip panels, box, and paperwork were included.

Anyway, the Bisley grip is the dealmaker. Suddenly pretty hefty loads were no problem and I had no pain. I had been letting the gun roll when fired, so was still using that style for the Bisley with its different geometry. Only now I have a much better grip on the gun.

I wanted to add that part of this euphoria with the new gun is a successful new load, which is 2400 loaded to halfway between 44 Special maximum and 44 Magnum minimum according to Lyman. I am using a 240 gr TCBB coated from Missouri. I settled on 14.0 grains after finding 15.0 still a bit stiff in the Flat Top. The champ though is the full power load with IMR4227. No problem handling it.

Curiously, a gun just like this in 5.5 or 6 barrel is not currently available in Bisley.

buck460XVR · September 29, 2018, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Real Gun

I wanted to add that part of this euphoria with the new gun is a successful new load, which is 2400 loaded to halfway between 44 Special maximum and 44 Magnum minimum according to Lyman.

Kinda what makes any .44 magnum relatively pleasant to shoot, regardless of make and action.

LineStretcher · September 29, 2018, 10:11 AM

Congrats, that sounds like a nice gun. I have the Ruger Blackhawk with the 7-1/2 in barrel. I shoot 44 specials in it when I just want to have fun and I find it very pleasant to shoot. When firing factory mags in it, the back of the trigger guard does hit my finger but if I'm in a situation where the mags are required that will probably be the least of my worries. Again, congrats on finding a Bisley they are sweet.

Real Gun · September 29, 2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Kinda what makes any .44 magnum relatively pleasant to shoot, regardless of make and action.

Speaking of the gun side in a reloading context, I think plow handle grip single actions always have their limitations. I have chosen not to try to make the guns like a double action by adding rubber grips in a style not in keeping with the style of the gun. I found the Bisley grip to be the answer for me.

Actually, the moderate load is still sharp enough to be painful to shoot with the Flat Top gun. I use a glove and also wrap my knuckle with stretch bandage. I didn't seem to need that knuckle wrap in my first outing with the Bisley.

I have smallish hands, so a bigger brute might have a different experience.

cw308 · September 29, 2018, 10:40 AM

I started with a S&W mod. 29 with a 4" barrel , was more like a flame thrower , the recoil with the wood checkered grips could take the skin off your hands if you didn't grip it firm enough. Gave that beat to my Son . I now have the same model but with a 8 3/8" barrel . I'm older and wiser now and shoot special loads in a magnum case , easier on cylinder cleaning . With the stainless steel guns give the ( lead away ) patsh a try removes the burn carbon marks on the cylinder face, comes off like cream , no need to even rub hard .

Dano4734 · September 29, 2018, 10:49 AM

I always felt like you on my model 29 smith. Then i bought a casull from ruger. The 44 was tame in comparison. I thought when a guy gets older he gets smarter. That must have passed me by. Lol

rclark · September 29, 2018, 11:12 AM

The Flattop 44 Mag is my favorite .44Mag revolver. However, my loads are in the 1100fps range, so the recoil is easily handled by the plow handle. I feel this is more enough velocity out of a 240g SWC for general purpose shooting at the range and in the field. The Bisley does work better for the more potent loads.... But I rarely, if ever, have the need for all the recoil, blast and noise produced. I like to 'enjoy' shooting!

mikld · September 29, 2018, 11:47 AM

My first 44 Mag was a 629 w/5" bbl. It has Pachmayr "Presentation" grips and is relatively easy shooting. My second 44 was a Ruger SBH with stock wooden grips. I often had problems shooting full loads in this gun and most of the time went home with bloody fingers from the square back trigger guard (when I first began my 44 Magnum career I had a full blown case of "Magnumitis", where every load was near max. and occasionally at max. I liked the muzzle blast, the recoil, and the looks I got at the range when I touched off a near max load of 2400). I tried "target grips" on my SBH but those were uncomfortable and ugly, so I started carrying shooting gloves and band-aids. Perhaps I'm not well versed in shooting Magnum single actions, but never had any trouble with my 45 Colt SAA clone. I'm over my Magnumitis and am thinking seriously about the Bisley style frame/grips. 44 Magnum #6 coming?

Real Gun · September 29, 2018, 12:13 PM

Quote:

The Flattop 44 Mag is my favorite .44Mag revolver. However, my loads are in the 1100fps range, so the recoil is easily handled by the plow handle. I feel this is more enough velocity out of a 240g SWC for general purpose shooting at the range and in the field. The Bisley does work better for the more potent loads.... But I rarely, if ever, have the need for all the recoil, blast and noise produced. I like to 'enjoy' shooting!

Agreed. The issue there though is that we go below the Magnum level minimums and are hovering somewhere just north of 44 Special power. I do actually have a 44 Special NMBH that I can shoot, if that's what I really want to do. Somehow though I am drawn to the drama and challenge of shooting the magnum and rarely take the 44 Special out. I never use 44 Special brass in my magnums and look for a reload level in magnum brass that at least suggests a magnum level experience.

Real Gun · September 29, 2018, 12:32 PM

Powders I have found, common to data for both 44 Special and magnum, for moderate loads that allow going below published magnum minimums, while still slow burners without high pressure peaks and cooking of lead bullets, are AA#7 and A2400. I am currently running 14.7 of AA#7 and 14-15 of A2400, both with 240 gr lead in the 18 hardness range, some coated. The AA#7 load is actually published minimum for magnum from Accurate Powder data. It's pretty sharp, especially in the Flat Top.

cw308 · September 29, 2018, 01:20 PM

I forgot to mention , 20 years when I had my 4" 44 while shooting at a indoor range with a friend , a man came in the room ( 5 ports ) an asked me what I was shooting and could he take a shot with my gun . I said sure , loaded one in the cylinder and made it ready to shoot , I said you have to wear hearing protection , he said no I don't need it for one shot , I told him again and he said again I don't need it it's ok. Then I said OK stepped behind him with my friend and BOOM the look on his face , I'm sure he says what alot . The 44 Mag with a short barrel is alot to handle for sure .

September 29, 2018, 09:54 AM	#1
Real Gun Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: SC Posts: 2,743	Shooting the 44 Magnum I recently acquired my fourth gun in 44 Magnum. I sold the two S&W 629s, which were nice guns and shot well, but I preferred to focus on the single action. The 50th Anniversary New Model Blackhawk Flat Top has that smaller grip of the flat tops and made it hard and painful to control powerful loads. That grip also contributed to flinching. My latest acquisition seems to be the sweet spot for me. It is a Ruger NMSBH Bisley 6" blued from 1997. It has an engraved cylinder and high gloss finish. It came with ivoroid grips that set it off nicely. The original grip panels, box, and paperwork were included. Anyway, the Bisley grip is the dealmaker. Suddenly pretty hefty loads were no problem and I had no pain. I had been letting the gun roll when fired, so was still using that style for the Bisley with its different geometry. Only now I have a much better grip on the gun. I wanted to add that part of this euphoria with the new gun is a successful new load, which is 2400 loaded to halfway between 44 Special maximum and 44 Magnum minimum according to Lyman. I am using a 240 gr TCBB coated from Missouri. I settled on 14.0 grains after finding 15.0 still a bit stiff in the Flat Top. The champ though is the full power load with IMR4227. No problem handling it. Curiously, a gun just like this in 5.5 or 6 barrel is not currently available in Bisley. __________________ Not an expert, just a reporter.

September 29, 2018, 11:47 AM	#8
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	My first 44 Mag was a 629 w/5" bbl. It has Pachmayr "Presentation" grips and is relatively easy shooting. My second 44 was a Ruger SBH with stock wooden grips. I often had problems shooting full loads in this gun and most of the time went home with bloody fingers from the square back trigger guard (when I first began my 44 Magnum career I had a full blown case of "Magnumitis", where every load was near max. and occasionally at max. I liked the muzzle blast, the recoil, and the looks I got at the range when I touched off a near max load of 2400). I tried "target grips" on my SBH but those were uncomfortable and ugly, so I started carrying shooting gloves and band-aids. Perhaps I'm not well versed in shooting Magnum single actions, but never had any trouble with my 45 Colt SAA clone. I'm over my Magnumitis and am thinking seriously about the Bisley style frame/grips. 44 Magnum #6 coming? __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

September 29, 2018, 12:32 PM	#10
Real Gun Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: SC Posts: 2,743	Powders I have found, common to data for both 44 Special and magnum, for moderate loads that allow going below published magnum minimums, while still slow burners without high pressure peaks and cooking of lead bullets, are AA#7 and A2400. I am currently running 14.7 of AA#7 and 14-15 of A2400, both with 240 gr lead in the 18 hardness range, some coated. The AA#7 load is actually published minimum for magnum from Accurate Powder data. It's pretty sharp, especially in the Flat Top. __________________ Not an expert, just a reporter.

September 29, 2018, 10:11 AM	#3
LineStretcher Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2018 Posts: 619	Congrats, that sounds like a nice gun. I have the Ruger Blackhawk with the 7-1/2 in barrel. I shoot 44 specials in it when I just want to have fun and I find it very pleasant to shoot. When firing factory mags in it, the back of the trigger guard does hit my finger but if I'm in a situation where the mags are required that will probably be the least of my worries. Again, congrats on finding a Bisley they are sweet.

September 29, 2018, 10:40 AM	#5
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	I started with a S&W mod. 29 with a 4" barrel , was more like a flame thrower , the recoil with the wood checkered grips could take the skin off your hands if you didn't grip it firm enough. Gave that beat to my Son . I now have the same model but with a 8 3/8" barrel . I'm older and wiser now and shoot special loads in a magnum case , easier on cylinder cleaning . With the stainless steel guns give the ( lead away ) patsh a try removes the burn carbon marks on the cylinder face, comes off like cream , no need to even rub hard .

September 29, 2018, 10:49 AM	#6
Dano4734 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2014 Posts: 730	I always felt like you on my model 29 smith. Then i bought a casull from ruger. The 44 was tame in comparison. I thought when a guy gets older he gets smarter. That must have passed me by. Lol

September 29, 2018, 11:12 AM	#7
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,624	The Flattop 44 Mag is my favorite .44Mag revolver. However, my loads are in the 1100fps range, so the recoil is easily handled by the plow handle. I feel this is more enough velocity out of a 240g SWC for general purpose shooting at the range and in the field. The Bisley does work better for the more potent loads.... But I rarely, if ever, have the need for all the recoil, blast and noise produced. I like to 'enjoy' shooting! __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

September 29, 2018, 01:20 PM	#11
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	I forgot to mention , 20 years when I had my 4" 44 while shooting at a indoor range with a friend , a man came in the room ( 5 ports ) an asked me what I was shooting and could he take a shot with my gun . I said sure , loaded one in the cylinder and made it ready to shoot , I said you have to wear hearing protection , he said no I don't need it for one shot , I told him again and he said again I don't need it it's ok. Then I said OK stepped behind him with my friend and BOOM the look on his face , I'm sure he says what alot . The 44 Mag with a short barrel is alot to handle for sure .