Author Topic: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?  (Read 2591 times)

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Offline 6.5BR

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Considering a 44 special or 41 magnum in 4.25 or 5.5 and wanting opinions by those who have used either/both calibers.  Thanks.

Expect hunting use to be ltd to woods ranges and deer to hogs.

Also, any leads on a used FA in above appreciated.

Offline 2 dogs

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2007, 12:49:33 PM »
I have a 5.5 inch 44 special and I love it. Very accurate. My brother has the same 97 in the 4.25 inch length. I shot some heavy Keith loads in mine with a 250 and it had no trouble handling that load. It will kill any deer that walks.

Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2007, 01:05:10 PM »
In the Mdl. 97, for the use you describe, I prefer the 5.5" version, for the additional sight radius. Either the .41 or .44 will work well, as will the .45 Colt, assuming you plan to load for whatever one you select. My personal preference would probably be the .41, but we're kind of splitting hairs.

Offline 6.5BR

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2007, 04:02:01 PM »
Thanks guys, hey 2 dogs, tell me do they both have standard grip, or 1 or both round butted?  Choice sights?  Fluted/unfluted?  Also, like to hear the accuracy you are getting, and any load info appreciated.  Also, Ken, I might lean towards a 5.5 if I get one for that reason, really been very curious/intrigued with the 44 special the more I research it...using good loads in a capable gun that is, and just never cared for the 44 mag or 45 colt much, but would if I were chasing larger game or something large chasing me!

Any other users welcome to chime in.  Again, if anyone knows of a good FA 97 in 41 or 44 special let me know, thanks.

Offline 2 dogs

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2007, 05:02:10 PM »
Right now I am running a 180 grain JHP out of my 97 for sub one inch accuracy at 25 yards. Our FA's are both standard grip and non fluted cylinders. My brother runs the 429215 GC out of his on 2400 powder. Even with his short barrel he gets just over an inch at 50 yards. I have not shot mine that far for groups but did take a single shot at a 200 yard 12 inch plate. I held up a bunch of my custom Ken ONeill front sight and made a hit. There were several witnesses so I just acted like I did it all the time and put it away.....

Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2007, 01:38:26 AM »
200 yard plate splatters are not necessarily guaranteed when one purchases an undercut patridge front sight. Well, okay...they ARE easier.
6.5BR, all of my 97's are also unfluted with the standard grip,which I greatly prefer.

Offline 6.5BR

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2007, 03:41:43 PM »
WOW, does your brother have a scope?  Great groups, btw the plate reminds me of when I took a 629 4" about 6-7 years ago to the range with 200 gr Nosler HPs if I recall, I do remember they WERE 200gr HP's and it was a mid range charge of H110 or 296.  A friend who was shooting rifles put out some milk jugs filled with water at 100, 150 and 200.  I asked if I might try.  3rd shot connected at 100-exploded it, then tried and hit with 1st shot at 150 yds.

My buddy called me a week later and said what bbl length was that 44, a six inch?  I said no, a 4.  Btw, I was shooting offhand with open factory sights on a bright sunny day......his response, dang you need to put away the rifles, you are outshooting many rifle shots!

If only we could do that with consistency, some can, I can't!  I have made some great pistol shots in my life, many at long range targets and with short barrels.  At the same time, wasted many rounds on a deer with a M29 at 30 yds or so from a box stand and my ears rang all day....the deer walked.  I think I held too high, or the angle MAY have affected trajectory from such a high angle like bow shooters-I don't know, but I felt like a fool when I missed those multiple shots.   Thanks for the info, like the unfluted myself, and undecided on grip, the Round butt I handled with short barrel felt good, but so did the 5.5 with standard grip.  Have a great day guys.

Offline Old Griz

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2007, 07:56:21 PM »
I'm kinda biased. I'd go with the 41. Why make the 44 Sp. do something it wasn't designed to do. Keith did this and wound up with the 44 mag. I love the 44 Sp. - it's a great round for general shootin' and two-legged critters, but if I'm going after four-legged stuff, I'd much rather have a 41 mag. Will a 44 Sp. take deer? Of course it will. So will a 357. I would just rather have enough gun to do the job right.
Griz
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Offline Dusty Miller

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2007, 05:24:18 AM »
A 44 spec. in an FA gun can be stoked heavy and its practically a 44 mag. lite.
When seconds mean life or death, the police are only minutes away!

Offline 2 dogs

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2007, 07:28:01 AM »
Griz, what you say is correct, but I think the 41 would benefit from a bit longer barrel. In this particular case where a shorter barrel is specified I think I would stick with the 44 special......just me though....

6.5, very good shooting! The hard part is keeping the straight face!

Offline Boxhead

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2007, 11:33:13 AM »
I picked up a used 5 1/2" 45 Colt and am quite pleased. Though it can be loaded much stiffer, a 250 XTP at 1000 fps will flatten any deer when properly hit. It has worked well for me and with a bit of tweaking I use the RCBS 270 SAA (actually 283 grs) from Montana Bullet Works stepped up if needed.


Offline 2 dogs

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2007, 03:45:20 PM »
Boxhead, you certainly have some fine sixguns!  That 45 really looks great with that octagon barrel!

Offline Boxhead

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2007, 09:55:33 AM »
Thank you sir. And amazingly enough I got a great deal on it at Collector's in Houston of all places where great deals are few and far between.

Offline 6.5BR

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2007, 04:52:44 PM »
Griz, what you say is correct, but I think the 41 would benefit from a bit longer barrel. In this particular case where a shorter barrel is specified I think I would stick with the 44 special......just me though....

6.5, very good shooting! The hard part is keeping the straight face!

I need to get out my handguns more!  Today I shot a few groups at 50 yds with 657 6" and 657 CH 6.5", using 9.0 unique, 215swc, getting 1.5-2.5 or so groups from rest, when tried to rest the barrel on sandbag, groups opened up ALOT.  Wondering how I need to 'rest my handguns' to get most from bench?

Also, shot the Classic Hunter at 25 and it put all but 6 in group about 1", another shot of 7 went outside-my fault.

Enjoying using milder loads, as when younger in college, I had another 657, and routinely used 20-22 gr of H110 and the like with 210-220gr, MUCH louder and recoiled harder.

I think accuracy is my main objective, and I intend to start doing a lot more practice with my 41's, and hope to add a few guns over time after I get back to work.....laid off before holidays.

I am thinking about 8.0 universal clays (measures better/seems to burn cleaner and gives good accuracy) would be a mild accurate load for practice with cast bullets.  Thoughts?

Oh, about that straight face, it would be nice to think we could repeat our 'lucky shots' every time!  I know I cannot but I have made some amazing shots in my lifetime, long distance with handguns and open sights.  I used to shoot alot more, much better, and had some luck with it!

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2007, 09:22:49 AM »
44 special all the way
blue lives matter

Offline STJ

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2007, 01:26:38 PM »
Thinking of the 44sp as a '44 Special' in the FA97 is doing the gun and the 'Propper' Forty Four injustice...The 44 cal FA97 has no issues propelling a 280gr bullet 1250 fps and a 300gr to 1200fps...in a 4.25" barrel.  A 5.5 would be a bit better.

44 'FA Special' is the way to go!!!

Offline De41mag

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2007, 05:13:50 PM »
I've got both the 44 spl. and 41 mag.
And to be honest, I like the 44 spl the best. Both have the 5.5 inch barrel.
I guess I'm just getting to old for the big kickers. The 41 just hurts a little to much for my liking.
But take the 44 spl and a 180gr. Hornady XTP and some Alliant Power Pistol powder and I'm getting 1200fps+ out of that gun. And not very violent to shoot at all.
And as another plus is my Marlin 1894S likes the same load as well. So I guess I just got lucky to have a handgun and rifle that likes the same load.
Even though I love the 41 mag, this is one time I'll have to put the edge to the 44 spl.
Just my thoughts.

Dennis ;)

Offline CouchTater

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2007, 05:44:32 AM »
Boxhead, is that octagonal barrel heavier or lighter than the standard round one?

Or alternatively, what's the width flat-to-flat?

And if any of you round barrel owners have your dial calipers handy, what's the OD on your barrel?

The reason I'm asking is I like barrel heavy guns, a barrel-heavy model 97 would be the bee's knees I think. But I want a 5.5" barrel for comfortable packing and drawing.

thanx

Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #18 on: February 16, 2007, 03:47:21 PM »
On both the 83's and the 97's, the octagons will be a bit heavier than their round barrel counterparts.

Offline OLDHandgunner

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #19 on: February 19, 2007, 03:57:08 AM »
My packing/carry gun is a 44 Spl. in a S&W 696.

Offline 6.5BR

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #20 on: February 19, 2007, 04:53:09 AM »
I have since heard about the Smith you refer to, it sounds like a nice portable pistol, that will do most of what one needs for a packin gun.  Have you taken any deer or other game with it?  Are those 3 or 4"?  Thanks.

Offline OLDHandgunner

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Re: For packin/carry gun outdoors, short range deer... 41 mag vs 44 special?
« Reply #21 on: February 20, 2007, 03:26:52 AM »
6.5BR:
The 696 is a 3" barrel. It is on a L frame & a 5 shot cylinder. Mine has a patridge front sight which I prefer. It is very easy to carry & very accurate. My favorite load so far is 7.0 grs. Unique with a home cast 240 HP. Haven't tried loading jacketed bullets yet because the cast do such a great job. Haven't shot any deer yet, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so. I've shot alot of small game with it & they drop in there tracks. I work outdoors all the time & my S&W 696 goes everywhere with me. The 696's are hard to find at a good price so you might want to consider the S&W Mountain Gun in 4".