Author Topic: Would you buy a small 44 Special for CCW? (Read 3908 times)

papajohn428 · « **on:** June 30, 2007, 06:39:04 AM »

I'm a big fan of the 44 Special, and I'm determined to buy a Smith Model 21 next year, when cash is available. But I'm frustrated by the lack of good concealable 44 Specials on the market. Charter makes the Bulldog, but I'm not convinced it's sturdy enough to take the pounding I'd put it through, because I'd be shooting it a LOT. I like the Smith 696, but I DON'T want adjustable sights on a CCW gun, I have no need for them, and if I carry Mexican-style, they chew up my love handles. So what else is there?

I've thought about having a GP-100 converted to 44, but the price tag is just too high for me right now.

Maybe Ruger or someone could make an SP-101 style revolver in 44 Special, round butt, barrel around 2.5 to 3 inches, low profile sights, and proofed for HOT Special loads. Put the grip similar to the Bulldog's on it, round and just big enough to get three fingers around. Would you buy one? What other features would you want?

Papajohn

canon6 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2007, 02:01:05 PM »

I am a fan of the 44Special and used a CharterArms for a number of years,have you considered a Taurus I used a 445 for about six months ,till my best friend talked me out of it. They(Taurus) have them in liteweight or stainless,I know Taurus has a spotty record on dependability but all of mine have always worked,including the 650CIA,I carry now. hth Doug

Chris Potts · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2007, 02:28:22 PM »

The sp 101 in a 44 special seems like it would be a superb combo. Where do we go to start the petition. Is there enough metal to ream the sp out to 44?

Chris

papajohn428 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2007, 03:24:03 PM »

I had one of those Taurus 44's several years ago, I loved it but for two things......It had the adjustable sights I didn't want, and the cylinder walls were anemically thin, and i didn't dare shoot anything hot out of it. I sold it to a relative, with a promise that if he ever wanted to sell it, he'd call me first. He didn't. I'm still mad!

Papajohn

Skunk · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2007, 06:24:17 PM »

papajohn428,

I think a 2.5" Super RedHawk, Alaskan, in 44Mag would make a nice CCW gun.

It's a bit heavy (41 oz), but it's only 5/8" longer than the 2.5" SP101 and could be concealed well.

Plus, you could shoot Specials out of it if you wanted. But I'd use the Mags

Skunk

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2007, 10:55:17 PM »

Id go with a bulldog. In my opinion the newer ones are a better running gun then a tarurs. Tarures can be good guns but there quality control dept lacks screaning and bad ones do sneek out pretty regularly. The bulldogs are homely but allways go bang when you pull the trigger.

safetysheriff · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2007, 12:46:21 PM »

i couldn't get ''mad enough at my wallet'' to buy a Taurus, nor try an experiment right now with a Charter. i'd buy a 3" (approx') fixed-sight model of the Ruger sp-101 in .357 mag' which will do everything a .44 special will do when targeting criminals. i'd get a couple speedloaders for it and that'd be my concealed carry weapon. yes, the .44 Sp' is a great self-defense round. but the platforms for its use are either too expensive or too questionable of character for my self-defense purposes. my next purchase may just be an sp-101 for those reasons, or possibly a compact springfield xd' in .40 S&W. we'll see. the Ruger is only a 5-shot, the xd' will carry more.

take care,

ss'

Old Griz · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2007, 08:50:09 PM »

I'd love to see a K-frame in .44 Spl.

44 Man · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2007, 10:54:20 PM »

Now this is one of my favorite subjects as you can see by my Handle! I have to vote for the Charter's. I have owned 6 of them (in various calibers) and have enjoyed them all. They have all been accurate and dependable. The Bulldog can be a vicious beast in the recoil dept when you start loading up heavier loads but it's light wt makes carrying a breeze. I have only had one issue with a couple of my Charters. That was a tendency for the screw to back out in the recoil plate that pushes the cylinder pin to unlock the cylinder. When this happens the cylinder becomes difficult to release. Screw it out with a small screwdriver and apply a drop of locktite and you are good to go. I now do that on all Charter's as soon as I receive them. I love these little guns and they are way under-rated. I am a cast bullet enthuist but these guns shoot better with jacketed bullets and just love the various 200 gr H. P. that are offered. When I found this one in the used gun cabinet, I asked the dealer if it was a .38 or .44. He said a .44 and I said I'd take it. He said 'I haven't told you how much it is yet'! I said probably around $200 and I want it. Done deal. 44 Man

I also like that little 5 shot Smith that was offered on the 'L' frame for a short time. It's a good 'all around' gun. But for carrying, give me a Charter!

Drilling Man · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2007, 02:31:06 PM »

Quote

I'd love to see a K-frame in .44 Spl.

"Ok", here ya go... fall in loveee....

S&W Model 19 in 44 spl...

DM

Old Griz · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2007, 04:27:53 PM »

I gotta know. Who did the conversion? I've got more .357s than I know what to do with. I have a 19 that would love to grow up to be a .44!

Drilling Man · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2007, 08:42:43 AM »

The conversion was done by Vern Ewer, and every thing he has done for me has been top quality!

Last i heard, he only does work for the Government now...

DM

papajohn428 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:49:29 AM »

I went out Friday and went sniffing around the gun shops, found a new Charter Bulldog for $389, then spied a Smith 696 in the cabinet. It sure was pretty, then I saw the price tag, and about had a coronary. NINE HUNDRED BUCKS? If I bought the 696, a decent holster, and put a fixed rear sight on it, I'd be out over a grand. That Charter got a lot prettier after that! I may even try to find another Taurus, the one I had before was a 3", and it shot as well as I do. If I find one I guess I'll carry the 200-grain Silvertips in it, or maybe the Cor-Bon load. Does Speer make a Gold Dot load in 44? That would be my first choice, but the Silvertips also do well. Are there any other good Special loads out there?

Papajohn

44 Man · « **Reply #13 on:** July 18, 2007, 05:22:52 AM »

Glad you got to look at a Charter, I have been well pleased with mine. You do have to be aware that the new ones are just a little heavier than the old ones becasue of the barrel profile and shroud The Smith is a little bigger yet and weighs more than the Charter also. I like the Taurus also but if I were to buy one of those, I would definitely go with the titanium frame for carrying. Weight is a wonderful asset for long shooting sessions, but the lighter the better for carrying. Yes, Gold Dots are available in .44 special and are what I carry. 44 Man

warrior1 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 18, 2007, 03:20:19 PM »

one thing i'm wondering ,what do you think of the smith model 21? i have a taurus 44 special 6" ilove to shoot.
the other thing is evry time i talk to a smith about converting a 357 to 44 special they recomend against it.
if i find one i may convert my surity 6.

jcn59 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 19, 2007, 04:57:54 PM »

I had a Taurus .44 spec. snub (445?) beautiful blue finish better than my 29 classic, but there was a period of time the cylinder locked up in d.a. - I lost alot of confidence in that gun RIGHT THEN AND THERE!

papajohn428 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:41:26 PM »

Warrior1, I carry a Model Ten on duty, and I love it, the M-21 is just a bigger version shooting a better round, and I'd LOVE one. It's a little on the big side forCCW, which is what I want it for, but I do a pretty good action job on Smiths, and I'm just not convinced the Charter would stand up well to all the shooting I'd do with it.

JCN59, I would be willing to bet the gun got tied up by a gun with a rough recoil shield, or ammo that was letting the primers flow back, possibly due to loads that were too light, or were hot enough to crater the primers. The 445 I had never had those issues, if it weren't for the huge rear sight blade I'd still have it!

PJ

Cottonwood · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2007, 03:47:56 AM »

I love the .44 Spl loads as I am collecting as much brass as I can find.... funny thing about that magnum stuff, I still load it mild and in my little Taurus 44C it just feels better as I was practicing with my stuff, when a guy that lives on the same farm as my brother in law shows up and wants ONLY use real man stuff. So I loaded up the chamber with some 300-gr hard cast that I have for trail carry, that are stoked with 22.0 gr of H110

The look on his face when he touched off his manly rounds was priceless and yes he was not ready for it.

I'll take the .44 Spl loads any day of the week

BigLost · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2007, 05:44:56 PM »

.44 man said it good!!for carryin' alot,,, and shootin' too ,,the charter bulldog is a good 'un!!I loved my target bulldog(adjust. sites),,should of never let it get away!!and the new ones are better than the old ones!!I carried/shot many handguns of all kinds,,and for pure carryin',,I'll go charter .44 bulldog!!! U'd be surprised the good shootin' U can do with a 3"bbl. and 1000 fps lead hollow points!!!

m-g Willy · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2007, 07:19:47 AM »

Get the SMITH and don't look back!
S&W got the rep. for making the best revolvers ever.
And since you already got a model 10 you will just be upgrading to a better caliber.

Willy

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #20 on:** August 21, 2007, 09:54:21 AM »

I do as a back up , its a 44 mag derringer yes i know that's not a good choice , but its a BU not a go to first gun and i carry 44spl rounds in it !
when out in the woods it has snake shot !
the bulldog makes sense , if you carry alot the gun will take a beating , why buy a beautiful gun and destroy the finish ?

tc scout · « **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2007, 04:24:20 AM »

Forget the Bulldog, don't waste your money. I bought one for a carry gun because I like the 44 special. How a piece of junk that bad got out of the factory is amazing. The ejector was so bad the gun wound not cock, come to find out it was machined improperly and bent. I have had a 38 undercover for years with no problems. So I was very disappointed with this gun.After going round and round with the dealer he refunded my money. I bought a smith 396 and never looked back, great gun! You get what you pay for.

Blowtorch53 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 16, 2007, 02:39:22 PM »

Hi Papajohn,

My .44 Bulldog is very nice and it shoots very well. I am not, nor have I ever been a law enforcement officer so I guess I am no expert on self defense. I like my Bulldog a lot and I would not feel inadequate in any way if faced with the situation where I had to use it. Hopefully, that will never happen to either of us. When I took my concealed handgun course here in Texas a detective taught it and it was stressed that having it in your hand when you need it and using it properly is more important than what it is. His "pocket gun" was a Kel-Tec .380 an I carry one in my pocket all the time. I can shoot a rat's eye (or other critical spot on him) out every time at 7 yards. I know all this happens so fast there is no time to really think about it. I am so fat I don't think I could hide the .44! What do all you other people with police experience think about his theory? Thanks BT53

papajohn428 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2007, 10:40:22 PM »

Blowtorch, I'm pretty round in the middle, which makes it harder to conceal anything bigger than a Kel-Tec, but bear in mind one thing. VERY few people notice what you're carrying on your body anymore. Fashion has gone out the window, anything goes, and people now have all kinds of things on their belts, on chains, in pouches and bags, there are LOTS of places to hide a small weapon if you try. I just ordered a Bersa 45, a little bigger than my 380, but not much, and with good holsters, it just disappears under a long shirt or a jacket or vest. Having your weapon quick to your hand IS vitally important, your CCW instructor knew his stuff. I sometimes carry crossdraw, but only when I'm in a car, from a seated position it's easy to get to the gun, not so when standing. You just have to be flexible, and think about where you'll be, and what the circumstances dictate.

The 44 may still be too big for you to hide easily, but I bet there's something out there you could hide in a good pocket holster!

PJ

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2007, 06:31:01 AM »

If you want to carry in a pocket get your jeans one size larger than you need . I am a full figured guy and i can get away with a pretty good sized gun !

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #25 on:** November 22, 2007, 03:50:19 PM »

A few years ago I wrote to S&W and asked for a 5 shot K frame with either a 3 or 4 inch barrel round butt and I asked for low profile novak night sights as a production gun. Basically a .44 version of a M66. I though it would be a great carry as well as house gun. They built an L frame with a 4 inch and fixed sights. You may be able to find one. I think the 44 special is a great round. After all if you watch Dirty Harry he has a .44 Mag but loaded 200 grain special Keith wad cutters by Remington.

rio grande · « **Reply #26 on:** December 28, 2007, 01:32:58 PM »

mcwoodduck, EXACTLY! man, how fine would that be, a K-frame model 10 4" .44 special 5-shot. Blue, fixed sights would be just fine w/ me.
I had an older, no keylock safety Taurus .44 5-shot. Short barrel, factory bobbed hammer. Sold it when needed cash. Oh, I do regret that!

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #27 on:** January 03, 2008, 06:45:54 AM »

OR A SP101 44 SPL

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #28 on:** January 03, 2008, 06:46:45 AM »

YEA , A 4 SHOT !

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #29 on:** January 03, 2008, 07:36:58 AM »

Would it Fit? Maybe a .41 of some kind, but I don't think there would be enough meat in the cylinder wall for the 44. Other than 44 Russian type loads.
Hey how about 417 Ruger? Special or Russian version of the 41 Mag low pressure, High velocity with a safety slug type bullet.
I know stick to the .44 Special topic bring up the other in the wildcat section.