44 Mag.

C

Crown21

New member
Hey guys just looking for your thoughts on what make and model to purchase and why. I am open to other caliber options if you have some ideas that you think would be a better fit. The gun will be used for some deer hunting and a bit of target shooting.


Thanks in advance!!
Crown
 
Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter....for a hunting handgun in 44mag you can't do much better..

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I've got the Super Red Hawk 7.5" I looked at the 9" and thought it looked strange so I opted for the shorter barrel. After putting a scope on it it I wish I had the 9". I've taken 2 deer (same time) with it at 60 yards with a 2x Burris and felt really comfortable shooting at that distance. The Red Hawk grip fit my hands better.

I think your on the right track with the 44 mag, many, many differnt loads are possible. Go to a gun store and handle them and find the one that fits. The trigger in mine is very nice for shooting paper and hunting.
 
Since you haven't made reference to Pistol or Rifle, I'd say a Winnie/Marlin in .44 Mag. I loved mine and I could load it hotter than I could for a pistol. If you're bent on a pistol, I have always been partial to the Blackhawks for looks but the Taurus Tracker due to the barrel porting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
My 7.5 inch Super Redhawk wears a 4x Lepould and shoot 1 inch groups at 50 yards. Oddly I have not shot a deer withit yet, but I have shot deer with a 4 inch S&W 629, and a 4 5/8 Superblackhawk. All did quite well.
 
I too will jump on the bandwagon for the SuperB. I bought my old model way back in '73 and over the next 20 odd years ran over 60,000 rounds though it- mostly hot handloads. I finally had to send it back to Ruger for a new barrel after shooting the rifling out of it. I later sent it to Mag-na-Port for a full accuracy job and porting. It a great shooting gun to this day, but I no longer enjoy the blast and recoil as much as I used to so it pretty much a safe queen now. But when it time for some .44 fun it still the 1st one I grab. I will never put more than several hundred rounds through it a year now as compared to the several thousand that I used to, but it will still outshoot any of my other big guns, and I think that makes it worth always having a place in my safe right there.
 
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I loved mine and I could load it hotter than I could for a pistol. If you're bent on a pistol, I have always been partial to the Blackhawks for looks but the Taurus Tracker due to the barrel porting.


I have a 44 Taurus Tracker also....You can't run hot loads in it, the Bisley Hunter will shoot anything you want within reason..

As for the Tracker..although its certainly plenty accurate.. you sure know when you pull the trigger with that 3" ported bbl and if you don't have hearing protection on, then you'll be sorry...lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Not my pick for a hunting rig...JMO /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I use it as a CCW gun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif and backpacking backup in those remote places that wierdos seem to pop up...

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I would recommend any of the stainless Rugers in 44 mag. They come with scope rings. You still retain the open sights when you remove the scope. I have the old style Hunter with 2X Burris, a 7 1/2" Super Redhawk with a 2X Burris, a 9" Super Redhawk with a 2X Burris and a 7 1/2" Redhawk with a 2X Leupold. The double action Rugers have Hogue Grips. The Hunter is Magnaported. The 9" is the softest shooting, must be the extra length. The 4X is to much magnification for me.
Flyrodder
 
I have a Blackhawk 44mag ( yes they do make a non Super Blackhawk version )and have been very happy with it .I also have a Marlin 44mag rifle as well .great combo ,super fun to bum around the woods with !
 
I too am partial to the super blackhawk. That's what I packed for years when I was guiding. I've killed one deer and one elk with it back then. Lately, I've had the urge to get it out of the safe to see af at still goes boom /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I am partial to my S&W 629 Classic .44 mag with a Leupold 2.5-8x. Very nice groups at 100 yds, its put many deer loins in the freezer.

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I have a Ruger Redhawk wouldn't trade it,sell it or let the wife talk me out of it. It's more accurate than I can shoot, although I think that I can give it a run for it's money (which was alot less than most). I also have a contender in .44 mag very accurate also, a nice gun to carry through the woods in a shoulder or bandolier holster.
 
So what I'm hearing so far from other posts, your on the right track with the 44 mag for deer. Now go out and find one that when you pull up the revolver (or are you thinking Magnum Reasearch ) the sights line up and most importantly the trigger feels excellant! I hate the big box store but when Sportsmans Warehouse was open I had my choice of 3 Red Hawks and I picked the one with the trigger that broke the cleanest. Trigger is as important with handgun as with rifle!!

S&W, Tarus or others you have the right caliber for N/A big game, now find the gun that fits you, it needs to feel comfortable/natural. I did a lot of dry fire before things worked out on targets, I was anticipating recoil. A scope with at least 2x will help show you your errors. Before deer season I bet I do at least 100 dry fires over 3-4 weeks and it is amazing how much I learn and I consider myself a decent handgun shooter (although that is sometimers debated with the boys and myself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

Buy it, then go out and find the load that (if you hand load, I found the Speer Gold Dot 270 was awesome) that puts your skills as a handgun shooter to the test. 50, 60 , 75 or 100 yards are up to you!

Keith Will be proud!!!!
 
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Thanks for all the info guys!!!! Today I handled many rugers red and black, scope and no scope.... However at the end of the day I bought a S&W 629!!! I have yet to shoot it but am very excited!!!!
 
I really like my 629. Good choice, IMO. My 629 had a better factory adjusted trigger than my Rugers. In fact I left the 629 trigger alone, the rugers all got trigger jobs. That 629 was easy to work up a load for too.
 
The Super Blackhawk is considerably stronger than the Smith, but of course the Smith is strong enough if you don't get crazy with the powder thrower.

I like my Super Blackhawk because I know it can shrug off an immense amount of punishment. And if you drop the gun, the fixed cylinder is going to fair much better than any of the DA swing out cylinder guns.

I don't know anyone who really shoots a 44 mag double action (except the guy who's about to quote me here and post saying he does /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )...

...so a robust, single action is best for this chambering, I would think. The Super Blackhawk is the most practical choice.

But learn to shoot it with the sights. Scopes are for rifles. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Dan
 
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