Think I'm going to 'retire' my 44 mag.

NdIndy

NdIndy

New member
I've got a ruger super blackhawk in (obviously) 44 mag I've been carting around the mountains for years. So far I've never had a chance to use it unfortunately, but someday...

Anyway, I'm not the biggest guy around height wise and the long heavy revolver has been a literal pain on many long hikes even though I designed a thigh holster for it.

Today I had lots of downtime at work and while 'working' stumbled across the .460 rowland conversions for 1911's. As far as I can tell you end up with slightly larger bullets than the .44, similar bullet weights, .44mag ballistics, and 1911 size/weight with .45acp recoil. All in all, captured my attention.

I've got a 1911 that has been a shelf gun since new. For SD I carry a glock .40 (lots of bullets and utterly reliable) and for hunting/bear defense I don't think the acp has enough oomph for my tastes. So the 1911, which I love, hasn't had a purpose for me and is essentially new living next to all my other shelf pistols. Probably has 200 rounds through it in the last 3-4 years. In comparison to my glock 23 which has probably 50k through it.

I weighed both fully loaded, my .44 and my .45, and the .45 is over a full pound lighter and IMO tons easier to carry on the hip.

So the 460 has me all a'tingle, but I have no practical knowledge of it, looking to see if anyone has any experience with it. Unless something is horribly wrong with it, I think I'll be doing the conversion soon.
 
Get ya a stainless Ruger Bisley 4 5/8” in .44 Special, .44 Magnum, or .45 Colt… Personally I think you’d be miles ahead with the revolver and more conventional cartridges.

Edited to add, don't forget the S&W Mountain Guns in .44 Mag. or .45 Colt. They pack pretty easy too.
 
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I hope that you do it and that it works out very well for you. I am thinking the very thing, but at the moment I keep a hot loaded .44 Special that is easy to pack over my Super B or my M29 Smith. But having a 1911 that will shoot close to the power of the mighty .44 Magnum is might tempting too, aint it?

Please keep us informed as to what you end up doing.
 
I should have my decision within the week. I found a guy on another forum that has one he never installed and possibly for sale. If it's cheap, it will be quicker
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But it's taking pure willpower to not place an order today
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GC: the size and weight of a revolver is what's making me consider this, well coupled with I really like my 1911. A long week of hiking through the mountains gives you lots of time to think about what's making you hurt. I'm 5'6" and even a 4" revolver eats up a whole lot of real estate on my side. I researched a lot of 10mm for the same reason but it also doesn't have the power I'd prefer for elk and bear hunting. In a perfect world my g23 in .40 would be a good hunting round. I carried it for years on duty before the dept. issued g35L in .40, so that size pistol is very at home on my hip.

Last couple elk trips it's taken actual work to decide to strap on the revolver, and as little as I like to admit it, I've done a couple trips with it never leaving the camper and my glock on my hip. I hand load EVERYTHING, except for my glock, so ammo isn't an issue. I haven't bought factory loads in probably a decade.

Comparison between the 2, discarding thickness and weight for obvious reasons. The .44 is a 4 5/8" barrel, anything longer and I'd need a scabard. On the plus side, both were gifts from the wife so I won't be getting into trouble by switching. The .44 was a valentines gift before we were married, the .45 was either xmas or birthday. Not the only 2 she's bought me either. Don't you all wish you had a wife like mine?
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Note before flames, it's a BACKUP during elk season. Carried along with my rifle just on the hope against hope chance of a big bull at close range
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I don't know for sure, but I heard about a bear kill at one of the big national parks in Alaska. One of the first, or maybe the first use of a gun since the new law passed. Anyways, what I read said the guy shot the bear 7 or 8 times with a .45. First thing I though what .45, but with 7 or 8 shots I guess it would almost have to be a 45acp. I wouldn't want to ever need to use the side arms I tote for self-defense, but my plan is always to pull the trigger till the target stops moving forward. I'm not sure and you might look into it, but it sounds like this guy had the same plan, and killed ol'griz with a 1911. Just thought I'd mention it.


I don't know much about the round your talking about, but I would think the amount of pressure it would take to fire a .44 mag type bullet with similar ballistics would be too much for a 1911. I honestly love the 1911's but don't know all that much about them as far as how much they can handle. I would guess that the kit would have to add a fair bit of weight. I'd look around for some people who has used one to check reliability and such issues. I would also want at least 200 rounds through it before I trusted my life to it. At least that is my logical outlook on it.

I would do it personally cause it cause it sounds awesome, but I really love 1911's and will probably have to get a shrink when I graduate to get over my obsession. Something about it not being OK to live in a shack and own 3 safes full of Pistols. LOL
 
Take a long hard look at the S&W 329 PD before you decide. My 329 PD is the last handgun I would ever sell. Carrying it is a dream. You do not even know it is there. And it packs a punch. I have killed a few deer with mine. Tom.

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Since you like the 1911 frame,,,,Kimber did put out an excellent 10mm... And I can attest that if loaded properly, it's a devastating round...

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I made up some loads using a 200gr HP that are breaking the sound barrier and I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end...

You can also load it with some 135gr HPs and it's a super fast self defense round...
 
I never bothered to put my SB 44 mag on my hip/waist. I wear it on a chest holster. Super easy to reach and I don't notice the weight at all.
 
Originally Posted By: justin10mmHave you looked at the 45 super?

The 440 Corbon?

The 400 Corbon?

Then there is the good old 10mm.

Looked at them all except the 440, had to google that one. Looks like you can only find it in a desert eagle, but could b wrong on that one.

The 10mm was tempting, but doing the math breaks down to about a .357 level load, which I know works well but I'm comfy with a .44mag round for hunting. Same with the 400, I like a bigger starting diameter.

The 45 super still needs a stiffer spring and fully supported barrel, cost comes pretty close by the time you do it right. And it's still a few hundred fps and ft/lbs behind the .460.

With the data I've been able to find its the only reasonable comp to the .44 It also uses a much stiffer recoil spring + a comp'd barrel. The videos and reviews I've read on the recoil control are pretty impressive.


Cartridge Bullet Weight
Grains Velocity ft/sec Energy ft/lbs
460 Rowland 185 1500 925
460 Rowland 200 1450 934
460 Rowland 230 1340 917
45 Super 185 1300 694
45 Super 200 1200 639
45 Super 230 1100 617
44 Rem Mag 210 1250 729
44 Rem Mag 240 1180 741

Excluding the extended mag, basic bling bling results
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Ammo availability, if I ever had to buy, breaks down the same for everything, even 10mm isn't on the shelves around here, so handloading would be the only option even for it. And I'd have to grab my notes, but I know I load my .44's pretty hot and heavy for hunting loads. 300gr bullet & lots of powder (safe limits of course) = 1 heck of a fireball around dusk.
 
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Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADTake a long hard look at the S&W 329 PD before you decide. My 329 PD is the last handgun I would ever sell. Carrying it is a dream. You do not even know it is there. And it packs a punch. I have killed a few deer with mine. Tom.

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I would take another look at the sw 329. I remember seeing an old guntest magazine where they tested the rowland round. I don't recall the results but you may want to check out that article first.


Here is the link.

http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/18_1/features/5301-1.html

You have to pay to see the article but may be worth your while before you invest.

Good luck.
 
I read a couple articles, and it sounds like that .460Rowland is legit. Very top end of the 1911 capacity with something like 38,000+ psi where as a 45acp is running 21,000psi and a 45+p is around 23,000psi.

From what I read if you want to load it max you'll really have to work on a load since the best powders will be fast burning and a few 1/10ths grain will cause significant changes in velocity and pressure.

If you do it I would really like to know how it turns out. In reading the articles I became a convert. I now know I will certainly own one of these someday.
 
I called Clark custom today, kit should be on it's way in a day or two
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Brass is backordered to the end of the month right now, price through clark and through midway are the same even before my dealer discount. Well within 50 cents per 100 anyway.

Definitely looking forward to actually carrying my 1911 around instead of letting it sit. I carried it for a day my last outing, basically forgot it was there.

I usually load hot 300's in the .44, figure working on a 230gr equivelant to a warm .44 .240gr load should put me in pretty OK territory for black bears, esp. considering single action revolver vs 8 semi rounds.

Either way, think this will be a fun one to have.
 
Originally Posted By: MGYSGTWhat's wrong with a shoulder holster?????????

You're spoiling all the fun... it's hard enough thinkin' up new reasons to buy new guns and stuff w/o guys bringing reason into the equation.
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Dan
 
Originally Posted By: OmnivoreI never bothered to put my SB 44 mag on my hip/waist. I wear it on a chest holster. Super easy to reach and I don't notice the weight at all.

I don't know why anyone would carry something heavier than a 1911 on the hip. Heavier guns belong in shoulder holsters in my opinion. I have an inexpensive Uncle Mike's shoulder holster that makes an 80oz(loaded weight) S&W Model 500 almost unnoticeable. Don
 
I carry a security six on my hip every hunt, and never really noticed it but the time I had to pull out my deer to the truck a bit over 2 miles away.

I always miss it when I come back to town though.
 
There are shoulder holsters.... and then there are shoulder holsters. The concealed carry types flat out suck. The "tanker" style works well for outdoors use.
 
Just a thought but I ride 4 wheelers alot when hunting and the dust and dirt sticks heavily to side arms.. I wouldnt want a gummed up pistol in a bear situation..

I dont know if 4 wheelers would be involved im just throwing out a scenario
 
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