44 vs 357

[Allium]

Was thinking one of these days come retirement moving out west when people are scarce and liberalism is more scarce. That point in time I was thinking getting something like a ruger blackhawk for carry and maybe a henry or marlin as a truck gun. Nice to carry just one ammo. I just can't decide to get them in .44 or 357. I have no issues firing a 45 and like it alot but didnt like the ammo options on 45 colt unless i were to reload.

So what set would you get.

 

[BlackBart]

I've own them both........while I liked the 357, I LOVE the 44 Mag. No contest which I'll always use.....oh yeah, the SS Puma lever is a great sidekick for my SS Redhawk.

Keep in mind the 44 Mag is enough for anything you'll ever see in close quarters, comparatively speaking the 357 is a marginal cartridge for many species.

 

[hvymax]

No replacement for displacement. 44 because mens calibers end in MAGNUM!!!

 

[Huckleberry]

I love my 45 LC but the most versatile round out of the three would be the .44, especially for the big country and if you reload.

You can load the same bullet for 44 SPL, 44 Mag and 444 Marlin. That line up can handle anything from SD/HD, light/medium hunting and North American big game. A Buffalo Bore meplat bullet in 444 Marlin could probably stop an elephant.

A nice truck gun is Ruger 44 Carbine if you want some change from a lever action.

Elmer Keith couldn't have been wrong.

 

[smokey]

If you are going wild wild west...look in to getting the s&w 460. To accompany it you could get that puma levergun in 454. It would allow you to have a revolver that could shoot .45 lc, 454, or 460...and an accompanying levergun that could shoot either the .45lc or the 454. I'd trust those cartridges much more for some of the bigger and angrier critters out west, and you'd still be able to shoot 45lc from either to pop holes for cheap.

 

[alucard0822]

44 mag has similar velocities to 357mag, but in a larger diameter bullet weighing twice as much, and costing about 50% more, there is a good bit of difference between the calibers. I have a Vaquero single action revolver and Puma lever carbine in 357 mag, and am very happy with the pair. I do own 44s, but 357 has plenty of power for targets, smaller critters, even the 2 legged kind, firing cheap and light recoiling 38s is also nice. The 44 is fun to break out every now and then, and it is still manageable, but unless you are hunting, the bigger boom for a lot more money is really the only benefit.

 

[Lou45]

Based on your question, 44 Magnum all the way. Great in long gun (handy carbine) and revolver.

 

[BlackBart]

Based on your question, 44 Magnum all the way. Great in long gun (handy carbine) and revolver.

....and you never posted your dissertation on all the garbage, redundant and obsolete cartridges we have. I brought it up long ago and you readily agreed that we have wayyyyyy to many as well. Not that either of the cartridges we're talking about qualify.

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

I have a S&W 686 and a Marlin 1894C, so it's .357 Magnum for me. But the 1894, in .44 Mag, gives you one more round in the magazine. It's a longer gun.

 

[smokey]

....and you never posted your dissertation on all the garbage, redundant and obsolete cartridges we have. I brought it up long ago and you readily agreed that we have wayyyyyy to many as well. Not that either of the cartridges we're talking about qualify.

so i should stop development of the 45-06 wssssm chode?

 

[BlackBart]

so i should stop development of the 45-06 wssssm chode?

Wouldn't wildcatting a 5 inch shell down to 30 cal be more practical?

 

[alucard0822]

so i should stop development of the 45-06 wssssm chode?

should look something like this, similar base dimentions to 30-06, super super, super, super short, and necked up to 45

 

[Biggfoot44]

Not wanting to reload puts a different spin on things. 44s beg to be handloaded both for $ , and to tap into the inherent versatility.

Sticking to factory loads , 44 was have the edge as a serious rifle cal, and .357 would have more versatility and cheaper plinking in the pistol. Would have to either pick a priority , or take up handloading.

 

[Minuteman]

Easy, 357.

Training with .38 is cheap and low recoil.

The research Evan Marshall did said the 357 with 125g bullet was the top 'one shot' man stopper.

Plus .357 and .38 are even easier to find than .44.

 

[damifinowfish]

If you reload they are about the same cost to reload but brass is more plentiful in the 38spl / 357 mag caliber as range pick up.

I would go with the .357 for an easy carry gun
Enjoy your retirement

 

[Mooseman]

I vote 44 Mag.

 

[Vince55]

Still have my old single action Blackhawk .44 and since have added a .44 Henry rifle. Love that Henry rifle.

 

[Lou45]

....and you never posted your dissertation on all the garbage, redundant and obsolete cartridges we have. I brought it up long ago and you readily agreed that we have wayyyyyy to many as well. Not that either of the cartridges we're talking about qualify.

You're right. I did mention that a while back. Currently don't have the time due to watching my folks 50+ hours per week but I'll get it up on the boards at some point in time.

 

[ma_deuce]

Back in the early '70s, I spent some time in the MN mountains and carried one of the original Ruger .44 carbines. I found it to be very effective against black bear and mule deer at close to moderate range, and just a dandy little gun all around. No experience with the new ones, but I hear good things.

 

[jimbobborg]

You are talking about the price of .45 Colt ammo and then mention .44 Mag in the same breath? .44 Mag isn't cheap. .38 Special is. .357 Magnum isn't too far behind. Buffalo Bore makes some heavy duty .357 Magnum ammo, but get a Ruger if you plan to shoot it. A 4" GP-100 and a Win 92/94 carbine makes for easy carrying and doesn't punish you with recoil.