Would you carry a .44spl if you had one?

[Chaim]

I get your concern about light on the gun. We can always suggest trigger discipline, and nothing says you can't have both a flashlight and a gun light.

I've thought about that. I've considered putting a light on my full sized Glock 22 (and even my G19 that sometimes gets carried), and/or keeping my CZ P01 for home defense duties and installing a light. However, that would be an extra, and likely unnecessary, expense.

You mention sitting on your stairs waiting.

That wasn't me.


The set up at my house is, my bedroom is at the top of the stairs and at a slight angle to them. I always keep a light on at the bottom of the stairs. So, if someone was taking their time to break in, I'd call the police with my gun drawn while in my room with the lights off. I'd be concealed by darkness, while the intruder would be backlit while coming up the stairs. If they are already up here, we're likely talking very close quarters so I'd probably go for a knife that is under my pillow.

 

[boule]

So, I now have a .44spl. It is a good carry size (K-frame sized 2.5" barrel), though not for everyday carry. However, most .44 cal hollow points are designed around the .44mag. Unlike .38 vs. .357 where there is enough of a .38spl defensive market to develop separate bullets that are optimized for both sets of velocities, many/most .44 cal bullets are not. So, many .44spl hollow points do not open up and can have issues with over penetration.

On the thought of carry:
- can you fit the revolver comfortably anywhere you can reach it (not counting prison carry).
- can you put all 5 rounds carried in a dinner plate sized target under stress?
- can you use a speed loader with it?

If those happen to be the case, you can certainly consider carrying it.

The point of .44 spc ammo vs. 44mag has been addressed multiple times. Lightly jacketed 180gr or 200gr rounds or even lead or copper plated hollow points are the way to go.

 

[Threeband]

Seems to me you might rephrase that, "Would you carry a .44 Magnum?"
Read these and get back to me.

 

[lazarus]

Note that OP just bought a 44 Special revolver.

Reloading might be the way to go with the 44 Special.

There are several very interesting reloading articles by Brian Pierce. In those he calls out three different tiers of 44 Special pressure levels. Category 1 is held to 15.5K, Category 2 is 22K and Category 3 is 25 K.

There were some weak old guns that keep factory 44 special pressures down. Modern guns can take more but you're on your own.

If you are not interested in reloading Underwood has a 190 grain soft cast lead hollow point that they spec at 1150 FPS. That is surely going to open up. Currently out of stock. I have a couple of boxes of those or something similar around here somewhere.

I reload 44 Special for my Uberti Cattleman. I have loads that duplicate the recoil of the Underwood ammo.

Buffalo Bore has similar heavy loadings to the Underwood offerings. They are explicitly listed as suitable for all modern guns except Charter Arms. They are hideously expensive at $53 for a box of 20 rounds.

Fiocchi lists a 200 grain jacketed hollow point at 900 FPS.

Reloading is the only sane option. Last I checked, 44spc is as much, or generally a little more than 44 magnum, and I for sure don't want to pay 44 mag prices for my 44 mag.

The Underwood suggestion is good if it can be found somewhere (I checked ammoseek and it looks like a few places have it at around a buck a round).

OP: As for carry and home defense, if it reliably goes boom, it can be used. That said, it sound like you like have other options. A 5 shot revolver would be just about the bottom of my list of good options just a bit above a dangerous game single shot rifle, a 22lr anything, or a break action pistol, well or a .50BMG anything. 5 shots isn't a lot

A revolver of any type is louder than an equivalent semi-auto due to the cylinder gap. It is also slower in accurate follow-up shots.

For carry, it has more authority and hit than a 9mm or .45acp, if it expands. Very few shots. Not nearly as small as a micro 9 or most of the 5 or 6 shot 38spc/357 snub nose.

To a ton of cons. But, it'll still work. I wouldn't bring it to a DGU where I KNEW it was going to be used if I had other better options. But I am in that category where I've been waiting for a carry license for a long time, jumped through all of the hoops, and don't really carry now. I only occasionally feel I need to. Doesn't mean I'll be wrong, but when I am out and about, it is almost never anywhere with a lot of people or in dangerous places. When I do, I am not overly worried about things, I carry because I can and I decide I'd like to. My Cz50 32acp is what gets taken since it is small, light, thin, and very easy to conceal.

So, *shrug*, mine is probably an even less ideal choice than a 44spc. If I were to head places I care less about concealing, I'd take my G19 or G21. If it was 4 legged, but sometimes turned in to 2 legged dangers that out mass me by 1-3x, I'd carry my Dan Wesson 6" 44 magnum (or with a 2.5" if I had to hike a really long distance, or I was using it as a backup gun for hunting in brown bear country).

 

[teratos]

Home defense….

Suppressed 12.5” AR in 5.56. Why settle??

 

[Park ranger]

For the naysayers, yesterday I had a fail to fire yesterday with a Glock 27 and 180 grain HST. It did go off the second time I chambered it.

A revolver may be slower for follow up shots, unless you have a bad primer. Revolver for the win.

 

[Brickman301]

I’d carry a 44 special, hell I carry a 5 shot 38 very often.

 

[Huckleberry]

Seems to me you might rephrase that, "Would you carry a .44 Magnum?"
Read these and get back to me.

Come on, 3B!

You can’t learn anything from that old, dead, white guy.

I’m sure Keith and Big Bore Revolvers have been refuted by some Internet, YT or MDS supposed Expert or Influencer

Keith was never a Tier 1 to 4 Operator. Never served in a Group, Team or even took a training class

Revolvers are so Old and Obsolete.

Any and everything that old man could teach you is over 50 years old and been replaced by modern technology.

And WTF? BOOKS? You Fuchin‘ expect guys to read books when you can watch a YT video.

That can cut into some guy’s drinking and internet posting

 

[Threeband]

i am utterly refuted

wut wuz I thinking

 

[IronEye]

The thread has split into multiple discussions.

Is 44 Special an adequate round if you're carrying a snubbie revolver?
Seems to me that if a 5 shot 38 Special can do the job a 5 shot 44 Special is adequate too.

Is a revolver of any kind suitable to be carried?
That's a separate discussion that is clearly still part of this discussion.
I like revolvers and carry them often. I don't feel that having only five or six shots available (before a slow reload) in an attempt to break contact and get away is inadequate. I'm not police or military and I'm not running toward gunfire or trying to capture my assailant. I'm not an operator and I'm not a likely target of a gang of murderous assailants that will press their attack after I start shooting back.

Is a snubbie revolver a good gun for home defense?
I think there are better options. You are not restricted to SMALL in a home defense gun. A carbine, shotgun, larger and heavier semi-auto is a better choice IMO. When you're defending the homestead you aren't as likely to have the option break contact and try to run away - your back is to the wall.

 

[Huckleberry]

i am utterly refuted

wut wuz I thinking

Welcome to the Club!

We don’t have cookies but we serve up…..

 

[wpage]

I would love to carry this Interarm 'Virginian' but its hard to hide....

 

[Huckleberry]

I would love to carry this Interarm 'Virginian' but its hard to hide....

That Big Iron is too pretty to hide

Almost bought one from Valley that languished in the display case but wasn‘t agreeing to Mel’s pricing and Sandy couldn’t or wouldn’t get him to budge.

Don’t know if they ever sold it or it was ”lost” in one of their multiple robberies.

 

[eruby]

I've also ordered a Charter Arms Bulldog for carry.

David Berkowitz approves

 

[Threeband]

David Berkowitz approves

Woof! Woof!

 

[Threeband]

I would love to carry this Interarm 'Virginian' but its hard to hide....

That's a barbecue gun.

You just need a nice holster and an invitation to a good barbecue.

 

[IronEye]

Ask any dog if a 44 Special is ok for carry.
If the dog answers you it might be time to talk to someone.

 

[Chaim]

Seems to me you might rephrase that, "Would you carry a .44 Magnum?"

I do need to get a .44mag for the same reason I broke down and finally bought a Glock... as someone who has been buying guns for 20 some years, who currently has quite a few handguns, and who sold another 10-20 over the years, I probably should have one for a more complete collection.

That said, I wouldn't carry one. I love .357mag out of a K-frame or larger (and some loads out of my new model Colt King Cobra are fun) and a. 41mag N-frame may be my favorite gun to shoot (I miss my old Smith 57, I really do need another) I don't really enjoy shooting. 44mag. Outside the range, here on the East Coast we are looking at wildlife that a .357mag, .45LC or .41mag can handle (black bear and moose, and for moose we have to travel some distance from MD). If I ever go camping out west I'd carry one if in Grizzly country, but it isn't necessary here.

Heck, as much as i love .357mag i usually only carry .38spl in my .357s for quicker follow up shots. So I won't carry one (even as a woods gun), but I will be buying one in the next year or two.

Is a revolver of any kind suitable to be carried?
That's a separate discussion that is clearly still part of this discussion.
I like revolvers and carry them often

I do believe in capacity. I mostly carry autos. But I love revolvers and they are very comfortable to carry (the rounded shapes that are part of them are far more comfortable than the sharper angles of an auto). That said, I have often been carrying two to compensate for the lower capacity (one IWB and one in a pants or coat pocket), so I don't think I'll carry them much once we are out of coat and jacket weather and I have fewer pockets.

 

[Chaim]

Home defense….

Suppressed 12.5” AR in 5.56. Why settle??

I definitely see the draw of an AR pistol for home defense. Much of the capability of a carbine but even more handy. However, my roommate is bipolar. He's usually fine but my guns all have to be locked up when not on my person so he can't get to them when his depression is bad. I don't think there are any quick access safes in the right size, and if there are, it would possibly work with an AR with collapsible stock and I'd rather go with a carbine. Maybe when he moves out I might consider it if I no longer need it locked up when not in my direct possession (and then, I'll probably lock it in my regular gun safe when leaving the house so I could use the AR or Mini-14 the same way).

 

[teratos]

I definitely see the draw of an AR pistol for home defense. Much of the capability of a carbine but even more handy. However, my roommate is bipolar. He's usually fine but my guns all have to be locked up when not on my person so he can't get to them when the depression is bad. I don't think there are any quick access safes in the right size, and if there are, I'd rather go with a carbine or rifle.

I hate AR pistols. It’s a SBR.