Page 9 of 13 FirstFirst ... 7891011 ... LastLast
Results 81 to 90 of 130

Thread: 44 May be Special. But Not for Defense!

  1. #81
    I wouldn't be surprised if Ruger comes out with a .44 mag GP100 next year.
    We could isolate Russia totally from the world and maybe they could apply for membership after 2000 years.

  2. #82
    Quote Originally Posted by 5pins View Post
    I wouldn't be surprised if Ruger comes out with a .44 mag GP100 next year.
    If they can make it work, that would be awesome. Is there enough meat in the cylinder to handle 44 magnum pressure?

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

  3. #83
    I found it interesting that Smith put out the L-Frame 69 as a 5 shot .44 Magnum, but Ruger limited the GP-100 to a 5 shot .44 Special.
    I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.

  4. #84
    Member hardbitten's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Balt/DC suburbs
    found this thread useful enough to join. did a lot of research before my first handgun and settled on a 44 Special revolver for its low pressure, low noise, simplicity, reliability, ease of cleaning and maintenance, plus big bore looks and big bore performance with proper loads. leaning towards the GP100 3" but the 5" half-lug blued is a beauty.

    Regarding the Underwood 44 Special 200 Grain Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point

    George Wade left a review at Underwood noting 1041 fps from a 3" GP100.
    https://www.underwoodammo.com/collec...=7865917014073

    Loads of Bacon gel tested same bullet at the approx the same velocity on Y/T and got 14.5" penetration avg and 0.714 expansion. I consider that perfect.

    Handload 10gr Unique Speer Gold Dot (Load of Bacon) 44 Special 15.5 3" S&W 629 0.429 200 1037 200 477 460 14.50 0.714


  5. #85
    Welcome, hardbitten!

    Note that many of the 44 loads tested met penetration depths but few showed significant expansion.

    The case can be made that penetration is the most important metric. But we also see, in the case of the Gold Dot anyway, that a little extra velocity turns a bullet that penetrates with some expansion into a bullet that penetrates with impressive expansion. If Underwood can do it surely others can do the same. Speer should look at producing a similar "Bulldog" load.

    Hornady Critical Defense is an interesting load. It expanded well but failed to reach the minimum depth. This info is repeated on Hornady's website. I don't understand why they'd make such a load only to have it fall short on penetration especially when pretty much everything else in the C Defense/C Duty line does well in this regard.

    Also, I note that Underwood no longer seems to load two different 44 Special Gold Dot loads. Unless my memory is faulty, I recall they offered a Bulldog load at 975 FPS and another "too hot for Bulldog" load at something like 1,100 FPS.



    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Tokarev; 10-09-2018 at 06:27 AM.

  6. #86
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by 5pins View Post
    I wouldn't be surprised if Ruger comes out with a .44 mag GP100 next year.
    Even if they did, I wouldn't shoot it. My 4" 629 is rough enough with mag loads, I don't want to experience that in a lighter and smaller gun. The only gun I *like* shooting mag loads from is my 5.5" Redhawk.

    Chris

  7. #87
    Quote Originally Posted by mtnbkr View Post
    Even if they did, I wouldn't shoot it. My 4" 629 is rough enough with mag loads, I don't want to experience that in a lighter and smaller gun. The only gun I *like* shooting mag loads from is my 5.5" Redhawk.

    Chris
    Granted it would be strictly a novelty.

    My guess is the cylinder will be made from whatever alloy they use for the LCR.

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Tokarev; 10-09-2018 at 07:20 AM.

  8. #88
    Member hardbitten's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Balt/DC suburbs
    Quote Originally Posted by Tokarev View Post
    Welcome, hardbitten!

    ...

    Hornady Critical Defense is an interesting load. It expanded well but failed to reach the minimum depth. This info is repeated on Hornady's website. I don't understand why they'd make such a load only to have it fall short on penetration especially when pretty much everything else in the C Defense/C Duty line does well in this regard.

    Also, I note that Underwood no longer seems to load two different 44 Special Gold Dot loads. Unless my memory is faulty, I recall they offered a Bulldog load at 975 FPS and another "too hot for Bulldog" load at something like 1,100 FPS.

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
    Thanks for the welcome,

    As far as the Hornady load, I roughly triangulated that via two other web sites. I think it would be great at standard 44 pressure in the 5" GP100. Check it out:

    165 grain Hornady Critical Defense 44 Special 5" GP100 gets 1065 at downrange

    Hornady Critical Defense 5" GP100 1 0.429 165 1065 165 415 390 http://www.downrange.tv/blog/review-...special/40511/

    165 grain Hornady Critical Defense 40 S&W at 1081 fps gets 16.5" and 0.594 expansion. guessing it would get more expansion and less penetration in 44?!

    https://www.luckygunner.com/40-sw-16...-round#geltest

    I understand the caliber difference but same bullet weight, same brand, same velocity is a very good starting point. also loads of bacon test is gel only I believe but with these numbers... who cares!

    given all this, I'm going with the 3" GP100 with Underwood 200 grain as the better option but the 165 when jacked up fps due to 5" is good too!

  9. #89
    Here's the gel/ballistics data for the 165gr load off Hornady's website:

    http://www.hornadyle.com/products/ha...ial-165-gr-ftx

    2.5" test gun. So the big question is will the increased velocity from a 5" gun improve penetration or lessen it?

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

  10. #90
    Member hardbitten's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Balt/DC suburbs
    Quote Originally Posted by Tokarev View Post
    Here's the gel/ballistics data for the 165gr load off Hornady's website:

    http://www.hornadyle.com/products/ha...ial-165-gr-ftx

    2.5" test gun. So the big question is will the increased velocity from a 5" gun improve penetration or lessen it?

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
    Increasing velocity with that round significantly increases penetration according to web data with 4.25" barrel vs. 2.5"

    Hornady got this with a 2.5" heavy clothing:
    9.75" 2" 3" 0.5" 164 gr 99% 0.7


    Y/T channel
    Hornady Critical Defense 44 Special 15.5 4.25" S&W69 0.429 165 11.50 0.703 12.00 0.675 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aszzuAXBhs&t=270s


    I still like the Underwood 200 gr round from 3" GP100 as ultimate for now. (guessing from a 5" it would be a supersonic ear drum shredder and the bullet would fragment- since it was on the hairy edge with 3" GP100).

    (be interested in seeing a .44 Special Federal HST some day).

    So Tokarev - thanks again for the welcome and helping to interest smart new shooters in the great .44 Special!

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •