That’s a good point, to be sure. I started to like the round when I first got my 629 and loaded some 240 grain SWC to 44 special specs. It’s a wonderful round, and in that heavy revolver you can shoot it all day. I wanted something smaller but still heavy enough; the Night Guard is too light and I missed my chance to buy a 696 when they were new.To me its like buying a 38 Special revolver that you can’t shoot .357 in.
Exactly.To me its like buying a 38 Special revolver that you can’t shoot .357 in.
Same sentiments here. Think a .44 mag chambering in a similar gun could solve a lot of issues.To me its like buying a 38 Special revolver that you can’t shoot .357 in.
I would very much like a small-ish .44 Special but my tastes run more towards a Freedom Arms 97 with a long list of factory options - 3.5" bbl, round butt, trigger and action job, grip stud, ebony micarta grips, express sights, name engraved on backstrap, jeweled hammer and trigger. I might go for the matte finish. If my eyes continue to go to hell and I continue to fall more in love with red dots, I might even opt for a high front sight, deletion of the rear sight, and installation of a red dot (which isn't listed on their options page but I know they've done it in the past.)Here comes Ben’s reply in 3, 2, ......
Buffalo Bore, Underwood, and Grizzly ammo have got all those bases covered.I like the concept, but the ammo makers really need to make a +P/900-950fps loads to make guns like the GP100 and S&W 69 worthwhile.
I’m not really psychic, I just remember how bad you wanted one last time they were on sale.I would very much like a small-ish .44 Special but my tastes run more towards a Freedom Arms 97 with a long list of factory options - 3.5" bbl, round butt, trigger and action job, grip stud, ebony micarta grips, express sights, name engraved on backstrap, jeweled hammer and trigger. I might go for the matte finish. If my eyes continue to go to hell and I continue to fall more in love with red dots, I might even opt for a high front sight, deletion of the rear sight, and installation of a red dot (which isn't listed on their options page but I know they've done it in the past.)
Of course, a Freedom Arms revolver spec'd that way would run about $3600 from the factory.
At less than one quarter the price, I don't think that GP100 can be beat when it comes to value for the money. Anyone seriously considering it should go for it.
Why? Because the .44 Special will do everything the .44 Magnum will do for most people.
I'm not just trying to parrot Skeeter Skelton, here. I honestly believe that the .44 Special, especially if you reload (and want to be "forever happy at lower cost"), will do anything anyone could reasonably want from a revolver. I know I've only owned .44 Magnums but I also know that the overwhelming majority of my non-competition loads have always been assembled to .44 Special specs.
- Plinking?
- Cowboy Action loads are available that are perfect.
- Handloaders can assemble light-bullet loads with Trail Boss and be forever happy at lower cost.
- Self-defense?
- Even Cowboy Action loads will be fine but if you want specialty ammo, Buffalo Bore makes a soft, 255-grain bullet load for defensive use.
- Handloaders can use the manstopper bullets (essentially, reversed hollow-base wadcutters of dead-soft lead) that are still available from some casters with reasonable powder charges and be forever happy at lower cost.
- Game?
- At the distances most people will be willing to use it, almost any load will kill whitetail or pigs just as well as just about any revolver but there are hunting loads like the Grizzly 260-grain flat nose.
- Handloaders can choose a variety of wonderful bullets, jacketed or not, designed for expansion or penetration or any combination thereof, and be forever happy at lower cost.
- Protection from bears?
- Penetration is what you want and Underwood makes a 245-grain FMJ load.
- Handloaders can, in strong guns, load almost to magnum levels with heavy, hard bullets and be forever happy at lower cost.
The .44 Special is not an in-betweener; it's an all-rounder.
If you're going to buy a revolver big enough to handle the .44 Magnum, do that. But if you want something a little lighter and smaller, something that is just big enough to handle the .44 Special, then I don't think anyone would be disappointed.
ETA: About that "for most people" exception I noted above, I should explain that. If you're shooting 200 meter silhouette matches, yes, you want the Magnum. The Special works (Heck, a .45 ACP works) but the extra velocity with heavy bullets is worthwhile for that application.
Yeah, and I talked myself out of it then just like I will now. My 4" M29, downloaded just a bit, takes the place of a .44 Special.I’m not really psychic, I just remember how bad you wanted one last time they were on sale.