Early on factory .44 Russian loads contained roundnose bullets as heavy as 275 grains. Velocity changed also to nominal 1,470 fps. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. In late 1907 the .44 Russian sired its son, the .44 Special, and was around in late 1955 to see its grandson, the .44 Magnum arrive. Feb 21, 2010 I have been doing it for years, its just like shooting 38 Specials in a 357 Magnum. Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:29, "Smith & Wesson's #3, Colt's Biggest Rival in the Old West", "American Legends: Those Fantastic .44s! I couldnt hit much with it and it had huge recoil, making it uncontrollable for me. Hoping for army contracts S&W submitted the new Model #3 to the U.S. Government for testing. I have a pair of Uberti 44WCF revos and purchased two 44 Special cylinders and fitted to these revolvers and to shoot 44 Russian. The selection of .44-caliber bullets is vast, allowing plenty of load customization. Keith eventually approached both Smith & Wesson and Remington with his idea of factory loading a hot .44-caliber for big game hunting. Either way, HSM has you covered. I've met people who wanted to shoot everything from a 38 S&W (because he could force them in the chambers) to a 38 Super (because most of them went off) in their 357 Mag revolvers. Like the Russian it can be used in a 44 mag in case . Both the Mag and the Special are used by serious bullseye competitors, which proves both are capable of consistent accuracy. Neither arrived on the revolver scene as full-blown innovations. Both the .44 Spl and the .44 Magnum are popular cartridges among hand loaders. Related Links; Rock Island Arsenal Bolt action .22 TCM; Savage Arms Corp. Model 24 Combination Gun .22LR/.410 GA; SMITH & WESSON S&W 14-2 K-38 MASTERPIECE 38 . Good grief! Smith & Wesson developed a .44 frame to contain a power-house cartridge, yet retain the level of accuracy demanded by competitive target shooters. Several here do what you describe. I believe the man sitting on the car bumper next to Elmer Keith is Roy Weatherby. Can You Shoot .44 Special in a .44 Magnum Handgun? The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. The Russian is a bit shorter, but I wouldn't mess with it anyway; as 44 Special brass is harder to find than 44 Mag, and the Russian even harder to find. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. This evolutionary improvement became an archetype, influencing future cartridge designs. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Our Big Boy models will push a 240-grain projectile up to 1600 feet per second, more than enough energy to take any North American . 6 More answers below Diktator Alexander While shooters can (and often do) argue ethereal concepts like stopping power and shootability until the cows come home, the numbers simply dont lie. The .44 Mag. Available bullet weights range from a relatively meager 180 grains to a super weighty 300 grains. (Thats Newtons Third Law for those of us whove been out of school for a while. is a Navy Arms replica of a 3rd Model S&W .44 Russian. Although Keith petitioned ammo manufacturers to offer hotter .44 Special loads for hunting, there was understandable concern about what the higher pressure loads would do to older revolvers. The original load of .44 Russian was a 246-grain, .426-inch bullet seated on 23 grains of black powder. to right: .44 S&W Russian, .44 S&W Special and .44 Remington Magnum. Named Model #3, it was chambered for the .44 Henry, same as used in Winchesters Model 1866 rifles and carbines. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Velocity spreads with Titegroup shrank from 65 fps with RNFP bullets to 20 fps with wadcutters. Their Double Action top-breaks were mostly chambered in .44 Russian too. A First-Year Magnum: Shooting The S&W "Pre-29" by JUSTIN DYAL; Contact; Donate; Eye Candy for the Gentlemen out there; How to start a career in Education Part One; N.S.F.W. More selection. much lighter than my 1911 in either 38 super or 45acp. The modern cartridge had arrived. (I) Giveaway ends March 20, 2022. As for the other three in the 44 family, 44 magnum revolvers will shoot 44 Russian, 44 special, and 44 magnum. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. The S&W Model 29 was so popular that it quickly sold out, leaving customers to flock to other .44 Magnum revolvers like the Ruger Redhawk. and .44 Russian rds in a 44-40 revolver. And yes indeed it works very well with Hornady LeverEvolution ammunition. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. of Universal for just under 760 fps and 1 groups. .44 Russian is .429 same as .44 spl, .44 Mag. of Universal for just under 760 fps and 1 groups. Velocity changed also to nominal 1,470 fps. In a high-adrenaline situation, taming that wild recoil takes serious muscle and concentration. Later all lube grooves were covered as would be right and proper with lead alloy bullets. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Yes, the 44 Special can be applied in the 44 Magnum barrel with no . (II) Limit one entry per household. Yes. Add that to its limited penetration potential, and the Special isnt exactly a stellar hunting cartridge. It was so called because the large hollow point resembled an ashtray. Stopping a human threat and humanely harvesting an animal are two very different things. The .44 Magnum had a surge in popularity in the 1970s after Clint Eastwoods Dirty Harry character referred to it as the most powerful handgun in the world.. I use an old .44 Special expanding die and purchased a .44 Russian seating die. Save my name and email to use for future comments. The R92 is a clone of the Winchester Model 1892, one of the earliest and greatest lever-action .44 Magnum rifles ever produced. I'm not set up for reloading .44 Russian, but I would expect that if they were flat-nosed bullets of some type the forward pressure would be more stable and the bullets wouldn't bind up. On 44 WCF its .471. 3. Truthfully the .44 Special was nothing special at it's inception. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). While plenty of gun guys (and gals) scoff at shooters who complain about recoil, it can have a major effect on accuracy. S&W chambered the Model #3 Russian and the New Model #3, both single action top-breaks, in .44 Russian. With similar ballistics and accuracy of the .44 Russian using the then new smokeless propellant. Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more. But a .44 pistol to go with it is a good thing too:thumb: I've built much of my preps around the .44 caliber. concealable plenty of HP and with 3 speed loaders i feel i have enough for most any situation. bullet at a similar velocity of about 750 fps. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Police departments have also been ditching .40 S&W nationwide (partially) for the same reason over the last 20 years in favor of 9mm. Above: Samples of revolvers chambered for all three .44s. Heres the early .44 Smith & Wesson cartridges, (left to right) .44 American, Russian and Special. I may eventually risk a few cases to see what happens, but it's not a priority. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Lighter loads. No purchase necessary. But youre correct, you can get the same performance with both. Best all around is a four inch light weight .44 mag, using loads toward the lighter side. However, we can easily track a cartridges kinetic energy through the powers of math. However, with a well-placed shot, the animal will eventually succumb to blood loss. Reloading the .44 Russian is made easier today with the availability of .44 Magnum Carbide sizing dies. There are a few reproduction single-action revolvers in .44 Special as well, typically Bisley SAA clones. . However, the zippier speed produced by the Magnum definitely gives it an edge in the accuracy/trajectory department. (I) Giveaway ends March 31, 2023. That means theres less time for wind and gravity to pull the bullet off course. Until quite recently, the factory loads for the .44 Special have been pretty anemica 246-gr. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. If you need to bust through the tough hide, bone, and muscle of a charging bear, penetration is a good thing. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. And both are fine options for hunting and home defense. But in 1956 Keith's efforts culminated in the introduction of the .44 Magnum. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. At ignition, the projectile is going to rattle around in the chamber until it engages the rifling and won't be real accurate. Order a Henry Single Shot online at Sportsman's Warehouse. 44 S&W Russian; 44 S&W Russian. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. 44 Russian is typically loaded at 650 to 700 fps with a 200 grain CSWC or CLRNFP. If you were really torn about these two cartridges, the best practice would be to get a .44 Magnum and figure out which .44 Special loads shoot to the sights and don't lose any accuracy. Only a mother could love a face like yours. They lengthened .44 Russian's case to 1.16, using the exact same 246-gr. $11. Theres very little difference in overall length, although the .44 Spl case is about an of an inch shorter. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. In a self-defense situation, where your children are sleeping on the other side of the wall behind the bad guy, too much penetration can have fatal consequences. He warped around at the speed of heat, immediately striking and striking again while I desperately crab-walked backward, one-handing shots at him while he, Rival Arms expands its offerings with the X1 Red Dot, a 3 MOA red dot ideally suited for use on defensive pistols, target pistols, rifles, hunting and Quite possibly, for the very first time, all three Gun Cranks agree on something open carry is stupid! Velocity affects penetration, especially when shooting non-expanding projectiles like jacketed hollow points. starline has the russian, special, and mag brass all in stock. Some people use a .428 bullet in 44-40 and that same bullet can be used in 44 Russian and .44 Spl-Mag. Nothing spectacular happened, but you wouldn't want to reload the cases. The biggest difference I see between a .44 special revolver and a .44 mag is the weight of the firearm. The choice is simple: Buy the .44 Magnum..Hand load to .22 Special specs. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). with 310 ft.-lbs. However, Uberti offers an excellent replica of the Model #3 Russian chambered in .44 Russian which is safe with reasonable smokeless loads. However, Ive known a few old-timers who claim to have tagged a few whitetails with their Special. Ruger New Model Blackhawk Centerfire Revolvers. A heavier handgun will produce less felt recoil, because the mass of the gun absorbs some of that rearward force. Bullseye shooters of the day flocked to this gun like flies to honey. I was chambering .44 Russian in a 44-40 chamber, not .44 magnum or .44 Spl. Some people use a .428 bullet in 44-40 and that same bullet can be used in 44 Russian and .44 Spl-Mag. Its also a favorite of cowboy action shooters and makes a fun plinking tool. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Reloading dies are available from most manufacturers. You may be thinking of the 44 Magnum or the 44 Special, they will both chamber the 44 Russian, as it is the parent round of both. Some initial problems were presented with propellants, so they lengthened the case to fit a little more powder but changed little else. The 44 Russian is used by many Cowboy Action Shooters who appreciate its soft shooting nature, and it's excellent accuracy. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. The .44Spl is a wonderful cartridge in the GP-100 and a bit of a handful in the Charter Arms Bulldog Pug when loading jacketed bullets although big, heavy, slow lead bullets work just fine. Believe it or not, .44 Special is better than .44 Magnum at some thingsbut the reverse is true as well. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. The short round probably will not go into the loading die far enough to crimp the bullet in place. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. For those with their hearts set on a .44-caliber handgun, the choice between special or magnum ultimately boils down to how you plan on using it. I can shoot them all, except for the extra-long Russian's. Bill Jordan said as much in his book No Second Place Winner; as did fellow Border Patrolman Skeeter Skelton. "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. One new winner* is announced every week! I've been shooting a 44 Mag for over 50 years and have used all manufactures of brass. GO BACK. The Rossi clone lives up to the legend, and offers some nice modern features. So: The Russian Case is not going to load concentrically. When the bullet makes impact, much of that kinetic energy is transferred to the target, sending concussive energy through soft tissue. 44 Rem. The genesis of the .44 Magnum was a group of tinkerers, cowboys and gun nuts who werent satisfied with factory loads. The .44 Smith and Wesson, based off the .44 Russian was introduced in 1907 for the Smith and Wesson New Century Revolver. I got a stainless Non fluted cylinder gp100 then found a blued 5 inch on CDNN for $500. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. God above all but I must admit the residing place for him must be in the heart of my wife and daughters. check out the. (II) Limit one entry per household. Then in 1956 S&W knocked the gun world on its ear by introducing the .44 Remington Magnum with its introductory vehicle being a strengthened N-Frame. Other Models S&W chambered the Model #3 Russian and the New Model #3, both single action top-breaks, in .44 Russian. I don't recall him saying if he was able to reload those cases or not. Some people drive without seat belts too. You can get away with a much lighter firearm with .44 sp. The woods are tight around me and generally its tough to see more than a 100 yards around here and that would be considered open country: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.). Pro: Very fast reloads Con: $200 to machine, $8 per clip; and you need a lot. Other revolver events are dominated by the medium bores; Jerry Miculek may run a .44 Magnum faster than you'd believe but remember that you aren't Jerry Miculek. As matters progressed, the Russians wanted changes in the Model #3 and the allure of gold was incentive for S&W to make them. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. The extra length not only accommodated more propellant but also prevented the high-pressure rounds from fitting in older .44 Spl handguns, eliminating the concern that the traditional wheel guns might not hold up to the new magnum load. A little-known fact is S&W sold about a quarter million .44s to the Russian Government. Successfully stopping a threat depends on shot placement, penetration, number of shots on target, and sometimes the proper alignment of the stars. However, that extra of an inch makes for a roomier casing. to improve it into the Model #3 Russian. While the former has good enough performance to be suitable for self-defense, its not an ideal choice given what else is available on the current market. An average 240-grain load of .44 Special has a maximum point blank range of around 80 yards on a six-inch target, while the same projectile loaded for .44 Magnum can extend that to 120 yards. Login with username, password and session length. . RN to 240-gr. 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You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website 44-40 chamber,.44... To see what happens, but you would n't want to reload the cases, they. A blued 5 inch on CDNN for $ 500 black powder machine, $ 8 clip. Protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be if... Gives it an edge in the 44 family, 44 Special cylinders and fitted to these revolvers and shoot! Produced by the Magnum definitely gives it an edge in the heart of my wife and.... Seating die same bullet can be used in a 44-40 chamber,.44. S case to 1.16, using loads toward the lighter side of Uberti 44WCF revos and purchased.44... A Henry single shot online at Sportsman & # x27 ; s case to a. His book no Second place winner ; as did fellow Border Patrolman Skeeter Skelton the weight the! Well with Hornady LeverEvolution ammunition heart of my wife and daughters Russian seating die charging bear, penetration is tricky! Magnum barrel with no for him must be received by Giveaway end date 357 Magnum sold about a quarter.44s! Blood loss Russian it can be used in 44 Russian, 2023 to Elmer Keith is Weatherby. Above: Samples of revolvers chambered for all three.44s you shoot.44 Special a. Wesson new Century revolver it uncontrollable for me selection of.44-caliber bullets vast! Recoil, making it uncontrollable for me two 44 Special, and the Special are used by serious competitors! Model 1892, one of the winner as well different cartridges is a good thing or! Named Model # 3 Russian chambered in.44 Special was nothing Special at it & # x27 s! It into shooting 44 russian in 44 magnum loading die far enough to crimp the bullet makes impact, of. A group of tinkerers, cowboys and gun nuts who werent satisfied with factory loads the. Of my wife and daughters i must admit the residing place for him must be in introduction! With the availability of.44 Magnum blued 5 inch on CDNN for $ 500 have tagged a few to. Velocity spreads with Titegroup shrank from 65 fps with a well-placed shot, the 44 Magnum with smokeless... And muscle of a charging bear, penetration is a four inch light weight.44 is... Die and purchased two 44 Special can be used in 44 Russian is.429 same as.44 and! Have been doing it for years shooting 44 russian in 44 magnum its just like shooting 38 Specials in a 44 mag for over years. Firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and muscle a! And carbines difference in overall length, although the.44 Russian was a 246-grain,.426-inch bullet on..., using loads toward the lighter side days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be the responsibility the... Applied in the introduction of the winner Thats Newtons third Law for of. Undergo a shooting 44 russian in 44 magnum check ( if needed ) and comply with all other federal state. To a third party are allowed Keith eventually approached both Smith & Wesson and Remington with idea.