I truly think the 44 special is the all purpose round. From the range to the trail. East to west north to south in the city or the back countryI think it can handle almost any single scenario you can think of in North America. Almost.
I’ve posted before about my street experience w/the thirty-eight. When forced to use it during my career (retired 10/97) the FBI 158 grain +P hollow point did the job. In 1968 the old .38 round nose standard pressure dropped the suspect and that’s why I stick w/the .38 in retirement. I didn’t notice much difference in recoil in your shooting the two rounds. Another good video Sam.
Possibly, however Underwood themselves get their velocity rating from a 6" barrel for their .38/.357 loads. They should make it more clear the way Buffalo Bore does by saying short barrel and listing short barrel velocities and referenced firearm they achieved it with.
I have to agree, 38 Special loadings for a sub nose IS the preeminent loading for the 38 Special in a defensive revolver with many designed and noted for Short Barrel. Sure, if buying 158's a 4"-6" barrel is the "normal" loading to optimize the velocity and weight for marketing purposes with a 4"-6" barrel but there are more 2" barreled 38's out there than any other revolver. The 4" 357 is in a realm of it's own loaded with 125gr 38+P's and the equal of any 9mm at least but the +P 110's rule in a 2" barrel. Personally I CCW a 642 loaded with 148gr DEWC's at 900fps with Ramshot Silhouette measured 10ft from a 2" barrel, you just can't bet your like on expansion at 38 velocity's.
I bought the same 38 +P from underwood and did my own "Jug or Not" test with 4 layers of denim from my Charter Arms "Off Duty" with the short 1 1/4 in barrel (?) and it did very well. Good expansion and penetration was to the 4th jug. It's Hot in that tiny 12 Oz gun, but manageable. Just FYI for anyone wondering how it would be in a snub nose.
Both are under rated bullets. They have good street results In the Book Stopping Power by Sanow & Marshall they give real life shooting examples of both. It seems not all bullets in the same caliber work with the same results. Keep up the good work.
I have a lot of revolvers, from 22 short to 44 mag. I have an old Charter Arms 44 special that is a blast to shoot, since I reload all of my 44 specials it is also cheap to shoot. My Charter Arms isn’t pretty but it has stayed together for 30 years and I bought it used.
You've made me a real fan of the 44 Mag/Spl revolver the last month or so. I forget which other 44spl catridge you tested recently but I was impressed. And most 38spl tests I see never achieve the velocity you demonstrated today. 466 ft#/sec. So both great options. Thanks for the awesome testing and video.
Thank you. The first phrase of a well organized militia which is defined as an army of the people, was there as an example for the next phrase which is the right of the people to not be infringed!
I definitely love .44 Special. Any big bore is a hand loading proposition if you’re going to get any meaningful practice. Looks like Underwood needs to up the BHN on the.38 Specials a point or two so they hang together better at that velocity.
Handloading for both is the answer. Best investment any serious hunter or shooter can make is in equipment and components to free them from the whims of the factory ammo manufacturers. Saves money and gets you a better product at the same time.
👍 All my large caliber revolvers are in .44 Special, but this video gave me some increased respect for the .38 Special as a self-defense round. But, I am not selling my .44s. 😀 Very interesting demonstration. Thank you for sharing.
I love them both. I have a soft spot for .38 special, but I don't try to justify it or defend my position - I just like it best. I have shot .550fps cowboy loads and 1400 +P rounds and everything in between out of the same gun. It's a ton of fun. 44 special is a great round that doesn't get enough attention.
@@dekir7663 Yeah when you compare a 115 or 124 grain rounds. 9mm to a 158 grain 38 +P round. Try that 9mm round in 147 grain and see the numbers fanboy.
Interesting test.👍 I wish the ammo manufacturers weren’t so much more cautious about .44 Special than they are about the .38 Special. If Underwood marketed something like the Skeeter Load, they might not be able to call it +P but they could publish the pressure. And that load will do just about anything you need to do with a .44 Special.
@@GunSam also have you ever heard of Aquila Interceptor hp 22lr, it’s supposedly the fastest 40 grain with a velocity 1470 fps (through a rifle). Is it suitable as a self defense round in a pistol, who knows?
I believe I have fired it. I think the CCI velcitor, or velociraptor or something like that is basically the same thing but in a more reliable CCI brand.
I have carried a .44 Spcl 3" for EDC for many years. I used 215 gr hard cast, plain base SWC bullets loaded at 765 fps (chronographed) from the 3" and I had full confidence in them. They were very accurate from my 3", 4" and 6 1/2" .44 spcl revolvers. I never thought about expansion since a 44 is already bigger than 38 or 9mm is after expansion. What I wanted was penetration. If it goes in the front and comes out the back you have created two holes to let in more air and let out more blood. Plus, the hole cut by that SWC upon entry and into the wound channel would be more like being hit by a truck compared to a Yugo. Either one would kill you but you might survive being hit by the Yugo. As far as accuracy, that is up to the shooter. Both 38 and 44 can be very accurate in good quality firearms. My favorite bullet in the N-frame 44 was 250 gr LSWC loaded to about 850 fps and cast 1:20 tin and lead.
Typical ammo like .44 SWC's are pretty good, and your examples are true for hunting. But with self defense - recorded data shows around 60-65% one shot stop for .44 SWC ammo (non hollow point). The .44 Special hollow points are closer to averaging 80% one shot stop. I'm not saying that the charts are necessarily correct, but hollow points tend to usually show more ability to stop a threat.
I've used LHP's since the early 80's. I wish the ammo companies would ditch the shoulder of the SWC-HP design. It does NOTHING but limit the internal shape of the hollow cavity, which is why the bullet performance tends to be all or nothing. AND it hangs up when using a speed loader. Yes, yes. I've chamfered my cylinders. But not everyone wants to carve up their cylinders. But so much potential with lead bullets. Max velocities over the same weight bullets with copper jackets. 158grs @ 1150fps? Borderline. 357mag velocity!
The shoulder is necessary for shooting round objects or hitting things at an angle it will dig in. I remember reading an article republish from back in the 70s a guy got shot in the head with a 38 special and skimmed right around his skull despite being hit directly, so the author did all manners of tests and sold bunch of magazines and eventually the semi wadcutter is the standard we know and love today ❤️
@@bovineexcrement8635 No, it's the wide flat nose that allows them to dig into roundish targets. The shoulder is too far back and too narrow to make a difference. The same effect is seen with jacketed hollow points. The cupped flat nose digs into sheet metal, bowling pins(remember when shooting bowling pins was a thing?) And skulls. Try shooting various objects with 158gr hard cast wide flat nose and hardcast SWC. I have. You won't see a difference.
@mateoocampo3165 copy that I am a fan of lead bullet technologies, books, and his molds. Lyman 158156 from accurate molds cast in lyman #2 alloy. Sharpe Square and hard enough. This is my go-to. Brian from handloader magazine using magic marker on the shoulders of a semi wadcutter and saying that they're worthless, I disagree🤷♂️. I like revolvers, but don't waste my time with howl points.
I have a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug, with a 2" barrel, in .44 spl. I love it. It is more accurate, with less recoil than my other .38 snub nose revolver. I still carry both. But 44 is more expensive to reload and practice with.
Been a fan of the 44 spl for many years. but.. had 44 mag guns and I just won't shoot spls in a mag cylinder. Got a bulldog when they were still blue and.. well... the 44 spl of the day was not great but...pretty accurate Then I came across an Uberti Colt SAA clone with 4 3/4" barrel in 44 spl... man this thing shoots... very accurate and it made me develop some loads for it. settled on a cast and coated SWC of 250 grains with AA#5 owder at around 800 or so fps. This is the one... the only other load I might mess with is I have an old full wadcutter mold that puts out 180 grain FWC
Traditionally, manufacturers list .44 Special velocity from a 6.5" barrel. That Underwood looks to be right on the money from a 4". Also, that .38 Special is super damn hot. Ballistically it appears identical to the very old .38/44 loads from long a do. Those were rounds called "heavy duty" and specifically for a large N-Frame revolver that was quoted as "158gr @ 1150fps". Back in the day if those heavy duty .38/44 cartridges were accidentally loaded into an alloy airweight or a small J-Frames they were known to crack the top strap and in some cases break the cylinder. I would be VERY apprehensive shooting Underwood +P .38SPL in any .38SPL revolver. .357 Magnum revolvers only would be a safe bet.
I really hope Underwood continues to develop that 38 Special load. They have more than enough velocity to work with. It seems like they need to dive into changing the lead alloy. For a round with so much potential, I was disappointed.
Evan Marshall and Dave Sanow rated the two calibers very close in one round stops. I think the issue is the size of the weapons : for me the k frame is the sweet spot for controllability and speed from the holster.
The .38 was overdriving the pure lead bullet construction (edit to add: known as ringing) from the velocity. The bullets would likely stay together if they were hardened by alloying with antimony
I like both but to be honest I bought a Lee bullet mould and 44spl/44mag load kit for a grand total of around $33 when I was younger. The 44 has the potential to be loaded real mild to quite potent.
I think both guns needed sighting in for ammo used. I have bought 44 special plus P labeled as such. Corbon used to make it along with a few others. I shoot a lot of 240gr 44 special between 1000 and 1100 fps. Very accurate. Use a model 69. Bullet selection is key, and if using lead hardness for best expansion with penetration.
I'm carrying an airweight now with 38 special standard pressure lead wadcutters that shows 850fps in a 4" barrel. The same box a couple of months ago was labeled 1000fps Both boxes show an Item number of 732. If you look at the most recent Item 732 the box now shows 982fps also in a 4" barrel. I don't understand whether they are testing different fps rounds or decided the original 850 was underpowered. Same general variances in the Semi wadcutter lead wadcutters.
In my opinion, the 44 loads were too light. 240 is standard, and penetration would have probably been better. I cast 250K's for mine. I'd put the 44 and 45ACP in the same boat, performance wise.
While they may be too light for some applications, the entire intent for the creation of this load was to scale up the "FBI load". Massive energy dump, human "stopping power" etc.
Good Video What I would like to see in addtion to revolvers some test using the Lever action carbines chambered in Revolver cartridges that are popular and seem to be gaining more in Popularity. A lot of people have 38 Special/357 Magnum Lever Action Rifle's and Carbine's and a lot of people have 44 Special/44 Magnum Lever Action Rifles and Carbines. For Example I have Rossi in both 38 Special/357 Magnum and 44 Special/44 Magnum Carbines with 16 inch Barrels. TH-cam seems to have a lot of people presenting all kinds of test with handguns but very few using Rifle's and Carbine's. For example, I am Interested in both the 38 Special and the 44 Special when fired from a Rifle or Carbine for Plinking and Hunting and Home defense. And enjoy your channel Thank's
I wonder if Underwood reduced the powder when they coated the 44spl and put a gas check on it. I can't stand it when they change something and still have the same part number. Were the 44spl bullets you used the old style with no coating and no gas check, or the new bullets with the coating and the gas check? Buffalobore rates their version of that at 1156 fps 5.5-inch barrel, 1000fps 2". Could you have too much cylinder gap?
I use the standard p of that .38 spl round in my m&p 340. I will likely stick with that, but you def have me thinking about .44 spl. Maybe there is a model 69 2 3/4" in my future...some time when i can rub 2 nickels together, that is.
I think most people shooting 38's and 44's are reloading because of cost. I have been for 50 years. It would be nice to comparisons of handloaded jhp's in both rounds. Thanks
Those Underwood 38s were moving much faster than I would have expected. I wonder how much they slow down out of a 2" barrel. I mean there's your FBI load. On steroids. As for shooting that stuff, I bet I would feel more comfortable using my 3" ported 629 to shoot the 44s than my M&P340 to shoot those 38s!
Underwood says not to shoot the "44 Special" Item 742 in a Charter Arms Bulldog. Since there is no +P SAAMI standard for 44 Special, I guess these would really be light magnums. Very light considering 44 Magnum goes up to 36,000 psi! lol ETA: I think your model 69 has slightly tighter chambers than your 686. Either that or they aren't quite as polished. From the videos I've seen, you get more sticky extractions from the 69 than from the 686.
I'm really disappointed in that 44 spl. What you got certainly wasn't the advertised 1150fps. I would like to know why. Underwood ammo going cheep on powder? Faulty gun? Underwood test barrel length of 14 inches? Bad bullets? You should call Underwood about that, try a 6" barrel gun or a different ammo batch. Maybe Underwood made that bullet safe for Charter Arms guns and didn't tell anybody. I just noticed that their 44 spl gold dot is no longer listed on their site.
Great video! I’ve been wanting to try that underwood .44 special load in my old 1974ish Charter Bulldog but underwood advises not to use it in charter arms. Did that load feel like it was a hot load to you? I’ve fired some loads that seemed too hot for the Bulldog but they were published data hand loads using a 255 grain SWC at a book velocity in the high 900 fps range (Lyman 46th I think). I do also have a super Blackhawk I could shoot the loads in if upon firing one in the Bulldog it seemed to be too hot for it. But, I don’t carry the super Blackhawk for defensive purposes so it would kinda be a waste of funds to buy the ammo if it’s really not suitable for the Bulldog.
Thanks. The ammo felt pretty stout, maybe slightly less recoil than typical .357 Magnum ammo. Now Buffalo Bore also does this same load, and they say not to use it in Bulldogs because of the wear and tear. They specifically say that no, it will not cause your gun to fail or blowup, but after a lot of rounds the gun will loosen up and start having parts fall off (so my guess is they tested their version through a Bulldog). I ran both the Buffalo Bore and Underwood side by side with a velocity average difference of 1 FPS so it's safe to say they use the same powder. If I was going to use it in a Bulldog it would be less than one box in the revolver's lifetime just to make sure the gun will not break. I got the feeling Buffalo Bore ran 50-100 rounds before screws started falling off and whatnot.
Thanks bro. I reckon I’ll just stick with that underwood 200 grain wad cutter load they offer that is Bulldog friendly. It is kinda stout feeling too. I think it would over penetrate a bit though especially since it’s hard cast.
At 75 yards the higher velocity and flatter trajectory of the .38 Special beats the lower velocity of the .44 Special, some of which landed bellow the target. At close range for self defense, the 44 Special has the edge evident by the near perfect bullet expansion. The 38 Special wasn't bad, it just over penetrated because it did not expand as much. Your shooting skills at 75 years are better than 90% of the real world handgun shooters. Lots of people like to brag about their accuracy but you deliver. Thanks for another great video.
What do you think is better for self defense? 44 special or 44 magnum. I’m on the fence on which to carry. 44 magnum is better at penetrating but do I need that much penetration power? Is 44 special powerful enough? These are the questions tormenting me.
Depends on where you're at.. if you're in grizz territory i'd go with a flat nose 300 grain 44. Mag. Anywhere else a potent 255 grain 44. Special flat nose would be just fine. Very unlikely you'd need it but if you did 44. Special would be adaquate against black bear, cats, wild hogs. Carry a spare speed strip/speedloader
Thanks for your real videos sir. Getting some revolvers soon and realize 357 can shoot 38 special. Do I need to run +p 38 sp ammo through it or any will work ? Is there a benefit ? Thank you !
I think the “.38 +p” UW makes might actually just be a .38-44 load. There’s no way that a 158 grain .38 load can be propelled to 1100+ fps with just a standard +p load in a 4 inch barrel.
There's not one powder with one attribute and more power, just means more of that one powder. There are hundreds of varieties of powder that can have more or less power with various pressures. Plus it's a lead bullet. Lead has less friction. There's no reason for me to think this is anything but a well loaded .38 Special+P with less than 20,000 PSI pressure.
Clarification please. The captions were not clear. Comparing 38 to 44 for defense, you mentioned recoil, and ammo cost. Then you said something about proficiency that was not clear. Did you mean a.) you do NOT need to shoot a revolver a lot to get comfortable and proficient, or b.) you DO need to shoot a revolver and burn a lot of expensive ammo to get accurate and comfortable? I am sure you spoke clearly but the automated captions were just garbled enough that statement was not clear, to me.
I was basically saying, (and will explain what I was trying to say even if I didn't say it) is that with semi autos, you need to run quite a few rounds to know if a certain ammo is reliable. Often times malfunctions start showing up 20-25 rounds into testing HP ammo. With a revolver, generally 6-12 is more than enough rounds fired to show that something is not off with the ammo, that the cases extract correctly, and loading more ammo goes in smooth. Once in a blue moon revolver ammo will be off, like last round in cylinder pulls from case a tad making it weak or worst case fall out and lock the cylinder, or the brass expands too much and you cannot extract the brass. You know within just a few rounds that it's 100% reliable in a revolver, and you add that to the fact that revolvers dry fire nearly identical as they do live fire, so you can practice at home and practice and get good with not many rounds. So basically, if you spend $40 for a box of 50 target .44 Special ammo VS $25 for a box of 50 .38 Special ammo to shoot every once in awhile to stay proficient, and the defensive ammo for both cost the same, there's no real reason to rule out .44 Special in favor of .38 Special based solely on cost, as the differences in the real world for the average shooter are minor. Now you you intend on shooting 10,000 rounds, than obviously .38 Special is the way to go because even with hand loading, .38 Special costs a LOT less to hand load over .44 Special. Like maybe 10 bucks in raw material to reload some decent .38 Special rounds, as where reloading .44 Special can cost twice that as .429-.430" bullets are often 50% more money than .357-.358", powder amounts can add a buck or two and primers for large pistol can be a tad more expensive too.
.44 special is one of the most varied cartridges, so its difficult to judge the caliber on the basis of any single loading. I’ve seen loadings as weak as 200 foot pounds and others pushing almost 600 foot pounds. I personally won’t carry a .44 special loaded weaker than 500 foot pounds, so my loadings exceed the performance of most defensive calibers. But loadings like this weak Underwood basically replicate .38 +p performance and contribute to the misconception that .44 special is underpowered. Loaded to its potential, .44 sp hits the sweet spot between .357 and .44 magnum.
Так промежуточное положение между .357 и .44 Магнумом занимает .41 Магнум, разве не так? Он же как раз и разрабатывался и задумывался под эту задачу, как золотая середина между двумя самых популярных револьверных патрона.
@DanieLJuareZ0 The .41 Mag was originally conceived as the perfect law enforcement round, more effective than the .38 Special and .357 Magnum then used by most American police departments, but more controllable than the .44 Magnum, considered the world's most powerful handgun cartridge even nine years after its introduction in 1955." "Introduced in 1964 by the Remington Arms Company..."
Nah, .44 Magnum. People say "well he said 'light specials' in Magnum force". I would say, even though he said this - you can clearly see in the same scene that the other guy could barely control the gun when he tried it out. So there you have it, in this fictitious world of load choices, he was using .44 Magnum - but for whatever reason (probably sarcasm/hazing the new recruit) said it was light specials in his gun to catch the guy off guard when he shot the gun.
When it comes to this type of ammo, Buffalo Bore and Underwood are about even and Underwood is cheaper. But with jacketed ammo, Buffalo Bore in indeed superior in power.
@@GunSam I don't agree. Does the Buffalo Bore 38spl soft cast lead SWC hollow point not perform way better than what we saw here? Does Buffalo Bore not provide much more consistent velocities?
Interesting. Catchy title and video idea. Didn't really answer the "special" question for me. I wouldn't mind seeing the exact same video with what YOU believe is the BEST ammunition for each. This Underwood ammo seemed rather disappointing in both calibers.
it's difficult to say these are bad based on the bullet itself as the loads were awesome power and they did some good damage. It's not a simple question though, as if I were realistically answering it, i'd be answering that question not with these 4" barrels (as they make everything seem better) but i'd also have to equate in snub nose revolvers, and those ammo choices will be different. I really cannot do a test like you ask, I been demonetized for a few weeks and it will last another couple weeks, and the best ammo for both is at a minimum a $100 test that I cannot afford to do. But in 4" barrels I would probably say Buffalo Bore in both, TAC-XP/XPB with both. I haven't gel tested the .38 Special version, but I have in the past with water jugs and it's great. The .44 I have footage of, and it's hands down the best .44 Special load in my opinion. th-cam.com/video/4_g5S1qGIaI/w-d-xo.html
@@GunSam Thank you for your well thought out answer. Ironically, I watched the video you linked before watching this one. I was VERY impressed with the Buffalo Bore TAC-XP/XPB. Tremendous wound channel and great penetration. My wife has a .38 Special and I have a .357 Magnum as our revolvers. I will look into trying out Buffalo Bore after seeing your tests, although it might be hard for me to cheat on my Rem 125 g SJHP. You make really great videos and appreciate all of your effort. Thank you again for your reply!
It keeps you from blowing your face off in a 38 that can't handle 38+p loads or hot loads. Same with 357 no such thing as a +p 44spl is all about kinetic energy dumping energy quick and hitting like a 8 pound sledge instead of a 2 pound maul
Try a 45 at 100 yrd’s can you hit your target . I can you just have to know where to aim . Killed a buck at 85 yrd’s one shot . Also a bow hunter . That really teaches you how to shot .
Expanding bullets are not the end all of effectiveness. Never were until smokeless came around and made hunting bullets better in small calibers. And black powder to smokeless handgun stuff is kind of wasted space. Slow the bullet down in a .38 and make it real heavy it will tumble and tear up a gelly man. The .44 is already a big enough hole just slow it down. .38SW with a 200 grain bullet and a mild 9mm powder charge will do more than enough to make it hurt yet still very shootable. Fun on the range and effective on derange. When are you going to try it?? Handloading is not a difficult thing for most of us and it may come to that some day anyhow.
That 38 round is pretty hot might be a bit much for some of the lightweight 38 revolvers.If I carried 38 special Olympics and I never would , I would handload a hst 110 gr and try for 1200 plus and that sucker would open and go deep enough.
Also, I feel like those 38 special bullets were actually a lower-quality. Considering how high-powered they were at 158 grain + p. This proves that the numbers on the box look great, but when the projectile breaks up like that, that's not so good. I would like to see how the same ammunition would do with a bullet from Hornady like an FTX bullet. Same power.
Most people who shoot .44 Special, will do it out of a .44 Magnum revolver so it's just more variety of ammo in addition to what they normally shoot, and defensive ammo is the same price as 9mm defensive ammo more or less. Ammoseek shows the cheapest .44 Special ammo for 50 rounds is $34.77. Yes the .45 ACP from the same company is $17, but someone saying they will rule out a good caliber because they don't want to pay $17.77 more a box - when revolvers are so reliable that you don't _have_ to shoot a lot of rounds to become proficient, does not warrant laughing emojis. Like someone else said about being young, if less than $18 bucks makes or breaks a choice, that would mean you live with your mamma and your allowance isn't enough to shoot one of daddy's guns.
That’s why I reload it’s very cost effective with the large caliber even.38 special is twice the 9 mm price for about the same weight of bullet and powder charge. I’m sure 9mm is there biggest selling round that’s why it’s so cheap or used to be
I truly think the 44 special is the all purpose round. From the range to the trail. East to west north to south in the city or the back countryI think it can handle almost any single scenario you can think of in North America. Almost.
I feel the same way about 25 NAA
@@timrobinson6573people hate you now !!!
Including bears 😂 if you switch to 44 magnum.
youre thinking of 45 colt
@@carminegraves
...that too.
I’ve posted before about my street experience w/the thirty-eight. When forced to use it during my career (retired 10/97) the FBI 158 grain +P hollow point did the job. In 1968 the old .38 round nose standard pressure dropped the suspect and that’s why I stick w/the .38 in retirement. I didn’t notice much difference in recoil in your shooting the two rounds. Another good video Sam.
I suspect that .38 ammo is formulated for use in snub-nose revolvers, which is far and away the most common self defense employment of that caliber.
Possibly, however Underwood themselves get their velocity rating from a 6" barrel for their .38/.357 loads. They should make it more clear the way Buffalo Bore does by saying short barrel and listing short barrel velocities and referenced firearm they achieved it with.
I have to agree, 38 Special loadings for a sub nose IS the preeminent loading for the 38 Special in a defensive revolver with many designed and noted for Short Barrel. Sure, if buying 158's a 4"-6" barrel is the "normal" loading to optimize the velocity and weight for marketing purposes with a 4"-6" barrel but there are more 2" barreled 38's out there than any other revolver. The 4" 357 is in a realm of it's own loaded with 125gr 38+P's and the equal of any 9mm at least but the +P 110's rule in a 2" barrel. Personally I CCW a 642 loaded with 148gr DEWC's at 900fps with Ramshot Silhouette measured 10ft from a 2" barrel, you just can't bet your like on expansion at 38 velocity's.
I bought the same 38 +P from underwood and did my own "Jug or Not" test with 4 layers of denim from my Charter Arms "Off Duty" with the short 1 1/4 in barrel (?) and it did very well. Good expansion and penetration was to the 4th jug. It's Hot in that tiny 12 Oz gun, but manageable. Just FYI for anyone wondering how it would be in a snub nose.
I actually bought my model 69 4.25 inch because of your videos. 44 is like a dying breed
Sad but true. I can't find 44 mag/spec locally. They are so versatile.
The 44 Special is am especially good round with the right ammo!
Both are under rated bullets. They have good street results In the Book Stopping Power by Sanow & Marshall they give real life shooting examples of both. It seems not all bullets in the same caliber work with the same results. Keep up the good work.
I have a lot of revolvers, from 22 short to 44 mag. I have an old Charter Arms 44 special that is a blast to shoot, since I reload all of my 44 specials it is also cheap to shoot. My Charter Arms isn’t pretty but it has stayed together for 30 years and I bought it used.
You've made me a real fan of the 44 Mag/Spl revolver the last month or so. I forget which other 44spl catridge you tested recently but I was impressed.
And most 38spl tests I see never achieve the velocity you demonstrated today. 466 ft#/sec.
So both great options.
Thanks for the awesome testing and video.
. 44 special is the all purpose round. Great video thanks.
Great video. I appreciate your approach, logic, and considerable experience. 2A strong!
Thank you. The first phrase of a well organized militia which is defined as an army of the people, was there as an example for the next phrase which is the right of the people to not be infringed!
No problem with you shooting from 75 yrds. It's a good test of your skills; it's a great confidence builder. Keep up the good videos.
I definitely love .44 Special. Any big bore is a hand loading proposition if you’re going to get any meaningful practice.
Looks like Underwood needs to up the BHN on the.38 Specials a point or two so they hang together better at that velocity.
Handloading for both is the answer. Best investment any serious hunter or shooter can make is in equipment and components to free them from the whims of the factory ammo manufacturers. Saves money and gets you a better product at the same time.
That's some impressive D/A shooting at 75 yards. I honestly don't think I've ever shot past 50 yards with a revolver in double action.
Thanks. They're both special in my book.
DOUG out
👍 All my large caliber revolvers are in .44 Special, but this video gave me some increased respect for the .38 Special as a self-defense round. But, I am not selling my .44s. 😀
Very interesting demonstration. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the real world testing. I was about to pan the .44 after the plain gel, but it did great on the real one.
I love them both. I have a soft spot for .38 special, but I don't try to justify it or defend my position - I just like it best. I have shot .550fps cowboy loads and 1400 +P rounds and everything in between out of the same gun. It's a ton of fun. 44 special is a great round that doesn't get enough attention.
That 38 load might be about perfect in a 38 snubby. Excellent test, thanks for sharing!
Those .38s are close to ,.357 numbers.
You mean close to 9mm?
HA, you're funny, 9mm guy.
@@dekir7663
Yeah when you compare a 115 or 124 grain rounds. 9mm to a 158 grain 38 +P round. Try that 9mm round in 147 grain and see the numbers fanboy.
Interesting test.👍 I wish the ammo manufacturers weren’t so much more cautious about .44 Special than they are about the .38 Special. If Underwood marketed something like the Skeeter Load, they might not be able to call it +P but they could publish the pressure. And that load will do just about anything you need to do with a .44 Special.
“The human body is not just jelly” 🤣
and?
@@GunSam I just thought that was funny, it is also true
@@GunSam also have you ever heard of Aquila Interceptor hp 22lr, it’s supposedly the fastest 40 grain with a velocity 1470 fps (through a rifle). Is it suitable as a self defense round in a pistol, who knows?
I believe I have fired it. I think the CCI velcitor, or velociraptor or something like that is basically the same thing but in a more reliable CCI brand.
Okay I found where I tested it from a pistol : th-cam.com/video/QEpTHhHuqAE/w-d-xo.html
Filmed 6-09-2023
I have carried a .44 Spcl 3" for EDC for many years. I used 215 gr hard cast, plain base SWC bullets loaded at 765 fps (chronographed) from the 3" and I had full confidence in them. They were very accurate from my 3", 4" and 6 1/2" .44 spcl revolvers. I never thought about expansion since a 44 is already bigger than 38 or 9mm is after expansion. What I wanted was penetration. If it goes in the front and comes out the back you have created two holes to let in more air and let out more blood. Plus, the hole cut by that SWC upon entry and into the wound channel would be more like being hit by a truck compared to a Yugo. Either one would kill you but you might survive being hit by the Yugo. As far as accuracy, that is up to the shooter. Both 38 and 44 can be very accurate in good quality firearms. My favorite bullet in the N-frame 44 was 250 gr LSWC loaded to about 850 fps and cast 1:20 tin and lead.
Typical ammo like .44 SWC's are pretty good, and your examples are true for hunting. But with self defense - recorded data shows around 60-65% one shot stop for .44 SWC ammo (non hollow point). The .44 Special hollow points are closer to averaging 80% one shot stop. I'm not saying that the charts are necessarily correct, but hollow points tend to usually show more ability to stop a threat.
I've used LHP's since the early 80's. I wish the ammo companies would ditch the shoulder of the SWC-HP design. It does NOTHING but limit the internal shape of the hollow cavity, which is why the bullet performance tends to be all or nothing. AND it hangs up when using a speed loader. Yes, yes. I've chamfered my cylinders. But not everyone wants to carve up their cylinders. But so much potential with lead bullets. Max velocities over the same weight bullets with copper jackets. 158grs @ 1150fps? Borderline. 357mag velocity!
The shoulder is necessary for shooting round objects or hitting things at an angle it will dig in.
I remember reading an article republish from back in the 70s a guy got shot in the head with a 38 special and skimmed right around his skull despite being hit directly, so the author did all manners of tests and sold bunch of magazines and eventually the semi wadcutter is the standard we know and love today ❤️
I use SOFT round nose for backup reloads 😮
@@bovineexcrement8635 No, it's the wide flat nose that allows them to dig into roundish targets. The shoulder is too far back and too narrow to make a difference. The same effect is seen with jacketed hollow points. The cupped flat nose digs into sheet metal, bowling pins(remember when shooting bowling pins was a thing?) And skulls. Try shooting various objects with 158gr hard cast wide flat nose and hardcast SWC. I have. You won't see a difference.
@@bovineexcrement8635 Good idea of using roundnose for reloads....
@mateoocampo3165 copy that I am a fan of lead bullet technologies, books, and his molds.
Lyman 158156 from accurate molds cast in lyman #2 alloy. Sharpe Square and hard enough. This is my go-to.
Brian from handloader magazine using magic marker on the shoulders of a semi wadcutter and saying that they're worthless, I disagree🤷♂️.
I like revolvers, but don't waste my time with howl points.
I have a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug, with a 2" barrel, in .44 spl. I love it. It is more accurate, with less recoil than my other .38 snub nose revolver.
I still carry both. But 44 is more expensive to reload and practice with.
If you're reloading, 44 is cheaper than factory 9mm.
@bobjohnson1633 I don't reload .44.
. 38 and 357 yes
Very impressive performance from both! I love the specials.
They are both great rounds
Try .38 with shorter barrel
GS. Another good and interesting video. Thanks for sharing. Take care.
Thank you, take care
Been a fan of the 44 spl for many years. but.. had 44 mag guns and I just won't shoot spls in a mag cylinder. Got a bulldog when they were still blue and.. well... the 44 spl of the day was not great but...pretty accurate Then I came across an Uberti Colt SAA clone with 4 3/4" barrel in 44 spl... man this thing shoots... very accurate and it made me develop some loads for it. settled on a cast and coated SWC of 250 grains with AA#5 owder at around 800 or so fps. This is the one... the only other load I might mess with is I have an old full wadcutter mold that puts out 180 grain FWC
Good review. Entertaining and informative.
Traditionally, manufacturers list .44 Special velocity from a 6.5" barrel. That Underwood looks to be right on the money from a 4". Also, that .38 Special is super damn hot. Ballistically it appears identical to the very old .38/44 loads from long a do. Those were rounds called "heavy duty" and specifically for a large N-Frame revolver that was quoted as "158gr @ 1150fps". Back in the day if those heavy duty .38/44 cartridges were accidentally loaded into an alloy airweight or a small J-Frames they were known to crack the top strap and in some cases break the cylinder. I would be VERY apprehensive shooting Underwood +P .38SPL in any .38SPL revolver. .357 Magnum revolvers only would be a safe bet.
Good genuine info
Thanks,
a Washifornian
I really hope Underwood continues to develop that 38 Special load. They have more than enough velocity to work with. It seems like they need to dive into changing the lead alloy. For a round with so much potential, I was disappointed.
Dude another great video. I swear bro, I've literally bought three firearms and made 8 ammunition choices because of you. Thanks man
Thanks, and sorry lol
@@GunSam 🤣🤣
Good video.
I would load up my 2.75 inch M69 or my 3 inch M64 and use them with confidence.
Evan Marshall and Dave Sanow rated the two calibers very close in one round stops.
I think the issue is the size of the weapons : for me the k frame is the sweet spot for controllability and speed from the holster.
Curious about a .45 versus 44 special. I say it would be a good comparison.
The .38 was overdriving the pure lead bullet construction (edit to add: known as ringing) from the velocity. The bullets would likely stay together if they were hardened by alloying with antimony
Whether we're talking bullets or busts, I prefer 38 to 44.
I like both but to be honest I bought a Lee bullet mould and 44spl/44mag load kit for a grand total of around $33 when I was younger. The 44 has the potential to be loaded real mild to quite potent.
My edc is a S&W THUNDER RANCH .44spl. Nuff said.
I wish there was testing on the 44 special xtreme defender for self defense. It would be cool if you tested them.
Thank you sir 🙏
I think both guns needed sighting in for ammo used. I have bought 44 special plus P labeled as such. Corbon used to make it along with a few others. I shoot a lot of 240gr 44 special between 1000 and 1100 fps. Very accurate. Use a model 69. Bullet selection is key, and if using lead hardness for best expansion with penetration.
I'm carrying an airweight now with 38 special standard pressure lead wadcutters that shows 850fps in a 4" barrel. The same box a couple of months ago was labeled 1000fps Both boxes show an Item number of 732. If you look at the most recent Item 732 the box now shows 982fps also in a 4" barrel. I don't understand whether they are testing different fps rounds or decided the original 850 was underpowered. Same general variances in the Semi wadcutter lead wadcutters.
In my opinion, the 44 loads were too light. 240 is standard, and penetration would have probably been better. I cast 250K's for mine. I'd put the 44 and 45ACP in the same boat, performance wise.
While they may be too light for some applications, the entire intent for the creation of this load was to scale up the "FBI load". Massive energy dump, human "stopping power" etc.
hint it starts with a 4
Good Video
What I would like to see in addtion to revolvers some test using the Lever action carbines chambered in Revolver cartridges that are popular and seem to be gaining more in Popularity.
A lot of people have 38 Special/357 Magnum Lever Action Rifle's and Carbine's and a lot of people have 44 Special/44 Magnum Lever Action Rifles and Carbines.
For Example I have Rossi in both 38 Special/357 Magnum and 44 Special/44 Magnum Carbines with 16 inch Barrels.
TH-cam seems to have a lot of people presenting all kinds of test with handguns but very few using Rifle's and Carbine's.
For example, I am Interested in both the 38 Special and the 44 Special when fired from a Rifle or Carbine for Plinking and Hunting and Home defense.
And enjoy your channel
Thank's
I love the 44 spl but i also love to shoot mine so the 44 spl target ammo is pretty pricey
I wonder if Underwood reduced the powder when they coated the 44spl and put a gas check on it. I can't stand it when they change something and still have the same part number. Were the 44spl bullets you used the old style with no coating and no gas check, or the new bullets with the coating and the gas check? Buffalobore rates their version of that at 1156 fps 5.5-inch barrel, 1000fps 2". Could you have too much cylinder gap?
I use the standard p of that .38 spl round in my m&p 340. I will likely stick with that, but you def have me thinking about .44 spl. Maybe there is a model 69 2 3/4" in my future...some time when i can rub 2 nickels together, that is.
Not bad. Good option but there are better. Thank you.
A cardboard behind the steel might help locate misses.
I think most people shooting 38's and 44's are reloading because of cost. I have been for 50 years. It would be nice to comparisons of handloaded jhp's in both rounds. Thanks
Those Underwood 38s were moving much faster than I would have expected. I wonder how much they slow down out of a 2" barrel. I mean there's your FBI load. On steroids. As for shooting that stuff, I bet I would feel more comfortable using my 3" ported 629 to shoot the 44s than my M&P340 to shoot those 38s!
Underwood says not to shoot the "44 Special" Item 742 in a Charter Arms Bulldog. Since there is no +P SAAMI standard for 44 Special, I guess these would really be light magnums. Very light considering 44 Magnum goes up to 36,000 psi! lol
ETA: I think your model 69 has slightly tighter chambers than your 686. Either that or they aren't quite as polished. From the videos I've seen, you get more sticky extractions from the 69 than from the 686.
I've Never seen any 38 wad cutter in Plus P...
I'm really disappointed in that 44 spl. What you got certainly wasn't the advertised 1150fps. I would like to know why. Underwood ammo going cheep on powder? Faulty gun? Underwood test barrel length of 14 inches? Bad bullets? You should call Underwood about that, try a 6" barrel gun or a different ammo batch. Maybe Underwood made that bullet safe for Charter Arms guns and didn't tell anybody. I just noticed that their 44 spl gold dot is no longer listed on their site.
The .38 Special cartridge looked pretty cheap too. Both great revolvers but the ammo was mighty disappointing in this video.
Great video!
I’ve been wanting to try that underwood .44 special load in my old 1974ish Charter Bulldog but underwood advises not to use it in charter arms. Did that load feel like it was a hot load to you? I’ve fired some loads that seemed too hot for the Bulldog but they were published data hand loads using a 255 grain SWC at a book velocity in the high 900 fps range (Lyman 46th I think). I do also have a super Blackhawk I could shoot the loads in if upon firing one in the Bulldog it seemed to be too hot for it. But, I don’t carry the super Blackhawk for defensive purposes so it would kinda be a waste of funds to buy the ammo if it’s really not suitable for the Bulldog.
Thanks. The ammo felt pretty stout, maybe slightly less recoil than typical .357 Magnum ammo. Now Buffalo Bore also does this same load, and they say not to use it in Bulldogs because of the wear and tear. They specifically say that no, it will not cause your gun to fail or blowup, but after a lot of rounds the gun will loosen up and start having parts fall off (so my guess is they tested their version through a Bulldog). I ran both the Buffalo Bore and Underwood side by side with a velocity average difference of 1 FPS so it's safe to say they use the same powder. If I was going to use it in a Bulldog it would be less than one box in the revolver's lifetime just to make sure the gun will not break. I got the feeling Buffalo Bore ran 50-100 rounds before screws started falling off and whatnot.
Thanks bro.
I reckon I’ll just stick with that underwood 200 grain wad cutter load they offer that is Bulldog friendly. It is kinda stout feeling too. I think it would over penetrate a bit though especially since it’s hard cast.
At 75 yards the higher velocity and flatter trajectory of the .38 Special beats the lower velocity of the .44 Special, some of which landed bellow the target. At close range for self defense, the 44 Special has the edge evident by the near perfect bullet expansion. The 38 Special wasn't bad, it just over penetrated because it did not expand as much. Your shooting skills at 75 years are better than 90% of the real world handgun shooters. Lots of people like to brag about their accuracy but you deliver. Thanks for another great video.
What do you think is better for self defense? 44 special or 44 magnum. I’m on the fence on which to carry. 44 magnum is better at penetrating but do I need that much penetration power? Is 44 special powerful enough? These are the questions tormenting me.
Depends on where you're at.. if you're in grizz territory i'd go with a flat nose 300 grain 44. Mag. Anywhere else a potent 255 grain 44. Special flat nose would be just fine. Very unlikely you'd need it but if you did 44. Special would be adaquate against black bear, cats, wild hogs. Carry a spare speed strip/speedloader
The 44 Special load is too light of a bullet for the caliber to penetrate deeper. It takes a 240 grain to penetrate deep.
Hey bud can you test that pmc 44 mag 240 grain tcsp that's everywhere for 19 for a box of 25
Yea that would be cool
Thanks for your real videos sir. Getting some revolvers soon and realize 357 can shoot 38 special. Do I need to run +p 38 sp ammo through it or any will work ? Is there a benefit ? Thank you !
You can run any 38 sp in a 357
I think the “.38 +p” UW makes might actually just be a .38-44 load. There’s no way that a 158 grain .38 load can be propelled to 1100+ fps with just a standard +p load in a 4 inch barrel.
There's not one powder with one attribute and more power, just means more of that one powder. There are hundreds of varieties of powder that can have more or less power with various pressures. Plus it's a lead bullet. Lead has less friction. There's no reason for me to think this is anything but a well loaded .38 Special+P with less than 20,000 PSI pressure.
👍😊 the 44 special is a good round just doesn’t get any respect. 🤷♂️😁.
I Rodney Dangerfield'ed the .44 Special a couple weeks ago. "I love the .44 Special" was my video title.
@@GunSam there so pleasant to shoot and accuracy is good over shooting magnums but it makes me better with magnums.
Clarification please. The captions were not clear. Comparing 38 to 44 for defense, you mentioned recoil, and ammo cost. Then you said something about proficiency that was not clear. Did you mean a.) you do NOT need to shoot a revolver a lot to get comfortable and proficient, or b.) you DO need to shoot a revolver and burn a lot of expensive ammo to get accurate and comfortable? I am sure you spoke clearly but the automated captions were just garbled enough that statement was not clear, to me.
I was basically saying, (and will explain what I was trying to say even if I didn't say it) is that with semi autos, you need to run quite a few rounds to know if a certain ammo is reliable. Often times malfunctions start showing up 20-25 rounds into testing HP ammo. With a revolver, generally 6-12 is more than enough rounds fired to show that something is not off with the ammo, that the cases extract correctly, and loading more ammo goes in smooth.
Once in a blue moon revolver ammo will be off, like last round in cylinder pulls from case a tad making it weak or worst case fall out and lock the cylinder, or the brass expands too much and you cannot extract the brass. You know within just a few rounds that it's 100% reliable in a revolver, and you add that to the fact that revolvers dry fire nearly identical as they do live fire, so you can practice at home and practice and get good with not many rounds.
So basically, if you spend $40 for a box of 50 target .44 Special ammo VS $25 for a box of 50 .38 Special ammo to shoot every once in awhile to stay proficient, and the defensive ammo for both cost the same, there's no real reason to rule out .44 Special in favor of .38 Special based solely on cost, as the differences in the real world for the average shooter are minor. Now you you intend on shooting 10,000 rounds, than obviously .38 Special is the way to go because even with hand loading, .38 Special costs a LOT less to hand load over .44 Special. Like maybe 10 bucks in raw material to reload some decent .38 Special rounds, as where reloading .44 Special can cost twice that as .429-.430" bullets are often 50% more money than .357-.358", powder amounts can add a buck or two and primers for large pistol can be a tad more expensive too.
@@GunSam Great explanation and very good reasoning. Thanks for the notes!
Nice 😎👍👍👍
Buy save buy again. Repeat.
Every other cycle buy two cases of ammo for each gun.
Refinance
Repeat.
This is the way.
i've never shot a 44. i bet it would be nice. i like 45s, which is the closest to 44 that i've shot.
.44 special is one of the most varied cartridges, so its difficult to judge the caliber on the basis of any single loading. I’ve seen loadings as weak as 200 foot pounds and others pushing almost 600 foot pounds. I personally won’t carry a .44 special loaded weaker than 500 foot pounds, so my loadings exceed the performance of most defensive calibers. But loadings like this weak Underwood basically replicate .38 +p performance and contribute to the misconception that .44 special is underpowered. Loaded to its potential, .44 sp hits the sweet spot between .357 and .44 magnum.
Так промежуточное положение между .357 и .44 Магнумом занимает .41 Магнум, разве не так? Он же как раз и разрабатывался и задумывался под эту задачу, как золотая середина между двумя самых популярных револьверных патрона.
@DanieLJuareZ0 The .41 Mag was originally conceived as the perfect law enforcement round, more effective than the .38 Special and .357 Magnum then used by most American police departments, but more controllable than the .44 Magnum, considered the world's most powerful handgun cartridge even nine years after its introduction in 1955."
"Introduced in 1964 by the Remington Arms Company..."
@@Steve-yo4ldСпасибо за ответ
44 specual is what clint used in dirty harry
Nah, .44 Magnum. People say "well he said 'light specials' in Magnum force". I would say, even though he said this - you can clearly see in the same scene that the other guy could barely control the gun when he tried it out. So there you have it, in this fictitious world of load choices, he was using .44 Magnum - but for whatever reason (probably sarcasm/hazing the new recruit) said it was light specials in his gun to catch the guy off guard when he shot the gun.
I think they should have used 200-210 grain for the 44. 190 is too light IMO.
Once again, Buffalo Bore is king.
I would buy it all the time if I could afford 40 to 60 dollars for 20 rounds...
When it comes to this type of ammo, Buffalo Bore and Underwood are about even and Underwood is cheaper. But with jacketed ammo, Buffalo Bore in indeed superior in power.
@@GunSam I don't agree. Does the Buffalo Bore 38spl soft cast lead SWC hollow point not perform way better than what we saw here? Does Buffalo Bore not provide much more consistent velocities?
👍👍
Probably got their velocity out of a 6" gun on the .44.
Hmm… gimme the.44 tac-XP 😆
Interesting. Catchy title and video idea. Didn't really answer the "special" question for me. I wouldn't mind seeing the exact same video with what YOU believe is the BEST ammunition for each. This Underwood ammo seemed rather disappointing in both calibers.
it's difficult to say these are bad based on the bullet itself as the loads were awesome power and they did some good damage. It's not a simple question though, as if I were realistically answering it, i'd be answering that question not with these 4" barrels (as they make everything seem better) but i'd also have to equate in snub nose revolvers, and those ammo choices will be different. I really cannot do a test like you ask, I been demonetized for a few weeks and it will last another couple weeks, and the best ammo for both is at a minimum a $100 test that I cannot afford to do. But in 4" barrels I would probably say Buffalo Bore in both, TAC-XP/XPB with both. I haven't gel tested the .38 Special version, but I have in the past with water jugs and it's great. The .44 I have footage of, and it's hands down the best .44 Special load in my opinion. th-cam.com/video/4_g5S1qGIaI/w-d-xo.html
@@GunSam Thank you for your well thought out answer. Ironically, I watched the video you linked before watching this one. I was VERY impressed with the Buffalo Bore TAC-XP/XPB. Tremendous wound channel and great penetration. My wife has a .38 Special and I have a .357 Magnum as our revolvers. I will look into trying out Buffalo Bore after seeing your tests, although it might be hard for me to cheat on my Rem 125 g SJHP. You make really great videos and appreciate all of your effort. Thank you again for your reply!
At 70 yards you were shooting low with the 44 Special.
It keeps you from blowing your face off in a 38 that can't handle 38+p loads or hot loads. Same with 357 no such thing as a +p
44spl is all about kinetic energy dumping energy quick and hitting like a 8 pound sledge instead of a 2 pound maul
Try a 45 at 100 yrd’s can you hit your target . I can you just have to know where to aim . Killed a buck at 85 yrd’s one shot . Also a bow hunter . That really teaches you how to shot .
I have done it. Ain center mass, hit center mass. All I did.
Expanding bullets are not the end all of effectiveness. Never were until smokeless came around and made hunting bullets better in small calibers. And black powder to smokeless handgun stuff is kind of wasted space. Slow the bullet down in a .38 and make it real heavy it will tumble and tear up a gelly man. The .44 is already a big enough hole just slow it down. .38SW with a 200 grain bullet and a mild 9mm powder charge will do more than enough to make it hurt yet still very shootable. Fun on the range and effective on derange. When are you going to try it?? Handloading is not a difficult thing for most of us and it may come to that some day anyhow.
th-cam.com/video/-WroVmr_16s/w-d-xo.html
.45 Special AKA .45 S&W.😊
At 75 yards the .44 special was hitting low for the most part, just saying.
My take away? I don't want to get shot by any caliber gun.
44 special
“You absolute baffoon what you have there are not clips, these are mags!”
This is why I want a 44 Magnum, I can always shoot some hot 44 special when I get too old.
Pretty poor bullet design say I regarding the 38. Going to stick with the Buffalo bore
That 38 round is pretty hot might be a bit much for some of the lightweight 38 revolvers.If I carried 38 special Olympics and I never would , I would handload a hst 110 gr and try for 1200 plus and that sucker would open and go deep enough.
,38 is better
They are both special, in a "short bus' kinda way.
Also, I feel like those 38 special bullets were actually a lower-quality. Considering how high-powered they were at 158 grain + p. This proves that the numbers on the box look great, but when the projectile breaks up like that, that's not so good. I would like to see how the same ammunition would do with a bullet from Hornady like an FTX bullet. Same power.
Interesting test. I appreciate your efforts. I've passed on purchasing some really cool .44 specials because I can't find it very cheap.
😂😂 .44 special. where the hell you gonna find that shit, for any less than twice the price of .45.
a ridiculous choice for a gun.
u must be young.
44 special does cost twice as much. It also has far greater potential, especially for hunting.
If you only have one gun, 44spl is super to 45acp
I think it's more about the versatility of a .44 Remington Magnum revolver.
Most people who shoot .44 Special, will do it out of a .44 Magnum revolver so it's just more variety of ammo in addition to what they normally shoot, and defensive ammo is the same price as 9mm defensive ammo more or less. Ammoseek shows the cheapest .44 Special ammo for 50 rounds is $34.77. Yes the .45 ACP from the same company is $17, but someone saying they will rule out a good caliber because they don't want to pay $17.77 more a box - when revolvers are so reliable that you don't _have_ to shoot a lot of rounds to become proficient, does not warrant laughing emojis. Like someone else said about being young, if less than $18 bucks makes or breaks a choice, that would mean you live with your mamma and your allowance isn't enough to shoot one of daddy's guns.
That’s why I reload it’s very cost effective with the large caliber even.38 special is twice the 9 mm price for about the same weight of bullet and powder charge. I’m sure 9mm is there biggest selling round that’s why it’s so cheap or used to be