I'm a 44 Special Man myself. I have been carrying and collecting 44 Special for over 40 years . The Spear gold dot 200 grain flying ashtrays Is my carry round.
Hey BigRooster616. Where are you finding the 44 cal Speer 200 gr Gold Dot? Or 44 cal Gold Dot bullets for reloading? I have been looking for 5 years or so and cant find any. I do have some factory Speer ammo in 44 Special and the Short Barrel 44 Magnum. Thanks for any help.
I always carried my 624 with 3" barrel with Winchester silver tip 200grain, one hole groups at 7 yards. Seemed to be aluminum jacket with pure lead inside. Fired into water jugs they would expand to the point it wouldn't fit down a 12 gage barrel cylinder bore. Poor kid on a farm, made due with what I could do.
@@sirfrydryk360 I think the Silvertip would be good for your M624. It is now discontinued. Handloading would be a good way to get ammo for your 44 Special. You can get a Lee Loader and easily produce your own. I started out in 1972 with a lee Loader and it works great. Wont cost too much. Cast bullets will work great in your M624. I wish I had one of those!
@@robertseafield5810 Thank you. S&W made 5000 blued models in 84 and 5000 SS in 86, both with a 3" barrel and a round butt grip. I've shot every power of loads from very low power to light 44 mag loads cast and jacketed. Love the 44 Special forever!
I recently purchased a .44 special Charter Arms Bulldog from 1985 WITH SIGHTS. After watching you struggle with that Boomer, I'm glad I went with the sighted version. It's got a 3" barrel. I like it, and carry Gold Dots. As they say, a big bullet never shrinks, but a smaller caliber bullet might not expand.
I picked up a used Charter Bulldog 44 special way back in the middle 90's. It was an original with blued finish, wood grips and a 3" barrel. My wife already had a Taurus 38 snubbie, so I thought the 44 would be a great house and even carry revolver for her. I think I gave $150 for it. I grabbed a box of Winchester Silver tip hollow points to go with it. Well, it recoiled a bit more than I was expecting ! 😅. And I'm 225-6'. My 120 lb wife shot 2 shots through it, handed back to me, and let me know real quick I had made a terrible choice and She wouldn't be trading her 38 in for it. I kept it around for awhile and finally decided to trade it off because the ammo was much higher than any other ammo we used. I remember reading, years ago, in a review of the Bulldog 44 special- The reason the Son of Sam didn't shoot more people than he did, was because he had to soak his hands after every shooting. 😮
Sir where are you located in USA ? My wife keeps asking I tell her it doesnt matter ( Im interested in tests and ballistics ) but she asks me every time she sees your channel. Sorry if you said before.
Matts bullets is a great company. I purchased some 500s&w from them. I have found their stuff to be a bit on the hotter side almost like underwood. Never had problems with any and the customer service is A+
Tools - I've been looking forward to this one. Matt's Bullets didn't disappoint! It was great to see the Charter Boomer. I know it's not ideal for testing, but I was real curious to see how it performed. Now we know!! Thanks a bunch, Tools!!
Years ago I bought a 3" 44 Bulldog as a small, lightweight bear defense gun for camping and hiking. I just carried hardcast 250 grain lead flatnose bullets in them. And yea, it was brutal to fire. I wound up going to a G29 a few years later. But the Bulldog is still in the safe!
This ammo reminds me a bit of some handloads that Uncle Elmer suggested for the .44Spl. I loaded up a bunch of them back in 1977 and 1978 and shot more than a few out of a 3" Charter Arms Bulldog of that era. The biggest difference was in the bullet in that the ones I loaded were 250grn LSWCHPs like Uncle Elmer suggested. AND THEY WERE HOT by anybody's .44Spl standards!!! I ended up firing the last hundred or so out of a Ruger Super Blackhawk.
@@ToolsandTargets I'm no Uncle Elmer but I think the .44Spl is the most overlooked and underappreciated revolver/carbine cartridge. It can be loaded to target levels all the way up to deer and hog hunting levels that can also be utilized for self-defense. I learned a long time ago that if it will drop an eatin' size deer or hog it'll put paid with interest on any two-legged attacker. Only the .38 Super gets less love and attention as a self-defense cartridge.
Thanks for this one! I love my magnum revolvers but the .44 Special is my favorite. I even special-ordered a single action .44 Special a few years ago. I guess I have delusions of being Skeeter Skelton.
I love Matt's bullets. Been using them for years.Two of my favorites are the 180gr .38 Special bullet I load to about 900fps and a 190gr .44 Mag/Spc bullet with a giant hollow point that doesn't even exit the first milk jug. It just grenades and turns into shrapnel.
As a new defensive gun owner in the eighties, I bought a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug. Had 2.5” barrel and smooth wood grips that didn’t grab clothing (print) and dissipated the recoil over a wide area so quite manageable. I tried all the defensive loads at the time and found them poor. All were very slow - Winchester 200 grain Silvertips were about 630 ft/sec, the Gold Dot 200 was 720 or so. The Glaser safety slugs I didn’t measure but shot 8 inches low at 3 yards! Btw- all the lighter bullets impacted low. I ended up making handloads using 240 grain hardcast semi-wadcutter bullets at 900 ft/sec. Good point-of-impact and accuracy. Eventually the gun wasn’t reliable as I had stretched the frame from the steady diet of heavy loads, and cylinder endshake didn’t allow enough firing pin impact. I really liked that gun and bought another, but stopped carrying it in favor of a Glock 40 caliber…
my trusted rossi model 720 44 special with 3in barrel I've reloaded it up to 300gr My go to load 180gr xtp cronygraphed 1050- 1100fps extremely accurate and expansion wonderful . my go to reloads for my Taurus tracker 44mag is 180gr xtp 1352fps.i had tested it if I remember correctly around 1475 fps but mouth accurate at 1352 fps. I don't recommend shooting my 44special load in charter arms. no pressure signs either loads Last year for Christmas I gave
Good video you rarely see anything on 44 special, these look like they'd certainly do the trick. I'm not a fan of Charter Arms by any means (from expeprience), but I do like that Taurus Tracker!
I carried a .45acp Detonics, OR a S&W Model 69 2.75" since they came out, and previous to that a customized Mod 29 with 3" barrel and K-frame rounded grip on and off duty for a number of years. I always carried factory ammo in them, but today I use .44 special 125 grain Xtreme Defender OR 165 Grain FTX 44 spec Critical defense! I love the accuracy of FEDERAL 200 Grain SWCHP. If I could test it in Gel THAT might become the daily carry round. I have petitioned Buffalo Bore to load a .44 special HBWC, soft cast, or swedged, REVERSED in the case and called something like Powerful Defense Ammo at 800-850 fps from a 2.75" Model 69 S&W! If enough of us ask them for this loading we just might get it! I have personal knowledge of the effectiveness of .38 spec HBWC backwards in the case on human shootings, but am always CENSORED WHEN I POST THE DETAILS OF THE EVENTS! Will you join me in writing to Buffalo BORE about a 44 special HBWC reversed? Thanks everyone!
Yo Tools. Another good test and commentary in the book of testing excellence. Nice to see how the .44spl. acts in the gel. No .44 caliber here though. 100% agree with you. Thanks for sharing and be safe. 🇺🇸🇺🇸😎🇺🇸🇺🇸👊
Few guns are as fun to shoot suppressed than the .44 Special. I recently had my new Marlin 1984 lever gun threaded and have been busy developing subsonic loads with polymer and jacketed rounds for .44 special and magnum cases. My favorite thus far is a 300gr XTP in a magnum case with a healthy dose of N110, yielding around 1000fps with a Rugged Obsidian .45 suppressor. Hollywood quiet and provides quite a thump.
I have , but not a Bulldog . As carry guns , a 4in M624 (.44 Spl only ) and as sub load in a 2.75in .44mag ( large frame) . Not starting a seperate debate , but I carry factory ammo for defensive . And the least worst was the Federal 200 gr all lead HP . It would have been a great load , if the velocity had been even vaguely close to the advertised 900 fps . But nope , it was under 800 fps . Tapered off from carrying these , because of the lack of decent factory loads . ( For trivia , in the 2.75 .44 mag , the 200gr .44 spl and 240gr .44mag hit to the same POI .) But I can see some of Matt's stuff in my future .
Charter Arms are manufactured 11 miles away from where I live but I don’t own any. I did just pick up a a Rossi rp63 after much hemming and hawing because of mixed reviews, and it shoots great. It handles 357 loads like a larger gun. What was going on with the Tracker fumbles? 😳 👍😎🇺🇸👊
Anything is useless if you miss but heavy bullets can break a leg or an arm if in a struggle. They take the fight out of a creep faster than anything that you can't get optimal placement with. Thanks for the show.
As a young man I was told big bullets let a lot of warm blood out and a lot of cold air in. That was in the context of hunting but it is a pretty universal truth.
Listen to Massad Ayoob's ProArms podcast with guest Bill Allard. Bill Allard was a Chicago police officer in the warrant apprehension team in the 1980's. He tells the story of how he emptied a 44 special into a suspect center mass. His partner emptied his 45 LC revolver into the suspect and then 5 shots from his back up 38 special point blank into the suspects back and the guy kept coming for them. He said after that, he and his partner only practiced head shots with paper plates when they trained at the range. Give the episode a listen. He has other amazing stories of shootouts.
@@timrobinson6573 Bill Allard was NYPD Stakeout Squad with Jim Cirillo. You are thinking about Bob Stasch who was Chicago PD for 30+ years. Both men are well worth listening to and preferred the .45 auto for years.
Good video Tools.I like 44 spec shot a lot of it.I have a2/5 or 3" Bull dog just damaged it on200grn full wadcutter from Underwood wich Didn't know shouldn't fire in C.A. I have 2 nframe S&W. 4"&6.5 Underwood good ammo.Usually use for defense 200grn less recoil liked Federal semi wadsCronoed 875 out 6.5 s&w box said 900fps.Skeeter loads are stiff. 240lead God Bless you all
A few years back, I caught a really good deal on a case of JHP .44 MAG. Only problem: I didn’t own a tool that was chambered in it (of course, I bought the case then looked for “the tool.” What I found first: the Rossi R92 .44 MAG / SPC. I thought that the report I felt from firing the first couple of rounds was worse than any 12 GA (or .50 CAL) I had ever fired and attributed it to buying the cheaper Rossi… so, I bought the Henry equivalent - immediately started looking for .44 SPC ammo. Now I also have a Taurus wheel-gun that I don’t mind shooting .44 MAG through (I’d really have to hate someone/thing to think to shoot at them from the shoulder with .44 MAG)! Thanks again for all the enlightening content, Brother!!
Mike Venturino tested a Rossi M-92 in 44. Mag this this, or last, year and said the M-92 with hot 44m mag loads kicked quite hard. (Handloader magazine)
45 colt is the light round for 454 casull. My first tool which I still have is a 44 special Taurus that I bought when I was stationed in California in 1996. Another great test! Your the man!
It’s hard to do 44 special right without hand loading it hotter than some companies allow. I’m impressed with this performance and I’m curious as to how it would do out of my 4.25 inch revolver or 18.5 inch rifle.
Hey Tools! Love to see some spicy 44 special. Maybe try them rounds out of a long gun in 44. I’d be interested in seeing a 44 lever gun with those 44 special. Keep it up. Love ❤️ these videos
I keep 240 grain flat hard cast and jacketed HP .44 Special loads in a lever action and it clocks about 1000 fps without the heavy recoil of a 44 Magnum.
Had a CA Bulldog Pug years ago. Traded it on another tool, always like it. Had decent sights too. Like the look of the huge HP’s. I think if they’d stuck closer to the listed speeds it would perform as well with lower recoil. Thanks for the jelly test Tools!
I carry Speer 200 grain Gold Dot and MagSage in my original 1970s Charter Bulldog. But I saw these at Matt's Bullets recently and they look reasonably promising. I'd use them. Really they're a .44 caliber version of the .38 Special FBI load. Which is pretty good.
Oh Yeah! 44 Special! Elmer and Skeeters walking around loads. 🤠😆 I wonder what mold Matts Bullets is using? Regardless they did a fine job of loading this 44SP Lead Hollowpoint. Matts Bullets website says its 20/1 alloy so its a fairly soft lead alloy.
Hey Tools, Pachmayr makes a fatter grip that'll help wirh that recoil. I saw the exposed metal backstrap and was thinking, YIKES! I enjoy your content, have a good one.
Thank you sir. I need to look into that to get a better hold of it if nothing else. The only actual pain it gives ya is the trigger guard smacking your finger if you can't hold it tight enough.😆
Great video! Those would be a good rifle load for home defense. Probably 1100 fps or so. Test? That hollow point probably dont need to expand. It is wide and would probably cut flesh nicely. Great Charter Arms 44 load!
Awhile back I was about to buy a Ruger Blackhawk 44spl 4.60" but the ammo is so hard to find unless one has the time & patience to reload which I don't. It's an amazing caliber though, it can be loaded for HD/SD & even deer hunting.
I'm runnin' my cast 250K's in a 5.5" Ruger Bisley. Not a wussy load, but no sense blastin' my 44 Mags all the time when all I wanna do is hit somethin' inside of a 100 yards.
Nice test Tools. Didn't expect the results for sure. But that is one big chunk of lead you'd get hit by, doubt it would be any fun. Use to carry a S&W ( Model 57) 41 mag for several years. Have a great weekend. Be vigilant and always be safe my friend.
The lead needs to be a little softer. I've seen lead 44 specials open up much wider than that at similar speeds. I use Matt's Bullets in some of my hand loads. They are one of the only places I've found that sell 120 and 125 grain pills for my Henry rifle in 327FM. I also use their big 405 and 500 grain pills in 45-70. Talk about slaying dinosaurs- that's how you do it.
@@ToolsandTargets they were def a bit of a handful in my 296, mind you smith and Wesson does not recommend shooting anything more than 200 grains in the 296 in my model 69 though they were pretty ok. I think these are best used in short barrel 44 magnums for 2 legged predators def a niche load
Very impressive for .44 special! Usually the companies pud load them but those were like you said rowdy! lol Definitely got me curious about longer barrels. Great test and great performance good sir. 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
That’s surprising that much expansion from the short barrel you should load some of them bullets close to 44mag lightest loads if you could get them in bulk bullets
Wondered if muzzleblast from the ported Boomer might put a hole in the canopy. A whole Lotta shaking going on! Pretty good for lead projectile. I wonder how it would do reversed as a hollow base projectile. Possibly 4 to 5in more penetration? Hope these storms miss you later tonight. Ark building time. Stay safe. 🙏👍🇺🇸
I’ve been watching all ur videos n all Paul H and All GunSam n much more n just crazy that the 9mm out performs any caliber at any weight!!!! Mines well just carry 124 grain for All animals n 2 legged ones as well!!! N ya got Double the ammo n half the recoil!!!!
Where can I buy this ammo Tools? I like it. Good work Tools! I got a 3" blue Charter Arms with sights I've had for 30 plus years and have some Underwood Wadcutter. Rarely use it Tools.
I was expecting much better performance from the hollow point bullets. Maybe the hollow point was plugging up with the fabric and did not expand. A shot without the fabric in front of the gel could have made a difference. Hornady makes a Critical Defense load in 44 Special that uses a balistic cap on the hollow point bullet. A wide FP bullet could be interesting.
Nice ammo. Thanks for the test. That first shot from the Boomer had me laughing. I wasn't expecting that either. I shoot Corbon 180 gr and it's one of my self defense loads. The other is Hornady 165 gr. (I believe ?) I got a hold of an old loading manual years ago. A guy used .30/40 Krag brass to make .44 Special and mag shot shells. Wellllll I had to make some tooling and turn the rim down on a lathe, cut and fire form, but ended up with some cool results. It uses .410 wads, trimmed for maximum shot capacity. Hold the shot in with a stamped cardboard piece, inserted and glued in place. After some shooting with it, got to playing around... during an SHTF situation where law for self defense might be more flexible, I can load 3 #000 Buck. Those baby's hold a 6" pattern to about 20'. Figured I'd mention that since I'm not only a .40 fan, but also a .44 guy. lol
maybe a lighter bullet would need less powder and be more manageable bc a 44 sp is not supposed to be that snappy in a small gun. 200 grains is plenty imo. solid performer in a bigger frame however. still enjoy my charter arms target model w a 4 inch barrel. i shoot the hornaday critical defense 169? grain load and its pleasant to shoot.
Oh, I know this company! He makes a fantastic gas checked Keith semiwadcutter for .45 colt reloads. Those both performed great. The Boomer's clearly not for anything besides point blank range, but it even got some....alright, expansion, even clogged up. Honestly if it hadn't expanded, a .44 special is big enough on it's own.... Damn fine rounds, as expected from Matt's.
44 special is a great round, I wish you could find more guns chambered for it that aren’t 44 magnums, nothing against the 44 mag but the guns are too heavy for conceal carry purposes. I’ve been finding more 44 special ammo lately which is nice, S&W and other companies should make more snub nosed revolvers chambered for it.
What did they used to say about loud guns that kick and are made for shooting to defend yourself? ""It lets you know you are still alive"" I think they said something about it in Beverly Hills Cop at the mansion shootout with Billy and his revolver.
@@kc0lif I shot my Father in Law's 44 magnum Astra years ago. The "Terminator" it is called. Before the movie lol. That model Astra is a collector gun now a days. Worth much more now than when it was new. I've got an old Astra 22 9 shot revolver. 4 inch barrel, adjustable sights. Made in 1965 I believe. I found it at a yard sale for $125- nice leather holster included.
Good test, my friend! While a .44 sized hole in you is never a good thing, the truth is there's a very good reason why just about everyone gave up on lead hollow points. They just aren't that good! If you want good performance you need a jacketed hollow point such as the Speer 200 grain Gold Dot. If you can find them, that is! While the .44 is a decent caliber, I use the Speer bullets loaded into .44 Mag cases with a load of IMR4227 that produces 1200 fps with (surprisingly enough) no visible muzzle flash. Recoil is fairly mild and shots are easily controlled out of my 5.5" Ruger Redhawk. Certainly not a perfect CCW pistol, but it does work quite well. Of course, without being able to reload it's a moot point. I don't know of Speer loads the 200 in their ammo line but if so, it should make a decent SD/HD cartridge. Like wise, if Federal loads the HST in .44 Special, it too should be a good round. One round I know is available is the Underwood/Lehigh .44 Special using the Extreme Defender bullet, which would be my first choice. This should be another really good defensive round. Cheers, jc
The IMR in IMR4227 means Improved Military Rifle. It is flash suppressed. Full loads give just a mild orange flash in revolvers. IMR4227 also is easy on revolvers.
Another good one Tools ! The old saying is correct , Theres something out there for everyone ! This one aint for me though . Way too many better options out there !
Interested in any 44 Spl test. Have wanted a 44 Spl snub for some time, but haven't pulled the trigger. No pun intended. I had purchased a box of 44 Spl some years back so a girlfriend could/would shot my brother's 44 mag. I don't even remember who made it. Jump to this year. I purchased my own 44 mag and while buying ammo for it, I picked up two boxes of Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 200gr SJHP 44 Spl. I have yet to shoot any of it yet.
Yeah, I was actually gonna use that for this test but the person who sent them wanted to see mainly short barrel performance. Definitely gonna do a follow up test with some longer ones.😎👊
Mentioning the PO box where we can send you ammunition would probably be a better idea because I'm always forgetting it and then shooting the ammo I want to send you 😂
It's grease to help lube the cast lead to help prevent lead build-up in your barrel. Don't need it on jacketed bullets because of the harder copper jacket. I have also heard a few folks mention it may help "seal" the gap and prevent gas leakage around the bullet.
44 Special is the hand loaders dream. Fine tune it to whatever you need.
😎👊
Gotcha❤
I'm a 44 Special Man myself.
I have been carrying and collecting 44 Special for over 40 years .
The Spear gold dot 200 grain flying ashtrays Is my carry round.
😎👊
Hey BigRooster616. Where are you finding the 44 cal Speer 200 gr Gold Dot? Or 44 cal Gold Dot bullets for reloading? I have been looking for 5 years or so and cant find any. I do have some factory Speer ammo in 44 Special and the Short Barrel 44 Magnum.
Thanks for any help.
I always carried my 624 with 3" barrel with Winchester silver tip 200grain, one hole groups at 7 yards.
Seemed to be aluminum jacket with pure lead inside. Fired into water jugs they would expand to the point it wouldn't fit down a 12 gage barrel cylinder bore.
Poor kid on a farm, made due with what I could do.
@@sirfrydryk360 I think the Silvertip would be good for your M624. It is now discontinued. Handloading would be a good way to get ammo for your 44 Special. You can get a Lee Loader and easily produce your own. I started out in 1972 with a lee Loader and it works great. Wont cost too much. Cast bullets will work great in your M624. I wish I had one of those!
@@robertseafield5810 Thank you. S&W made 5000 blued models in 84 and 5000 SS in 86, both with a 3" barrel and a round butt grip.
I've shot every power of loads from very low power to light 44 mag loads cast and jacketed.
Love the 44 Special forever!
I recently purchased a .44 special Charter Arms Bulldog from 1985 WITH SIGHTS. After watching you struggle with that Boomer, I'm glad I went with the sighted version. It's got a 3" barrel. I like it, and carry Gold Dots. As they say, a big bullet never shrinks, but a smaller caliber bullet might not expand.
This Boomer is definitely a handful.
I picked up a used Charter Bulldog 44 special way back in the middle 90's. It was an original with blued finish, wood grips and a 3" barrel. My wife already had a Taurus 38 snubbie, so I thought the 44 would be a great house and even carry revolver for her. I think I gave $150 for it. I grabbed a box of Winchester Silver tip hollow points to go with it.
Well, it recoiled a bit more than I was expecting ! 😅. And I'm 225-6'. My 120 lb wife shot 2 shots through it, handed back to me, and let me know real quick I had made a terrible choice and She wouldn't be trading her 38 in for it.
I kept it around for awhile and finally decided to trade it off because the ammo was much higher than any other ammo we used.
I remember reading, years ago, in a review of the Bulldog 44 special- The reason the Son of Sam didn't shoot more people than he did, was because he had to soak his hands after every shooting. 😮
Sir where are you located in USA ? My wife keeps asking I tell her it doesnt matter ( Im interested in tests and ballistics ) but she asks me every time she sees your channel. Sorry if you said before.
That’s a big hole
@@roscoeennis4230 Southwest VA.😎👍
Matts bullets is a great company. I purchased some 500s&w from them. I have found their stuff to be a bit on the hotter side almost like underwood. Never had problems with any and the customer service is A+
Tools - I've been looking forward to this one.
Matt's Bullets didn't disappoint!
It was great to see the Charter Boomer. I know it's not ideal for testing, but I was real curious to see how it performed. Now we know!! Thanks a bunch, Tools!!
Matts bullets. Zero complaints. Good guy, answer the phone on sunday.
Years ago I bought a 3" 44 Bulldog as a small, lightweight bear defense gun for camping and hiking. I just carried hardcast 250 grain lead flatnose bullets in them. And yea, it was brutal to fire. I wound up going to a G29 a few years later. But the Bulldog is still in the safe!
This little Boomer is somethin.😆
I carry an 1980's Rossi stainless 44 special 3" every day. I keep gold dots in it now. I may give these a try in it.
I truly have been looking into a shorty over my semi-auto. 357 or 44. The 44 is where I was leaning because of the special. Boy, that round is spicy!
Yeah it is.😎👊
This ammo reminds me a bit of some handloads that Uncle Elmer suggested for the .44Spl. I loaded up a bunch of them back in 1977 and 1978 and shot more than a few out of a 3" Charter Arms Bulldog of that era. The biggest difference was in the bullet in that the ones I loaded were 250grn LSWCHPs like Uncle Elmer suggested. AND THEY WERE HOT by anybody's .44Spl standards!!! I ended up firing the last hundred or so out of a Ruger Super Blackhawk.
This stuff surprised me.
@@ToolsandTargets I'm no Uncle Elmer but I think the .44Spl is the most overlooked and underappreciated revolver/carbine cartridge. It can be loaded to target levels all the way up to deer and hog hunting levels that can also be utilized for self-defense. I learned a long time ago that if it will drop an eatin' size deer or hog it'll put paid with interest on any two-legged attacker. Only the .38 Super gets less love and attention as a self-defense cartridge.
Its always great to see a 44 Special test. I have a Taurus 445 Ti that i used to carry back in the day in PA
Thanks for this one! I love my magnum revolvers but the .44 Special is my favorite. I even special-ordered a single action .44 Special a few years ago. I guess I have delusions of being Skeeter Skelton.
I love Matt's bullets. Been using them for years.Two of my favorites are the 180gr .38 Special bullet I load to about 900fps and a 190gr .44 Mag/Spc bullet with a giant hollow point that doesn't even exit the first milk jug. It just grenades and turns into shrapnel.
As a new defensive gun owner in the eighties, I bought a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug. Had 2.5” barrel and smooth wood grips that didn’t grab clothing (print) and dissipated the recoil over a wide area so quite manageable.
I tried all the defensive loads at the time and found them poor. All were very slow - Winchester 200 grain Silvertips were about 630 ft/sec, the Gold Dot 200 was 720 or so. The Glaser safety slugs I didn’t measure but shot 8 inches low at 3 yards! Btw- all the lighter bullets impacted low.
I ended up making handloads using 240 grain hardcast semi-wadcutter bullets at 900 ft/sec. Good point-of-impact and accuracy. Eventually the gun wasn’t reliable as I had stretched the frame from the steady diet of heavy loads, and cylinder endshake didn’t allow enough firing pin impact.
I really liked that gun and bought another, but stopped carrying it in favor of a Glock 40 caliber…
Are you related to Elmer Keith? 🤔
my trusted rossi model 720 44 special with 3in barrel I've reloaded it up to 300gr
My go to load 180gr xtp cronygraphed 1050- 1100fps extremely accurate and expansion wonderful . my go to reloads for my Taurus tracker 44mag is 180gr xtp 1352fps.i had tested it if I remember correctly around 1475 fps but mouth accurate at 1352 fps. I don't recommend shooting my 44special load in charter arms. no pressure signs either loads
Last year for Christmas I gave
Thanks for this test. I have a 4" Charter Arms target model in 44 spl
I buy a lot of bullets from Matts, never loaded cartridges but nice to see they passed the test
Better than I expected, Thanks Brother-B Have a great weekend. 👊🇺🇸
Thank you sir. You too!😎👊
This is the definition of old school ammo.
Good video you rarely see anything on 44 special, these look like they'd certainly do the trick. I'm not a fan of Charter Arms by any means (from expeprience), but I do like that Taurus Tracker!
After seeing darned near every other 44 special being loaded so weak this is a nice surprise. Good test T&T.
I carried a .45acp Detonics, OR a S&W Model 69 2.75" since they came out, and previous to that a customized Mod 29 with 3" barrel and K-frame rounded grip on and off duty for a number of years. I always carried factory ammo in them, but today I use .44 special 125 grain Xtreme Defender OR 165 Grain FTX 44 spec Critical defense! I love the accuracy of FEDERAL 200 Grain SWCHP. If I could test it in Gel THAT might become the daily carry round.
I have petitioned Buffalo Bore to load a .44 special HBWC, soft cast, or swedged, REVERSED in the case and called something like Powerful Defense Ammo at 800-850 fps from a 2.75" Model 69 S&W! If enough of us ask them for this loading we just might get it! I have personal knowledge of the effectiveness of .38 spec HBWC backwards in the case on human shootings, but am always CENSORED WHEN I POST THE DETAILS OF THE EVENTS! Will you join me in writing to Buffalo BORE about a 44 special HBWC reversed? Thanks everyone!
Yo Tools. Another good test and commentary in the book of testing excellence. Nice to see how the .44spl. acts in the gel. No .44 caliber here though. 100% agree with you. Thanks for sharing and be safe. 🇺🇸🇺🇸😎🇺🇸🇺🇸👊
Thank you sir.😎👊
Would appreciate more tests on short barrel revolvers in “odd” calibers. Like 44Special, 45Auto, and 9MM.
😎👍
9mm “odd”? 🤔😏😆
@@michigunsanta8680 For a revolver, yeah.
None of those calibers are odd, but the 44spl is just rare.
I would add 45 Auto Rim to that list.
Few guns are as fun to shoot suppressed than the .44 Special. I recently had my new Marlin 1984 lever gun threaded and have been busy developing subsonic loads with polymer and jacketed rounds for .44 special and magnum cases. My favorite thus far is a 300gr XTP in a magnum case with a healthy dose of N110, yielding around 1000fps with a Rugged Obsidian .45 suppressor. Hollywood quiet and provides quite a thump.
Or the long version of 44 Russian.
🤯
Da!
I have , but not a Bulldog . As carry guns , a 4in M624 (.44 Spl only ) and as sub load in a 2.75in .44mag ( large frame) .
Not starting a seperate debate , but I carry factory ammo for defensive . And the least worst was the Federal 200 gr all lead HP .
It would have been a great load , if the velocity had been even vaguely close to the advertised 900 fps . But nope , it was under 800 fps . Tapered off from carrying these , because of the lack of decent factory loads .
( For trivia , in the 2.75 .44 mag , the 200gr .44 spl and 240gr .44mag hit to the same POI .)
But I can see some of Matt's stuff in my future .
Charter Arms are manufactured 11 miles away from where I live but I don’t own any. I did just pick up a a Rossi rp63 after much hemming and hawing because of mixed reviews, and it shoots great. It handles 357 loads like a larger gun. What was going on with the Tracker fumbles? 😳
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Me slipping off of the hammer and getting it stuck mid rotation like a rookie.😆
Thanks.. .44 sp. is a tempting round, but I'm trying to cut back, not add. :) Pretty close to the old .44 colt loads.
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.44 special is one of the "man stopping 3". The bullet weight and energy of .45 long Colt, .45acp and .44 special are very close.
Anything is useless if you miss but heavy bullets can break a leg or an arm if in a struggle. They take the fight out of a creep faster than anything that you can't get optimal placement with. Thanks for the show.
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As a young man I was told big bullets let a lot of warm blood out and a lot of cold air in. That was in the context of hunting but it is a pretty universal truth.
Listen to Massad Ayoob's ProArms podcast with guest Bill Allard. Bill Allard was a Chicago police officer in the warrant apprehension team in the 1980's. He tells the story of how he emptied a 44 special into a suspect center mass. His partner emptied his 45 LC revolver into the suspect and then 5 shots from his back up 38 special point blank into the suspects back and the guy kept coming for them. He said after that, he and his partner only practiced head shots with paper plates when they trained at the range. Give the episode a listen. He has other amazing stories of shootouts.
@@timrobinson6573 There are always exceptions but more often than not, that story is not typical.
@@timrobinson6573 Bill Allard was NYPD Stakeout Squad with Jim Cirillo.
You are thinking about Bob Stasch who was Chicago PD for 30+ years.
Both men are well worth listening to and preferred the .45 auto for years.
Be interesting to see how they perform out of a regular 4” barrel. A great but often overlooked cartridge nowadays.
Good video Tools.I like 44 spec shot a lot of it.I have
a2/5 or 3" Bull dog just damaged it on200grn full wadcutter from Underwood wich Didn't know shouldn't fire in C.A. I have 2 nframe S&W. 4"&6.5 Underwood good ammo.Usually use for defense 200grn less recoil liked Federal semi wadsCronoed 875 out 6.5 s&w box said 900fps.Skeeter loads are stiff. 240lead God Bless you all
Thank you sir!😎👊
A few years back, I caught a really good deal on a case of JHP .44 MAG. Only problem: I didn’t own a tool that was chambered in it (of course, I bought the case then looked for “the tool.” What I found first: the Rossi R92 .44 MAG / SPC. I thought that the report I felt from firing the first couple of rounds was worse than any 12 GA (or .50 CAL) I had ever fired and attributed it to buying the cheaper Rossi… so, I bought the Henry equivalent - immediately started looking for .44 SPC ammo. Now I also have a Taurus wheel-gun that I don’t mind shooting .44 MAG through (I’d really have to hate someone/thing to think to shoot at them from the shoulder with .44 MAG)! Thanks again for all the enlightening content, Brother!!
Mike Venturino tested a Rossi M-92 in 44. Mag this this, or last, year and said the M-92 with hot 44m mag loads kicked quite hard. (Handloader magazine)
45 colt is the light round for 454 casull. My first tool which I still have is a 44 special Taurus that I bought when I was stationed in California in 1996. Another great test! Your the man!
True. Forgot about that pair.😎👊
Much better than I expected.
It’s hard to do 44 special right without hand loading it hotter than some companies allow. I’m impressed with this performance and I’m curious as to how it would do out of my 4.25 inch revolver or 18.5 inch rifle.
I have plenty left to do another longer barrel test.😎👍
Hey Tools! Love to see some spicy 44 special. Maybe try them rounds out of a long gun in 44. I’d be interested in seeing a 44 lever gun with those 44 special. Keep it up. Love ❤️ these videos
I keep 240 grain flat hard cast and jacketed HP .44 Special loads in a lever action and it clocks about 1000 fps without the heavy recoil of a 44 Magnum.
Definitely wanna see how these do from a longer barrel.😎👊
Had a CA Bulldog Pug years ago. Traded it on another tool, always like it. Had decent sights too. Like the look of the huge HP’s. I think if they’d stuck closer to the listed speeds it would perform as well with lower recoil. Thanks for the jelly test Tools!
Funny, I was just thinking about .44 SPL yesterday, and you just happened to post a video about it the same day!
Cool stuff, .44 SPL is no slouch!
20% increase in velocity is wild that shell got extra powder
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I carry Speer 200 grain Gold Dot and MagSage in my original 1970s Charter Bulldog. But I saw these at Matt's Bullets recently and they look reasonably promising. I'd use them. Really they're a .44 caliber version of the .38 Special FBI load. Which is pretty good.
Oh Yeah! 44 Special! Elmer and Skeeters walking around loads. 🤠😆 I wonder what mold Matts Bullets is using? Regardless they did a fine job of loading this 44SP Lead Hollowpoint. Matts Bullets website says its 20/1 alloy so its a fairly soft lead alloy.
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Interesting results, another great presentation Brian
I put a few cylinders through my uncle's boomer a few weeks back. Some Georgia Arms 200gr stuff. That thing was a handful...
Thanks for the test!
It really is. Trigger guard will smack your finger too.😆
I love that caliber and really regret being so poor that I sold my S&W 5-shot K frame in .44 special. Tried to buy it back and he laughed at me😢
Hey Tools, Pachmayr makes a fatter grip that'll help wirh that recoil. I saw the exposed metal backstrap and was thinking, YIKES!
I enjoy your content, have a good one.
Thank you sir. I need to look into that to get a better hold of it if nothing else. The only actual pain it gives ya is the trigger guard smacking your finger if you can't hold it tight enough.😆
That's some smoky stuff! Great video, have a wonderful weekend brother!
Thank you sir. You too!😎👊
Great video!
Those would be a good rifle load for home defense. Probably 1100 fps or so. Test?
That hollow point probably dont need to expand. It is wide and would probably cut flesh nicely.
Great Charter Arms 44 load!
Awhile back I was about to buy a Ruger Blackhawk 44spl 4.60" but the ammo is so hard to find unless one has the time & patience to reload which I don't. It's an amazing caliber though, it can be loaded for HD/SD & even deer hunting.
I'm runnin' my cast 250K's in a 5.5" Ruger Bisley.
Not a wussy load, but no sense blastin' my 44 Mags all the time when all I wanna do is hit somethin' inside of a 100 yards.
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Great test thank you
Excellent information they look really good another great video thanks 👍👍
Nice test Tools. Didn't expect the results for sure. But that is one big chunk of lead you'd get hit by, doubt it would be any fun. Use to carry a S&W ( Model 57) 41 mag for several years.
Have a great weekend.
Be vigilant and always be safe my friend.
Thank you sir. That just reminded me again of the .41 mag I haven't even shot yet.😆
The lead needs to be a little softer. I've seen lead 44 specials open up much wider than that at similar speeds.
I use Matt's Bullets in some of my hand loads. They are one of the only places I've found that sell 120 and 125 grain pills for my Henry rifle in 327FM. I also use their big 405 and 500 grain pills in 45-70. Talk about slaying dinosaurs- that's how you do it.
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I'm def gonna be ordering some more of these for sure, as always thanks for the awesome testing!!!!!!!!
Appreciate you sending em! I was pretty surprised how spicy these are. Definitely curious to try a rifle/long revolver test with em.😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets they were def a bit of a handful in my 296, mind you smith and Wesson does not recommend shooting anything more than 200 grains in the 296 in my model 69 though they were pretty ok. I think these are best used in short barrel 44 magnums for 2 legged predators def a niche load
Very impressive results Tools on the 44spl.🇺🇸👊
More than I expected for sure.😎👊
Those are some smoky rounds! Keep up the fine work brother
Would like those in 45 colt. Thanks and stay safe!
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More big bore stuff sir. 44 mag, 454 casull . I like those big bore guns
I carry a Bulldog Target 4"
44 SPL
Very impressive for .44 special! Usually the companies pud load them but those were like you said rowdy! lol Definitely got me curious about longer barrels. Great test and great performance good sir. 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
Definitely not what I was expecting.
That’s surprising that much expansion from the short barrel you should load some of them bullets close to 44mag lightest loads if you could get them in bulk bullets
He does offer just the bullets. Looks like that's mostly what he has.
Wondered if muzzleblast from the ported Boomer might put a hole in the canopy. A whole Lotta shaking going on! Pretty good for lead projectile. I wonder how it would do reversed as a hollow base projectile. Possibly 4 to 5in more penetration? Hope these storms miss you later tonight. Ark building time. Stay safe. 🙏👍🇺🇸
I’ve been watching all ur videos n all Paul H and All GunSam n much more n just crazy that the 9mm out performs any caliber at any weight!!!!
Mines well just carry 124 grain for All animals n 2 legged ones as well!!!
N ya got Double the ammo n half the recoil!!!!
Matts Bullets are Great for handloading
Where can I buy this ammo Tools? I like it. Good work Tools! I got a 3" blue Charter Arms with sights I've had for 30 plus years and have some Underwood Wadcutter. Rarely use it Tools.
He has a site.😎👊
Thank you!@@ToolsandTargets
👍👍Looks pretty good, Thanks Tools.
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I was expecting much better performance from the hollow point bullets. Maybe the hollow point was plugging up with the fabric and did not expand. A shot without the fabric in front of the gel could have made a difference. Hornady makes a Critical Defense load in 44 Special that uses a balistic cap on the hollow point bullet. A wide FP bullet could be interesting.
Another great jelly test Brotha ..
Very interesting test Tools. Thanks!
Thank you sir.😎👊
You're a Brave Man to use a Charter Arms pistol. You never know with them.
😂
Interesting stuff!
Thanks for the vid!
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Nice ammo. Thanks for the test. That first shot from the Boomer had me laughing. I wasn't expecting that either. I shoot Corbon 180 gr and it's one of my self defense loads. The other is Hornady 165 gr. (I believe ?)
I got a hold of an old loading manual years ago. A guy used .30/40 Krag brass to make .44 Special and mag shot shells. Wellllll I had to make some tooling and turn the rim down on a lathe, cut and fire form, but ended up with some cool results. It uses .410 wads, trimmed for maximum shot capacity. Hold the shot in with a stamped cardboard piece, inserted and glued in place. After some shooting with it, got to playing around... during an SHTF situation where law for self defense might be more flexible, I can load 3 #000 Buck. Those baby's hold a 6" pattern to about 20'.
Figured I'd mention that since I'm not only a .40 fan, but also a .44 guy. lol
Sounds like cool stuff.😎👊
Congrats on 81kBuddy
Thank you sir. Appreciate that!😎👊
What's up Tools. Enjoy all your content. 😎👍👍👍
Appreciate that, brother.😎👊
maybe a lighter bullet would need less powder and be more manageable bc a 44 sp is not supposed to be that snappy in a small gun. 200 grains is plenty imo. solid performer in a bigger frame however. still enjoy my charter arms target model w a 4 inch barrel. i shoot the hornaday critical defense 169? grain load and its pleasant to shoot.
👍👍Looks pretty good, thanks tools.
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Oh, I know this company! He makes a fantastic gas checked Keith semiwadcutter for .45 colt reloads.
Those both performed great. The Boomer's clearly not for anything besides point blank range, but it even got some....alright, expansion, even clogged up. Honestly if it hadn't expanded, a .44 special is big enough on it's own....
Damn fine rounds, as expected from Matt's.
Yep. Big ol hunks of lead either way.😎👊
These look like a hard cast which imo is the only way to go when using 44special and 45colt
Big hunks of lead.😎👊
It may not be traveling fast but getting hit with a 250gr piece of metal....that will demand your attention. LOL!
44 special is a great round, I wish you could find more guns chambered for it that aren’t 44 magnums, nothing against the 44 mag but the guns are too heavy for conceal carry purposes. I’ve been finding more 44 special ammo lately which is nice, S&W and other companies should make more snub nosed revolvers chambered for it.
Yeah, not a lot of choices.
I wish it was more popular. Snub 357mag & snub 44mags are way too loud & snappy 44spl snubs are not as loud & don't kick as much & no blinding flash.
Cool interesting different test!
You should try any Sig 9mm SAS.
You better know how to aim down a slide/barrel
Big difference. There is an actual sight system on those. Not even remotely comparable.
What did they used to say about loud guns that kick and are made for shooting to defend yourself? ""It lets you know you are still alive""
I think they said something about it in Beverly Hills Cop at the mansion shootout with Billy and his revolver.
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Trying to find a reference to that, I just found this gem though....
"The loudest noise you'll ever hear is a click when you expect a bang"
not bad. I've got 2 inch astra 44 magnum.
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@@kc0lif I shot my Father in Law's 44 magnum Astra years ago. The "Terminator" it is called. Before the movie lol.
That model Astra is a collector gun now a days. Worth much more now than when it was new. I've got an old Astra 22 9 shot revolver. 4 inch barrel, adjustable sights. Made in 1965 I believe. I found it at a yard sale for $125- nice leather holster included.
I’d like to see them out of my Henry 👊🏻
Good test, my friend! While a .44 sized hole in you is never a good thing, the truth is there's a very good reason why just about everyone gave up on lead hollow points. They just aren't that good! If you want good performance you need a jacketed hollow point such as the Speer 200 grain Gold Dot. If you can find them, that is! While the .44 is a decent caliber, I use the Speer bullets loaded into .44 Mag cases with a load of IMR4227 that produces 1200 fps with (surprisingly enough) no visible muzzle flash. Recoil is fairly mild and shots are easily controlled out of my 5.5" Ruger Redhawk. Certainly not a perfect CCW pistol, but it does work quite well. Of course, without being able to reload it's a moot point. I don't know of Speer loads the 200 in their ammo line but if so, it should make a decent SD/HD cartridge. Like wise, if Federal loads the HST in .44 Special, it too should be a good round. One round I know is available is the Underwood/Lehigh .44 Special using the Extreme Defender bullet, which would be my first choice. This should be another really good defensive round.
Cheers,
jc
Thank you sir.😎👊
The IMR in IMR4227 means Improved Military Rifle. It is flash suppressed. Full loads give just a mild orange flash in revolvers. IMR4227 also is easy on revolvers.
Another good one Tools ! The old saying is correct , Theres something out there for everyone ! This one aint for me though . Way too many better options out there !
I have some light reloads in 44 mag that matches that hot stuff.
It was movin on.😎👊
Great job again...
Interested in any 44 Spl test. Have wanted a 44 Spl snub for some time, but haven't pulled the trigger. No pun intended. I had purchased a box of 44 Spl some years back so a girlfriend could/would shot my brother's 44 mag. I don't even remember who made it.
Jump to this year. I purchased my own 44 mag and while buying ammo for it, I picked up two boxes of Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 200gr SJHP 44 Spl. I have yet to shoot any of it yet.
Interesting. Might have to check those out.
Looks to me like the alloy is too hard. 20 or 30 parts lead to 1 part tin would probably expand better. The penetration would suffer though.
No, the .44 Mag is the magnum version of the .44 Special because the Special came first. :)
i seeme to recall you having a s&w 29?
Yeah, I was actually gonna use that for this test but the person who sent them wanted to see mainly short barrel performance. Definitely gonna do a follow up test with some longer ones.😎👊
Mentioning the PO box where we can send you ammunition would probably be a better idea because I'm always forgetting it and then shooting the ammo I want to send you 😂
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I’ve never seen any use for 44 sp but this done nice
@@curtk8130 it’s sort of the perfect round for 2 legged critters if you carry a revolver
@@Someguy0525 yeah I’d say this would absolutely do the trick!
Definitely had some spice to it.
Built for inside the pocket operation. I think they missed the boat by never making a .41 special to go with the.41 magnum.
That would be a good spot for energy and manageable recoil.
What's the purpose in the red ring brother?
The red ring on the bullets is bullet lube. Lead bullets need lube.
@leonhart2452 Interesting thanks. What's it prevent from happening if not lubed?
It's grease to help lube the cast lead to help prevent lead build-up in your barrel. Don't need it on jacketed bullets because of the harder copper jacket. I have also heard a few folks mention it may help "seal" the gap and prevent gas leakage around the bullet.