[Berto]

Ok so it's simple. Looking to get a new handgun. The only thing I feel to add is it will be a revolver and a 6" barrel.

I chose .44mag for the simple fact that you have a greater availability of factory ammo loaded to decent energy vs watered down cowboy ammo you typically can only find in .45 Colt. Additionally, you have the .44sp selections.
For a hand loader, .45 Colt has the possibility of more power over .44mag (in the right guns) along with Schofield stuff.
The .44mag for most shooters is simply easier to live with.

 

[bac1023]

If you don't hand load, I'd go with the 44mag.

 

[NeverMore1701]

I dig the .44mag.

 

[Blackshirt]

What .44 did you mean....44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-40, or .44 Russian?

 

[norton]

I chose .44mag for the simple fact that you have a greater availability of factory ammo loaded to decent energy vs watered down cowboy ammo you typically can only find in .45 Colt. Additionally, you have the .44sp selections.
For a hand loader, .45 Colt has the possibility of more power over .44mag (in the right guns) along with Schofield stuff.
The .44mag for most shooters is simply easier to live with.

I agree with this. The .44 mag is more versatile, especially if you don't handload. .45 Colt ammo is expensive. That's why I cast my own bullets and reload.

 

[L Pete]

I chose .44mag for the simple fact that you have a greater availability of factory ammo loaded to decent energy vs watered down cowboy ammo you typically can only find in .45 Colt. Additionally, you have the .44sp selections.
For a hand loader, .45 Colt has the possibility of more power over .44mag (in the right guns) along with Schofield stuff.
The .44mag for most shooters is simply easier to live with.

Yep, that's very true. When I got my .45 Colt Blackhawk, the only ammo I could find was the low end cowboy stuff. So, I started buying dies, brass, and bullets. .45 Colt only reaches it potential when it is handloaded with a gun capable of taking "Ruger only" loads.

 

[Bruce M]

I agree with the idea that .44 magnum has a wider variety of available ammunition. And I am guessing that since you wrote "new" you were thinking of .44 magnum as opposed to say .44 Russian or 44-40 or .44 special. I guess "new" could also mean "new to me" but I would have guessed if you had one of the other .44 calibers in mind, you probably would have specified it.

 

[Three-Five-Seven]

This topic has been thrashed over several times recently. Search is your friend.

 

[papershoot]

I will have a 6" GP100 in .357 soon. I am reloading 38/357, but think about adding another caliber. My H110 & IMR 4227 powder would work in 44. For me, a 44 mag rifle would be first.

 

[W420Hunter]

Forgive me yes I ment .44 mag

 

[NeverMore1701]

This topic has been thrashed over several times recently. Search is your friend.

Way to be helpful.

 

[SmokeRoss]

I have been a fan of the .44 mag for a long time. Recently purchased a Ruger Redhawk in .45 Colt, and even more recent, a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Loaded some ruger only loads for them, and am quite impressed.

 

[9jeeps]

I've owned and loaded 44, 44mag, 45LC.

This has been a long time ago and I had Ruger revolvers that could handle the hot loaded stuff. I really began to like the loading of my own 45 LC.

The 45 caliber is my all time fave to load and shoot. But I was able to for- see the prices of ammo going up in the future.... this was in the early 90/s.

I quit loading in '96 as my eyes were going out on me.

Still have most of my equipment in just in case we get another anti gun president, congress, and local farts like Seattle has.

I have absolutely nothing against 44 spec/mag... and loved loading and plinking with the 44 Spec.

But these days is 22/22mag, 9mm
mostly.

 

[9jeeps]

Yep, that's very true. When I got my .45 Colt Blackhawk, the only ammo I could find was the low end cowboy stuff. So, I started buying dies, brass, and bullets. .45 Colt only reaches it potential when it is handloaded with a gun capable of taking "Ruger only" loads.

Exactly..... Same here!!!!

 

[DoubleWide]

.44 mag is a better off the shelf round and has a better selection of high power guns. With that in mind, I still think you should decide the gun then the caliber in this case.

Single action or double action?

 

[SJ 40]

I chose .44mag for the simple fact that you have a greater availability of factory ammo loaded to decent energy vs watered down cowboy ammo you typically can only find in .45 Colt. Additionally, you have the .44sp selections.
For a hand loader, .45 Colt has the possibility of more power over .44mag (in the right guns) along with Schofield stuff.
The .44mag for most shooters is simply easier to live with.

"along with Schofield stuff."

Not to forget the Cowboy 45 Special round,a 45 ACP length case with a 45 colt rim on it.
Usable with bullets as light as the 125 gr. Barnstormer to 300 gr. bullets SJ 40

 

[W420Hunter]

.44 mag is a better off the shelf round and has a better selection of high power guns. With that in mind, I still think you should decide the gun then the caliber in this case.

Single action or double action?

Double action

 

[Glolt20-91]

For me it's a pretty easy decision, I went with 44mag, M29 Mountain, weighs about the same as a 1911 Government and I can practice DA shooting with 44mag handloads. The above pic is a 210grGold Dot @1390fps expanded to 0.750". This is a factory equivalent velocity (1450fps/6") at a more economical cost. Factory 45 Colt Gold Dot ammunition is loaded more like 44 Special than magnum.

Max pressure handloads are not necessary for carry, did a DA 100 round 210gr GD/1390fps range session and my right hand felt "stretched" out for a bit....but this is a doable self defense choice from a 39oz N-frame.

I also load 300gr JSP/WFNGCs to 1080fps as another double action trail carry. I train with the ammunition I carry, velocity specific handloads for double action self defense situations. ...and the M29 Mountain is an easy OWB carry, shoulder rig if one prefers.

Given the choice, I'd choose the 41 mag over the 45LC.

 

[moeman]

Own both and I think the 44 is better... Same reasons as posted above.

Now if you really just want a pretty gun for cowboy shooting, 45 is fun. Cream puff rounds make for easy on the body/ears shooting.