Are 44 Revolvers Dying?

silicosys4 said:
Yup. You sure do trade a lot off in useability to get that extra 0.23" in diameter.
When all is said and done, the .45 Colt isn't half the cartridge of the .44M, and the .454 just gets you more recoil, weight, and noise for little to no added effect.
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Which in theory makes the 41 better?
 
AJC1 said:
What happened to that it's only .19 more answer or does that no longer apply 🤣
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Its pretty simple.
An N frame is sized for the .44. You are carrying exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less. You get exactly as much power as the gun is capable of, and the gun is about as big as a reasonable carry gun can be.
A .41 is less cartridge than an N frame is capable of so you are packing extra weight for nothing. Its a fine round but the .41 magnum fan thread is up a few from this one.
 
Old_Grouch said:
Exactly. Isn't that a bit like saying "well, yeah, a bowling ball is easier to lift than a wrecking ball only because it weighs less"?
I genuinely don't get the point of your statement.

I agree. Nothing in my post disputes that.
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Probably because you used the word "superior". How can something that is less in every way be "superior"? Maybe preferable but as others have pointed out, that's what the .44 Special is for. I genuinely don't get 'your' point.


AJC1 said:
That's because he demands honesty and so do I. That's why I call it the 43 mag.... it just so happens that every reason given for a 44 over a 41 makes me want a 41. If I could find a 41 in 6" in good shape I'd own it today. By the numbers a 454 is really a super mag, as all the rest are 40kpsi loadings, and if I could get am n frame 40kpsi 45, I'd be just as happy. The x frame is just to much.
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Do you call the .38 the .35 Special? Is the .327 Federal the .31? Or does the logic only apply when you want to disparage something? How about we just call them by their actual name.
 
silicosys4 said:
Its pretty simple.
An N frame is sized for the .44. You are carrying exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less. You get exactly as much power as the gun is capable of, and the gun is about as big as a reasonable carry gun can be.
A .41 is less cartridge than an N frame is capable of so you are packing extra weight for nothing. Its a fine round but the .41 magnum fan thread is up a few from this one.
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So, by your reasoning, the classic N frame .44 magnum is oversized for the caliber as well. The model 69 is an L-Frame .44 Magnum. Smaller and lighter than a 29/629 of the same barrel length. "exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less."
 
CraigC said:
Probably because you used the word "superior". How can something that is less in every way be "superior"? Maybe preferable but as others have pointed out, that's what the .44 Special is for. I genuinely don't get 'your' point.



Do you call the .38 the .35 Special? Is the .327 Federal the .31? Or does the logic only apply when you want to disparage something? How about we just call them by their actual name.
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The 38 is a 357 special 🤣 I cast bullets and market hype means nothing to me. I call them what they are....
 
silicosys4 said:
Except the guns built in .41 are almost all built on .44 size frames so are overly big and bulky for the caliber, ammo is harder to get than .44, and if we are talking about dying revolver cartridges that start with .4, the .41M is definitely higher on the list than the .44
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Not for me, I know right where it is!

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silicosys4 said:
Its pretty simple.
An N frame is sized for the .44. You are carrying exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less. You get exactly as much power as the gun is capable of, and the gun is about as big as a reasonable carry gun can be.
A .41 is less cartridge than an N frame is capable of so you are packing extra weight for nothing. Its a fine round but the .41 magnum fan thread is up a few from this one.
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.41 Magnum is flatter shooting. I have .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt. They all put a smile on my face.
 
Old_Grouch said:
So, by your reasoning, the classic N frame .44 magnum is oversized for the caliber as well. The model 69 is an L-Frame .44 Magnum. Smaller and lighter than a 29/629 of the same barrel length. "exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less."
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Well the model 69 is a 5 shot and the 29 is a 6 shooter.
I bought a model 69 4” to replace my model 29 4” as a carry gun.
I think it was 5 oz lighter and really could not tell any beneficial size savings. So sold the 5 shooter and still carry the 6 shooter.
Not enough difference to change from a nice looking blue steel gun to carry a stainless gun. I not a fan of stainless. Just personal preference.
 
Old_Grouch said:
So, by your reasoning, the classic N frame .44 magnum is oversized for the caliber as well. The model 69 is an L-Frame .44 Magnum. Smaller and lighter than a 29/629 of the same barrel length. "exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less."
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No. The N frame, a 6 shot gun, is big enough that the .44 magnum is simply robust, but
The L frame, a smaller 5 shot gun, is unpleasant to fire full house magnum loads in by all reports. The L frame is by all accounts too little gun for the cartridge.

Its hard to argue that the N frame in .44 magnum isn't the perfect combination of size and power in a big bore revolver meant for actual use.
 
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I agree with Mike Venturino in that the 44 caliber has remained stagnant since the 44 Magnum. Been a lot more new 45 caliber cartridges and 500 caliber than 44.

I think the market wants bigger boomers, and everything from 45 to 50 gives them what they want.
 
silicosys4 said:
Its pretty simple.
An N frame is sized for the .44. You are carrying exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less. You get exactly as much power as the gun is capable of, and the gun is about as big as a reasonable carry gun can be.
A .41 is less cartridge than an N frame is capable of so you are packing extra weight for nothing. Its a fine round but the .41 magnum fan thread is up a few from this one.
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The N-Frame was designed for the .44 Special, not .44 Magnum. Then it was chambered for the .38/44 and later the .357 Magnum. Afterwards, it was chambered for the .44 Magnum and it shot itself loose. The Model 29 had an "endurance package" that you could get gone by S&W to make it last longer. The frame strengthening wasn't finalized until the 1980s.

Screenshot_20240509_185813_Chrome.jpg
 
silicosys4 said:
No. The N frame, a 6 shot gun, is big enough that the .44 magnum is simply robust, but
The L frame, a smaller 5 shot gun, is unpleasant to fire full house magnum loads in by all reports. The L frame is by all accounts too little gun for the cartridge.

Its hard to argue that the N frame in .44 magnum isn't the perfect combination of size and power in a big bore revolver meant for actual use.
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The N-Frame was never envisioned by S&W for something like the .44 Magnum. It was much like the FN FAL and the 7.62 NATO. A design that was originally meant for a smaller cartridge. Both designs were stretched to their limits.
 
Slamfire said:
I agree with Mike Venturino in that the 44 caliber has remained stagnant since the 44 Magnum. Been a lot more new 45 caliber cartridges and 500 caliber than 44.

I think the market wants bigger boomers, and everything from 45 to 50 gives them what they want.
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Dan Wesson released the .445 Super Magnum. It was a lengthened .44 Magnum.

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Miami_JBT said:
The N-Frame was never envisioned by S&W for something like the .44 Magnum. It was much like the FN FAL and the 7.62 NATO. A design that was originally meant for a smaller cartridge. Both designs were stretched to their limits.
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I think "to their limits" is a little hyperbolic for both guns. I have both and neither has a reputation for spontaneous self-disassembly.
Yes, as I've said, the N frame is just enough gun for the .44 magnum.
 
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I broke my 629-1 4" shooting 300 grainers maxd.
Smith fixed it pretty quick though (trigger pivot pin sheared).
Like a 629 fine, but would get a -3 and then stay 240gr or lighter.
 
I read the Venturino article, it's nonsense. Not only do I not agree with the assessment but some of the info in the article is false. The rest is opinion. It highlights why I never really cared for his writing.



AJC1 said:
The 38 is a 357 special 🤣 I cast bullets and market hype means nothing to me. I call them what they are....
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So you make up your own special nicknames for all of them? :rofl:


Old_Grouch said:
So, by your reasoning, the classic N frame .44 magnum is oversized for the caliber as well. The model 69 is an L-Frame .44 Magnum. Smaller and lighter than a 29/629 of the same barrel length. "exactly the amount of gun you need. No more, No less."
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Both guns are undersized if you want to shoot a lot of full power .44 Magnum.


Slamfire said:
I agree with Mike Venturino in that the 44 caliber has remained stagnant since the 44 Magnum. Been a lot more new 45 caliber cartridges and 500 caliber than 44.

I think the market wants bigger boomers, and everything from 45 to 50 gives them what they want.
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Stagnant? There's the .445Supermag, .444Marlin, .440Corbon, .429DE, and a resurgence of the .44Colt and Russian. The only new .45 revolver cartridges are the .454 and .460. The only .50's that aren't wildcats are the .50AE, .500WE and .500S&W. How many new cartridges do we really need anyway? For sixguns, the .44Spl and Mag cover pretty much everything.
 
CraigC said:
Probably because you used the word "superior". How can something that is less in every way be "superior"? Maybe preferable but as others have pointed out, that's what the .44 Special is for. I genuinely don't get 'your' point.



Do you call the .38 the .35 Special? Is the .327 Federal the .31? Or does the logic only apply when you want to disparage something? How about we just call them by their actual name.
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"....less in every way be "superior"? Wait for it: .45 Colt=.452" .44 Mag=.430". You have to give the .45 Colt that. Fair is fair.
 
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