.44 mag or .45 colt

[fudgie]

Which is more powerfull? Looking at getting a super black hawk and these are my options that peak me. Pros and cons of each. The .45 Colt is a little cheaper as far as gun price. I'm leaning towards the .45 only cause I have some ammo accessable. I already have a .45 LC winchester but will have to get a few HG rounds as I got some hot loads already. One will be my next gun purchase soon or this fall.

[X Ring]

.44 Magnum is the most powerful but you can also shoot .44 Special in it.

Marty

[Bama Red]

I'm partial to the .45 Colt (NOT the .45 ACP), as that's what I shoot in my Cowboy Action Shooting competitions (along with .44-40 WCF). However, it is probably not the most powerful round out there. If I cram my shell casing full of black powder and compress the powder when I seat the 250 gr., solid lead bullet, I can get somewhere in the vicinity of 1100 fps out of a 5.5" barrel. I'm sure the .44 Mag is more powerful, but I'm really not current on modern ammo - both my calibers were developed 130-140 years ago!!

[3fan4life]

Take it from Dirty Harry.................

Dirty Harry - Magnum .44 (External Embedding Disabled)

My only experience with .45 cal is the M-1911 which shoots .45 ACP (I think) and they wouldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

[RoadKill]

44 is more power but 45lc is still a heavy chunk of lead to reckon with. I would fire both if possible (in similar firearms) and let recoil VS shot placement be the deciding factor.  In my hands 45LC is alot better for repeated accuracy, even though 44mag is superior in ballistics it has to hit the target to be effective.

[Bama Red]

If I do my part, my 1911, loaded with box stock Winchester .45 ACP ammo, will print a 5-6" circle at 25 yards. I'll take that any day.

[gregc]

as stated above, I would go with the 44 mag.  You can tame it down and shoot the less expensive 44 specials out of it.   Plus I think there is a much wider selection of factory loads for the 44 mag.

[Wizzard]

I have a 44 mag and 357 blackhawk and like them both,, but my favorite is my 44 automag desert eagle. It will cut you in half. 

[3fan4life]

I have a 44 mag and 357 blackhawk and like them both,, but my favorite is my 44 automag desert eagle. It will cut you in half. 

The Desert Eagle .50 cal is one AWESOME weapon.

[fordmano]

My vote is for the .44Mag, but that is also since I am not the one buying ammo for it and I don't know exaclty how you plan or actually will end up using it.

The .44mag will have many more factory load variatons available I think.

If you lived close at all I would let you run a few cylinders through mine with a couple different factory loads and you decide what you like better for comfort and control.

Here is the factory loads I like the best,
Federal Cast Core, .44Mag 300grain.
Check out the specs with this link.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=740066

I like how low the recoil seems to me, I am throwing these from S&W 629-classic with 5" barrel.

[fordmano]

The Desert Eagle .50 cal is one AWESOME weapon.

Agreed, but you gotta have some big old HAM hands to get a good grip on that Monster. My best friend has one and it is fun to wake everyone up at the range but it will wear you out after a few rounds if your not used to it.

[Jess Tolbirt]

you have a winchester 45LC? well then why are you even thinking of a 44 mag?
get the 45 and only have to carry one type of ammo...

[Chrisj CMA]

The Desert Eagle .50 cal is one AWESOME weapon.

Agreed, but you gotta have some big old HAM hands to get a good grip on that Monster. My best friend has one and it is fun to wake everyone up at the range but it will wear you out after a few rounds if your not used to it.

10-4 on "waking folks up" at the range.  When I start shooting the 500Magnum......all shooting stops, they all have to come look.....It took me 6 or 7 times shooting it before I could get through a box of 20 without adrenalin overload.  But it sure is fun

[solo1]

The .44 magnum cartridge is more powerful.  The .45 Colt has a weaker casing. and there have been cases of gun damage (and person damage) by trying to make a magnum out of the .45 Colt.

I don't quite understand the need for bigger is better in a handgun unless you're going for bear.  I do agree, however, braggin' rights are nice.

You say that you've already have a rifle chambered for the .45 Colt. It would make sense to me to buy a revolver in the same caliber .  The .45 Colt is more than sufficient for anything that you might want to do.  If you want more power, go .458 Winchester in a rifle.

Just my .02 

[Chrisj CMA]

Solo is right.....no one needs a HUGE revolver unless you live in bear country.  However, lemme tell you, I go to the range mostly for the fun of it.  Unless you have shot something that goes REAL BIG BOOM I cant explain the fun it is, and I have never regretted getting the 500.  The 44mag will be SO much more fun than the 45LC IMHO

[designer]

Take it from Dirty Harry.................

Dirty Harry - Magnum .44

My only experience with .45 cal is the M-1911 which shoots .45 ACP (I think) and they wouldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

Most poor performance with M1911 is shooter error.... Back in my early days as an infantry officer I could pick up any M1911 in the armory and print hand size groupings with ease.

[Highbinder]

I have a 45 Long Colt Ruger pistol and a 45 rifle and its great having to only carry ammo for one, also the 45 has awsome knock down power, a 300 grain slug is like trying to catch a medicine ball going 100 mph, no matter where it hits someone they are going backwards......in all actuality, the gun you shoot the best is the gun to have...45 long colt for me..

[Hoosier Valk]

I own & shoot both calibers. I agree with what Solo and Highbinder have to say. I love the history involved with the 45LC and it's a great caliber for the Ruger Blackhawk. Go with the one that suits you the best! There both great choices.

[9Ball]

A few months back I bought a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 45 ACP/45 Colt.  You get both cylinders and have the option of shooting cheaper .45 ACP ammo.

It's a nicely finished gun for the price...

[flcjr]

I would buy a 460 s&w then you can shoot three calibers 460s&w,454 casull and 45 colt all from the same gun.

[Serk]

If you're JUST after which is the more powerful, .44 magnum hands down...

(By 2-3 times... Most .45 LC loads produce around 400-600 ft pounds of energy, whereas .44 Magnum loads are in the 1200-1500 ft pounds of energy range)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Magnum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_Colt

As others have said though, that doesn't necessarily make the .44 Magnum "Better", it all depends on what you're intending to do with it...

BTW, been meaning to contact ya' (Should prolly send a PM) but Chrisj - DO you reload? If not, if I pay shipping, could I get my hands on your 500 brass?

[Bob E.]

I have a stainless Ruger Super Redhawk in 44mag.  Now that thing is fun to shoot and pretty accurate too.  When I was shooting alot, I was whacking 2L bottles filled with water at about 75 yards with 185 grain Hornady XTP tipped reloads.  But that does get expensive.  Back then I figured it was close to 20 cents a bullet to reload...and that was 10-15 years ago.

[Master Blaster]

I have 45s, LC And ACP, also have a Red Hawk in 44 Mag, but if you want something that will throw a very large chunk of lead out there sans huge recoil, try the BFR in 45-70.  It is another really fun to shoot piece.  I also have a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70, so it works for me.  The 45 ACP is plenty acurate, and so is the LC, but I really like the Red Hawk and the performance of the 44 Mag.  I am a fan of the old calibers also, and is the reason I got into the 45-70s.  Got a slick little Marlin in 35 Rem also just to be different from the 30-30.  I agree though if you already have the long gun in 45LC it makes sense to stick with that Cal.
 

[Wetrudgeon]

If you do your own hand loading, you can build max loads for the 45LC that will (slightly) exceed the max power of the 44mag.  There are, however, far more factory loads for 44mag than for 45LC; and as has been pointed out you can also shoot 44spls in the 44mag.  Both are more than adequately powerful for virtually any north American game one would care to stalk.  On balance, we prefer the 44mag.  We own three of them, two Rugers, and we think you will be more than satisfied with a Redhawk in either caliber.  We don't know how Ruger packs such value in their big bore revolvers, but we are glad they do.

We trudge on.

[highcountry]

If you handload, the .45LC can be made into a formidable round.  Buffalo Bore Co. loads it up to 1200+ ft lbs.  The .45LC is a great large game hunting round and very pleasant to shoot in its milder loadings.  I have owned and shot many .454 Casulls, a .475 Linebaugh, and a .500 Linebaugh.  I liked the .500 Linebaugh the best and it was not really too difficult to shoot.  Cartridges that operate at higher pressures are much more unpleasant to shoot unlike the .475 Linebaugh.  The only big bore pistol that I kept is a Ruger Bisley .45LC.  Here's Buffalo Bore's webpage for the .45LC:  http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=8

[saabfxr]

Have shot the Blackhawk in both and the 45lc is much easier on your hands. The 44 is a handful in that frame. Now my Redhawk 44 is no problem to shoot a box of 50,but thats about it. LOL. You have the rifle,so get the 45.

[razor]

Fudgie,  I heard what you said about the blackhawk style so i won't talk about smith's or redhawk's or auto's.  I have to agree with saabfxr, for the blackhawk style frame the recoil on the 44 is  not pleasant IMO without aftermakket grips(which kinda takes away from the cowboy look of the gun).  If you already own a 45 rifle you know about the ammo.  Trust me you can get the 45 plenty "hot" and as Don said its a big chunk of lead .

[fudgie]

Thx guys, you gave me alot to think about. For the size issue i figured if i was spending the $$ I better get something big enough. Kinda like deciding between a Valk or a v twin.  I would like to start hunting again. Always wanted to go hunt wild pig.

[Bob E.]

Yeah...I'll agree with the recoil issue on the Blackhawk 44mag.  My dad has a friend that has one and I had it for a summer to shoot.  It used to tear up my hands between my thumb and forefinger.  It's just hard to hang on to because that rounded grip just wants to rotate through your hands.  Its ok for a few rounds.  But when shooting boxes of rounds in a day, I wasn't too crazy about it. That was a big reason I chose the Super Redhawk.  The other thing...the Blackhawk is a single-action revolver while the Redhawk is a double-action.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Thx guys, you gave me alot to think about. For the size issue i figured if i was spending the $$ I better get something big enough. Kinda like deciding between a Valk or a v twin.  I would like to start hunting again. Always wanted to go hunt wild pig.

With factory ammo the 44 mag would be the better deer gun in my opinion. I bought my grandson Mason a rifle in that caliber. With the right ammo it will group all rounds into 1.5" at 100 yards and has plenty of power to take a big Indiana deer at 100 yards or a little farther. You will get less power from the shorter barrel of a handgun but it's still a very good deer round while still having affordable ammo.

I've seen factory hunting ammo as high as $75 for 50 rounds for my .460 S&W magnum. Ammo for the 44 mag is way less. Most of the .44's I've shot seem to like 240 grain bullets the best.

If you reload the Hornady 240 grain XTP bullets in that caliber are great for deer hunting. I took my first 19 deer with them shot in a sabot from a muzzleloader at roughly the same velocity as factory 44 ammo. 18 of those were one shot kills.

[Chrisj CMA]

Thx guys, you gave me alot to think about. For the size issue i figured if i was spending the $$ I better get something big enough. Kinda like deciding between a Valk or a v twin.  I would like to start hunting again. Always wanted to go hunt wild pig.  This is what I use for pig hunting and it is accurate

Well, depends on the size of the pig, but some of them BIG ones need the biggest there is to kill them dead.....now if you want to track them for a mile thats up to you.......Id prefer DRT (dead right there)


Thats only 15 yards, but still...