The most powerful handgun in the world, and can blow your head clean off...
Of course back in the seventies when Clint Eastwood's movie character Dirty Harry said those iconic lines the .44 Magnum was the most powerful "production" handgun in the world. Now it's been passed up by at least two, maybe more calibers for that title, but when I think of powerful handgun calibers the first one I think of is the .44 Magnum.
As I understand it the .44 Mag still out sells all the more powerful handgun calibers. But... do any of you ever foresee the new top wrist twisters ever being more popular then the good ole .44 Mag someday?
I wonder if anybody ever asked this same question concerning the .357 Magnum back when the .44 Mag came out????
SoundGuy and Carver good reading and excellent comparison Carver on the 38 versus 44 I can relate my 1911 45acp versus the 1906 38acp 45 rapid fire all over the target board with 38 rapid firer much tighter pattern....
i want and will get a 357 mag or 44 mag soon , looked at the 500 SW today nice piece and appears massive nut trying for an older Colt.
SoundGuy and Carver good reading and excellent comparison Carver on the 38 versus 44 I can relate my 1911 45acp versus the 1906 38acp 45 rapid fire all over the target board with 38 rapid firer much tighter pattern....
i want and will get a 357 mag or 44 mag soon , looked at the 500 SW today nice piece and appears massive nut trying for an older Colt.
If I ever get another .357 Magnum, I would love to find a Colt Python with a six inch or so barrel. I had an older Dan Wesson .357mag (15-2 model I think?) with the eight inch barrel that had the vented rib, and under lug, but I had to sell it due to company lay off. Man I wish I had it back, I took my first whitetail deer with that revolver. But I've always had a hankering for a Colt Python. Maybe someday...
Here's a photo of the Dan Wesson I had... Note the Deer antlers are not yet finalized as far as mounting them, that was just a pre-fit.
Eastwood was not using a Mdl. 29 S&W .44 Mag in that movie. That was a Mdl 57 S&W .41 Mag. dedicated hand gunners spotted that small bore right away. They said they were unable to find a Mdl.29 at that time. The props dept. rented the Mdl.57 from a private gun owner.
Eastwood was not using a Mdl. 29 S&W .44 Mag in that movie. That was a Mdl 57 S&W .41 Mag. dedicated hand gunners spotted that small bore right away. They said they were unable to find a Mdl.29 at that time. The props dept. rented the Mdl.57 from a private gun owner.
Yes I do believe that a Mod 57 was used in the movie. I read that in an article about movie guns and Hollywood prop houses (G&A or Shooting Times quite a few years back).
But, I would like to meet the person that could tell the difference in a .410" and a .429" muzzle diameter off of a film frame.
I have a heck of a time sorting .41 and .44 brass out of the tumbler...and that's with them in hand.
If I ever get another .357 Magnum, I would love to find a Colt Python with a six inch or so barrel. I had an older Dan Wesson .357mag (15-2 model I think?) with the eight inch barrel that had the vented rib, and under lug, but I had to sell it due to company lay off. Man I wish I had it back, I took my first whitetail deer with that revolver. But I've always had a hankering for a Colt Python. Maybe someday...
Here's a photo of the Dan Wesson I had... Note the Deer antlers are not yet finalized as far as mounting them, that was just a pre-fit.
pythons are nice.. i almost got one over my anaconda.. but the anaconda was actually a better financial deal. the deale rhad some guy walk out on a pre-order sale sticking him with the gun.. was a small dealer and he only ordere din like 1-2 guns at a time.. ( this was a LOOOng time back ).. and that anaconda represented 50% of his operating capitol to order in guns.. and not many people were buying hand cannon.. he gave it to me for his 'shipped' price.. i couldn't pass it up.
if you want a funny 357.. get one of those COP357 derrengers..
Everyone should have a .44 Magnum at least once in their life. They are accurate and using ammo loaded to .44 special specs, they are pleasant to shoot.
Years ago I wanted a .44 mag so bad I could taste it. After a ton of research via reading magazine articles (this was in the days before Al Gore invented the internet), I bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk. I hated the way that gun punished my hand with full power factory loads and sold it after a mere 50 rounds. I used the money that I got back out of it and bought a Model 29 S&W with a 4" barrel.
It was like night and day as far as felt recoil. The same loads that hurt me in the Ruger were quite manageable in the Smith. I have a Ruger New Model Blackhawk in .357 and even with the stoutest loads it doesn't punish me like that SBH did.
I don't believe that anyone would argue that the shape and width of the grips have everything to do with how recoil is felt by the shooter. I have smaller hands, yet the factory S&W target grips feel the best for me even though they are rather large. Unless it is being shot out of a small revolver, the .357 round is very manageable out of most of the guns that are chambered for it.
Both of my .44 Mags are Smiths, the old Model 29 and a newer 629-4 Classic DX. The 29 still has the factory targets on it and the 629 has the factory Hogue rubber grips. Even though the 629 is much heaver, the 29 is more pleasant to shoot using the same loads.
The .44's
Notice the difference in the rear profiles. The 29 is much wider and, IMO, distributes the recoil better.
In my modest collection I have a Python, a S&W M66, a Ruger GP100, and the NM Blackhawk and they are all relatively pleasant to shoot .357's through even though the grips are different from each other. I do find the the single action type grip seems to produce the most felt recoil.
Oh heck, now you can shoot the bucket since you have knocked it over. Very nice gun and I just love a blued gun, especially a Smith. What generation is it?
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