Opinions Solicited: Why have both? -- 44 Mag Guns All Gone!

[Noah Zark]

I need your input, fellow Leverguns enthusiasts:

This past weekend I took out a couple 44 Magnum handguns and fired several cylinders full of factory loads. Not pleasant.

I've long ago settled on a reduced handload of 9 to 10 gr of Unique under a 240 gr cast bullet for rifle loads in my two Marlin 1894s (a 24" CB, and a limited edition 16.5" SS "trapper" carbine), and in the two handguns (3" S&W 629, 6" S&W 29-5). The half-box of remaining factory loads was reinforcement as to that decision.

Then Sunday evening I'm reviewing load data and realize that one of my "standard" 45 Colt loads is 9 gr of Unique under a 250 gr cast bullet. I use that load in a 16.5" blued Marlin 1894 special edition, a 20" 1894 CBC, and a 24" CB, and in handguns a 3" USFA Rodeo Storekeeper, two 4-5/8" Uberti 1873s, a 5" Uberti Scofield, a 7" Beretta Laramie S&W Third Model clone, and a 4" S&W 25-5.

Having evolved my handloads for 44 Mag and 45 Colt to near-identical loadings, I wondered on Sunday evening, "Why both?"

My 45 Colt handloads can do pretty much what my 44 Magnum handloads can do, in pretty much the same guns, especially the rifles.

I'm leaning towards shedding the 44 Mag guns, ammo, dies, and bullets.

What's the point in keeping both?

I appreciate your thoughts.

Noah

[Old Savage]

So that you can use both calibers of bullets. Why not have both. Could only be money and they are an investment like gold - you have to put the money into something.

[KirkD]

I'm leaning towards shedding the 44 Mag guns, ammo, dies, and bullets.

I think that is the telling statement. The more 'stuff' I have, the more encumbered I feel. I like to simplify my life, which includes selling guns that I have lost the passion for. Reducing my material goods to what I truly love and enjoy actually enriches my life in a different way.

[jnyork]

Never sell or get rid of ANYTHING, including guns. Sure as the devil, if you do, you will be needing it and wishing you had it back within 6 months. Works every time.

[awp101]

I'm leaning towards shedding the 44 Mag guns, ammo, dies, and bullets.

I think that is the telling statement. The more 'stuff' I have, the more encumbered I feel. I like to simplify my life, which includes selling guns that I have lost the passion for. Reducing my material goods to what I truly love and enjoy actually enriches my life in a different way.

Agreed and I've taken the same philosophy as Kirk. Went down the .44 Mag road with 3 rifles and a Contender barrel. It all went down the road when the new wore off and I figured out they were duplicated in other ways by other stuff in the safe.

Nothing against the .44, it just wasn't my cup of Joe...

[2X22]

Absolutely get rid of those disgusting .44's and the related gear.

Please contact me about everything .44 you are getting rid of!

2x22

[2ndovc]

I have several .44s but am down to one .45 Colt ( 94 Trails End).
I've had many .45s over the years but they always seem to
come and go. My .44s are here to stay.

I know what you mean about eliminating the superflous though.
I had a couple .41 mags and though really nice guns They have gone
down the road.


jb

[Sixgun]

Rick,
Thats whats nice about being an American--you don't need a practical reason to own what you want. Life is too damm short to worry about being frugal/organized/simple/practical.

Guns are better than money in the bank--keep 'em all as long as you like and if your lucky enough to hit 70 or so, well, then think about sellin' 'em.

So......unless your hurtin' for bucks to buy something else that strikes your fancy more---kick back and enjoy the variety.-----------------------Sixgun

[Kansas Ed]

My first centerfire handgun was/is a Ruger SBH. I would have sold it long ago, but it was my "first" so I have an emotional attachment to it. Otherwise I probably haven't shot it in over ten years. My other handguns get all the time now. Especially the 45 SAA. So I know exactly how you feel. And if I didn't have that "first" thing following me around I would have sold it for exactly the reasons you list.

Ed

[alnitak]

Noah, ...you already know everything I'm going to say...but here goes.

As far as I can figure, both calibers fill the same niche. The differences come down to the ability to shoot slightly heavier rounds in the .45 (though the Garrett 310g Hammerheads will give the heavier bullets a run for their money) vs. the convenience of more factory loaded options in the .44 and wider availability in stores.

If you reload, and don't shoot the heavy magnum loads anyways, it seems a toss up. You've got basically the same armament options in both (e.g., you own a Trapper and rifle length in both, and have similar handguns), so it comes down to personal choice. Which do you enjoy shooting more?

[FWiedner]

Which one could you feed off the shelf in Kelso, CA (i.e., the middle of nowhere) if you had to?

[AJMD429]

I've thought that same thing between those two cartridges (or .308 and .30-06, or .444 and .45-70, etc.).

If you're not short of money, the guns are more likely to maintain value than money or most investments these days.

But if you have other things you'd rather have, they truly ARE mostly overlapping in function.

THOUGHT GAME - imagine you're living 100 years ago, a subsistence farmer or whatever - someone who needs his gun, but uses it for purely 'business' purposes. I doubt those folks would have much complaint about either offering, and the guns available are not much different. SO - I think either is a darned good cartridge, and we should consider ourselves lucky to have either one in our possession.

Having said that, I'd still consider keeping both, and passing along the 'unwanted' set to a relative or friend who may need them or appreciate them at some point.

If you have to choose WHICH one to keep, I'd keep the one with which you have the most guns you LIKE; both can be had in snubbie, double-action heavy, single-action, and carbine and rifle configurations. The .44 Magnum Desert Eagle and Ruger Semiauto carbine are the only semiautos I know of between the two, if that would be a factor. Otherwise, "whatever".

IF you want to share bullet inventory during 'hard times' with a BIG rifle round, the .444 Marlin and .44 Mag share bullets, but "45" caliber handguns and rifles are generally not going to share bullets.

[rjohns94]

I would shed what ever you feel you don't need. Looks like lots of .45 reasons to keep that caliber. I would sell the .429 stuff. I continue to shed what is not needed, and I find it very satisfying to do so. I'm down over a hundred firearms and I'm not missing them.

[stretch]

What 2x22 said!

It sounds as if you're leaning towards the 45 Colt,
and you certainly have the armory in that caliber
to keep yourself entertained for some time. So, were
I you, I might also consider selling the 44 Mag stuff.
I've gotten to the point where I really don't want to
realod for any more calibers. ('Course, if somebody
got me one of those Uberti 1876 rifles in 50-95 for
my birthday or Christmas or something I could make
an exception here..... )

The counterargument is that guns are holding their values
these days, and may, in fact be better than money in the
bank.

If you are serious about selling the 3" 629, maybe we
could come to an agreement. Seriously.

-Stretch

[B-92 Steven]

Both are excellent choices in ammo. Give it six months, then make your decision.

[Bigahh]

You are in the same boat as many have been. If you do not need the money give it more thought. The answer you seek will come to you from yourself.

[shooter]

Absolutely get rid of those disgusting .44's and the related gear.

Please contact me about everything .44 you are getting rid of!

2x22

+1, I'll take whatever he doesn't want!

On a serious note, why not have both? If for no other reason than just because you can. I have regretted almost every gun I have ever gotten rid of, and guns are hard for me to come by right now, so I hang on to all of mine and just add to the collection. If you are going to get rid of one of the calibers, I would just get rid of whichever one you shoot the least or like the least. With the way you're loading them, they are for all practical purposes the same cartridge, so it just comes down to personal preference. If you're not hurting for money, or not trying to fund another purchase, I would just hang on to them for a while and see where you stand in a couple months.

[BenT]

Same quandary. I have 45 colt stuff but find myself wanting a Ruger 44 special . For no practical reason. So I am no help at all.

I am with Kirk in the fact that I don't try to be too materialistic. But my weak spot is guns.

[Hobie]

I'm chuckling to myself but I'm not laughing at YOU but at ME. You see I do or have done much the same thing. HOWEVER, I load factory equivalent .44 Mag loads for the rifles as the recoil doesn't bother me at all. I don't really mind shooting them in the handguns but I just don't NEED to. I do the same for the .45 Colt! Yes, I load a heavy load for the .45 Colt rifle/carbine but don't use them at all in my revolvers. I too use the 8.5-9 gr. Unique under 240-255 gr. cast in both cartridges for handguns. So, I've duplicated the same two load system for both cartridges. Is there a logical reason for this? No. Will I continue? Probably. Should you? Well, I don't know.

You see, I've regretted every gun sold or traded away. Well, maybe there was one exception. Still, the only gun I have that I haven't shot is my 4" Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum. Go figger... Will you regret divesting yourself of the .44s or .45s? I don't know. If I HAD to choose based on personal preference I'd take the .45 Colt. If I was basing my choice on ammo availability or brass availability I'd take the .44 Magnum.

What to know what's worse? I also have a couple of .44 Specials...

[2X22]

Yes, I load a heavy load for the .45 Colt rifle/carbine but don't use them at all in my revolvers. I too use the 8.5-9 gr. Unique under 240-255 gr. cast in both cartridges for handguns. So, I've duplicated the same two load system for both cartridges. Is there a logical reason for this? No. Will I continue? Probably.

I fire the same load in about a dozen different .44's ie, 9grs Unique and a 240-255gr cast

No sense in my getting any 45's to shoot the same darned load.......

2x22

[Lastmohecken]

I used to have a rule, I almost never sell a gun unless it was to get money to buy another one that I though I wanted more, then the one I was willing to sell. This has been a pretty good rule, for the most part.

There a lot of guns that I don't regret selling, and some I have missed dearly, on occasion. My advice is if you like the gun, keep it, unless you have really fallen out of love with it, and you never think you will want another like it.

With the current political siduation, I am even less inclined to sell a gun, You just never know when you might want a few extra, even if you don't need or want them right now, and they may be harder to aquire in the future.

However, sometimes keeping your arsenal simple, has it benifits. I am probably at the point were I should consider simplifying mine a little, but most of my guns are not made anymore, and kinda hard to fine, if I should want one, again.

[Ysabel Kid]

Never sell or get rid of ANYTHING, including guns. Sure as the devil, if you do, you will be needing it and wishing you had it back within 6 months. Works every time.

My luck too. I wish I could simplify like Kirk, but it just isn't in me!

[86er]

I've been down this same road having owned 44 and 45 rifles and handguns simultaneously. In the end, I handed off the 44's and kept the 45's. As more time past, I actually regressed somewhat in that I gave up my 2 1/2" 45 Colt 5-Shot for a 2" 44 Special 5-Shot. I kept the 45 Colt rifle. You are duplicating performance having both in your collection. Personally, there is no scientific reason or convincing data that one is better than the other. In my personal observations, the 45 Colt with some loadings shows a slight edge on game, but an average hunter taking a few animals a year would be hardpressed to tell the difference in like loadings from the different calibers. For self defense applications the difference is once again negligable with similar loadings. Keep the guns that you like to handle and shoot and turn the others into guns you will use.

[Noah Zark]

I very much appreciate the comments thus far.

Some additional information that I purposely omitted in the OP:

1) I'm almost halfway to 112 and have sold more guns than I can remember in the past 30+ years. I can honestly say that there is not one that I can think of that I regret selling. Not. One. That includes 32 M1 Carbines acquired from the late 60s to 1991-92 when I sold them all for just over $21,000. That's been my "play money" that's funded my gun hobby. Still does today. Not bragging by any means, but selling either the 44s or the 45s is not driven by needing the $$$. Many times in the past I bought guns solely for the purpose of tearing them down and understanding what makes them tick, giving them the good cleaning that many lacked but fully deserved, and sent them on their ways to new homes after enhancing my firearms education.

B) About three to four years ago I found myself more running a museum than owning a gun collection. I embarked on a major divestiture program in which everything that hadn't been fired in the previous two years was on the block. So were some duplicates, like all the 5.45x39 stuff. I also had 5.56x45 stuff, and the less-prevalent 5.45 stuff went down the road. Miss it? Not a chance. In hindsight, the acquisition of 5.45x39 stuff was education-driven. Curiosity satisfied, it's out the door.

iii) In re: "B" above, the driver was simplification and minimalization, much like that mentioned by Kirk and awp101 in posts above. I am still fully committed to simplification and elimination of duplication, which brings me to the extant question -- Keep the 44s or 45s? "Keeping both," the obvious choice of any true gun nut, is not an option because of the commitment to simplification in my collection and my life. Be it 44s or 45s, one or the other WILL be going.

IV) The other argument for keeping the 45s is my love affair with the 1911 and the 45ACP in S&W wheelguns. I frequently use the 230 gr FMJ and JHPs intended for the 1911 in my 45 Colt handloads. And there are some of the 45 Colt weapons that are extremely fun to shoot (the 3" USFA Rodeo Storekeeper, the Uberti 1872 Open Top, and 1894CB are three), and they are without counterpart in the 44 Magnum stable.

Right now the 44s are circling the bowl, and the RPMs appear to be accelerating . . .

Noah

[.45colt]

You have no "bond" to the .44's. they are simply tools. BYE,BYE......

[Doc Hudson]

All I can say is this:

#1 - There are .44 Fanatics, and .45 Fanatics. Most folks prefer one or the other, no really good reason for the preference.

#2 - I wish i had the spare cash to relieve you of that 3" M-629, especially if it has the finger-groove combat grips.

[Hobie]

I've got to tell you, I prefer the .45 Colt OR .44 Special over the .44 Magnum. If I need more in a rifle I go to the .45-70. I don't need more in a revolver.

[jerry b]

The "which one to keep" situation confronted me about 4-5 years agp. Having been a confirmed .44 magnum man for about 25 years, I noticed that I no longer liked heavy loads, nor did I appreciate the heavier weight of the revolvers so chambered.

The .45 Colt revolvers were lighter, especially the alloy-framed BHs. The loads I normally shot were perhaps 100-150 fps slower than my standard (not maximum) .44 magnum loads I then used, but the bullets were a bit heavier in the Colt and with wider meplats. My Colts were every bit as accurate and useful for anything I needed a large-bore cartridge to do.

My decision was clear. I kept the .45s and sold off the .44 magnums. No regrets.

BTW, simplifying is not something to be shrugged off lightly. Stuff is not what it's all about....doing is.

[Old Time Hunter]

Well, my opinion is based on my priorities and that might not fit yours. Since everything I have in general has to be able to be utilized in the field, I lean towards the .44 Mags as, to me, they are a better hunting round. Especially when load'n for the carbines and similar components for my .444, which in a pinch you can fire the .44's out of.

That all being said, I need a little of that Kirk mentality as I just recently dug a "brand new" '94 out of the closet that I completely forgot about over the years. Now yesterday, I was starting to move stuff around in the basement to build a new room and came across a bunch of gun shipping boxes, then proceeded to move 'em. Lo' and behold two of them still had rifles in 'em, these I remembered getting three-four years ago, but they were delivered when I was on a business trip. Thought my wife put them in the vault, but she just tossed 'em in the shipping box corner. Both are brand new, one is a 1895 .405 TD and the other a Browning Model 71, still in their original factory boxes tuffed in the shipping boxes. My problem is, if I didn't use or need 'em for a couple of years, should I get rid of them? I think Noah has got to look at that too, if he still uses the .44's might as well keep 'em, but if you don't, might as well find someone that does.

[Mokwaw]

IF, you decide to sell the .44 stuff, put me in line. Especially the 3" S&W 629. I would also help you divest yourself of bullets and cases. mokwaw@yahoo.com

[76/444]

Which one could you feed off the shelf in Kelso, CA (i.e., the middle of nowhere) if you had to?

+1

[fordwannabe]

I am in the process of looking for a shorter barreled DA revolver and my first thought was a 45 colt but I already have a SBH, RedHawk, model 29 ,83/8 and a 1894. I don't need to cast and load another round so I am looking at a 44. But if I had all 45 stuff it would be the other way around I guess. I would like to have a 45DA revolver but as has been metioned over and over why. Put me in line for that 3" S&W too Please. I live in PA too so you could have visitation rights!!!Tom

[Pete44ru]

[Having evolved my handloads for 44 Mag and 45 Colt to near-identical loadings, I wondered on Sunday evening, "Why both?"]

Yep - It sounds like you're about ready to apply the K.I.S.S. principle .

I got there about 9 years ago, a little before I started selling off my trove to fund my retirement.

.

[Sarge]

Noah,

I went through pretty much the same process myself a couple of years ago and via similar logic. I always had 1911's around and got tired of stocking two bullets sizes. I have always acquired my 45 Colts with the requirement that they would handle Ruger Loads, so there was really no advantage to keeping the .44's. The fact that you have a 4" 25 (lucky dog) makes it even sweeter.

So I am strictly .45 Colt these days and my 'small gun' needs are met by the 38-40 Rimless Short, AKA .40 S&W. I am entirely satisfied and spend no time wishing I had done it differently.

[madman4570]

Noah,

A guy I shoot skeet with had the same dilema some years back.(Think he had like (11) .44 and (14) .45 guns.

He ending up getting rid of them all except a 4.5" SS Ruger .45 Blackhawk.
and bought a SS Magnum Research 6.5" BFR 454 casull(shoots the .45 Colts too)
Also a Legacy 92 .454
He reloads all his .45 Stuff and also the 454 stuff now I believe.
He said with this combo he can hunt anything needing hunting.
I will say I was VERY impressed with the BFR in .454 with the Houge Grips.Not bad at all!

Whatever you choose, Good Liuck!

[Hecter]

Like other people have already said,I have the same type of problem you have. Only I'm not going to sell ANYTHING. Years ago I sold a .357 because I had a second one and have regretted it ever since. Keep them both and enjoy them. By the way, Unique was my favorite powder for years but I now use Titegroup. Less powder for the same velocity and better groups.

[Noah Zark]

Many thanks to the great group here for the sanity check!

The judges have spoken. And the winner is . . . Iron Chef . . . no wait, wrong speech.

The winner is . . . 45 Colt. (But you all saw that coming.)

The 44 stuff is up in the classifieds here to start; that's only fair seeing that so many of you contributed to the decision making process.

Thanks again,

Noah

[rjohns94]

i don't see your stuff. where?

[Noah Zark]

i don't see your stuff. where?

"Patients" as the nurse said to the doctor.

Ad is up now.

Noah

[jdad]

I've never regretted selling a "thing". That's what they are....just "things". I buy them, enjoy them for a while, then pass them on to someone else to enjoy. I've owned 3 different S&W 44mag revolvers over the years. I don't think I'll ever buy another because it's just not a "day at the range" gun. It's a 4-5 cylinder shooter, then on to something else. I still have my dies and components though, just in case I come across a rifle that I want.

The market right now for a lot of firearms is soft. High end collector grade guns are still selling, but not as fast as 2 years ago. The price of average "shooters" is well off their highs, locally and on the auction sites.

I too have been selling off my collection. If they're not getting range time on a regular basis I consign them, to the "Dog", or sell them off.

[Dave]

It is one thing to sell guns you can easily replace but selling out of production, hard to find guns is different. That being said I have sold a lot of nice guns and only miss a couple. If there is no one close to you who wants them no harm in selling them but be sure.

[Bigahh]

Noah,

I would have done the same. Now it will be much easier to stock up on the bullets in just 1 caliber instead of 2.

[Blaine]

With the economy down, it's a buyer's market, not a sellers.....why not hang on to them for a few years? I've sold cheaply, or given away a few to family/friend, but I really don't like to sell too much stuff. It's holding it's value better than my 401

[Noah Zark]

Noah,

I would have done the same. Now it will be much easier to stock up on the bullets in just 1 caliber instead of 2.

I have been stocking up on 45 ACP / 45 Colt components since the mid-70s. For example, I bought out the remaining stock of Alberts Bullets in 230 gr and 250 gr from a local distributor when Alberts and his ex split the blankets in the early 80s and the company had to be sold. I've been shooting Alberts bullets for almost 30 years now and STILL have over 16,000 remaining. And there's several more thousands of Berrys and Rainier plated bullets and hard cast unplated bullets to shoot up too.

I will be listing several boxes of 44 cal Berrys and Rainier plated bullets, and other unplated cast bullets if they don't sell locally over the weekend.

Noah

[buckeyeshooter]

I never bothered with the 45 Colt. I like the 44 instead.

[arjunky]

I never bothered with the 45 Colt. I like the 44 instead.

I've bothered with it, but why?
Sold all my .45 Colts and stayed with the .44's, if for no other reason to annoy my best friend Rafter-7. He's in love with his .45's and .41's.

Byron

[piller]

I have a .44 and a .45. Both good for what they are designed for. As far as advice, nope, I don't have any in this case.

[O.S.O.K.]

Noah, I've thought the same thing many times. What I've decided to do with the majority of my "extras" in my collection is to begin giving them to my kids to build respectible (and off the books) collections for each of them.

I do have several older revolvers that are for sale at the local fun shop though - a Colt 1902 38 Colt, S&W third model hand ejector 38 S&W and an Enfield .380 (38 S&W). Those are just pure collector/plinkers and two of them have pitted bores and rough actions - but do shoot and function fine. But I decided to convert them to $$ for something "more practical".

[Rimfire McNutjob]

a 3" USFA Rodeo Storekeeper ...

Wow, I would put that one last on the list to shed. Quite a collection.

[Noah Zark]

a 3" USFA Rodeo Storekeeper ...

Wow, I would put that one last on the list to shed. Quite a collection.

This is one revolver that my heirs will have to deal with. What a sweetie, and just one of several reasons that I decided to keep the 45 Colt stuff and shed the 44 Magnum stuff.

Speaking of which, the last of the guns just sold, and the only stuff left are the Dillon 44 Magnum SDB die set and several boxes of 44-caliber Berrys and Rainier plated bullets and Tru-Flight hard cast bullets. The guns sold so fast, I'm wondering "What recession?"

Once again MANY THANKS to the members here who took the time to provide their comments and insight. I appreciate very much your time, opinion, and assistance!

Noah