[Sarge]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

Personally I've always felt the factory .44 special loads to be on the weak side.

I would (and did) go with a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Got the convertible so I can shoot ACP, too. (almost never do, but I can)

I don't run the heavy for caliber bullets the internet is in love with these days. Don't have a need or a use for them.

I load 240s/250s in .44s and .45 revolver rounds and 158s in .357s. Those are the slugs that made those calibers reputations, and they don't work any less well today.

In the same calibers the SA revolver is usually lighter than the DA revolver. For a woods gun on your hip or under your shoulder, that matters.

Forget the high round count and blazing speed of Hollywood movies and TV, only hits count, only good hits matter and good hits require aiming. The SA revolver is fine for anything in the woods, even two legged predators, once you're skilled with it. Nothing wrong with a good DA gun, nothing at all, its just different. Different feel to the recoil due to different grip shape and weight, ITs all a matter of how you train yourself, if there is any advantage to one over the other.

No, I wouldn't choose an SA to go into a gunfight, but as a gun I would be wearing all day, and one I could count on to get me out of a gunfight (providing I did my part) I think its a good choice.

.44 SPL and .357 Mag is not an apples to apples comparison. I persoanlly prefer the bigger beefier guns in .357 and .44 Mag or .45 Colt. I don't run any .44 Special guns, I have .44 Magnums and load them down a bit for comfort and plinking. I load my .357s hot, shoot .38s when I want something less.

Choose the gun that appeals to you the most. Either caliber will be entirely adequate, if YOU are.

Good post, though I do like the 45 ACP/AR in a good revolver.