.357 or .44?

[Slips73]

I'd take the 357, easier follow up shots if need be and easier to be accurate on that second shot. No need for a .44 unless your going into grizzly country.

[Niflreika]

I prefer the .44.

One of my favorite all time guns was a S&W M29 4".

270-gr Gol Dot soft points would be what I load for big game.

Personally, I carried 240-gr Hydra-Shoks for people defense. They are only 10 grains heavier and 200 fps faster (out of the 4" barrel) than a 230-gr .45ACP. These also work great on deer.

The .44 also carries a better load in the CCI shotshell rounds, and put more than a few squirrel and snake over the fire.

You can get .44 Spl load for defense.


BUT, keep in mind, that ANY .357/.38 .44/.44Spl will penetrate walls on a miss, and that is by far your most likely scenario in defense, is a complete miss of the target. Any handgun round worth using to defend yourtself will penetrate interior walls of a typical home.

If you are that worried, then I'd use a 20 gauge with Federal's PD256 4Buck load for a shell capable of getting the job done with the least chance of overpenetration. Then use the handgun you want for outdoors.

[Crazysanman]

It looks like the consensus is for the 357. That's where I was leaning but I didn't know how effective it would be against a black bear. I can get the shot placement as long as the round will penetrate deep enough. Now I'm off to look for a 4" GP-100 or SP-101 in my area.

[borego]

I like 357 because you can shoot 38 through it as well. Makes for a cheaper training aid.

38 +P is perfect for home or CCW or EDC

[XMP]

It looks like the consensus is for the 357. That's where I was leaning but I didn't know how effective it would be against a black bear. I can get the shot placement as long as the round will penetrate deep enough. Now I'm off to look for a 4" GP-100 or SP-101 in my area.

Buffalo Bore makes a 180gr. lead flat nose that should take care of any black bear.

[gloomhound]

.357

[WesternAngler]

Just get both that's what I did. I do live in grizzly country so I got the .44 first. I have a 4.2" Redhawk that I load with specials for home defense and Buffalo Bore 305 grainers for bear defense. I just got a 4.2" SP101 in .357 for the winter time when the bears are hopefully all asleep or for when I'm in areas that aren't grizzly country. I've got some 180 grain hardcast for that. Now I just need to decide if I want six rounds of .44 special or five of .357 mag for my home defense set up.

[PaulTX]

A few years ago I considered the same situation between the .357 and .44. I needed to trim my collection down some and had a 6.5" Blackhawk .357 and a 4-5/8" Ruger Bisley .44 mag. I decided to keep the .44 because it could do everything the .357 could do and more. I reload and use hard cast lead and JHP bullets (240-310 gr.) and can load these to a very wide range. Also, to me, the .44 was just more "interesting" with the heavy bullet range. I do miss the .357 but it is hard to have it all!

I've thought about playing with .44 Russian loads but never have due to the need for another die set.

[JLRider]

If you want it in a small gun, 357 for all the reasons previously stated...even though all my favorite calibers begin with a, "point-four"....

sent from my dumb phone.

[Grizzly]

Lived for years in South Baltimore over off Charles Street, know exactly what you speak of with the Ghetto Bird. It is a shame, lots of neat parts to that old city.

As far as the gun I would also go with the .357.