In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

.44 Russian

W92fanW92fan Member Posts: 92
edited August 2018 in Ask the Experts
Any opinions, pro or con, about shooting either .44 Russian or .44 Special in a single shot rifle chambered for .44 Magnum ?
My reason for the .44 Russian is that it qualifies as a BP cartridge, but wondering if relatively short OAL in the Mag. chamber is a problem ?
Thanks for your help.

Comments

  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Specials should work fine. You can get crud build up in the un-used chamber space that can make it hard to use the full length ammo until its cleaned out. Accuracy likely will not be best due to the long jump to the rifling. Twist rate might not be optimum either.

    The Russian might be fine too.

    I once loaded up a box of 44 Rem Mag with DuPont 4Fg and the 245 Kieth cast bullet. Recoil wise in my 10 5/8" barrel 29 it felt like a full load of say 2400.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Russian

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Special

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Magnum
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,588 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As said up there ^^^, clean the chamber, should be fine. Russian is a short .44 Special, headspaces off the case rim.


    EDIT to save space:


    44 Russian was a BP load, 44 Special a smokeless.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You didn't say what load, you intended to use? My experience with high volume brass cases, using a reduced charge of fast burning smokeless. Hasn't been positive. Unless I used some form of buffer between the base of the bullet and the powder charge. For uniform ignition. Dacron, Cream of Wheat, Corn Meal etc.

    I quit using Black years ago, because of fouling and clean up hassle. Many different BP substitutes, on the market nowadays, though. Never personally cared for Pyrodex. Which was the first one available.

    Because of my senioritis, I can't think of the name? Of the fairly new ,high volume smokeless that's available nowadays. You could fill, 44 Special brass case with it. With out having high pressure, or heavy recoil problems.
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't know what you mean by "qualifies as a BP cartridge."
    Is there some legal requirement you are trying to meet?
    You can load black in any of the series and do ok.
  • W92fanW92fan Member Posts: 92
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
    I don't know what you mean by "qualifies as a BP cartridge."
    Is there some legal requirement you are trying to meet?
    You can load black in any of the series and do ok.

    That's a fair enough question. The club I belong to has a BP Cartridge group that shoots for fun (no specific matches). The main rules are single-shot rifles and cartridges that originated in the BP era. Members shoot everything from .22 LR at 50 yds. to .45-120 at 100 or 200 yds. In the big bore shooters, .38-55 and .45-70 are the most prevalent. However, due to shoulder problems I've had to downsize to pistol calibers. I like odd or different stuff, so I thought it might be interesting to try .44 Russian. .44 Special was introduced as a smokeless cartridge, I'm pretty sure.
    Thanks to all who have taken time to help me.
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't know how persnickety your club is, but there were a number of straight cased .44s in the dawn of the centerfire era.
    Could you say "I am shooting .44 Ballard Extra Long but all I could find was .44 Magnum brass."?
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    ThUSE THE44russian in that pistol also have a S&W We 44 Russian is a very good cartridge I have a colt SAA in44SPECIAL I also have a S&W #2 single shot TARGET in 38/44 that shoots 2 different loadings one 38/44 target and the other in 38/44gallery [^]the 38/44target held the slow fire record for many years
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A .38-44 Target single shot? Neat!
    I had a No 3 New Model .38-44 and it was a good shooter. I read that Walter Winans lobbied for the .38 but later went back to .44R.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    hello hawkcarse I should have checked my reply to topic
    with theS&W singleaction target pistols they of course are the #3not #2
    at one time I had a write up about 3 shooters that between them held the slow fire record for many years 2 of the shooters were brothers last name BENETT and the third IRA PAYNE They were long term rivals the pistol matches were all slow fire the pistol of choice was the S&W #3 single action they started as 44caliber then one brother had S& w build them a 38 caliber not to be outdone then Mr PAYNE got S&w to build him a 32/44the ammo was unitue the bullet did not projectout the front of the case the target marked ammo was flush to case mouth and the gallary ammo had bullet deeply recessed at one time I had one each 44 38 32 I loved the #3but found out the hard way top break. pistols are weak I broke one just closing it
    the slow fire NRA targets for 50 yards are the same today as as in the 18hundreds I shot NRA bullseye for many years 1965-2005
    31 years in a row at Camp Perry if you would like I receive emails at karlwoerner1@gmail.com and have pictures Cheers Karl
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, Winans, Payne, and the Bennetts were very fine shots. Probably had some less well known competition too.

    A.C. Gould's book 'Modern Pistols and Revolvers' (modern as of the second edition in 1894) is available online.
    https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t91844w24;view=1up;seq=7
Sign In or Register to comment.