.44 Magnum?

So i've been looking at handguns trying to decide what to get next, and I keep coming back to the .44 magnum. Either the 8-3/8" Taurus Raging Bull, or the 8" Colt Anaconda. Both are very nice looking guns, but is a .44 mag a logical choice? I already have a carry/personal defense handgun so this would be just a weekend warrior. I have never shot one and i'm more concerned with the amount of manageable recoil than anything else. I dont want to buy something i'm going to shoot once and then put on the shelf and never shoot again because it made my hand sting for hours. If i wanted a wall decoration i'd be looking at the 24K Gold Desert Eagle, but I want something i will be able to shoot on a regular basis. Having an 8" barrel that makes people take a double take at the range isnt such a bad thing either. :))

So I guess my questions are, who has one, who's shot one, and is it a round worth looking into?
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It's a very useful cartridge. Probably the best deal in a large revolver like you want is the Ruger Super Redhawk. It is easily scoped. It's rugged enough to stand up to years of abuse too. It shouldn't kick you too badly in a 9 1/2 inch barrel model. The ones I had were very accurate too. I shot long range silhouettes with them. And prarie dogs too. :thumb
Mark
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chet
Awesome choice! and if by chance it stings a bit much, just shoot 44 special out of it..... kinda like when my kids think they are SOOOOO cool when they shoot my 357 (38spl target loads)

lol

I like the raging bull.... just looks all business!
when we goin to pick it up?
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NotEnufTags
I'm with M Gardner. The Ruger is a great choice. It never stings but I won't be shooting it too often without hearing protection. No stinging but plenty of ringing.
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killerbee
i have the .44 in a super redhawk,i love it! the recoil isn't bad. mine is the 8"barrel [acually i think it's 73/4] but very strait shooter. i once killed 2 coyotes in 1 morning with it. 1 at 40 yrds and the second at 90 yrds. i also killed a little raghorn bull[4x4] at 110 yrds with it. IMO you wont find anything wrong with that gun. but like NOTENOUGHTAGS said, WHERE HEARING PROTECTION!!
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79Ford
Thanks for the input guys. I guess it's GAME ON! Well, as soon as i can get the money saved up that is. Congrats Killerbee on taking an elk with it. I've thought about hunting deer and coyotes with it, but elk never crossed my mind. I guess in my over estimating the recoil and such from the round i underestimated the huntability of it as well.

Chet, i thought i was pretty tough stuff too shooting .38sp rounds out of my brothers .357mag when i was a kid. And the .44 special never even crossed my mind as an alternative.

As far as hearing protection goes, I never shoot without it anymore. My .270 isnt a problem usually, but i get out my 3" .40S&W and one shot reminds me to put the earmuffs on. That and the headache for the rest of the day......

Thanks again for the help guys. I'm glad there are such knowledgeable people on here willing to answer my sometimes stupid sounding questions #-o
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79Ford
"chet" wrote:I like the raging bull.... just looks all business!
when we goin to pick it up?
 My wife just had heart surgery a couple of months ago so it will proly be a few months before I can get the $$ saved up, but when I get it i'll send ya a pic. Might even let ya hold it if your real nice to me lol

I get out your way every once in a while for work so I'll have to hit ya up and go plinking when I get it.
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