Are you considering purchasing a 44 Magnum? Will you be able to manage the recoil? Would it be a reliable self-defense weapon? Let’s Take a look.

First, ask yourself ‘do I really want or need a .44 magnum?’

If it’s got anything to do with the Dirty Harry quote “did I fire five or six?”, then stop. Do you really need to spend the money for ‘the most powerful handgun in the world because of a movie”? LOL

Now, if you’re going to be in an area known for a significant grizzly bear population, then by God you may need the most powerful handgun in the world so carry on.

If not, I recommend going to a gun store that has a gun range on site and asking if you can shoot a .44 magnum. If you convince them you’re going to buy, and there’s a range on site, they will almost always let you shoot.

Purchase the ammo for the shop, it’s only courteous if they are going to let you shoot a gun you haven’t paid for to let them make some money even if you don’t buy.

Let my just say this, unless you’re a large man with a strong grip, you’re probably won’t enjoy the .44 Magnum. There’s a reason a lot of these end up being sold as used guns. Folks buy them, figure out they don’t like them, and sell them back to the gun store at a loss.

If you want magnum force, look at the .357 magnum. This round is powerful enough to shoot through the side of a car’s fender and into the engine block, meaning it’s strong enough to stop a fleeing car.

You will rarely be in a situation where you need more power than that. And, as a bonus, the .357 can also shoot .38 Special ammo. Using that, you can go to the range and practice all day long without killing your wrist or budget. Yes, the .44 mag will also shoot .44 special, but that is still a very potent round.

One final note, it’s nice to see people gravitating back to the revolvers. Not that I’m a revolver gun proponent, however, it’s nice to see the revolvers making a return.