tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post2157759689586203553..comments2024-03-29T07:42:16.684-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Torture-testing two Taurus .44 Magnum revolversPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-8384064047989744162017-12-16T14:15:44.644-06:002017-12-16T14:15:44.644-06:00I've owned three Taurus .44 pistols: a .44 spe...I've owned three Taurus .44 pistols: a .44 special five shot blued, and both the stainless and blued .44 mags both 4" bbls. The blued guns work as well as the American brand counterparts, but the stainless revolver failed after 400 + rounds of Specials and Magnums. The locking detent of similiar stainless steel galled itself tight in the stainless cylinder, similiar to the problems had with the Mitchell Arms High Standards of years ago that suffered galling from stainless on stainless with no defferintiation of hardness. No complaints with the blued guns, but I only load 240's in them because the cylinder is slightly shorter than a Smith. I live in "Bear Country" in Interior Alaska, and use to load my Smith and my Ruger .45 Colt with 300 and 310 gn. Bullets, but realistically there's not much advantage and this is very minimal bear protection; I mostly tramp the back country with a 97 factory riot gun loaded with slugs, and it too has felt minimal at times when staring down at pie-plate size bear tracks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16594961997613341879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-44040660456507962802015-11-21T20:37:11.984-06:002015-11-21T20:37:11.984-06:00I have found that the best way to trim down a pach...I have found that the best way to trim down a pachmyer rubber grip is with one of those "ginsu" knives that they used to sell on infomercials in the 1990s.Comrade Misfithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15404477636451308763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-60675551362640238552015-10-14T11:06:20.150-05:002015-10-14T11:06:20.150-05:00@FormerFlyer: Thanks for your input. It's go...@FormerFlyer: Thanks for your input. It's good to have confirmation that I'm on the right track.<br /><br />BTW, if you ever want to dispose of your S&W 329 to a deserving cause, at a lower-than-market price, please get in touch (my e-mail's in my blog profile). I can think of two disabled shooters who'd like a 6-shot .44 Special revolver . . .Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-24200573485298009612015-10-13T15:59:24.926-05:002015-10-13T15:59:24.926-05:00Thanks for the review, and please do tell us what ...Thanks for the review, and please do tell us what the gunsmith may find.<br /><br />I got it in my head a while back that I wanted to pick up a .44 Special revolver -- .45 ACP ballistics in a rimmed cartridge. The obvious thing to try is the Charter Bulldog. Alas, I broke 3 transfer bars in the Undercover I owned for a while, which kind of soured me on the brand. Which leaves Taurus on the affordable end of the scale.lee n. fieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01652025469454858807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-25056211300116756452015-10-13T11:35:25.860-05:002015-10-13T11:35:25.860-05:00Having lived in Alaska for 28 years when I was you...Having lived in Alaska for 28 years when I was younger I understand that many people carry handguns as a last resort when in bear country. I did. I would also like to emphasize the term 'Last resort'. No handgun is satisfactory protection from a brown or grizzly bear that can take several solid hits from a heavy rifle and keep coming. <br /><br />I worked for a couple of Kodiak guides for a couple of years at Olga Bay. They counseled every hunter and everyone who carried a rifle to break the bear's shoulders first. Then you will have time to finish it. Handguns will not do this.Jim22http://therealrevo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-56402904789177572612015-10-13T10:14:03.711-05:002015-10-13T10:14:03.711-05:00I will second the quality on the Taurus 44 Magnum ...I will second the quality on the Taurus 44 Magnum revolvers, at least those that I have owned. I have not, though, purchased a new one in over a decade. My experience is not current. <br /><br />I am a 44 fan from way back. Have owned one from virtually every major manufacturer. I would never encourage someone to get a 44 magnum Contender without the heaviest of barrels though, because recoil was unbelievably high. <br /><br />The Smith and Wesson scandium aluminum model 329 that I own was a gift from my father, who gave it to me after it split the web of his hand wide open. It is virtually completely unshootable with any 44 Magnum ammunition. That particular revolver has put two different experienced shooters in the hospital. Neither is it pleasant with 44 special ammunition. It serves adequately as what I like to call a "ripcord gun". The analogy being, pulling the rip cord on a parachute in an emergency is almost certainly going to result in injury, maybe severe injury, possibly death, but it's probably statistically better than riding the airplane to the ground if those are your only two options. The 329 is much the same way. It surpasses abusive, and moves right up to destructive, but may be better than nothing. On the other hand, I think that A 357 with full house 180 grain cast core bullets is a better choice in bear country than the 329. I believe, though, that being forced to use a 329 in an emergency probably represents a failure several links back up the chain of events that led to the emergency. <br /><br />But that's just my opinion.<br /><br />FormerFlyerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-3222015364352551012015-10-12T21:52:38.893-05:002015-10-12T21:52:38.893-05:00@Anonymous at 5:55 PM: YMMV = Your Mileage May Va...@Anonymous at 5:55 PM: YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary.<br /><br />Try the Online Slang Dictionary if you come across an Internet abbreviation that stumps you:<br /><br />http://onlineslangdictionary.com/<br />Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-52390256939916209302015-10-12T20:55:32.368-05:002015-10-12T20:55:32.368-05:00Your Mileage May Vary.
I'll put in a kind wor...Your Mileage May Vary.<br /><br />I'll put in a kind word here for my Uberti "Callahan" .44 mag. It's as accurate as I am, and of course as an SAA clone you have to pay attention to the screws —LocTite is your friend. I use it as a .44 Special with "benefits" and comfortable with it.<br /><br />Size and weight wise it's a bit heavier than a classic SAA but lighter than an N-Frame Smith.richard mcenroehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10659450906647134430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-82941652654845042692015-10-12T17:55:49.392-05:002015-10-12T17:55:49.392-05:00YMMV?YMMV?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-68978954757879142932015-10-12T15:37:43.861-05:002015-10-12T15:37:43.861-05:00Concur on the 'ribbed' grip. That thing ma...Concur on the 'ribbed' grip. That thing makes the gun 'squirm' on recoil, IMHO... But both are accurate, and while the little one isn't 'fun' to shoot, it does the job!Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-39930613995950119112015-10-12T12:22:02.807-05:002015-10-12T12:22:02.807-05:00If you are looking for a hunting gun, I recommend ...If you are looking for a hunting gun, I recommend the single shot T/C Contender (https://www.tcarms.com/firearms/interchangeable-platforms/g2-contender). I have one of these with the .357 Maximum barrel. What is nice is you just swap out the barrel and you can fire anything from a .22 up to a 45 through it. Not something you want for self defense, but for hunting and target shooting it is a joy to shoot.jimmy_the_freakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16895190752688525514noreply@blogger.com