44 magnum barrel 4 vs 6 inches

[Desk Jockey]

Go ahead and make all the penis jokes you need to...

was debating 44 magnums last night at the gun club. Pros and cons of each barrel length.

- 4” inch carries more easily.
- Some states require 6 or more for handgun hunting.

one guy said 4 inch loses so much velocity due to unburned powder and that you may as well shoot 44 special.

I admit, that short, light magnums are probably a better choice for a mountain gun. Setting that aside, does Anyone know how much velocity you gain / lose between 4 and 6 inches shooting full magnum loads? How is the recoil between them?

indications on the interweb vary from 50-200 fps.

BBTI - Ballistics by the Inch :: .44 Mag Results

(statement of intent)

www.ballisticsbytheinch.com

 

[Wrench]

I killed this buck at 80 paces with a 240gr soft point.

Good enough.

 

[ElkTycoon]

I split the difference and ordered a Ruger Redhawk with a 5” barrel. I guess maybe it’s 5.5”, either way I love it.

I reload my 44 ammo since I don’t shoot handguns that much, and you could always go with a 4” barrel and use a faster powder. My favorite is A2400 seems to be a good compromise on burn rate.