# 44 Mag Practice



## bubdog (Oct 1, 2012)

Ive been to the range for the third time now with my SRH 44 mag.  At 20 yds I am keeping a ragged hole with the occasional flyer of a few inches.   Thinking about getting a 22 revolver to practice with.  Maybe one of these: http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSingleSixHunter/models.html

Ive got a Gamo air pistol, I know it isn't a revolver and doesn't have a reflex sight but it should help.  Ive been shooting it in the back yard.

What do yall do to practice other than shoot the high dollar cartridges with all of the recoil?


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## Hankus (Oct 1, 2012)

22 with the identical optics


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## fishtail (Oct 1, 2012)

Have you thought about rubber bullets for the 44?
Usually all you have to do is to punch out the primer with a nail (or the like), drill the flash hole out a little bigger, use a priming tool to reprime and insert the 'bullet".
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/257438/x-ring-rubber-bullets-44-caliber-430-diameter-box-of-50
You figure the cost of the priming tool, primers and bullets. Ain't that bad.


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## SASS249 (Oct 1, 2012)

1) Lots of dry firing.  Establish an aim point across the room and practice over and over, concentrate on trigger control and breathing.

2) Since I reload I reload 44 special loads and shoot a lot of them.  I only hunted with a blackhawk for a couple of years, but looking back at my reloading records I fired over 2,000 practice rounds before I thought I was good enough to rely on it for hunting.

3) the .22 is not a bad idea, particularly if you don't reload, plus the single sixes are just plain fun to shoot.

Good luck


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## ATLRoach (Oct 1, 2012)

I have some 44mag plastic bullets to shoot indoors. I use to setup a target in the basement to shoot in the preseason to work on grip, sights and trigger control. You are welcome to them if you would like to try them.


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## SASS249 (Oct 2, 2012)

One other way is to use wax bullets.
You will need some old 44 brass.  Drill out the flash hole a little larger.  If you reload make sure you somehow identify these brass and do not use them for anything else.

Melt some parafiin wax into a shallow pan, forming a pool about 1/2" or so deep.  Let the wax cool some and while it is still warm press the mouth of the unprimed cases into the wax.  Let everything cool and remove tha cases.  You will have an unprimed case filled about half full with a wax bullet.

Prime shoot and repeat.

Be careful, these wax bullets even though they are only propelled by the primer will suprise you.  At 10-15' they will penetrate 1/4" plywood.


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## bubdog (Oct 2, 2012)

Thanks for the reccomendations everyone.  I might try out the rubber bullets when things slow down at work and I have time to work on them.


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## bowyer (Oct 25, 2012)

Hand cast lead bullets using scrap lead-        $ .00   each
Powder @ $25 lb                                                  .025 each
Primers  @ $25 per 1000                                     .025 each 
Brass @ 6 reloads                                                 .026 each

Cost per box of 50 light handloads =$3.80
Range time with self made cartridges- Priceless


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## Michael F. Gray (Oct 25, 2012)

.44 Special, .44 Russian, and if you shop old hardware stores, etc. sometimes you can find old stock priced at the time produced. I recently bought a substantial stock of .44 special Winchester Silver Tips for a fraction of current costs. Store was closing, and I made a deal on several calibers.


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## Darkhorse (Dec 1, 2012)

I have a companion for my 7.5 Super Blackhawk. It is a 6.5 
Stainless steel Single Six. And it is a real pleasure to shoot. I had matching lefthand holsters made for them with basketweave. They are a combo holster that you can wear either strongside or crossdraw. I needed the crossdraw while driving or working outside, like at a hog trap my lefthand and tools keep hanging up on a gun. Just wear the crossdraw with thumbbreak and no more interference.

So my suggestion is to buy a Single Six. You'll be glad you did!


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## tellico (Dec 2, 2012)

*617 and 629 close as I could get*

I have a super blackhawk and a single six also,but these are closer


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## johnweaver (Dec 9, 2012)

I learned to shot a hand gun using a Crossman Repeter, one pump pellet pistol.  It looks like a 1911. I used the darts and a cardboard box as a backstop.  Thousands of shots with the same 4 darts was a pretty good return on my money.  I used this same setup to teach my daughters to shoot a handgun.  Practice till you can't miss!!! I bought mine in 1973 and it is still going strong, can't wait to teach my grandkids to shoot using the same gun.


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## Alan in GA (Jan 11, 2013)

*souped up....*



SASS249 said:


> One other way is to use wax bullets.
> You will need some old 44 brass.  Drill out the flash hole a little larger.  If you reload make sure you somehow identify these brass and do not use them for anything else.
> 
> Melt some parafiin wax into a shallow pan, forming a pool about 1/2" or so deep.  Let the wax cool some and while it is still warm press the mouth of the unprimed cases into the wax.  Let everything cool and remove tha cases.  You will have an unprimed case filled about half full with a wax bullet.
> ...



I think I've shot just about everything that could fit in a .44 Rem mag case. I had fun with paraffin bullets as per your description. Then decided they might just be hopped up a tad. Cut some wads out of a cereal box or similar thin cardboard. Use an over champhered case and tap it into cardboard held over an endpiece of wood [block of 4x4 or similar]. Then load ONE grain of UNIQUE or maybe a half grain of BULLSEYE under the cardboard wad protected wax bullet.
I stopped shooting wax and rubber [store bought] pellets out of my 44s because the primer residue tended to build up without a hot high pressure wash from a powder charge. Cleaning brush would remove it but I just got into air rifles for shooting pellets, and went back to regular loads for the 44 pistols. I had 4 Super Blackhawks and one very early Redhawk, and a Contender 44 barrel or two.


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## sniper13 (Jul 4, 2015)

I have always practiced with what I carry. 
When it goes boom there's no surprise because you're 
using the same round all the time


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## wolf3006 (Jul 5, 2015)

*Hand cast*



bowyer said:


> Hand cast lead bullets using scrap lead-        $ .00   each
> Powder @ $25 lb                                                  .025 each
> Primers  @ $25 per 1000                                     .025 each
> Brass @ 6 reloads                                                 .026 each
> ...



This is what I do also .


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## 660griz (Jul 6, 2015)

SASS249 said:


> 1) Lots of dry firing.  Establish an aim point across the room and practice over and over, concentrate on trigger control and breathing.



This. I made up some rounds with rtv as the primer. I would sit in my lounge chair for hours 'hunting' things on T.V.

Then, I practiced shooting with the rounds I was going to hunt with.
My brother can hit a running quail in the head with a .22 pistol from 50 yards but, cannot shoot a big bore pistol. He doesn't practice with it.


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## rosewood (Jul 9, 2015)

bowyer said:


> Hand cast lead bullets using scrap lead-        $ .00   each
> Powder @ $25 lb                                                  .025 each
> Primers  @ $25 per 1000                                     .025 each
> Brass @ 6 reloads                                                 .026 each
> ...



I need to find out where you are getting powder for $25 per lb and primers for $25 per 1000.  Or is that pre BHO prices?

Rosewood


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## wolf3006 (Jul 12, 2015)

rosewood said:


> I need to find out where you are getting powder for $25 per lb and primers for $25 per 1000.  Or is that pre BHO prices?
> 
> Rosewood



For me its pre BHO prices


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