Are 44 magnums used in IDPA? I never see them metioned as being used. I would think that reloads producing moderate to low recoil in a 4" barrel should be capable of allowing quick recoil recovery. After all, 44s are very accurate. Thanks
44 magnum and IDPA
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Hardly ever.
No reason not to, all it takes is a holster and some speedloaders. A friend of mine has a .44 Special 624 that gets out some. But the famous .44 accuracy is not of great importance shooting at a humanoid target with 8" and 6" Zero zones at ranges seldom over 20 yards. The main revolver is the 625 whose .45 moon clips speed up the reload to a very useful degree.
No reason not to, all it takes is a holster and some speedloaders. A friend of mine has a .44 Special 624 that gets out some. But the famous .44 accuracy is not of great importance shooting at a humanoid target with 8" and 6" Zero zones at ranges seldom over 20 yards. The main revolver is the 625 whose .45 moon clips speed up the reload to a very useful degree.
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Ditto what Jim W said...
Dang, he gives good answers!
I think I'd favor a 200 or so grain round nose-flat point bullet to speed up the reloads. And, if you can find an open top speedloader carrier that gives adequete retention--Price Western Leather in the UK has one--you can almost keep up with the moon clip guys, especially when using the SL Variant, or other spring-assisted speedloaders. Has sorta worked for me, anyhow.
Dang, he gives good answers!
I think I'd favor a 200 or so grain round nose-flat point bullet to speed up the reloads. And, if you can find an open top speedloader carrier that gives adequete retention--Price Western Leather in the UK has one--you can almost keep up with the moon clip guys, especially when using the SL Variant, or other spring-assisted speedloaders. Has sorta worked for me, anyhow.
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Yo, Brian,
Are the SL Variant loaders available from anybody in the USA? I haven't seen any advertised since Dillon closed them out.
I have a few old style .44 Special 246 gr roundnose that I bet will load even easier than a Cowboy RNFP.
I wasted money and cut up guns doing moonclip conversions. IDPA reneged on their OK before I ever got to shoot one in competition and the long skinny .38s are a lot harder to line up than a .45 ACP. I'd rather a good speedloader than a clipped revolver round. I'm not going to load .38 Short Colt to reduce the wiggle.
Are the SL Variant loaders available from anybody in the USA? I haven't seen any advertised since Dillon closed them out.
I have a few old style .44 Special 246 gr roundnose that I bet will load even easier than a Cowboy RNFP.
I wasted money and cut up guns doing moonclip conversions. IDPA reneged on their OK before I ever got to shoot one in competition and the long skinny .38s are a lot harder to line up than a .45 ACP. I'd rather a good speedloader than a clipped revolver round. I'm not going to load .38 Short Colt to reduce the wiggle.
Handcannons & IDPA
Shot my S&W 686 a while back in a match, using full-house 158gr .357 from S&B and Samson. Stout loads, no doubt.
You'd a thought I had brought a 155mm Howitzer to play with, by the way some folks reacted. "Hand Cannon" "What you shootin' in that thing?"
If you aim to win IDPA in the revo class, the only way you'll do it is with a S&W 625 in .45ACP & moon clips. If your aim is to use your wheel gun and gain better gun handling skills, run with it and ignore the gamers. You won't win, but you'll become more proficient wth your weapon of choice.
BTW, I would shoot .44mag, if I had one, just for the fun of it. With full-house 240gr rounds. Hey, you never know when you might be attacked by a pack of black bears.
Shot my S&W 686 a while back in a match, using full-house 158gr .357 from S&B and Samson. Stout loads, no doubt.
You'd a thought I had brought a 155mm Howitzer to play with, by the way some folks reacted. "Hand Cannon" "What you shootin' in that thing?"
If you aim to win IDPA in the revo class, the only way you'll do it is with a S&W 625 in .45ACP & moon clips. If your aim is to use your wheel gun and gain better gun handling skills, run with it and ignore the gamers. You won't win, but you'll become more proficient wth your weapon of choice.
BTW, I would shoot .44mag, if I had one, just for the fun of it. With full-house 240gr rounds. Hey, you never know when you might be attacked by a pack of black bears.
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I know a guy who shoots a 44 Mag at local IDPA matches. His 44 is real tricked out. Ever see a 44 Mag with moon clips? I was told the gun was built by Ned Christiansen. I don't know if it's IDPA legal but they let him shoot it. With downloads he wins sometimes. No kidding.
He wins steel matches with it all the time.
Jim
He wins steel matches with it all the time.
Jim
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Magnum wheel guns in IDPA
Every August, one of the clubs I shoot IDPA at regularly has a 5-shot neutral match for back up guns.
This year I used my 2.5" 686 with Winchester white box 357 mag loads, in a Gould & Goodrich pancake holster with thumbstrap. This is my actual carry rig.
It turned out, I not only beat the other back up shooters, but got lowest overall time for the match. There were still plenty of guys using their regular match guns and gear, and I still came out ahead of them.
I'd say use your 44, and have a good time. It's not always the gun, it's the guy behind the trigger.
Every August, one of the clubs I shoot IDPA at regularly has a 5-shot neutral match for back up guns.
This year I used my 2.5" 686 with Winchester white box 357 mag loads, in a Gould & Goodrich pancake holster with thumbstrap. This is my actual carry rig.
It turned out, I not only beat the other back up shooters, but got lowest overall time for the match. There were still plenty of guys using their regular match guns and gear, and I still came out ahead of them.
I'd say use your 44, and have a good time. It's not always the gun, it's the guy behind the trigger.
It can be done...
and done well providing you're willing to put some time in practicing.
I carried a nickel 4" Model 29 S&W as a duty gun for a number of years, in Jordan holster. Silvertips were the duty load and I worked up a reload using a lead 200 RN @ 1200 fps for practice and qualification. Since I was the range officer I had damn well better be able to shoot it, so I put in a lot of practice; but I still posted some 240/240 scores with it. We shot a pretty fast course on B21E's to 25 yards, with 6 'bonus rounds' on a 12" gong at 50. If you dropped a few you could make 'em up with on the bonus stage. Hitting it was downright easy with that old S&W.
I'd not be a bit afraid to take one to an IDPA match.
and done well providing you're willing to put some time in practicing.
I carried a nickel 4" Model 29 S&W as a duty gun for a number of years, in Jordan holster. Silvertips were the duty load and I worked up a reload using a lead 200 RN @ 1200 fps for practice and qualification. Since I was the range officer I had damn well better be able to shoot it, so I put in a lot of practice; but I still posted some 240/240 scores with it. We shot a pretty fast course on B21E's to 25 yards, with 6 'bonus rounds' on a 12" gong at 50. If you dropped a few you could make 'em up with on the bonus stage. Hitting it was downright easy with that old S&W.
I'd not be a bit afraid to take one to an IDPA match.
Re: Ditto what Jim W said...
Leave it up to Dover, guy wants to shoot a 44 mag and Brian is telling him how to game it.Brian Dover said:Dang, he gives good answers!
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No, Bill D, that's how I'd game it, whether or not anybody else can still find SL Variant speedloaders, and quick-yet-secure loader holders like mine is their own problem! Last I heard, the Variant folks had a US distributor address and phone number in Las Vegas. Ironically, that's where I bought the above mentioned gear...at the SHOT Show, from the respective manufacturers' show samples, as they were getting ready to leave. Now, THAT'S gamesmanship!
Last I heard, the Variant folks had a US distributor address and phone number in Las Vegas. Ironically, that's where I bought the above mentioned gear...at the SHOT Show, from the respective manufacturers' show samples, as they were getting ready to leave. Now, THAT'S gamesmanship! We have a couple of revolver shooters who show up regularly at our IDPA meets (man and woman) with their S&W 686's. The use speedloaders (the spring-loaded kind), and do very well.
If I remember correctly they placed 1st and 3rd in the last California statewide competition.
If I remember correctly they placed 1st and 3rd in the last California statewide competition.
Thanks to all for the info. Based on what was said, I gather IDPA competitive empahsis is more on speed and number of hits in the target rather than more percise target placement shooting. If the 625 .45 acp is the revolver to use in IDPA, maybe IDPA ought to have a competiton divison just for 625s.
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You gather?
Do I gather correctly that you have not shot IDPA?
If not, please try it out before you rewrite our rules. There are enough active members who want to do that already. Maybe they think they will win if we all do it their way.
Do I gather correctly that you have not shot IDPA?
If not, please try it out before you rewrite our rules. There are enough active members who want to do that already. Maybe they think they will win if we all do it their way.
If I remember correctly there are 3 different scoring zones on an IDPA target. Hitting the center ,or O-ring, and shooting fast will give you a great score. Shooting wildly and just "hitting" the target and shooting fast will NOT give you a great score. There is somthing to be said about shooting accurately during an IDPA match.
Jim,
No, I've never competed in an IDPA match. IDPA seems to be about the only shooting competition where one doesn't have to spend a vast fortune buying special gear and custom guns to shoot competitively. But, it does seem to be almost a fact, that if one wants to win in the revolver division, then you need to buy a SW 625 .45 acp. Based on the postings I've read here and on the IDPA forum, most people would agree. If that's the case, that the weapon, not the person, is responsible for most of the winning, then if you really want to test the shooters' skill, you make the equipment equal across the board. Didn't mean to get anyone mad at me. No offense intended.
No, I've never competed in an IDPA match. IDPA seems to be about the only shooting competition where one doesn't have to spend a vast fortune buying special gear and custom guns to shoot competitively. But, it does seem to be almost a fact, that if one wants to win in the revolver division, then you need to buy a SW 625 .45 acp. Based on the postings I've read here and on the IDPA forum, most people would agree. If that's the case, that the weapon, not the person, is responsible for most of the winning, then if you really want to test the shooters' skill, you make the equipment equal across the board. Didn't mean to get anyone mad at me. No offense intended.
Yes, the initial outlay for gear is less in IDPA than in other sports. If you want a gun setup just for IDPA to win revolver, get the 625. If you want to go out and have fun, use whatever. It's the Indian, not the arrow in most cases. A 44 would put you at a bit of a disadvantage, but it isn't like night or day. If you lose a club match by a second or three to a 625 shooter, then you may have been able to make it up if you had the same gear. But don't let that stop you. Shoot for a while and see what you like. To win revolver class where the category is well represented, you have to be good. Just having a 625 isn't good enough. Likewise, if you are better than them, should beat the 625 guys. You will only be at a disadvantage to the shooters that are very near you in skill. The better ones will beat you no matter what. You will beat the worse ones no matter what. It's the guys that you are neck to neck with that may shade you due to their gear.automan said:
Just go and have fun for a while. Worry about the gamer’s edge later (if at all).
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Automan,
You are correct, it is economical to get started in IDPA. Get some speedloaders and leather (or Kydex) for your .44 and come on down.
True, the moon clips of a 625 give an advantage on the reload, but one of the better sixgunners I know shoots a 3-inch M-13 with speedloaders and what (little) he loses on the reload, he makes up in rate of fire and accuracy. I classified Sharpshooter with a M-19 and Safariland Comp IIs. Moon clips are not enough faster to move me into Expert; in fact the heavier gun (I have an old M-25-2 with the barrel sawn off) is slower on transitions.
Stock Service Revolver is already the smallest Division, subdividing it so the speedloader shooters would not feel outclassed by the moonclip shooters would be slicing the pie too small.
Don't worry about winning, go shooting.
You are correct, it is economical to get started in IDPA. Get some speedloaders and leather (or Kydex) for your .44 and come on down.
True, the moon clips of a 625 give an advantage on the reload, but one of the better sixgunners I know shoots a 3-inch M-13 with speedloaders and what (little) he loses on the reload, he makes up in rate of fire and accuracy. I classified Sharpshooter with a M-19 and Safariland Comp IIs. Moon clips are not enough faster to move me into Expert; in fact the heavier gun (I have an old M-25-2 with the barrel sawn off) is slower on transitions.
Stock Service Revolver is already the smallest Division, subdividing it so the speedloader shooters would not feel outclassed by the moonclip shooters would be slicing the pie too small.
Don't worry about winning, go shooting.
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