.44 Special VS .45 ACP? Hot Buffalo Bore Ammo!

Okay, Buffalo Bore ammunition time! And in this video I am exploring the average hot loadings of .45 ACP and .44 Special. When I sat average I mean that revolver cartridges are often loaded with SEMI-JACKETED hollow points, as where semi auto cartridges are almost always JHP (as to feed appropriately).
Today I am using Buffalo Bore ammunition, and the .44 Special is a 180 gr SJHP while the .45 ACP is a 200 gr XTP. Both bullets have the same sectional density and the energy is similar, as well as similar bullet travel in the gun. This makes for a very fair and fun test! Always appreciative of any channel help :) www.patreon.com/user?u=5828221

[@GunSam]

My intro information, as we see later in the video- was definitely off and different than my normal experience with SJHP bullets. But, this is why we test! So we know what works for what and how well they work.

[@joemorganeatmyshortschannel]

45 acp has always been my go to because it makes horrific injuries and wound cavities with alot of defensive ammo i had it as first handgun ever even with ball ammo in that case it would do more damage than 9mm ball its a great gun and i love it

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

It's just nice to see someone that understands there is a difference between SJHP & FMJHP and FMJ and SJFN/SJRN

[@mateoocampo3165]

My guess is the bullet for the 44 is meant for the .44 mag. It looks like a Sierra. The hollowpoint is definatly small and the copper jacket would be thicker as well. This would account for the lack of expansion as the .44 special velocity is too low to expand 44mag style bullet construction. Many boutique bullet companies make the same mistake of using. 44mag bullets in the .44 special cartridge and users see the same lack of expansion.....

[@robertmakowski7808]

Great comparison as usual... FYI..the reason that there was so little expansion and lots of penetration of the .44 Special round is that the bullet that BB uses is the Sierra 180 JHC that is a hunting bullet, not a personal defense bullet. The bullet is 7% antimony and has a very hard core. I used one being driven at 1700 fps from a 7.5" Ruger Redhawk to kill at 6-point buck at 30' head on at a slight angle. Bullet turned the heart to jello, ruined the lungs and broke last two ribs going out...over 2' of penetration. If you read the Custom Handgun hunting books by Gary Reeder it is his favorite deer bullet. Change that bullet to the 200 grain Speer Gold Dot at 1100 fps and it will make a big difference. That is the same load that Speer used in their .44 Magnum 200 Grain Gold Dot Short Barrel load that they foolishly dropped. They use that bullet in the .44 Special load but it barely expands as it is only rated at 860 fps from a 6.5" barrel...

[@russbilzing5348]

The fact that you try your best for a level playing field speaks well for your fairness.

[@jma3586]

I own both the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special and the Pit Bull in .45acp. Both are great shooters, but I prefer the .44 Special for ease of concealment. I would NOT want to be on the wrong end of either one of these. Happy New Year and keep those great comparisons coming!

[@GunSam]

I will try. Happy new year.

[@inmyopinion_3672]

Im so glad to watch someone who understands sectional density.

[@MPGunther1]

Like your testing and the versatility of the 38 Spec/357 Mag & 44 Spec/ 44 Mag cartridges

[@robertmakowski7808]

I believe that the 180 grain bullet in the .44 Special load is made by Sierra. It is a high velocity hunting bullet with 7% antimony. It takes at least 1400 fps to get those to really work. For a self-defense round the no longer made Speer Gold Dot .44 Magnum Short Barrel Load ran a 200 grain bullet at 1080 fps and the expansion was excellent. Speer only markets the same bullet in a .44 Special and is only rated at 860 from a 6.5" barrel and doesn't expand reliability at all.

[@montanamountainmen6104]

The 44 SPL is a great round and very much a man stopper, the 45 ACP well volumes over the decades are wrote about it .

[@philipfreeman72]

For hunting I am a fan of controlled expansion , I bet the 44 special bullet is really designed for 44 mag. For bear hollow points can clog with hair. I prefer soft points for any big game.

[@paulzollinger6343]

nice demo. thanks for putting in the work.

[@tomcarr4630]

Thanks for the wonderful start to the new year!

[@GunSam]

Thank you, happy new year.

[@marekburza7425]

Dude...... I have learned more about what to expect from certain rounds/calibers than all the other ammo testers on YT combined. Thx bro

[@kerrypurcell6022]

i cast all my 44 special bullets,,,never use jacketed bullets, so this was a good video for me to see,,,,maybe i might try some jacked bullets,,,,but the old 45 acp, is a good one too,,,,i am glad we have both of them,,,solid performers,,,,

[@CMMC-zb1gw]

Great video Sam. I appreciate your consistency

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@lutherpayne9957]

Enjoyed the presentation. Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@GunSam]

Thank you, same to you.

[@michaelpage4199]

Great review. I really look forward to your reviews. Happy New Year

[@GunSam]

Thank you, happy new year.

[@zzxxooooxxzz4964]

Happy New Year Sammy Boy!!! As usual your videos are always entertaining thanks for sharing...

[@GunSam]

Thank you.

[@YellowHammer26]

Great start to a new year!! 👍👍

[@GunSam]

Thanks for watching!

[@slowpokebr549]

I really like when you do both the wood penetration test and the Jug or Not. It's very informative.

[@GunSam]

I used to do it with every video before I started using the jug-or-not box and bologna, but it's always fun so I been bringing it back more.

[@bobcatforever3485]

Nice comparison. Thanks for sharing. Doesn't look like the weather to be getting splashed with water! Take care. Happy New Year.

[@GunSam]

Thanks. I make sure to dress warm for sure, so that water splash isn't too bad.

[@bobcatforever3485]

@@GunSam Thanks for braving the elements to bring us some good content!

[@GeographyCzar]

Holy cow, I didn't even notice, but congrats on 20k subs!

[@GunSam]

Thanks! And I happened to read this from my comment page. For some reason i'm not getting alerts on subscriber comments. Just random non sub comments.

[@RichiesHouse]

“It blew the bologna pack “ -me chuckling

[@garylewis3641]

Excellent video, I enjoyed it very much! It's easy to see why people compare the 45acp and 44 Spl. They are somewhat comparable and I like the performance from Buffalo Bore on both.

[@GunSam]

Thanks. I plan to do some more. I saw that Buffalo Bore has some lead HP .44 Special, and also Barnes Tac-xp lead free in .44 Special and .45 ACP, so I have a lot of options. Luckily for me, most people won't buy Buffalo Bore, which allows for it to always be available for my videos.

[@garylewis3641]

@@GunSam Yeah I think I might have to get some if I can, ammo is hard to come by now. This is rough!

[@jakerogers6562]

Thank you for doing all these comparisons, they are awesome! Some .32 h&r mag test as well as some more .44 mag would be great if ammo ever becomes available again . Keep up the good work brother.

[@GunSam]

Thank you. I will do the best I can to test those.

[@robertfree1908]

One of your greatest comparisons yet. Two great defensive, outdoor and target rounds. I love the performance of that 200gr xtp at that 45 +p speed. I’ll be using that one to work up defense loads for a 4” Ronin and a G23SF. I really appreciate you making this one. Enjoyable and informative as always, sir

[@robertfree1908]

I mean G21SF. 🙄

[@CommunismiEstCacas]

Happy New Year!

[@AlekseySh1982]

Thumbs up as always. Happy new year.

[@GunSam]

Happy new year.

[@bobbreit5244]

That was a fun comparison.

[@ratagris21]

Happy New Year to you and your family and viewers. Good shooting as always now in 2021. 🎩☯️♠️

[@GunSam]

Thank you, same to you.

[@ratagris21]

@@GunSam thank you

[@michigunsanta8680]

I was lucky enough to diversify in pistol calibers to the point I was still able to stock up after March even when 9mm 45acp etc went completely insane. I did get a lot of 44mag and some 44special. Good test Sam, the Buffalo Bore 45acp looks great! I probably have a box or two of it I’m sure but I’ve never shot it yet. 👍🏻 BTW Happy New Year to ya! 🍾

[@GunSam]

Thanks. Happy new year.

[@jamespugh]

Great video and great comparison.

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@jamespugh]

@@GunSam shared it few time over to mewe to get out their .

[@chrisgabbert658]

👍 good testing, that’s a mean 45 acp happy new year .

[@GunSam]

Happy new year

[@chrisgabbert658]

Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ watched for the second time 👍

[@andywilson8698]

Great comparison!

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@troy9477]

Interesting. I expected expansiob from the SJHP, like most people. Looks like a 180 XTP might be a good way to go in a hot 44 Spl load. The velocity is about the same as the 45, and the 45 did well. I suspect the go-to 44 Spl load is probably the BB 190 gr soft cast LSWCHP. i believe it is rated at 1150 fps (probably a 6 or 6.5" barrel, since those are the most common N frames). So velocity would be similar to this load. Possibly a smidge faster, being lead. It is the 44 Spl version af the old 38+p FBI load, and we know those work well. Hope u can find some to test. They also have some heavy full wadcutters and other interesting things. At one time, i think they were loading a modern version of the old Kynoch "manstopper" bullet (which i think is a modified wadcutter, but i can't remember).

[@alstermain2013]

None of these two calibers are my absolute favorites - to the point that I own ONLY one 45 ACP pistol albeit a quality one. The 44 Spl do not own at all, sometimes shoot it through my 44 Mag Redhawk. My personal preferences should not count - these are legitimate calibers, quite capable of protecting and even to be used in limited hunting. Also it is hard to acquire guns in all calibers, it is not cheap.

[@veroman007]

the special is an exceptionally easy recoil and very accurate round even in my charter arms it is not bad. altho my gun wont handle buf bore.

[@davidsomerset8411]

Happy New Year thanks for all the great reviews throughout the year. You do a fantastic job 👏 👍. Either round will put a major hurting on you.

[@GunSam]

Thanks a lot!

[@andrelemalle]

A lot of folks might thiink about doing ammo tests. If they are doing it they don't take the added effort and post on youtube. It is a hell of a lot of work. How long does one of your vids take to prep and produce? Thanks for trying to keep your ammo comparisons intelligent and meaningful.

[@GunSam]

It's difficult to get an exact time it takes to make a video, but in terms of actually moving or being busy beyond the whole planning stage, I would say it takes on average with every two cartridge ballistic test, about 20 minutes to fill and move water jugs to my car, another 10 to make the bologna packs. Then once I am at my film area, about 1:45 to load, drive to woods, setup, film and cleanup. Then maybe 20 minutes once home to put away gear and then maybe 1:45 on the PC doing editing. So, that's about 4 hours and 20 minutes of "work", but I also have to drive, make sure I have supplies as well as wait 2-3 hours for video to process, and then work on video thumbnails, fill out the youtube info and all of that.

[@louiswilkins9624]

Nice , I like them both.

[@slowpokebr549]

Sectional density is what makes a bullet. Some rounds just hit that sweet spot, ie...the .38 special or the 6.5 Swede.

[@GunSam]

Yeah some have a sweet spot for the intended target. Example is the .357 Mag 125 gr. So perfect, Sig copies or at least tries to copy the ballistics with .357 Sig. Sweet spot for self defense. For hunting, bear defense, hard barrier penetration and whatnot, there are other sweet spots.

[@W1ldt1m]

I'd love to see some .44 special bullets it seems like everything in 44 is designed for magnum velocity.

[@plasticglock]

"I must have learned how to stop limp writing." LOL. Damn it looks cold out there!

[@GunSam]

It was a balmy 30 this day, slow wind. Nice compared to the 21 degrees, blowing wind and snow in my video before this one.

[@fjb4932]

plasticglock, "...limp writing". * wristing (big difference)

[@plasticglock]

@@fjb4932 Lol. I'm pretty bad with typos. Limp writing could kinda be an analogy for typos. Haha!

[@johnlove6194]

Thank you for sharing.

[@jaywondergem7026]

Thanks for another great test! Maybe a (coated) soft lead hollow point in the .44 Special would work better in the Jug-or-Not. The .45 was impressive!

[@albertforletta1498]

Cool video Sam. Thank you lots! I believe I saw you limp wristing that revolver. Lol 😂.

[@GunSam]

It didn't jam though. Must have got lucky. Didn't need to tap rack bang my revolvers like I normally need to.

[@dexternorman6283]

Awsome video

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@scottc.real_2legit_4u55]

I am a fan of larger calibers and that is not to say that any round from 22 up is not good. I would carry a .380 ACP and have no fears. I do love 45 ACP and I found this video very interesting. I plan to buy a Glock 45 GAP in the future. 11.5mm is a great starting diameter and I also have 40 S&W and 9mm. When I find the right 44 Remington Magnum or 10.9×33mmR as it is known by metric designation it is also on my list to buy. I have never owned a revolver but I have a lot of respect for them and their place in the firearm community. No one I know would ever "dis" on a 357 Magnum. I love your channel and it is very good information to know. Happy New Year and Peace To All!

[@GunSam]

Thank you, happy new year. A lot of folks say they choose to use the best millimeter, in reference to the 10mm. But, I have to say the 11.5mm is better for most applications!

[@scottc.real_2legit_4u55]

@@GunSam Thank you very much. A knowledgeable gun guy I know actually suggests that especially in older people or anyone that isn't a crack shot that they carry a larger diameter rather than count on a well placed round to save them. Just saying...

[@scottc.real_2legit_4u55]

@James_wingthwong_ Banks I had a chance to buy a S&W 460 at a good price, But that was so huge I really could not think of anywhere I could safely put it. Needless to say my GF hated it as it was a little heavier than she would ever want.

[@robertbain5036]

I enjoyed viewing your videos. Your informative, at times funny and honest with your opinions. First tome commenting. God bless you!

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@montycasper4300]

As a self serving suggestion, Buffalo Bore make several 357 magnum low flash (I'm assuming short barrel intended) hollow points, 125 grain, 140 grain and 158 grain. Don't see any decent testing on KZbin out of a snub. I know you're a Speer 135 grain fan for EDC, be curious how they compare.

[@GunSam]

I will have to try those. Thanks.

[@kentuckywindage222]

I like 45acp, but if you were backing me up I would rather you carry the 44 out of these two weapons. In my experience accuracy and penetration is most important. Hitting what you are aiming at with enough penetration to damage vitals. Bullet expansion has a huge following. In reality you may have to shoot through a heavy jacket, a couple of shirts. From a shoulder shot then skin, muscle, bone. Again same material on inside of arm. Then again through the same materials, skin muscle, bone to enter a human body and injure internal organs. I would love to see this scenario set up and tested Sam. Maybe pork shoulder in a heavy jacket arm. Then the jacket with leather for skin, pork ribs something for a lung. Then a balloon full of red paint for a heart. Up to you, but it would be very interesting. Do a caliber every so often as a complete project. Survey for top 4 or 5 calibers and ammo to test. Great work as always. Keep'em coming!

[@tonygross8678]

A man named Elmer Kieth loaded 44 special ammo to 44 mag levels and convinced Remington to make the 44 mag.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Not terrible for either. 45 better here. Happy New year

[@GunSam]

Thank you. Happy new year.

[@876mpr]

Love them both, but as another pointed out, the .44 Special was definitely loaded with a Sierra that won’t expand as well at those velocities. An XTP or Speer Gold Got would have done the same as the ACP. Big advantage to the .44 Special in the accuracy and versatility departments though.

[@dexternorman6283]

Happy New Year

[@moderatemexicanamericanpat4904]

Happy new year!

[@GunSam]

Thanks, same to you.

[@steventhomas7844]

Happy New Year and God Bless Everyone 🎆

[@johndenham9999]

Good job thanks

[@GunSam]

Thanks!

[@danoneill2846]

Both win

[@user-vf3gf4xq3v]

The 45ACP seems to work better but the 44 special wins the day because you don’t have to hunt for your brass in the snow.

[@Me2Lancer]

Thank you Sam. Guess I'll have to fall back on my 45 ACP pistols. Thought the semi jacketed HP 44 Special rounds would do better. As you suggested that penetration could be a good option for personal defense against dangerous game.

[@GunSam]

The .45 ACP seems to be more consistent if you look at personal defense numbers. The 230 gr ball is about as effective as a hollow point .380, but all other .45 rounds that are hollow point the all consistently push past 90% stopping power. If you look at like 9mm, you get to 90% but only in +P, and it's just scattered performance. I also like how at 100 yards, a .45 ACP goes from average like 350 ft lbs to 300 ft lbs. If you start a 9mm at 350 ft lbs, at 100 yards it's only 250 ft lbs. The .45 ACP and it's momentum claim IS definitely true, and a ton of momentum against air resistance. Most people don't think about the practical aspects of momentum, and simply say "knockdown power not real, can't knock you down, momentum fake"....nope, momentum is real, but true ballisticians know what momentum is good for. It's good for range!

[@Me2Lancer]

@@GunSam Thanks for the insightful information.

[@Lateralus1007]

I noticed you have the MOS Glock Have you ever considered putting a red dot on there? I had Glock 19 mos Traded up for 19x w night sights Love that full size Glock feel 💥

[@dylanthomas7680]

3:10 nice group!

[@GunSam]

Thanks

[@MrRedeyedJedi]

That's some hot 45acp

[@ted.angell7609]

Buffalo Bore used a 3.25" S&W 396 to get 1,155 fps. Weird that with an extra inch you got less velocity, given BB's transparency. I'd be curious to see how their 200 grain .44 wadcutters would perform vs. a .44 swc.

[@alonzahanks1182]

A realy good book is hand guns of the world . In the back are military testing on live animals and 2 legged varmit lol

[@redfaux74]

Just my opinion.... Bologna is almost literally a liquid. There is zero tension in it at all. I think a half pound of ham off the bone would be a better medium simulation for chest muscles. Great videos tho. I do love your tests. And I've been subbed for a while.

[@justusbryant7366]

Is there any good 44 special rounds for defense?

[@dangerman007]

Great test as always. A little disappointed in the .44 special as I hoped the extra velocity would help the SJHP expand. Any thoughts on a good load for my 3 inch Charter Arms Bulldog that I just bought other than $3.10 per round Hornady Critical Defense 165 FTX? It's first generation so it's pretty lightweight with alloy frame and Underwood is not recommended. I've seen no testing on the Federal 200 grain SWCHP and wonder if this stuff is any good...

[@GunSam]

Thanks. If you can find it I might say the Gold Dot 200 gr round would be good. I saw that Federal ammo, it was available on Federal's site for a short time listed as target ammo, but it's been gone for awhile now. Someone requested I test Buffalo Bore's 190 gr soft hollow point and I will, but it's a little warm. Other than that I don't have any ideas.

[@dangerman007]

@@GunSam Thanks!

[@chrish.4067]

Happy New Year everyone! I would like to see some other 44 special ammo against the 45 acp. LOL, realizing how expensive and hard to come by ammo is. The Buffalo Bore 44 special 190 grain soft lead hollow point at 550 FPE looks interesting for blowing up bologna pack purposes :-)

[@GunSam]

Thank you. I think i'll add that to my list as Buffalo Bore always has ammo. Buffalo Bore at $30-$40 a box shipped to your house compared to driving all around to 20 stores all empty of ammo, doesn't sound so bad right now.

[@chrish.4067]

Hint hint, video watchers and Gun Sam Fans. That ammo is spendy. Any amount given on Paetron, helps entertain us with comparison videos.

[@Wildwestwrangler]

Buffalo Bore makes a 45acp round that is 255gr traveling at 925 fps. Can you test it?

[@lookythat2]

My guess was the .44 wouldn't expand as much. No doubt the .44 JHP was one originally intended for the .44 Magnum, and so was of much tougher construction. No surprise it didn't expand like one made for the .45 ACP, since the 180 gr out of a .44 Mag could easily be going 400 fps faster (the 180 gr used to be loaded to nearly 1800 fps [!!!] out of a 7.5" .44 barrel).

[@garyreid6165]

Buffalo Bore is a very popular ammunition brand. Well known for being hot. No wonder it is sold so quickly.

[@MrExplorer1965]

Love it. Need a Glock in 45 ACP 🙂

[@64samsky]

The Son of Sam killer in the 1970's used a Charter Arms Bulldog in 44 Special.

[@GunSam]

I tried to find what ammo he used, but all that I found was they said he used odd ammo, but odd was defined as .44 caliber. There were also reports of bullet fragments so all I can assume is they were LRN. Trust me, I've looked into it before.

[@bjs301]

I wonder if the 20 extra grains with similar velocities may be one reason the .45 did better.

[@GunSam]

Well, it does provide more power, but with the same sectional density, and same energy, they should have penetrated identically. That means that the bullet design is the deciding factor for the differences.

[@tm510a]

Buffalo Bore is the best and the only one you can get online.

[@GunSam]

I have been buying it long before ammo was hard to find. It's good stuff. Doing what I do I can clearly see that 20 rounds for $30 is actually a value, because of the components and consistency they put into them. The 9mm/Glock fanboys never see this, as for them it's all about quantity.

[@tm510a]

@@GunSam .327 mag,.32 H&R,.32 SW,.380 acp,.32 acp,9mm all buffalo bore in my carry guns. I wish they made rimfire I would love to have some 22 mag in my North American Arms Revo.

[@skippy1729]

It seems that BB no longer makes the semi-jacked HP in 44 special

[@christophernemeth421]

Interesting. Was the exposed lead in the sjhp a harder lead alloy?

[@GunSam]

I really do not know. The lead does look less black than pure lead, so I will guess there's a little bit of alloy in there making it harder.

[@christophernemeth421]

@@GunSam makes me wonder if they used a bullet designed for 44 mag velocities.

[@GunSam]

@@christophernemeth421 They probably did.

[@tomgreen1721]

The 45acp is like me Fat and Slow.

[@RustyOpel]

Does skinny, old, weak and slow make me a .25Acp? 🤣

[@GunSam]

I'm chubby, slowish, and not as strong as I should be but relatively tough. I must be a .40 S&W.

[@williamnantz5604]

same

[@dejavu666wampas9]

I’ll bet the bad guys won’t be able to outrun a fat and slow 45 cal.

[@Wireman134]

452423HP BOOLIT @970fps. 5" 1911

[@sipofsunscorchedsarsaparil6052]

Sam, what would be some of your choices when we talk about really tiny guns in .45 ACP? I know of the LM4, but that thing is a bit out of my price range.

[@GunSam]

I used to have a Glock 36 with a 3.7" barrel, 6+1. I did test ammo when I had it several years ago, but not as good of testing as I do now. But what ultimately became my carry ammo from all the tests I did back then and it did the best, was the Winchester PDX1 230 gr. I believe there is a Winchester Ranger 230 gr as well that is the same ammo. It just did very well for me.

[@sipofsunscorchedsarsaparil6052]

@@GunSam Thank you very much. I looked at the Glock 36 and it appeals to me in the sense that it is not overly wide, unlike the 30. I have fairly small hands so a big grip can make me suffer a great deal. A big Beretta or full sized Glock in .45 is very uncomfortable. Do you know any in a more metallic configuration? I know Colt makes some tiny 1911s but they can be quite expensive for a gun that size.

[@GunSam]

@@sipofsunscorchedsarsaparil6052 I don't really know of any metal framed .45's that are small. I do know though in polymer frames, there's a S&W M&P or Shield or something like that which is smaller than the Glock 36 and people seem to love it. I think it's only 5+1 capacity.

[@sipofsunscorchedsarsaparil6052]

@@GunSam Thank you very much, will look into it!

[@alonzahanks1182]

You cant put a buffalo 255 grain bore keith load in your 45 at 1150 feet per second. the 45 acp shell would blow out the back of shell love your wood test need to do that with heavier bullets and measure how far they fly good video I think outside the box . I like comparing mathamatically the depths at 44 calliber for 44 going 10 inches versus the 45 expansion at 60 caliber going 8 inches deep then throwing in the bleed out out 2 holes , entrance and exit wounds and maybe blowing the spine out of it lol With heavy and hard kicking rounds I like offset weaver stans gun inline with my right hand and fore arm lock your wrist forward backwards pressure on gun untill your shaking . It keeps the gun from twisting in your grip It turns me a little about a 3 inch split on eye slot at 50 yards try the modified weaver stance and try the other and see what makes you shoot center of center mass double tapping before i was taught that I had adapted to hold over and a second speed tap was out of the question had a lot of bad days just getting on paper lol

[@GunSam]

I've done the Underwood 255 gr hard cast flat nose, but even with the stock Glock barrel I had a jam so no good, but I was maxing out at 950 FPS. Stances for shooting normally VS shooting through a chronograph cannot really be judged unless you been there done that. There's like 90% of the video production people don't see, so all other aspects go out the window in an attempt to not shoot my chronograph.

[@alonzahanks1182]

@@GunSam It would beat the glock to death any ways lol. 230 at 850 is a little much anyways . Metal jackets definately you shoot great through your chronograph We always watch the video once and judge it then we watch it 3 times and get a clue lol. after i wrote that i was thinking hes dead on hitting bulleyes at 10 yards and totally missing big target at 50 yards Then I was thinking your sights have no contrast on color of long range target. Im actually a fan of the 44 russian round a 300 grain bullet at 500 feet per second I just dont get the speedier 200 grain bullets

[@biggunshandguns3687]

@@alonzahanks1182 a heavy 45 at 850 will not beat a flock to pieces. Ever heard of a 45 super a 450 smc or 460 Rowland. Do some research and educate yourself before you make comments that make you look li,e a total idiot

[@alonzahanks1182]

@@biggunshandguns3687 Your correct and I had to look up your super and rowlands The glock can handle 45 acp at 850 thats the factory load your rowlands and super are in fact speedy little rounds 180 grain or 140s that wont hammer the hammer or slide Hell I could do that with 45 acp the tommy gun ammo was a 230 grain a 1000 feet per second with just a crimp in the middle of shell but would destroy your glock in two rounds And would jack your wrist up like theres no tomorrow. And Smith and wesson Lew Horton 3 inch throated barrel model 624 Nframe with K frame grip Combat special Spits out a buffalo bore Keith load 44 special 255 grain bullet At 1225 a second on the crono And has mild jump and accuracy to boot and comparing your rowlands with a 180 grain bullet at 950 feet per second and longer shell than the acp Makes you look like the idiot this video compared the 45 acp to the 44 special The 44 special keith load has one shot dropped charging Grizzley bears definatly battle proven I merely pointed out the versatillity of the 44 special actually 44 magging it which would leave you being a pile of bear crap and a idiot comment And on top off the factory 44 special 650 feet persec 240 grain bullet being a tac driver at 80 yards shooting nothing but eye slots with 44 special and 45 auto limited 10 in ipsca in 745 where you might hit the silloette 2 times out of whole clip in your glock 25 yard gun no matter what load you shoot Id consider a 45 long colt a better more versetal round and the competition but in a colt would be no competition at all 45 acp revolver like 625

[@alonzahanks1182]

@@biggunshandguns3687 a 624 vs 625 would be a hell of comparison but at hunting round level no

[@ftdefiance1]

So how do blocks of ice compare to gelatin?

[@GunSam]

I have no idea. I have had a 5 gallon bucket outside freezing some water. I plan to use them in a video but haven't decided doing what yet. Probably like .44 Mag or something.

[@the_weed_in_your_garden9319]

Just as a common sense guess, ice would be much more dense and react very differently

[@ftdefiance1]

@@the_weed_in_your_garden9319 I was joking about the obviously cold weather.

[@adonikam1]

It's not clear, are they both +P?

[@GunSam]

The .45 ACP is listed as +P, but the .44 Special does not show +P because .44 Special+P is non SAAMI.

[@alonzahanks1182]

But then again I think 12 guage Dragons Breath is bear deterrent LOL

[@Acheco]

When did IAN MALCOLM GET IN TO GUNS AND WASN'T I NOTIFIED?!

[@Predalien195]

As many have pointed out, yes the bullet seems to be designed to be used in a .44 Magnum at higher velocities. I think the primary reasoning for this is .44 Special has more or less been supplanted by the .44 Magnum itself. From a defensive standpoint, a 4 inch .44 Magnum packing a light to mild factory load will perform adequately without over performing. Not many people pack snub nose .44's anymore with Charter Arms being the primary maker of snubbie .44 Special's. So it begs the question to ammo manufacturer's, why? Why should they invest their time to develop bullets for a caliber hardly anybody uses. I'm sure this is where everyone will try to rip on me and tell me how great the .44 Special is, how they use it all the time, and all that. And that's fine you feel that way, but the ammo industry disagrees with you as does the majority of people shooting .44's. You hardly ever see factory .44 Special ammo anymore, even pre COVID and when you did it was just as expensive if not more expensive than .44 Magnum. But this is just an explanation as to why you tend to see this issue. Because that is the direction the industry has shifted towards. Overall a good comparison, but if the choice is ever .44 Special vs .45 ACP, I'll almost always pick the .45 ACP over the .44 Special. The only times I'd consider the special over it is using heavy hard cast bullets as you can find heavier bullets in .44 Special typically but in my own testing as well several videos of yours, it's been shown hard cast .45 ACP does extremely well. So, unless it was a very niche need for the heavier round I'd still go with the .45 ACP in this case.

[@GunSam]

Yeah you see a lot of industry support to new great things, mostly making 9mm what it never was or will be lol. But that's a testament to bullet technology to make the 9mm as effective as it's become. If half of that technology went into revolver cartridges we would see great things. The only newer technology in .44 Special is Critical Defense and Gold Dot, with Gold Dot being the better load.

[@Predalien195]

@@GunSam I agree. Whenever I hear the argument about how 9mm is so great because of new bullet technology, powders, and primers. If you apply all those same things to other calibers you will see that the "gap" which 9mm has closed some will be as wide as it ever was or was perceived to be. .45 is a shining example of this as it has been a caliber that has benefited a lot from modern technology. Look at HST's for example compared to 9mm HST's. Very similar performance except for the glaringly obvious much larger wound cavities. One aspect that 9mm has always had favor in though is weight of ammunition but just about any lighter weight bullets and such tend to enjoy that luxury. Still, while .44 Special could really benefit from a modern face lift as a whole I still think the majority of people and the industry would still be asking "Why not just use a light Magnum load to accomplish the same task?". And sometimes I have to agree with them. But then again I believe if you're going to make a load a particular cartridge you should at least take advantage of what is available to you to make it the best you can.

[@GunSam]

@@Predalien195 My only thought on .44 Magnum low end loads VS .44 Special high end loads, is that the velocity we are looking to achieve which I would say would be something that ultimately gives maybe 500 to 600 ft lbs energy in a 4" barrel, can be done with .44 Special more efficiently than .44 Mag as the case capacity being smaller with .44 Special can do it well with less powder, making less recoil and flash that the larger amount of powder that's needed to do it with the longer magnum case. The trade off is not this .44 Special becomes this special load with warnings not to use it in a Charter Arms or older .44 SPL revolver and so on. So it makes more practical sense to make .44 Magnum loads that are low end. Same thing with hot .38 Special VS low end .357 Mag. A Buffalo Bore .38+P 125 gr JHP gives like 300 ft lbs in a snub as where a low end .357 Mag can give similar energy, but the .38 Special load is just different, more efficient in a short barrel. Or, we sometimes see that hot special ammo is way less powerful than magnum in a longer barrel, but the same as magnum energy in a short barrel, so the magnum in a short barrel can be a waste to some degree. So, I would say in a 4" barrel or greater with any magnum, a magnum is probably better, but maybe sub 3" barrel I might be looking to see how well some hot special ammo performs, as it might be 80% of the energy of the magnum, while being 50% of the recoil, which is a trade off worth taking.

[@Predalien195]

@@GunSam Seems like it would just make sense if somebody like Hornady made their "Lite" loads in .44 Magnum to get that level of desired performance rather than trying to boost the .44 Special to a point that it may not be safe for a majority of .44 Special revolvers on the market. And if other companies did that... market light defensive loads mimicking the power of hot .44 Special instead. From an ammunition standpoint, they wouldn't have to change anything but the bullets themselves to be ones designed to expand at those velocities and from a manufacturing standpoint they wouldn't have to change anything at all except powder amount, and possibly type.

[@roberthaibi2304]

Nice info thanks for sharing....save that meat.

[@GunSam]

Thanks for watching!

[@daleweller5193]

Hornady needs to do a whole lot of work on there hand gun ammonium

[@GunSam]

Hornady Custom is good, like a low powered version of what Buffalo Bore loads. Their American Gunner is mostly garbage, their Critical Defense is garbage, but their Critical Duty is okay....but the criticism is they only make mostly current service pistol calibers. If they expanded their Critical Duty line to include .380, .38, .44 and so on it would be great.

[@williamray3101]

Either round stop a man 45acp mean.

[@danoneill2846]

Too bad you don't have an 8" or rifle , they may work just fine , at full 1,150 ++ Fps

[@the_weed_in_your_garden9319]

I've been watching some videos of 357 mag out of 16" barrel carbine. Definitely improves performance of the round

[@rogerburrows4624]

That .44 bullet was probably designed for .44 mag velocity.

[@GunSam]

I have heard that said today. Interesting though, as maybe they designed it for a .44 Mag lever gun or something.

[@northshores7319]

Two good big bullets that will get the job done. Too much emphasis is placed velocity, magazine capacity, and HP expansion. People have forgotten that many were killed in the long ago by bullets larger than the 9mm. Even the revolvers used in the Civil War were man killers. Bullets that make a big hole are effective because the blood loss is faster than a smaller hole. Stopping the threat fast is what is really important, not how quick you can fire off second and third shots. People need to demand from the FBI real life Stats about how mortally effective the 9mm has been for them over the last few years to see just how well the 9mm does the job.

[@bouldernelsonbigfoot]

A Guy killed a Grizzly w a 9mm . It was a high penetration bullet . LeHigh Bullet I believe .

[@GunSam]

I have heard also someone killed a grizzly with a 3.5" pistol in 9mm with Buffalo Bore 147 gr hard cast flat point ammo.

[@slowpokebr549]

That .44 bullet was probably designed for .44 Mag. It would make a good hunting round. I prefer a tougher bullet on deer or hogs. Frankly I prefer soft point ammo for most hunting, especially hogs.

[@GunSam]

One thing I have always wondered but have no way to really prove, is how effective or ineffective are the standards if 1.5 times hollow point expansion. We have an old cop on here, I think that's his actual name, he has shot 2 people with LRN .38 Special, one dropped, one nothing happened. Other stories of HP's doing nothing while .22 short's dropping attackers. I just don't really know what to believe, all I can do is sort of compare. But, it's hard to compare one to the other if some other trait than HP expansion is what is making a cartridge effective.

[@slowpokebr549]

@@GunSam I've always liked your tests. I think the MDO board is pretty inspired. I tend to think in terms of hunting so I like that your test simulates breast bone or rib. I can only tell you that in my considerable experience hand gun hunting, over expansion sucks way worse than under. I really think that bullet placement is paramount no matter what you're shooting with or at. It's impossible to test for that. I do like you're methodology Sam, it clearly points out the qualities of a given load. I can make up my mind on usage from there. Thanks, it's saved me from wasting money several times.

[@danoneill2846]

@@GunSam If it didn't expand you end up with a Keith style flat nose , = Win / Win . I thought it did good for a bullet that only was full wadcutter size .

[@magnumgear1719]

gun sam I sent you an email let me know if you got it

[@dalekidd420]

Can't really figure out why anyone would choose to carry the .44 Spl. for any defensive purpose when you can have the same platform in a .357 Mag. For 2 OR 4-legged predators, the .357 is clearly dominant.

[@GunSam]

Well, the .44 Special can be loaded really hot, hotter than .357 Mag often. That was the premise for the Ruger GP100 in .44 Special. Because a lot of the hand loading community thinks that .44 Special loaded hot is better than .44 Magnum. It makes sense in short barrels over .44 Magnum as the reduced case capacity can give you good velocity with less powder than .44 Mag, with less recoil, flash etc and still have the energy of .357 Mag.

[@cristianespinal9917]

In addition to what Gun Sam said, .44 Special is very good for carry if you want to carry your .44 Magnum revolver for personal protection. Better to have quick follow-ups and good effectiveness than somewhat more effectiveness and very slow follow-up shots.

[@CommunismiEstCacas]

357 mag is a great caliber, but is also known as a eardrum buster because a really high decibel peak and blast. 44 special have a good reputation as a fight stopper and because is a low pressure caliber it has a low decibel peak.

[@GunSam]

@@CommunismiEstCacas True, I forgot to mention that.

[@biggunshandguns3687]

357's are loud and obnoxious with ear pro and outside. I can't even imagine how bad it would be in your house with out ear pro.

[@richardziemies8247]

Like I always say,,,,,,, REVOLVERS RULE NO MATTER WHAT. PERIOD.

[@Lateralus1007]

.45 was a real slapper 👋 💥