The .44 Automag - "Go ahead, make my day"

The queen and I were watching Sudden Impact last night and I told her afterwards that I wanted to buy a .44 Automag to go along with my 12-gauge. She rolled her eyes and asked me if I thought I was Dirty Harry. I answered "yeah, so what?".

So I was looking at prices on the internet today and it's up around $2,500. That's a little steep, but I guess it's more of a collectible now. My newspaper doesn't run ads for guns anymore so I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to place a wanted ad.

Anyways, has anyone ever fired one of these bad boys? If properly used will it really remove the fingerprints?

Here's a pic:

Peace

[edit on 31-10-2006 by Dr Love]

It is abit pricey though. gunsamerica.com shows some good .44 magnum wheelguns *Revolvers* for around $500-$5000 should you put your mind to it...

My question would be why a .44 mag?? Home defence? Bad idea in my eyes. The gun with it's regular ammo is heavy and has enough force to knock down your opponent but also go through the walls and have enough force to hit a person in another room by accident... Or on purpose who knows

A good home defence cartridge in my eyes is the .40... It is strong enough to stop a user... Small enough for the missus to use... But not necessarily strong enough to go through a wall and come out with lethal force... There are a variety of good .40's and the ammo is as plentiful if not moreso then the .44 mag...

I have no beef against .44's. I love em myself but I look at the logical uses to one. So far it has been primarily hunting and ranching but on the offchance you ever get mugged BY a subway train you may want one around

The piece you found is a nice piece. I cannot tell if it is a Colt though. If made by Wildey you will find it to be twice as hard to clean properly then other automatics. It does have good aim to it though and unless you get it really dirty inside it won't fail you when you need it most.

[edit on 31-10-2006 by Annachie]

You probalbly dont want a real automag. Not only are they expensive but the ammo is hard to find. It was originally a wildcat cartridge made from a turned down 308 cartridge. That is still who hand loaders get the cartridge, they take a fired 308 round and cut it to lenght then run it through reloading dies for the 44 automag. If you truely want an auto loading 44 mag handgun go for the desert eagle. It is the only one that I know of that uses regular off the shelf 44 mag ammo.

Originally posted by Annachie
My question would be why a .44 mag?? Home defence?

Really it's just because I want that particular gun. As a collector's item and a conversational piece you might say. I've got the home defense taken care of with my Winchester Defender.

No, I just would like to take it to the range and shoot rabbits and such.

Originally posted by ultralo1
You probalbly dont want a real automag.

Which one is the real automag? That's the one I want.

Peace


[edit on 31-10-2006 by Dr Love]

[edit on 31-10-2006 by Dr Love]

Annachie posed the right question - why do you want it? If it's for fun and you "just gotta have it", cool. There are plenty of reviews on Google about it, and its ammo. I think the Desert Eagle autoloader was an alternative here when they were popular back in the 1980's - in .44 Magnum and .50 cal.

None of these are practical weapons of course; they're just big and heavy and impressive. They just poke a hole straight through the target. Your Defender is a great choice, and for handguns, a .45 Government for me, and a 9mm H&K P7 (classic, not the 13-round clip) works well for the missus. Both are fairly slow, fat rounds (better knock-down power), and ammo is cheap and plentiful.

Have fun!

If I were you and wanted a big handgun that you can't carry concealed practically and want it for a collection, show, conversation etc.. I would get a Desert Eagle with the 3 round kit so you can do .50AE, .44mag or .357mag and with the .357 you could shoot .38 which is cheap and doesnt have much recoil. Then down the road you can buy it's little brother the baby eagle in 9mm or .40

I think the desert eagle looks cooler, and has more choices and versatility if you get the setup that can do 3 rounds. I have seen DEs sell for $700, and with the 3 barrels etc.. probably like $1200-1300 or so which is half the price of that automag

Home defence?

I'll go for the Calico 9mm Carbine, looks, looks, and lots of ammo.



Ever see an adult poop in their pants?

I am not sure anyone even makes ammo for this gun. I believe you have to manufacture the brass yourself from .308 Winchester brass. Not sure if you can buy the brass pre made from companys anymore.
YOu would have to learn to reload for this piece.
Also If I recall correctly ..shooting effeciency without jamming or malfunctioning was not good. I believe the Desert Eagle would be more reliable in this caliber. A revolver would too.
It is a nice novelty ....for collectors who can afford such showpieces. Just not for me when so many other guns are available in .44 Magnum...and more reliable too.

Thanks,
Orangetom

If i recall it correctly, these automags are very accurate and capable of good groups out to 100m, but there is a severe problem with barrel wear even at low usage...

Originally posted by Dr Love

Which one is the real automag? That's the one I want.

The picture that you have is the Real automag. It was the first Autoloading handgun to try and chamber a 44mag like certridge.
The difference between the 44Automag round and the 44 mag round is the rim. The automag is a rimless case. The 44 mag has a rim therefore it can be used in revolvers.

Yes the automag was/is a cool gun.
If you just want a 44mag auto loader then the Desert eagle is your only PRACTICAL option. But if you really want the Automag then go for it and enjoy. Life is to short not to have what you want.

One of my friend's dad has one, and that thing was heavy. too heavy to carry. It was very pretty though. We begged him to take it to the range, but he refused.

Sure, anybody can be a badass with a .44 mag. If you want to experience some real thrills and excitememt while impressing the damsel in your life, try facing down a knife wielding homicidal maniac with one of these bad boys.

If you want to play with a .44 automag before you get a real one check this out It's a lot of fun

www.addictinggames.com...


the .44 blows those zombies away pretty good

Originally posted by Dr Love
The queen and I were watching Sudden Impact last night and I told her afterwards that I wanted to buy a .44 Automag to go along with my 12-gauge. She rolled her eyes and asked me if I thought I was Dirty Harry. I answered "yeah, so what?".

People like 'Dirty Harry' etc who everyone looks up to are just actors and not real life heroes. Not trying to cause any offence but they are just people and are just like anyone else.

We should really lok at real life heroes or just be ourselves.

I love it when a member completely misses my attempt at a humorous undertone in one of my posts/threads.

DIRTY HARRY'S NOT REAL???!!!!!!

Peace

Here is a real life hero, Corporal Tony Stien who used an improvised aircraft Machine Gun in his assault on Iwo Jima.

www.medalofhonor.com...

www.homeofheroes.com...

Not a hero, But a real life gangster, John Dillinger used some customised weapons.
www.nfatoys.com...

The Barrow Gang had some customised guns, For instance the 'Scatter Gun' which was a shortened .30 Cal BAR.
texashideout.tripod.com...

Here is a good site for you
www.homeofheroes.com...

reply to post by ultralo1


I own a TDE 44 Automag, as well as a Model 29 S&W 6" 44 magnum, strictly for show. I will probably never shoot the Model 29, and will absolutely not shooth the AutoMag.

Ammo for the Automag is not so hard to come by, as Cor-bon makes ammo for it as do a couple others. A bit expensive though, ranging anywhere from $40-$70 for a box of 20. Yet another reason I won't shoot the Automag.

I have wanted an AutoMag since, yes, I saw Sudden Impact. Impractical for home defense? Yes. But that I have covered. Impractical to Carry? Yes again, but I also have that covered. I bought it for $1700, although I spent an additional $200 for a new magazine. Strictly bought as a collectable, as only about 5000 were ever made, throughout the 11 different companies that owned the right to produce it.

A great conversation piece, and will look to sell in about 10 years or so.

The .44 Magnum is a rimmed cartridge designed primarily for revolvers, and rimmed cartridges do not traditionally do all that well in the action of a semi-auto pistol or carbine.

The weight, muzzle blast, and recoil of .44Mag are better suited to very heavy weapons with a longer barrel to better burn all that powder and increase velocity.

What all this means is that it's really a hunting cartridge, and a good one at that - see also .454 Casull, .460, .500S&W, .475 Linebaugh etc etc

The most powerful practicable revolver cartridge is the .41 Magnum - still something of a thumper, but much more manageable.

Interesting side note - according to the latest statistics I have, the .44 Magnum is less effective than a 9mm JHP in actual street shootings. I would guess that this is primarily because most bullet designs in this caliber are designed for limited expansion and don't dump their energy well in we skinny humans.

As for your gun there, it appears to be a Wildey AutoMag. If you really want a .44 auto, the (terrible) Desert Eagle will suffice.

reply to post by orangetom1999


First the Automag is the Delorean of handguns; very unique very special not many made and requires special handling. there is no comparison to the mass produced Desert Eagle which fires the standard rimmed .44 cartrage. Corbon and annother coupl3 companies both produce factory ammo buit real useres make their own. Yes I own and shoot one I have both the .44 barrel and a .375AMP barrel and shoot them both regulaly. Come to Missouri and ask nice and I'll let yo ushoot mine. and the photo you have is a cheap toy reproduction.