Taurus 431 44 Special

[megasupermagnum]

The Ruger doesn't need any work. My S&W model 57 is probably the best trigger I've ever found on a S&W, but it still isn't as good as a tuned GP100. An off the shelf Ruger is comparable to an off the shelf S&W in both price and quality.

[fenderman57]

All my Rugers out of the box had more than enough creep in the trigger. I would rather have a crisp heavier pull than a lighter one with creep. The 69 I got 3 years ago has the best trigger by far of any other sidearm I have. With about 10 min.work,it breaks like glass at 2.75 single action & 8.75 double. And the retail price is less than even a Blackhawk.

[ATCDoktor]

I’ve had this Taurus 431 in 44 Special for several years and it’s been a decent shooter.

Red ramp front sight with adjustable rear, Easy to orient POA to POI regardless of bullet weight it’s turned in some respectable groups out to 25 yards using Unique and 240 grain SWC’s.

[racepres]

Your talking to a guy who owns 90% of Ruger's models. I'm not even a fan of S&W as a brand. The S&W model 69 is everything people keep praising all these 44 specials for, except it is a 44 magnum, so you don't have to do mental gymnastics to turn a cartridge into something it isn't. No drawbacks at all. I love the GP100, comes in 44 special even, but it won't handle what the OP wants, which is actually a 44 magnum.

Fair Enough.. But I, For One, Do Not have any intentions of of Interchanging 44Mag with 44Spl... Don't interchange 357's with 38Spl either... Different "job" for me requires a different Gun

[winelover]

I will never understand why people keep wanting to buy a 44 special, but then not be happy with 44 special.

My advice is to quit tip toeing around, buy a S&W model 69 and be done with it.

Would be good advise if weight wasn't a consideration. Depending on barrel length, the Model 69 weighs in empty at 34.4 or 37.4 ounces for a five shot revolver. Not a comfortable carry piece. Compare that to my five shot CA 2 1/2" Bulldog that weighs in at 21 ounces unloaded..........almost half the weight. It's the main reason the Bulldog is in my pocket every time I'm out in the field bowhunting. BTW, I own a S&W 24-3 that's weighs in a 38 ounces, unloaded. It requires a good holster and belt to even consider carrying afield. That's why it sits in the safe and not in my pocket. Not everyone requires/needs a 44 Magnum. I bought one of the first 44 Magnum 7 1/2" Redhawks, when they became available. No complaints but it's too dam heavy for this old fart. I might take it out back and shoot it once a year.

Personally, I wish Ruger would come out with the LCR/LCRx in 44 Special. Little better in cosmetics than the Bulldog. I would even settle for an unfluted cylinder. I love my 357 LCR, which is not much smaller than the CA Bulldog. They are so close in dimensions that holsters are interchangeable. So it could definitely be done.....if Ruger was so inclined. Their GP 100 is too overbuilt for 44 Special, IMO, the reason I won't own one. YMMV

Winelover

[megasupermagnum]

@winelover, you seem to like 44 special, which is great. It is a good caliber for light revolvers, and is akin to a 45 acp. There's nothing wrong with that at all.

The problem with the OP is he neither likes 44 special, or the light guns. The Taurus 431 for example he seems to be looking at because it is heavier, and more tame with the hotrod loads he wants to use. I have yet to see anyone ask about a 44 special without also talking about skeeter loads. I can't find the exact weight, but I'm seeing reports of 32 to 35 ounces from actual owners. That's right inline with a S&W model 69 with 2 3/4" barrel... and the model 69 is built specifically for the loads people seem to love. I don't know if they want the 44 special chamber, so they can feel special or what.

[racepres]

@winelover, you seem to like 44 special, which is great. It is a good caliber for light revolvers, and is akin to a 45 acp. There's nothing wrong with that at all.

The problem with the OP is he neither likes 44 special, or the light guns. The Taurus 431 for example he seems to be looking at because it is heavier, and more tame with the hotrod loads he wants to use. I have yet to see anyone ask about a 44 special without also talking about skeeter loads. I can't find the exact weight, but I'm seeing reports of 32 to 35 ounces from actual owners. That's right inline with a S&W model 69 with 2 3/4" barrel... and the model 69 is built specifically for the loads people seem to love. I don't know if they want the 44 special chamber, so they can feel special or what.

An Interesting observation surely.. Got me wondering what a Ruger SuperBlackhawk with 4-5/8 bbl, and XR-3 grip frame weighs??
Pretty much the same???? But, of Course No DA capability, which would not hamper me none..
Still... My 44 Special has dispatched literally hundreds of Pig Barn Rats, ( Big Buggers) utilizing my own Shot concoction...Never gonna change, as DA can come in Handy at times...

[DougGuy]

Charter, Taurus, ya kinda gets what ya pays for. Kinda. YMMV! Both of those have poor cylinder dimensions and throats that invent new words to describe how out of rounds and non-parallel they are. Most owners would never know but when you stick one on a hone, then the discrepancies are very visible.

[barkerwc4362]

I have three 44 specials. Two Taurus 431 4 inch and a Ruger GP 100 5". The Taurus both shoot a modified Skeeter load of 7.3 grains of unique and the Lyman 44 Kieth bullet. Bullets are sized to .432. My son shot one of mine and it now travels with him. So I had to find another. Both are extremely accurate and have good triggers. The Ruger loves the Skeeter load. It is just as accurate as the Taurus's, but is heavier.
Bill

[375supermag]

I’ve had this Taurus 431 in 44 Special for several years and it’s been a decent shooter.

Red ramp front sight with adjustable rear, Easy to orient POA to POI regardless of bullet weight it’s turned in some respectable groups out to 25 yards using Unique and 240 grain SWC’s.

Hi...
I have that same revolver and have found it to be a perfectly acceptable firearm.
I have shot the Skeeter load in mine and I think it is a bit too much for the Taurus on a regular basis. So I shoot a 240gr LSWC over 6.6gr of Unique in my Taurus and Uberti SAA clone.

I reserve the Skeeter load for my pair of Ruger BlackHawks.

I don't shoot .44Spl cartridges in my .44Magnum revolvers, nor do I shoot .38Spl cartridges in my .357Magnum revolvers.

[Divil]

I think your idea of 200 grain boolits is wise. Heavy 240 grain boolits would be a handful and probably stress the firearm.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have an older and recent Charter Arms Bulldog .44's, a Taurus 460 Titanium (like the Tracker) .45 Colt, and a S&W 296 Scandium .44 Special. The Taurus 460, a 2" .45 Colt, shoots very accurately BUT bullets must be crimped very tightly. Factory 225 Remington SWC had bullets pulled by recoil, stopping the cylinder from turning, while shooting 8" groups at 50 yards from a 2 handed sitting position. I have not shot the 296 much, maybe 20 rounds, very unpleasant to shoot. The two Carter Bulldogs have been carried a lot and both shoot accurately. The Taurus 460 and the S&W 296 are the size of l-frame S&W's, not really pocket pistols, the Charter Bulldog's are just handy, fit in a pocket and hold a lot more shot than the j-frame 38's in 'rattlesnake season'. I had an older 4" Target Bulldog I regret trading. Repeat purchases, I like the Bulldogs.

[JoeJames]

I have three 44 specials. Two Taurus 431 4 inch and a Ruger GP 100 5". The Taurus both shoot a modified Skeeter load of 7.3 grains of unique and the Lyman 44 Kieth bullet. Bullets are sized to .432. My son shot one of mine and it now travels with him. So I had to find another. Both are extremely accurate and have good triggers. The Ruger loves the Skeeter load. It is just as accurate as the Taurus's, but is heavier.
Bill

I think there are two separate groups who like the 44 Special, one group that wants them to mimic the 44 Magnum with Skeeter loads, and the other group that prefers the lighter weight, reasonable recoil, and inherent accuracy of the 44 Special. I am firmly in the latter group. I had a 6" 629 until I got my first 44 Special, a Lipsey Ruger new model BH 4 1/4". I sold the 629 soon after that. I also had a Lipsey Ruger GP100, bnut sold it last year because it was a bg old chunk to tote around the woods, and did not seem as accurate as my Ruger BH. I and some others have discussed a hope that Smith would come out with a K frame 5 shot 4" in 44 Special like the Taurus, but that appears to be a mere pipe dream. I don't see the need for a 2" or 3" Taurus 431 since I have a perfectly adequate Chief Special for social purposes. After this long prologue my question is: how well does the 4" 431 Taurus shoot. Would it be comparable to our pipe dream S&W K frame 4"?

[barkerwc4362]

Both of my 4" Taurus's shoot very well with the 7.3 gr unique load. The 7.3 gr load is definitely not in any way, shape or form comparable to the 10.5 gr of AA5 I shoot out of my 629 5". But, it works very well at eliminating hogs. The Taurus is definitely easier to carry than the GP100 or the 629. The funny thing is that the one my son "borrowed" from me also shoots the Speer 200gr Gold Dot factory load as well as the Keith bullet, and to the same basic point of impact. The newer acquisition does not seem to like jacketed as much as the Lyman Keith. The cylinder throats and grooves are basically the same on both guns. Triggers on both guns are good. I bought the first one new and picked up the other one after looking for another like it for several years. Some have been "rode hard and put up wet". Any revolver can only stand so much abuse. Neither of mine have been abused and are kept clean and dry. Need to take "my" 431 to the range the next time I go.
Bill

[nockhunter]

I have a 2.75" version. It has been replaced with a 2.75" M69.

Mike
Attachment 298648

[JeffG]

My 431 plus a Bulldog

[Walks]

I agree.

I did about 38-40yrs ago, but mine was a 9mm.

[leadhead]

I have a 431 4" stainless that I really enjoy shooting.... very accurate with my .432 sized cast bullets.
There's just something special about the .44 special... can't really explain it.
leadhead

[JoeJames]

I have a 431 4" stainless that I really enjoy shooting.... very accurate with my .432 sized cast bullets.
There's just something special about the .44 special... can't really explain it.
leadhead

As far as I'm concerned you do not need to explain it to me. As has been said over the years, it's inherently accurate. At times my Ruger BH seems to shoot more accurately than I thought I was capable of. Just an extra special caliber - have a hard time explaining it myself.

[Jtarm]

I saw these recently on the internet and was intrigued. I really like the idea of a 5 shot, light weight (but not air-weight), 3" barreled, big bore stainless revolver. I'd assumed these could handle skeeter loads, but really I I think mostly I would use 200 grain bullets at about 900 FPS, which is achievable within 44 special "category 1" specs. I suspect this is what the fixed sights are dialed in for anyway.

Anyone have one? Commentary on trigger, quality, accuracy? Heck if you want to sell it let me know!

My dad had one of those. My brother has it now. I’m sure it’s never been fired.