Description

TAURUS 2-440049 44 MAG M44 SS PORTED 4″ BBL

TAURUS 2-440049 44 MAG M44 SS PORTED 4″ BBL

The Taurus 2-440049 is the Taurus Model 44 (M44), a stainless-steel .44 Magnum double-action revolver with a 4-inch ported barrel. The exact item number 2-440049 is confirmed in Taurus’s catalog.

Taurus M44 2-440049 — full specifications

Taurus’s catalog gives the exact 2-440049 specifications as 6-round .44 Magnum, DA/SA, 4-inch barrel, 45 oz., matte stainless, and fixed/adjustable sights.

Ported 4-inch barrel

One of the defining characteristics of this particular M44 is the ported barrel. The ports are located near the muzzle and are intended to reduce muzzle rise and make recovery between shots easier.

A 2021 evaluation of the exact 2-440049 found that the porting noticeably helped control muzzle flip. The testers described the gun as having eight ports near the front sight area.

That doesn’t make .44 Magnum recoil disappear—the cartridge is still a powerful magnum—but the porting is a meaningful feature on a relatively compact 4-inch revolver.

Construction

The M44 is built around a substantial stainless-steel revolver frame. The stainless construction is particularly appropriate for a field gun because it is less susceptible to corrosion than conventional blued carbon steel, although stainless steel is not corrosion-proof.

The 4-inch model has a medium-profile barrel with an almost full-length underlug, which adds weight forward of the cylinder and helps with muzzle movement. The cylinder locks at the rear and at a second point near the crane/frame area.

The gun weighs 45 oz. from Taurus’s catalog, or roughly 2.8 lb unloaded. An independent test measured approximately 2.9 lb unloaded.

Sights

The factory sight arrangement is:

• Fixed front sight
• Adjustable rear sight
• Front sight with a visible red/orange element on the tested example
• Matte-black rear sight

The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation, giving the shooter considerably more ability to zero the revolver than a fixed-sight snubnose.

Action and safety

The M44 is a DA/SA revolver.

Double action: pulling the trigger rotates the cylinder, cocks the hammer and releases it.

Single action: the hammer can be cocked manually before the trigger is pressed.

It also incorporates a transfer-bar safety system. The transfer bar prevents the hammer from directly striking the frame-mounted firing pin unless the trigger is properly actuated. The tested M44 also had Taurus’s manually operated security lock.

Grip

The M44 uses a rubberized grip intended to make the substantial recoil of .44 Magnum more manageable. The grip covers the backstrap and incorporates a palm swell.

One tester found the grip comfortable enough but noted that the relatively narrow profile concentrated some of the recoil into the hand.

Performance

An interesting point is that the exact 2-440049 was independently tested against a Smith & Wesson Model 29.

At 15 yards, the Taurus produced approximately:

• 1.91-inch average group with a 240-grain .44 Special handload
• 2.15-inch average group with a 240-grain .44 Magnum handload
• 2.01-inch average group with a 240-grain Speer Gold Dot .44 Magnum load

The testers gave the M44 an overall B grade and specifically praised the ported barrel’s effect on muzzle flip.

Those results are from one particular test sample and shouldn’t be interpreted as a guaranteed accuracy specification for every M44.

.44 Magnum and .44 Special

The M44 is chambered for .44 Magnum. A revolver chambered for .44 Magnum can generally also accommodate .44 Special ammunition, but ammunition compatibility should always be confirmed against the specific firearm’s markings and current Taurus documentation.

The independent test actually evaluated the 2-440049 with both .44 Special and .44 Magnum ammunition.

Do not substitute .45 Colt, .44-40, .44 Auto Mag, or other cartridges simply because their dimensions or names appear similar.

How the 2-440049 differs from the Tracker 44

This is an important distinction because Taurus has sold several .44 Magnum revolvers.

M44 — 2-440049

The model you’re asking about:

• 4-inch barrel
• 6 rounds
• Stainless
• 45 oz.
• Traditional Model 44 configuration
• Ported barrel

M44 Tracker — 2-440049TKR

This is a different model number. Taurus’s catalog identifies it as the M44 Tracker, also with a 4-inch barrel, but with 5-round capacity, 35 oz. weight, and a different configuration.

So don’t confuse:

2-440049 = M44, 6-shot

with

2-440049TKR = M44 Tracker, 5-shot

That distinction is especially important when identifying a used gun or checking a listing.

What the model number tells you

2-440049

• 2- = Taurus item-number prefix
• 440 = Model 44/.44 Magnum family
• 049 = specific configuration

The factory UPC associate with this exact item is 725327204022 (print as 7-25327-20402-2 in the catalog).

Overall assessment

The 2-440049 M44 is a fairly substantial .44 Magnum revolver design around a useful compromise: a 4-inch barrel that remains relatively compact while retaining a full-size frame and six-shot cylinder.

Strengths

• Stainless construction
• Six-shot capacity
• Powerful .44 Magnum chambering
• 4-inch barrel is practical for a field revolver
• Porting helps reduce muzzle rise
• Adjustable rear sight
• DA/SA operation
• Substantial weight helps manage recoil

Trade-offs

• 45 oz. is substantial for a handgun
• .44 Magnum ammunition produces significant recoil and blast
• Porting can increase perceived blast/noise to the shooter
• The 4-inch barrel sacrifices some velocity compared with longer .44 Magnum barrels
• It’s considerably larger/heavier than a typical defensive revolver

Bottom line: the Taurus 2-440049 is not the Tracker version. It is the six-shot, stainless Model 44 with a 4-inch ported barrel, and Taurus’s catalog lists it at 45 oz., 9.37 inches long, 1.80 inches wide, and 6.00 inches high.