I'd tend to agree with some others that the .44 Mag is kind of a big bang to go off in the close quarters of a vehicle. I mean, if you are shooting someone who is coming at you through the driver side window I'd worry about getting hot gas in my eyes from the barrel/cylinder gap.
That being said, it will get the job done of course. If it were me, though, I'd load it with the hottest .44 specials I could find, or make a reduced-power .44 mag handload.
"Truck gun for SHTF" in Wal Mart parking lot? While more potent than traditional handguns, the best tool for this application is a carbine or compact shotgun. Longarm always > pistol of any kind, so if it's not being carried, it should be a longarm 5 times out of 6.
Carjacking Repellent? A .44 is going to create a ferocious blast. Discharging any weapon in a confined space like that is going to suck, but a magnum is going to be unreal. Moreover, the larger size and recoil properties present more of a challenge, especially when using one handed while trying to operate vehicle controls. In this case a high-capacity med-small frame auto with subsonic may be a better choice.
A .44 is a badass iron and one of the least desirable handguns to find oneself at the business end, so I wouldn't call it crazy. However, it is not ideally suited for any automotive application I can think of in light of better choices. Regardless, a "truck gun" is a theft magnet, so the best call is to have nothing on board unattended 24/7 or very securely locked in the vehicle. My $0.02.
Ever shoot a 44mag from the cab of your truck? If you ever do you won't be able to hear the 911 operator after you shoot the perp.
Anyway, nothing wrong at all with 9mm if you use it correctly....just like any other caliber, including 44mag.[/QUOTE]
yeah, i thought i would be smart and shoot may dan wesson .44 mag out the window of my truck trying to shoot an armadillo, i could not hear s***t for the rest of the day. the pistol was way past the window i might add. keep some ear plugs handy...lol
if this is just a "why not" thing, then if that's what you have, use it. one down side I can think of would be an 8" barrel knocking around while you're trying to get it pointed where you want it to go, but 4" or less, gtg.