In game, the .44 Magnum is able to make some shots at medium to long range, and it takes 3 shots to down an opponent with full health without Stopping Power. Each shot produces a fair amount of recoil which takes some time to settle, so it is advised that the user takes deliberate shots at a distance, as they will easily be overwhelmed by Rapid Fire weapons, and even semi-automatic pistols at close range. The sights are relatively standard. The weapon's main drawback is the low bullet count - only 6 bullets can be held at once, effectively making it the pistol with the lowest round count in the game. Though the revolver uses speed loaders, the reload time is only average, which can be a death sentence if confronted in close quarters. This gun has no need for stopping power, as it will always be a 2-3 shot kill stopping power or not.

As far as attachments, FMJ's usefulness is questionable due to the low ammo capacity. Akimbo has an interesting effect because it allows two shots at once, and at close range it only requires two shots to kill, even without Stopping Power. By firing both guns at once while the enemy is within your aiming reticle (obviously easier with Steady Aim), you can, in essence, perform a one-shot-kill. This is technically possible with other handguns, but in the cases of the USP .45 andM9, Stopping Power is required (also, the USP has drastically worse hipfire accuracy, and the range from which the M9 can kill with two shots is very short). The Tactical Knife also proves rather useful at very close range, providing an opportunity for quick knife kills if ammo runs short.

Unlike other guns in Modern Warfare 2, the .44 Magnum appears to have no fire cap, meaning that it will fire as fast as you can press the button. This is tremendously useful when using the iron sights at close range and while using Akimbo, as a player make lightning-fast kills, provided he/she can tap fast enough. While this lack of a firing cap can be useful, overzealous or impatient players trying to kill someone without taking proper aim can empty their entire gun too soon missing, leading to a hasty reload and often death.

The .44 Magnum is also noted for the fact that it switches out after changing weapon a lot faster than any other sidearm, making it a valuable asset for snipers.

As with many other guns, the .44 Magnum is capable of a much quicker reload if the user reload cancels, thus greatly reducing the time spent unarmed.