Author Topic: 44 Special fans (Read 2740 times)

papajohn428 · « **on:** July 25, 2004, 04:45:31 AM »

I know a lot of folks love the 44 Special as a Woods Gun, Target Gun, whatever. If a major maker was to bring out a DA revolver in 44 Spl, what would you want on it? Square or round butt? Barrel Length? Fixed or Adjustable? Light mountable? Barrel contour? Stainless or Blued?

Personally, I'd like a stainless 6-shot 44 in a four inch fixed sighted gun, round butt, with a flashlight mounting system on the barrel or the butt.

It'd be perfect for security work, woods bumming, plinking, all the things I use a sixgun for.

PJ the Dreamer

Mohawk · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2004, 09:43:58 AM »

Oh Papa, now you're talkin'.

I've been buggin' the wife for one of the new 3 1/2 in barrel scandium lightweight smiths for a duty revolver. Aluminum alloy frame and a scandium cylinder. Has adjustable sites with Hi-Viz front. I'll let you know how I make out. :-)

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2004, 02:24:42 PM »

I have a few 44's and use the 44sp a lot in them. I can't imagine why some one would want over a 44mag and still shoot the special, unless it was a snubby. The cylinder is not that hard to clean out.
Jim

Old Griz · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2004, 06:31:44 PM »

:cb2: I'd settle for a 329 PD. Hear it's a lot of fun with Specials.

Gregory · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2004, 01:58:18 PM »

Quote from: Jim n Iowa

I have a few 44's and use the 44sp a lot in them. I can't imagine why some one would want over a 44mag and still shoot the special, unless it was a snubby. The cylinder is not that hard to clean out.
Jim

I traded a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag 5.5 " barrel even up for a Smith 624 with a 6.5" barrel. I feel I got the better part of the trade. The Ruger was a good accurate gun, but the Smith just feels better to me and the trigger is so much better than the Ruger.

If I want or need to shoot a 44 Mag I'll do it out of my TC Contender.

jgalar · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2004, 02:50:41 PM »

Rossi used to sell a 5 shot, 3" barrel, stainless gun with adjustable sights. I think it was the model 720. It was a nice looking and practical gun - I wish I would have bought one.

cbagman · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2004, 05:07:31 AM »

:-D I like my Smith 624 with 6.5 inch barrel and load it with Speer 225g half jacked HP bullets and 16g of 2400..It clocks 1190 average fps..I have owned it 10 or more years, maybe 14. All the Smiths have good triggers from the get go.. I had a Taurus .44 Special for awhile and it shot pretty good but not as good as my 624. Shooting Times magazine had an article on the Reissued 24 and 624 revolvers years ago. The gist of it was they are made as stout as any other large frame Smith so could be loaded up, which I usually do, just 'cause I can. :grin: cbagman

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2004, 03:24:33 PM »

I have a Charter .44 Pug I'm not using any more if someone needs it.

email rleee@earthlink.net

m-g Willy · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2004, 04:02:33 PM »

Make mine a square butt N frame S&W with fixed sites and 4" barrel (somthing on the order of a over grown model 10) :wink: -- Willy

dogdoc1 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2004, 03:48:12 AM »

I have 3 Smith 624s, a 3.5", a 4", and a 6.5". They are great and not to hard to come by on the used market. None of us will wear one out in Our lifetimes. I load mine to all different levels. In Alabama, they will take any whitetail with moderate loads and have on several occasions. I would recommend ajustable sites ,however as points of impacy can vary alot. A smith mountain gun is a new alternative in 44 mag that is just like a 44 spl in feel and of course can be used with spls or reduced 44 mags.

RemingtonDave · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2004, 05:10:26 AM »

Smith used to make what I consider to be the damn near perfect .44 Special.
That would be the Model 696.
Stainless steel, double action, L frame, 3" barrel, fixed sights and round butt.
I say "damn near" only because it holds 5 rounds instead of 6.
I currently have a 3" 624 that is one of the most accurate double action revolvers I've ever fired.

RDave

papajohn428 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2004, 04:51:17 PM »

I had a nice Taurus 441, the blued steel three-inch model with the adjustable sights. It was a good gun, but the sights snagged on everything, and deep down I really wanted a stainless gun. I shot it a lot (Mama liked it a lot, too!) but finally sold it to someone who wanted it more than me. I hope to someday replace it with a snag-free three inch in stainless, if I had been able to find one several years ago I'd still have it!

But given my druthers, I'd take a four or five inch stainless M-21, fixed sights, and round butt. Make it three, one for each hand and the other for Mama!

PJ

Gregory · « **Reply #12 on:** August 20, 2004, 02:58:38 PM »

Quote from: RemingtonDave

Smith used to make what I consider to be the damn near perfect .44 Special.
That would be the Model 696.
Stainless steel, double action, L frame, 3" barrel, fixed sights and round butt.
I say "damn near" only because it holds 5 rounds instead of 6.
I currently have a 3" 624 that is one of the most accurate double action revolvers I've ever fired. RDave

I had a 696 and found it to be neither fish nor fowl. It was too big for an everday carry gun and not accurate enough (in my hands) as a hunting gun.
I'm very happy with my 624 6.5". Don't expect it to be a carry gun, but a good field gun and home defense gun.

RemingtonDave · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2004, 03:11:14 PM »

Ah yes, the magnificent 624!
I hope to add a 4" and a 6 1/2" eventually. Maybe a couple of blue 24s too.
Since you had a 696 you can correct me if I'm wrong. In my previous post I stated the 696 had fixed sights. Upon reflection, they had regular adjustables did't they?

RDave

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2004, 03:26:14 PM »

I carry a 44 sp 2" and love it with 200 gr silver hp. Plan to load 180 - 200 hard cast for it. I enjoy shooting 44 sp for target pratice in my 44 mags, has helped me come back to the basics.
Jim

Gregory · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2004, 03:45:15 PM »

Quote from: RemingtonDave

Since you had a 696 you can correct me if I'm wrong. In my previous post I stated the 696 had fixed sights. Upon reflection, they had regular adjustables did't they?
RDave

Yes. mine had adjustable sights.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #16 on:** September 11, 2004, 03:50:57 PM »

I have a S&W 44 spl. on a "K" frame with replaceable front sights. The trigger and action are glass smooth and this revolver shoots like a dream!!!!

I cast "Keith" style bullets for it out of scrap lead, and it's a joy to shoot. I've shot a truck load of rabbits with it with some ptarmagian thrown in for good measure. :>)

Drilling Man

mec · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2004, 04:11:48 AM »

This is the first of the Heritage Series done by the Smith performance center and Lew Horton a while back. Mod 24 with the turnbull blue/color case finish. They made 308 of these and a couple of other batches with different finishes. Extremely accurate, but I never get quite used to the little bitty grips

Photo is over size for Forums so I converted it from an image to a link. GB

http://s04.imagehost.org/0254/heritage2515.JPG

beard01 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 14, 2004, 08:06:03 AM »

I HAVE A sw MOD.624 SQUARE BUTT 4 INCH BARREL I wish it had round butt. Bought it from an ex police officer he said he carried it for a car gun shot less than a box through it. Still had it in the original box Love the gun hate the square butt! beard01

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #19 on:** December 14, 2004, 01:48:31 PM »

I carry a 2" 44sp Taurus with out the hammer. It is ss and ported. This in my truck gun (door shelves) easy to slide in the back pocket. I think a 3-4" 44sp heavy frame would catch me.
Jim

beard01 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2004, 05:01:23 PM »

I like the smaller 44 for carry S&W makes a 3in. 5shot I would dearly cherish but alas finances won"t permit. I got the one I have because of really good deal from ex police officer. Beard01

Don Dick · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2004, 05:10:15 AM »

I am setting here wondering why someone would want to carry a 44 when
they can carry a 45 LC? Will someone explain it to me?

If you want a 44 why not buy a 44 mag and shoot specials out of it?

Gregory · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2004, 02:51:44 PM »

Quote from: Don Dick

I am setting here wondering why someone would want to carry a 44 when
they can carry a 45 LC? Will someone explain it to me?

If you want a 44 why not buy a 44 mag and shoot specials out of it?

Quote

I traded a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag 5.5 " barrel even up for a Smith 624 with a 6.5" barrel. I feel I got the better part of the trade. The Ruger was a good accurate gun, but the Smith just feels better to me and the trigger is so much better than the Ruger.

If I want or need to shoot a 44 Mag I'll do it out of my TC Contender.

And I don't reload or cast bullets for a 45LC.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #23 on:** December 18, 2004, 02:04:31 PM »

Most shooters I know shoot more than one 44 mag. If you want to shoot a shorter barrel,say 2-3" in 44 sp as a carry gun or field gun, then I don't see it as odd to buy for that cart. its the buyers option and their money.
Jim

papajohn428 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 19, 2004, 12:02:25 PM »

Greetings, Beard01
I also disliked my square-butted Smith, mine was a 686, and they didn't make it with a round butt when I bought mine. So I borrowed a set of RB grips from a buddy, scribed the outline onto the grip frame, and took it to the grinder. In less than an hour I had ground the frame down to match his, then polished the edges with a Dremel. Didn't cost me a thing, and make the gun a LOT better for concealment, at least IMHO.
I am NOT a gunsmith, just a hobbyist, but now I don't worry about buying SB Smiths, because I know how easy it is to "fix" them!

Papajohn

C1PNR · « **Reply #25 on:** January 02, 2005, 12:01:11 PM »

Quote from: Don Dick

I am setting here wondering why someone would want to carry a 44 when
they can carry a 45 LC? Will someone explain it to me?

If you want a 44 why not buy a 44 mag and shoot specials out of it?

I've got a 25-5 in 4" and have Herrett's Shooting Master grips on it. I love it, and the Square Butt with those grips is no bother. :grin:

Having said that, I really want a .44 Spl, M24, 5" (Blue, Adjustable, Square Butt), and will probably put Herrett's grips on it, for woods loafing. :-D Have one in 6.5" and just too long a barrel for comfortable carry in a strong side hip holster (carry a M57 6" in cross draw for some hunting duties).

I have no desire whatsoever for a 44 Mag. I value my wrists and hands too much to put them to that strain. When I go out, I'm going to shoot quite a lot and sure don't need pain.

I've given some thought to the new S&W Thunder Ranch, but that's fixed sight and, IIRC, 4" only. Also WAY more money than I want to spend.

Anyone have an extra laying around?

Edited to correct to "Thunder Ranch" special M21.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #26 on:** January 04, 2005, 05:42:12 AM »

For those of you that haven't seen it elseware, here's a picture of my S&W M19 44spl. ("K" frame) next to my S&W M29 44 mag..

Drilling Man

papajohn428 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 06, 2005, 11:23:48 PM »

I don't need a Thunder Ranch Special, all I want is an L- or N-frame 44 Special that holds six rounds, and comes with a three or four inch barrel. Offer fixed or adjustable sights as options, round or square butts, even a snubby version. I'd settle for a five-shooter if I could get one, the 696 was phased out way too soon for my liking! By the time I heard about it, it was gone! :eek:

Papajohn

gwindrider1 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 11, 2005, 11:32:13 AM »

I have the 696, and I believe it is all I want in a .44 special. I had a custom pancake holster made for it, and have worn it while working on my mountain property for 10 hours a day(had a little run in with the local Mountain Lion), comfortably.

The size and weight just feel right, and IMHO, S&W got it right on this one. It is extremely accurate, and wonder of wonders, actually came with a very good trigger pull.

I have a .44 mag. in the Redhawk, and enjoy it as well, but have become very fond of the Special, mostly because of this sweet little 696.

brown-trout · « **Reply #29 on:** January 18, 2005, 04:06:35 PM »

I just got S&W's 296...its the Titanium cylinder, aluminum framed L -fram 5 shooter.
Pretty Light....19 ounces.
Kicks like a MULE with the Corbon stuff.....the CCI Trailblazer ammo (200 gr LFN at 850 fps) was more managable.

I traded in a Sigma 40 caliber auto pistol for this gun.....I just like wheel guns as far as carry guns go....Im not a cop, so in most instances 5 should do the trick.

BT