Warming up to 44 Spl - we need more choices - Page 2

jackmoser65 · July 12, 2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Shooting the 44 Special is a little romantic.

Well put!

The .44 Special is a wonderfully balanced cartridge that does 99% of what needs doing. Unfortunately, shooters have always been impressed with velocity and so the Magnum has overshadowed it.

BigBill · July 17, 2016, 10:07 PM

I purchased the last brand new s&w M24 44spec 6 1/2" barrel in nickel my dealer had. I have no clue why I purchased it. The nickel made me do it.

jumpingeezer · July 20, 2016, 02:30 PM

I bought a Rossi 44Spec 5 shot 3" for my wife a little more than a decade ago. The little gun shot well and was reasonably accurate too. It was made in stainless steel and balanced perfectly with the 3"barrel. It was easy to conceal and was my wife's almost constant companion. Unfortunately it was "appropriated" by a family member who I declined to prosecute.

I think that a similar product by a major manufacturer might be a good seller if ammo were to be readily available.

Ammo availability was never an issue with me as I have been a reloader for over forty years.

DPris · July 20, 2016, 04:12 PM

This'n has been requested for years & it's a far piece better'n anything Taurus'sss doing.

I'm scaring up components for it right now.
I suspect it'll sell quite well.
Denis

Nick_C_S · July 20, 2016, 04:46 PM

Quote:

There's a new mid-frame 5-shot .44 Special version of an existing DA revolver in development.
Might be 2-3 months before announced, possibly sooner.

Sounds great.

Too bad it won't be legal in California

JERRYS. · July 20, 2016, 04:48 PM

a few 44s, some special some magnum.

pbcaster45 · July 28, 2016, 01:22 PM

My three .44 Specials; a USFA Single Action (pictured with it's 44-40 cylinder), Colt New Frontier, and a Ruger Bisley Flattop.

tallball · July 28, 2016, 07:33 PM

Jump - It sounds like a Model 720. Here is mine. It is a great shooter. I got it for $330 a couple of years ago from Gunbroker.

jumpingeezer · July 29, 2016, 11:57 AM

tallball,

Yep, that's the one. My wife's gun had the fluted cylinder and was probably just a little bit lighter than yours. She could shoot it better than her current 3" model 37 S&W 38 Special carry piece and it packed just a wee bit more punch.

We miss it, but we'll probably never see it again.

jackmoser65 · July 29, 2016, 12:13 PM

pbcaster45, you are a man of impeccable taste!

pbcaster45 · July 29, 2016, 12:48 PM

@jackmoser65

Thanks!

UncleEd · July 29, 2016, 01:21 PM

If through the years since the 1960s a great clamor existed for more .44 Specials, I think the manufacturers would have responded.

This is just another blip exhibited by very few gun owners and not worth
the while of manufacturers to rush into production very many more .44 Specials than are currently produced.

Old Bill Dibble · July 29, 2016, 02:19 PM

I have seen several makers of those Mare's Leg in .44mag/ special in recent years. Can't imagine they would be easy to shoot. After the S&W .500 craze died down I haven't seen much by way of big bore revolvers come out.

tallball · July 30, 2016, 02:56 AM

Jump - A 720 will show up on Gunbroker every few months or so. They made a variation with a concealed hammer and fixed sights, too. There is also a 357 version that is much more rare. It was made in 2.5". 4", and 6". It took me many months to run across one, but here is the 6" 357 version that I was finally able to get. I think it is called a Model 712.

Brutus · July 30, 2016, 07:01 AM

Don't own a .44 special but my 6" model 629 never see's many .44mags.
I reload for it with .44mag. brass to .44 special velocities. One of my most accurate revolvers and very pleasant to shoot.

DPris · July 30, 2016, 12:06 PM

Looks like the one I was referring to may be another 2-3 months, but will involve two different barrel length choices.
Denis

Stephanie B · July 30, 2016, 09:38 PM

Quote:

I see a few L frames out there - does S&W still sell that in 44?

Not that I know of. The 696s really shot up in price over the last several years.

P5 Guy · July 31, 2016, 12:27 PM

S&W's 'L' frame 44 is the five shot 69 in 44MAG.
Of course one can always fire 44SPL in the 69, 44MAG.

Stephanie B · July 31, 2016, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P5 Guy

S&W's 'L' frame 44 is the five shot 69 in 44MAG.

Of course one can always fire 44SPL in the 69, 44MAG.

Yes, but this thread is about
.44 Specials.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

P5 Guy · August 1, 2016, 10:14 AM

Yes, that is so StephanieB.
I was answering the question on 'L' frame 44s. S&W made the 696 (-1 and -2) on the 'L' frame. They have become very desirable revolvers in some circles.
If you want to have an 'L' frame based 44 you will have to find one of the three versions of the 696 or settle for the model 69. I think you'll find all of these 'L' frame 44s running about the same price.

dahermit · August 1, 2016, 10:28 AM

My first .44 Spl. was a Snap's Gun Shop conversion of an M28 (Highway Patrolman). It was a great gun, enjoyed it for many years and then had to sell it to finance grad school.
My current .44 Spl. is my 5-banger, S&W 696 with a three-inch barrel built on an L frame of course. Please excuse the sight black on the front sight...I did not clean it off for the picture. Notice that the hammer spur has been removed (A three inch barrel is a self-defense gun...a hammer spur on a self-defence gun makes no sense.).

Mike_Fontenot · August 1, 2016, 02:57 PM

Quote:

a hammer spur on a self-defence gun makes no sense.

It does to me. I have 5 S&W DA/SA revolvers (one of which (a .44mag 4" 5-shot Model 69) is one of my two primary-carry guns, and one of which (a .357 Model 360sc scandium/titanium ultralight snubby) is my BUG). I never shoot ANY of them DA ... for me, DA is purely an emergency mode for when a bad-guy (or bad-bear) is within arms' length of me, and closing fast.

dahermit · August 1, 2016, 06:31 PM

Quote:

I never shoot ANY of them DA ... for me, DA is purely an emergency mode for when a bad-guy (or bad-bear) is within arms' length of me, and closing fast.

It always amazes me that someone who does not practice DA shooting enough to become proficient with it, expects to be able to use it effectively in an emergency. Good luck with that.

July 28, 2016, 07:33 PM	#33
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	Jump - It sounds like a Model 720. Here is mine. It is a great shooter. I got it for $330 a couple of years ago from Gunbroker. Last edited by tallball; July 28, 2016 at 08:03 PM.

July 30, 2016, 07:01 AM	#40
Brutus Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2005 Posts: 1,023	Don't own a .44 special but my 6" model 629 never see's many .44mags. I reload for it with .44mag. brass to .44 special velocities. One of my most accurate revolvers and very pleasant to shoot. __________________ Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak out, Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen, Winston Churchill.

July 17, 2016, 10:07 PM	#27
BigBill Member Join Date: May 21, 2006 Posts: 53	I purchased the last brand new s&w M24 44spec 6 1/2" barrel in nickel my dealer had. I have no clue why I purchased it. The nickel made me do it.

July 20, 2016, 02:30 PM	#28
jumpingeezer Member Join Date: November 19, 2015 Posts: 88	I bought a Rossi 44Spec 5 shot 3" for my wife a little more than a decade ago. The little gun shot well and was reasonably accurate too. It was made in stainless steel and balanced perfectly with the 3"barrel. It was easy to conceal and was my wife's almost constant companion. Unfortunately it was "appropriated" by a family member who I declined to prosecute. I think that a similar product by a major manufacturer might be a good seller if ammo were to be readily available. Ammo availability was never an issue with me as I have been a reloader for over forty years.

July 20, 2016, 04:12 PM	#29
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	This'n has been requested for years & it's a far piece better'n anything Taurus'sss doing. I'm scaring up components for it right now. I suspect it'll sell quite well. Denis

July 28, 2016, 01:22 PM	#32
pbcaster45 Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2010 Posts: 139	My three .44 Specials; a USFA Single Action (pictured with it's 44-40 cylinder), Colt New Frontier, and a Ruger Bisley Flattop.

July 29, 2016, 11:57 AM	#34
jumpingeezer Member Join Date: November 19, 2015 Posts: 88	tallball, Yep, that's the one. My wife's gun had the fluted cylinder and was probably just a little bit lighter than yours. She could shoot it better than her current 3" model 37 S&W 38 Special carry piece and it packed just a wee bit more punch. We miss it, but we'll probably never see it again.

July 29, 2016, 12:13 PM	#35
jackmoser65 Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Posts: 754	pbcaster45, you are a man of impeccable taste!

July 29, 2016, 12:48 PM	#36
pbcaster45 Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2010 Posts: 139	@jackmoser65 Thanks!

July 29, 2016, 01:21 PM	#37
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	If through the years since the 1960s a great clamor existed for more .44 Specials, I think the manufacturers would have responded. This is just another blip exhibited by very few gun owners and not worth the while of manufacturers to rush into production very many more .44 Specials than are currently produced.

July 29, 2016, 02:19 PM	#38
Old Bill Dibble Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2016 Posts: 802	I have seen several makers of those Mare's Leg in .44mag/ special in recent years. Can't imagine they would be easy to shoot. After the S&W .500 craze died down I haven't seen much by way of big bore revolvers come out.

July 30, 2016, 02:56 AM	#39
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	Jump - A 720 will show up on Gunbroker every few months or so. They made a variation with a concealed hammer and fixed sights, too. There is also a 357 version that is much more rare. It was made in 2.5". 4", and 6". It took me many months to run across one, but here is the 6" 357 version that I was finally able to get. I think it is called a Model 712.

July 30, 2016, 12:06 PM	#41
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Looks like the one I was referring to may be another 2-3 months, but will involve two different barrel length choices. Denis

July 31, 2016, 12:27 PM	#43
P5 Guy Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 1,804	S&W's 'L' frame 44 is the five shot 69 in 44MAG. Of course one can always fire 44SPL in the 69, 44MAG.

August 1, 2016, 10:14 AM	#45
P5 Guy Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 1,804	Yes, that is so StephanieB. I was answering the question on 'L' frame 44s. S&W made the 696 (-1 and -2) on the 'L' frame. They have become very desirable revolvers in some circles. If you want to have an 'L' frame based 44 you will have to find one of the three versions of the 696 or settle for the model 69. I think you'll find all of these 'L' frame 44s running about the same price.

August 1, 2016, 10:28 AM	#46
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	My first .44 Spl. was a Snap's Gun Shop conversion of an M28 (Highway Patrolman). It was a great gun, enjoyed it for many years and then had to sell it to finance grad school. My current .44 Spl. is my 5-banger, S&W 696 with a three-inch barrel built on an L frame of course. Please excuse the sight black on the front sight...I did not clean it off for the picture. Notice that the hammer spur has been removed (A three inch barrel is a self-defense gun...a hammer spur on a self-defence gun makes no sense.).