Is the time right for a new DA 44 Special revolver?

[Smaug]

Anyone else feel like it is time to bring back the 44 Special?

No one seems to make a nice 44 Special revolver any more. Everyone feels like if they're going to shoot 44s, they need to be able to handle magnum loads.

I'm thinking that a 5 shot 44 Special in a GP100 frame would be a smashing success. It would satisfy a desire for a big bore revolver without the actual gun being overly big & heavy. (as the magnums are) Smith would follow suit and all would be right in the world. (OK, in my world, hehehe)

For handloaders, it would be especially nice, as we would have a sturdy revolver that could take a bit of a hot load that is still not magnum caliber.

It would be a nice defense revolver line-up.

Anyone who has a photo of a 44 Special revolver next to a roughly equivalent 44 Magnum, please post!

What do you think?

[Walkalong]

I'm thinking that a 5 shot 44 Special in a GP100 frame would be a smashing success

.I agree completely.

[laytonj1]

There's a reason nobody is making a 44spl. DA revolver right now. They did not sale well when they were made.

Jim

[P5 Guy]

S&W 696 is my favorite. I just don't make my handloads too hot.

[ewayte]

Smith & Wesson is making a 5 shot .44 Special. It's the 396NG.

[HiBC]

696 is a real honey!
I haven't held a 396.Isn't that a light alloy version? Is it ported? I am definitely sworn off ported handguns.(It OK,you can like them!)

Admittedly folks will argue about quality,but I have a 5 shot Taurus 44 snubbie and I like it.
The Charter Bulldog is in the group,too.

[The_Shootist]

Everybody clamours for a concealable .44 but Taurus discontinued their line and S&W offers a pretty limited selection - and the ILS is a non-starter on their revolvers for me.

Ideally, it would be nice to see Ruger bring out a slightly larger SP 101 type witht eh usual Ruger beefiness/strength but that would require an entirely new design/production line. They are in the business of making money - I'm sure they have done the market research and concluded the demand (while noisy) is limited to the point of being unprofitable. Compared to their medium/small frame .357's which also double as .38 shooters.

Charter seems to be the only manufacturer that puts out a concealable .44 spl but from what I've read they are a REAL dice throw - and some time ya get snake-eyes.

So I figure I'm probably going to look around for a (discontinued) Taurus 445.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

IMO... this one was perfect... er well less the lock... it doesn't kick bad enough to need ports, barrel is the perfect length, while being super light weight, I'd like to replace the fiber optic front sight with a tritium front sight, but aside from that danged lock, there is almost nothing I'd change on this revolver... sorry to say, but it is perfect... why it got disconinued ??? I don't have a clue ??? maybe it was ahead of it's time ???

[wnycollector]

+1 for a 3" Ruger GP100 in .44 special. I would pre-order one to today if they were to offer it!

[Smaug]

That Smith 396 is a good start. But that's only a lightweight snub. Lightweight snubs are not the best at handling heavy bullets without beating up the shooter.

As for Ruger being in the business of making money and that's why they didn't do it, I don't buy that. If Marketing does their job, they can CREATE demand.

They just introduced the SP-101 in 327 Mag. (new caliber) That seems like a lot more of a gamble (they'll need to create the demand) than a 44 Special.

[rugersp101]

A 3" GP100 in .44 Special would be my next gun if they would make one! It would be the perfect platform for a 5 shot .44 carry piece. Especially with those .44 Special 200gr. Gold Dots.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I have a 4" stainless GP-100 & if the barrel were trimmed to 3" it would likely help some... but would still be on the heavy side of what I'd want to daily carry...

the S&W shoots incredibly well, as well as carrys well ( it is my daily carry gun )... but being an air lite, it would not be a gun I'd shoot at the range more than absolutely necessary, not from recoil, as it shoots those 200 grain Gold Dots very well, but from a durability point, I could see the heavier GP size gun as a range or practice gun... but I'd still keep my air lite... as my main carry gun

[azredhawk44]

Smith & Wesson is making a 5 shot .44 Special. It's the 396NG

No, they're making a lock attached to something resembling a 5-shot revolver.

I'd be up for a 5-shot GP-100 as well. As it is, I'm thinking HARD about giving Charter a try with their 4" "target-grade" bulldog .44special 5-shooter.


Looks pretty svelte!

[CraigC]

Unfortunately, the .44Spl has never been a big seller. Even now people like WildAlaska call it an "undesireable caliber". It's a shame because it is a wonderfully balanced and versatile cartridge that deserves to be far more popular than the .45Colt in S&W N-frames and mid-sized single actions like the SAA and New Vaquero. Most shooters are content with shooting .44Spl's in their .44Mag's and do not appreciate what an appropriately sized .44Spl offers. The Special is and probably always will be a connoisseur's cartridge that only reaches its potential through handloading. Not for the uninitiated.

The recent S&W .44Spl's have been flops. As much as I love the cartridge, I'd rather find a good old .38-44 to have converted than buy a new gun with the internal lock and injection molded parts. Came close to getting one a few times but just couldn't "pull the trigger" on it.

[John Moses]

The issue for me is buying a new revolver. I prefer not to buy from Smith & Clinton and while I do not dislike Rugers, they seem a bit "clunky" to me.

With this in mind, I am spending my cash on old Smiths and Colts.

Speaking of which there is a pawn shop in town with a Thunder Ranch in 44 spl. Might drop buy and take another look at her...hmmmmm

[williek69]

I had a S&W 29-2 with 6-1/2 inch barrel. I was considering a .44 spcl when I stumbled upon a 29-4 like new with a very limited production 3-inch barrel. I plopped down the $500 and have never looked back!

[smee78]

How about a Rossi 720, I enjoy mine, I bought mine from a friend that wanted to get a 44mag. 5 Shot 3inch barrel and stainless with adj sights. Whats not to like?


Smee78

[458winshooter]

+ 1 here as well!I have a charter 2000 bulldog pug in a 2.5 inch stainless and I love it.I bought it more for my wife as a home protection gun than anything as she doesn't like my 357 mag recoil or a semiauto.I have taken a liking to it and take it along to the range everytime I go.Even my 44 mags get fed more 44 specials than anything.My only real complaint is it is not something that can be loaded hot.A Ruger would in all likelyhood not have this problem.I think it was a matter of timing that it didn't catch on better than it did.It came out in 1906, and didn't offer anything more than the 45 Colt or 44-40.Plus 5 years later the 1911 in 45acp came out.The factory ammo,a 246 gr LRN was also widely critisized as well.Those who are in the know about this cartridge love it very much as do I.I can say one thing else about them with some degree of certainty,you don't see many used 44 specials around at pawn shops, gun stores,or gun shows.That must say something about their popularity.I can,t think of anything that will give that kind of punch in such a small ,easy to carry ,easy to handle package.

[maas]

nope it would flop. with guns out like the 460 and 500 some people these days think the 44 mag is underpowered (i know sounds crazy but ive heard that a few times at the gun store from an average joe). fact of the matter people are wanting a gun they can brag about these days, and it dosn't matter if they can shoot it well or not.(not saying that everyone that owns a 500 cant shoot them or shoot them well just saying its alot of gun)

[doc540]

If produced as a true, snub, pocket gun I buy one in a heartbeat.

I kinda miss my old Charter Bulldog, but the poor buy I sold it to needed it way more than I did.

Seriously, I felt so sorry for this kid and worried about his well being so much, I sold it to him on the spot.

[Stainz]

The .44 S&W Special was derived from the 1871 .44 Russian, which used a 246gr LRN over 24-26gr fff. It's case was lengthened so it wouldn't fit the .44 Russian revolvers, as they, all designed for blackpowder, were not up to the smokeless propellant's pressure. As the new round could be found with either bp or smokeless, it was termed 'Special', a la the earlier .38 S&W Special. As has been said, the .44 S&W Special has never been a big draw for S&W. The detuned .45 Colt, by then down from 40 to near 32 gr of fff, would soon be 'equaled' by the new 'AS' round, which became the 1911 .45 ACP, once it proved it's ability to fell a calvaryman's steed for cover or euthenizing. It barely accomplished this - and the .44 S&W Special was a bit lighter - I guess it was never tested. At any rate, the S&W 1917, a .44 Special Hand Ejector re-calibered for moonclipped .45 ACPs, that new round the 'Yanks' used in their bottom feeders. The British still liked revolvers - so even Colt made 1917s for them then.

Last year was the .44 S&W Special's 'centennial' - and no .44 Specials, save some late year classics and the 'Thunder Ranch' 21TR for Clint Smith that still clogged the warehouse (... and CDNN on closeout!), were offered by S&W. It's a fun round - the .44 Russian - with smokeless - is even more so. You have to handload. Not bad for protection - use Speer 200gr Gold Dot JHPs - they open up fully at 800 fps, which the Blazer loaded variant (and GA Arms version, too) eclipses from my 296's 2.5" barrel.

Six plus years ago, S&W had three .44 S&W Special revolvers - all 5-shooters in L-frames, about the size of the CA .44 Bulldog (They use the same HKS speedloader - #CA-44!) & GP100: 296, 396, & 696. The first two were AirLite Ti's - Al alloy frames/SS barrels with Ti cylinders. The 696 is all SS. All had the same design faults - thin metal between those chambers and no forcing cone to speak of. The L-frame and the GP100 frame were not designed for .44s. I shoot the stew out of my 696, but only mild-midrange loads - nothing Elmer Keith would think appropriate. I have a 4" .44 I like a lot better - a 6 oz heavier 6-shooter that will take Keith levels - plus! Larger hammer & trigger, combined with availability and price, make it a deal. I am speaking of a .44 Magnum 629 4" - SKU 163603 MSRP $948. That's less than the 396NG - $980 - which now has a SS cylinder, adding 5 oz to the old 396's weight. I bought my 296 (closeout - $349) and 696 (regular 'sale' - $439) new over 5.5yr ago - on the same day. The 396 was $589 - their 'on sale' price - I was broke. They are worth more now - the 696 especially. You can buy a new 4" 629 for less than an average used 696 (And... you'll be happier!).

So, buy a 629 - shoot .44 Specials and Russians all you want - grip it in wood - even get the liteweight 329PD. Clean those cylinders well, add some Hogue .500 Magnum grips (S&W Accessories - $35.), and load some real .44 Magnums and blast away. Great way to launch .44 Specials, too.

My 4" 629 and 696:

My 6" 629 - which replaced a 6.5" Heritage 24:

And, my EDC for ~75% of my britches front pockets - my 296:


Stainz

[salvadore]

besides the 396pd, there is the Smith mod. 21 classic, Smith mod 24, and I believe davis or someone is marketing a Smith mod. 24 with a 3" tube. There are SAA Colt copies as well as Colt .44 specials. Magnum wheel's 396 is a dandy .44 spec. if you can find one, but a bit brutal for a day at the range. The .44 spec.is a calibre for all seasons.

[MADISON]

It is not possible to control a .44 Magnum double action.
When i want to shoot 44 double action I take my 44 magnum and down size the load to .44 Special.

[Majic]

There's a reason nobody is making a 44spl. DA revolver right now. They did not sale well when they were made.

I don't know about that. The N-frame was born for the .44 spl. It wasn't until the .44 magnum came along some 50 years later that the sales of the .44 spl began to fall off.

[Ozzieman]

Any one that says that the 44 sp is an "undesireable caliber" in my books does not know what there talking about.
You might as well say that the 45 acp is an "undesireable caliber" since the power of the two are close to being equal.