[BlkHawk73]

Did a quickie search and cannot find any manufacturers that make a .44 special with at least a 4" bbl. (Don't want a Smith) Any thing I may have missed? I thought Taurus or Rossi offered one.

[JBP]

You can get Taurus Models 44B4/44S4 in .44 Mag and load them with 44 spls.

[Lone Star]

I believe that Colt and others making Single-Action Army type guns occasionally offer the .44. Some enthusiasts build them from old .357 Ruger Blackhawks on the frame used before all SA Ruger centerfires went to the .44 Magnum-sized frame.

I wouldn't buy a Rossi or Charter Arms .44, and am very dubious about a Taurus. Quality/durability issues.

You are probably aware that Smith is going to make a limited run of the M21 again, for Thunder Ranch. But you don't want a Smith...

Lone Star

[BluesBear]

and am very dubious about a Taurus. Quality/durability issues. I have one of the few unported 2" Taurus 445 .44 Special revolvers. It's blued steel.
I haven't shot it a lot. So far I have only put 1015 rounds of factory ammo through it.
If I showed it to you and told you it had only been shot 25 times you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
The fit is good. The finish flawless. Less tool marks inside than my S&W 29-3 and my S&W 544. (both LSI vintage) It's as tight as most of my n-frames. The trigger pull is exceptional. It's more accurate than I can hold. It shoot damn near anything right where youpoint it.

I guess you could say I like it. But then I'm not as easy to please as some folk.

[targetshootr]

Why not a Smith? I have a variety of 44 spls and the Smith N frames are among my favorites.

[BlkHawk73]

This is actually for a co-worker. He wants one chambered in 44 special not a 44 mag capable of 44 special chambering. This will be a working (Jeep/truck, woods gun) so he's not going to spend a great deal of $ on one. Hence - no Smith or custom job. Also doesn't want anything shorter than 4" of bbl. We cannot even find any non-current modles that are to his likeing. I appreciate the responses. We'll keep looking. :)

[38Mike]

Look for a used Taurus 431, I'm thinking they made a 4" barrel version.........

[Marshall]

I wonder what the logic is in not being open to a 44mag the same size which can shoot 44 specials?

[BluesBear]

Does it have to be a 4"?

How about a Taurus M441 3", SS, adj.sights, 5shot, .44spl (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72230&perpage=25&pagenumber=1)?

One of our members has one for sale.

[PI Rob]

Bluesbear,
That's mighty kind of ya to mention my for sale ad.
Thank you for the help.
You wanna commision or a discount?
PI Rob

[Majic]

I wonder what the logic is in not being open to a 44mag the same size which can shoot 44 specials?
The same as those who want a .38sp and not a .357mag. If you are not planning on ever shooting the heavier loads of the magnum why buy a handgun so chambered?

[BluesBear]

Neither Rob, Just trying to help a friend.

[Marshall]

The same as those who want a .38sp and not a .357mag. If you are not planning on ever shooting the heavier loads of the magnum why buy a handgun so chambered?

Majic,

I understand, I have a 696 .44sp. However, if I couldn't find one I would be open to a 3-4" Model 29 or 629. Actually, I should have bought one instead. But, live and learn. :rolleyes:

[SomeCleverAllusion]

Its not a 44spl but taurus does make several 5 shot revolvers in 45acp. I'm seriously considering one but can't seem to justify to the wife or myself why it would be better than another 1911 or even the 1911 I currently have.

If your friend is looking for something this size, you may wish to ask him why a 1911 in 45acp wouldn't do the trick. I've tried to justify a revolver with that range of power and caliber but can't.

[BlkHawk73]

Ok, I guess some get it and some don't. In 2 posts I stated pretty clearly what I wanted. I don't want a .44 mag, I don't want a snubbie, I don't want a S&W and I don't want a 45ACP in a 1911 or otherwise! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[SouthpawShootr]

You'll have to look on the used market. The now-discontinued Taurus 431/441 was chambered in .44 special, could be had in stainless or blue, and either a 3 inch or 4 inch tube. I scowered gunshows for about 6 months and stumbled upon an unfired stainless 3 inch (exactly what I was looking for) for $300. Haven't shot it yet, but I hope to soon. As for the Rossi, they did (and may still, I'll have to check) offer a .44 special in a similar configuration to the 441 - it kind of looks like a S&W 686. The Taurus and Rossi both sported 5 shot cylinders.

[Marshall]

In 2 posts I stated pretty clearly what I wanted. I don't want a .44 mag, I don't want a snubbie, I don't want a S&W and I don't want a 45ACP in a 1911 or otherwise!

Sorry BlkHawk73, I must have been mistaken, I was under the impression this was for your buddy, not you. That's why we have asked some questions and suggested some other thoughts on the matter. That, and seeing as how you, I mean he, can't find a .44sp, thought some other options might be worthwhile offering.

Good luck finding what you, Im mean he, wants. :)

[BluesBear]

Sadly the 2004 Rossi catalogue shows no revolvers in .44 Special either.

[edwardyoung]

Is he interested in double actions only? There are some single actions that would fit the bill.

http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=18846163

[BluesBear]

There just ain't a whole lot of 4" .44 Special revolvers out there at decent prices. A 4" S&W 624 or 24 won't be cheap.

If all your buddy wants it for is a truck gun he might have to settle for a 3".
Taurus made a 4" for a while but it wasn't very popular.
Charter Arms made their 4" Police Bulldog in .44 Special in the 1980s,

It seems that people who want a 4" gun want it in .44 Magnum. ANd people who want a .44 special want short barrels for CCW.


.44 Special is one of those calibers that everybody says is great but yet they don't sell enough for the manufacturers to keep making them.
And until you can get cheap ammo for them Joe Average isn't going to start buying them.
I have never understood why you can get cheap UMC or White Box in .44 Magnum but not in .44 Special. CCI makes a Blazer .44 Special but it costs MORE than Blazer .44 Magnum!
I have been buying Winchester Cowboy loads for my 2" Taurus because it's the cheapest .44 Special ammo I can find.


I keep thinking that someday this .44 Special concept just might catch on.

[WonderNine]

Last gunshow I was at I saw a really beautiful blued older S&W w/4" barrel in .44 Special. Wish I knew what it was. It was like new condition.

[SouthpawShootr]

Tapered barrel? N-frame? That was a model 24. I don't see them that often anymore. Production ceased in '84

Of course, it could have been one of the old .44 Hand Ejector models in which case it would be very expensive as well as collectible.

[Majic]

The M24-3 maybe found in 4 inch, but not very often. They would probably be in the $500 range. The M24 thru the M24-2 (or known as the Model of 1950) would be even harder to find in a 4 inch and expect to pay in the $1000 range for one.
There just aren't that many 4 inch .44sp revolvers on the market from any maker and just as Blues noted, the price of the ammo makes absolutely no sense considering how many people shoot .44sp in their .44mag revolvers.

[STORMIN29]

The had Taurus .44 special snubbies at the gun show for $299.00. Not sure of the model number though.

[sadp40]

the model 720 rossi is what you want 3 inch .44 spl stainless stell rubber grips adjustable sights....i have fired hundreds and hundreds of heavy .44 spls loads thru mine with no problems. now my youngest son has adopted it. he's 12 yrs old so i make some pussycat loads for him now but she still shoots like a charm.

[WonderNine]

Southpaw, yea I'm pretty sure it was a tapered barrel. It was really nice, like new basically and I would have guessed it was 1984 or older. I don't know what you mean by "hand-ejector", but it was a swing out cylinder. Looked like a slightly larger model 19. The guy had some nutty pricetag on it though like $500-$600.

[Majic]

Sounds like a M24-3 Wondernine, and that nutty price tag is about what they are going for.

BTW.... a hand ejector is a swing out cylinder S&W. The name came from using the hand to eject the cases as opposed to the older top breaks that ejected automatically when you broke the action open.

[SouthpawShootr]

The "hand-ejector" models were what S&W called them. They were just a large frame .44 special prior to the introduction of their number system (they looked like garden variety plan jane S&W revolvers and did have a swing-out cylinder). There are a number of ways to positively id them, but I'm not an expert and have seen precious few (all terribly expensive).

[Stainz]

If anyone wants a 'real' .44 Special, try the beautifully blued 6.5" S&W Heritage Series 24, like the ones CDNN has for $600 + $10 S/H (They were listed ~$1080) to your local ffl. I bought one in March, despite having a similar 24-3 from '83. The '02 produced 24 has a four screw sideplate, no barrel rib, adjustable trigger stop, ball-detent lock-up, etc, and is perfect, despite the frame-mounted firing pin. I put a pair of Ahrends cocobolo square-conversion RB grips on mine - perfect fit, visually and ergonomically. They still had a dozen or so last month... nice folks to deal with - plastic payment over the phone - but you need, of course, someone/somewhere with an FFL to transfer to. Great revolver! I think that they finally ran out of the 2.5" Ti cylindered 296's, however.

About the 696... mine is probably the next-to-last to leave me, should I ever sell out... my first S&W, a 625MG, was a gift from my wife, so it has 'sentimental' value, making it the 'last'... the 696 is just fun - perfect size, great accuracy, decent caliber, etc. The best grips I have found are the similar-to-OEM but squared UM's combat grips (Like the OEM's on a 66...), available from S&W Accessories for <$30. The OEM rounded UM's, like those on new 10's, made a great improvement on my 296 as well. I bought some $20 K/L wood grips with medallions from 'Sportsman's Guide' which look and feel nice, although those backstrap-enclosing OEM's are better for heavier recoil. If anyone has a 696 for sale, try the S&W Forum... it is a very well liked - and desired - revolver there.

Stainz

[BlkHawk73]

the model 720 rossi is what you want 3 inch .44 spl stainless stell rubber grips adjustable sights....i have fired hundreds and hundreds of heavy .44 spls loads thru mine with no problems.


No...that's not what I want. As I said in my first post on this thread, I want at least a 4" barrel. If the 720 has a 3" bl, than it's not 4". So...that's NOT what I want. Being able to fire 100's, even 1000's of heavy .44 Specials isn't a concern to me since if I wanted it for hot .44 cliber loads, I'd use my .44 magnum.
Anyways... do appreciate all - or at least some:rolleyes: - of the responses I've gotten. Not tossed the idea completely but changed course. getting a long gun instead.

[tex_n_cal]

You may be able to find a .44 Special Single action that would fit the bill. Colts are probably too expensive for the requirements, but one of the US Firearms Rodeos, or Italian Colt Clones might be found in .44 Special. I know there were some made in .44-40, as Dad had one.