.44 Special
- Thread starter Choctaw
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.308 Norma
Member
Wow! That is NICE!
MidRoad
Member
Wow! That is NICE!
Sure is!
Not much of a smith guy, but that thing is beautiful. when I finally getting around to picking up a smith its going to be 4" stainless with wood grips. Just something about them that looks amazing.
Zaydok Allen
Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2011
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- 13,274
If you dig that barrel profile you may want to look for a Mountain Gun from S&W. They are a tapered barrel 44 mag if you aren't familiar. Recoil is a bit heavier from what I hear due to the reduced weight.
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P5 Guy
Member
S&W 696 the only 44SPL I own.
BobWright
Member
Just for fun, here is a family history of the .44 family, from .44 Henry to .44 Magnum:
The .44 S&W (American) is a direct descendant of the .44 Henry r.f. While the Russians are generally credited with the inside lubricated cartridge, I have doubts about that. About that time, 1871 or so, Union Metallic Cartridge Co. was experimenting with eliminating heel crimped bullets, though they retained outside lubrication. Further, ammunition produced by the Russian arsenal at Tula was of the outside lubricating type. So the elimination of the heel crimp and inside lubrication did not seem to occur at the same time. Early .45 Colt ammunition made at Frankford Arsenal was of the greased type.
As to the connection between the .44 Henry and the .44 American, Roy Jinks stated that the first S&W No. 3 revolvers submitted to the Army were .44 r.f. The Army rejected these as they required a center fire. S&W simply changed the firing to center fire without changing chamber dimensions, hence the .44 American.
Bob Wright
The .44 S&W (American) is a direct descendant of the .44 Henry r.f. While the Russians are generally credited with the inside lubricated cartridge, I have doubts about that. About that time, 1871 or so, Union Metallic Cartridge Co. was experimenting with eliminating heel crimped bullets, though they retained outside lubrication. Further, ammunition produced by the Russian arsenal at Tula was of the outside lubricating type. So the elimination of the heel crimp and inside lubrication did not seem to occur at the same time. Early .45 Colt ammunition made at Frankford Arsenal was of the greased type.
As to the connection between the .44 Henry and the .44 American, Roy Jinks stated that the first S&W No. 3 revolvers submitted to the Army were .44 r.f. The Army rejected these as they required a center fire. S&W simply changed the firing to center fire without changing chamber dimensions, hence the .44 American.
Bob Wright
dickydalton
Member
OK I confess. The speed loader is full of 44 Specials and my 1989 mountain revolver has magnums in it! Recoil is not a problem.
History is so much simpler when it can be written as a zero or a one. And we crave that simplicity. Whenever you delve into the details of historical advancements, be it mathematics, medicine, technology, nothing was created in a vacuum, everyone influences everyone else. There are always stories about the "forgotten" innovators, just recently read one about Emmy Noether, and you know, people who make important contributions often get forgotten. History is unfair in that way. Just how the inside lubricated cartridge came about, well, lets say history is the lie upon which we agree on.
Mowgli Terry
Member
My experience shooting 44 Special in 44 Magnum revolvers has been very good. Might be worth a try.
DM~
Member
All of these will shoot 44 spls.,
but my fav 44, for spls. is, the S&W model 19 in the lower right hand corner...
The one that get's shot the least is the "flat top" 44 mag., one of these days I'll send it down the road...
DM
but my fav 44, for spls. is, the S&W model 19 in the lower right hand corner...
The one that get's shot the least is the "flat top" 44 mag., one of these days I'll send it down the road...
DM
MidRoad
Member
If1HitU
Member
Wow and you did do something about it,awesome family...Congrtulations
Cocked & Locked
Member
Only ones I own....44 special specific that is.
Charter Arms Bulldog
Rossi 720
Charter Arms Bulldog
Rossi 720
For the past couple years, I've been casting and loading 200 gr wadcutters (Saeco mold) for my 44 Specials. Fun, accurate shooting from this fine old cartridge.
OP
OP
Choctaw
Member
I agree. However, this time I wanted a dedicated 44 Special to add to my little Ruger collection. I just ordered a blued Ruger Bisley Flattop in 44 Special with a 5.5 inch barrel. I want to thank everyone for their comments and/or photos because you folks definitely helped me make up my mind. My wife isn't happy with you people but since she is dragging me to Minnesota next month for a wedding she is choking it down a bit.
MidRoad
Member
I agree. However, this time I wanted a dedicated 44 Special to add to my little Ruger collection. I just ordered a blued Ruger Bisley Flattop in 44 Special with a 5.5 inch barrel. I want to thank everyone for their comments and/or photos because you folks definitely helped me make up my mind. My wife isn't happy with you people but since she is dragging me to Minnesota next month for a wedding she is choking it down a bit.
Congrats! You're going to love it
Dframe
Member
You should be forewarned. .44 specials can get in your blood and you may never recover. Don't ask me how I know. I can quit anytime I want.
Right!
OP
OP
Choctaw
Member
Good, I need to kick the 45 Colt habit. I'm not a strong man and need all the help I can get.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
The .44Spl and the guns that chamber it are indeed one of those special combinations where all the stars align, resulting in perfection. Unfortunately, it's one of those things you either get or you don't. As John Taffin says, "for those who understand, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not, none is possible". If you judge the .44Spl as the plinking version of the .44Mag and have only shot it in .44Mag sixguns, you're really missing out on something. I'm glad that I "get it".
It's a great cartridge in the SAA and IMHO, a better fit with greater potential and fewer caveats than the .45Colt.
I still need to replace this one that I foolishly let go down the road.
The Ruger GP is also a great platform for the Special.
Old N-frame .44 Specials are just cool!
As are "new" N-frame .44 Specials.
The New Model single action .44 Specials are nice but a little heavy for what they are, as if there's some depleted uranium hiding in there somewhere.
The Old Models make much lighter and nimbler .44 Specials.
It's a great cartridge in the SAA and IMHO, a better fit with greater potential and fewer caveats than the .45Colt.
I still need to replace this one that I foolishly let go down the road.
The Ruger GP is also a great platform for the Special.
Old N-frame .44 Specials are just cool!
As are "new" N-frame .44 Specials.
The New Model single action .44 Specials are nice but a little heavy for what they are, as if there's some depleted uranium hiding in there somewhere.
The Old Models make much lighter and nimbler .44 Specials.
Only have two -- 5 1/2" Freedom Arms M97 and a 3 1/8" S&W M396 Ti Mtn Gun. The M97 can be run mild to wild, but since obtaining a couple of M69 S&W .44 Mags, mostly run 44 specials in it. The heavy for caliber bullets were basically an experiment -- just had to know. Surprisingly comfortable/controllable at 1,100 fps -- certainly not recommended and not in keeping with the whole idea of the ".44 special".
The gun on the lower left is the FA.
Mild - lower right. Wild - upper left.
The gun on the lower left is the FA.
Mild - lower right. Wild - upper left.
LAH
Member
Between Driftwood & 35 Whelen are there any left?? 
J-Bar
Member
I need to stop reading these threads.
Dang! I really don’t need another caliber.
Do I?
Dang! I really don’t need another caliber.
Do I?
farm23
Member
Absolutely, we all need another gun.
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