Deos anyone make a .44 Special snubby besides Charter?

[hankdatank1362]

Just like the title asks.

I love the .44spl round, but I'm no fan of Charter Arms. Their handguns feel flimsy and cheaply made to me. I Was wondering if there was a concealable, preferably snub-nosed .44spl revovler out there not made by Charter?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You might have to go used.

I am certain Taurus did make a .44 Spl. on a small (or reduced-sized medium) frame, five-shot revolver with a two-inch barrel, but I cannot find .44 Spl. anything on their current website. Rossi also once made a three-inch, medium frame five-shot. There was also the S&W 696 - a three-inch, five-shot on the L frame, which IMO is pushing the size envelope of a concealed-carry revolver. All of these were made in the mid- to late 1990s IIRC.

Every time people clamor for such a gun, the gun makers produce one, but they soon get dropped for lack of sales.

 

[lee n. field]

Taurus.

 

[cherryriver]

Smith's making the scandium-framed 396 five-shooter on an L-frame. It's pricey. They're calling it the Night Guard or something like that.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=67971&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y
There's an N-frame three-incher in the book right now, too, if that counts as
"snub".

 

[ewayte]

Smith & Wesson does: 396 NG

 

[dwf6666]

I also like the 44 Spl. Here are two of my favorites.




I'm looking real hard at the 396 NG right now. I had one of those Night Guards in my hands last week and it appears to be a fine revolver.

 

[wnycollector]

Taurus 431 came in either a 2.5" barrel with a round butt or 3"/square butt configuration. The 2.5" is no bigger than a S&W model 19/66 snub. The 431 makes a very nice CCW.

Taurus also made a 2" snubbie Model 445. Here is a link to a nice CHEAP example on gunbroker http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=103542279

 

[Kosh75287]

I had one of the 3" Taurus 5-shot revolvers. I really hated selling it, but I thought I needed that silly rent and groceries thing.

 

[mnrivrat]

dwf6666 Real nice !! Good taste no doubt . They are pricy critters though, and in some ways that's OK if one can scrap up the funds as they will always be desireable.

The Rossie 720 in .44 Spl is one of the guns I have been wanting over for some time. Discontinued but a very nice compact gun and generaly made a bit better than most other Rossie products I have come across.
I wouldn't turn them down at all.

Taurus makes the Tracker in .44 Mag which I have and since it is a medium frame gun it goes well as a 5 shot which I generaly shoot .44Spl loads from. (and still have the magnum capability) Wish they made them in three inch though !

 

[C-grunt]

I saw one of the Taurus ones a while back used. I was interested in it. They also had the similar model but in 41 mag too with like a 2.5 inch barrel. Aparently that thing had 2 cylinders fired through it and then returned.

 

[aryfrosty]

I had a 696 for a while and liked it. I also bought a 3" M-24-3 and a M-21 4". I have plans to take the M-21 in and have the 'smith install a 2.75" bull barrel since it's a round butt. The .44S&W Spl round is one of the best in my book.

 

[WC145]

I had a Rossi 720 some years ago, nice gun but heavy. Currently I have a Charter Arms Bulldog that I'm very happy with. I sent it back to Charter and had them install a bobbed hammer and cut down the grip frame to fit the small boot grips from the Off-Duty .38. It is lightweight, easy to conceal, and I think it points and shoots better now than when it was stock.

 

[FEG]

CDNN often has new revolvers in some of the less popular calibers or configurations. They had S&W snubs in .44 Special and .45 Colt for a long time (don't know the models by memory). They may still offer them in their catalog.

 

[Browning]

+1 on the Rossi 720 SS revolver, I really like that gun and I wish they hadn't discontinued it.

A better alternative (if you have the cash) would be one of the Thunder Ranch .44 Specials.

 

[lee n. field]

I am certain Taurus did make a .44 Spl. on a small (or reduced-sized medium) frame, five-shot revolver with a two-inch barrel, but I cannot find .44 Spl. anything on their current website.

Taurus gun selctor

Category, pick revolver

Caliber, pick .44SPL

Do not pick a finish

Click search.

I'm seeing an even dozen 2 inch 5 shot .44 special revolvers.

--edited to add

Alas, status on each and every one is "discontinued". 2008 print catalog does not list anything in .44 Special.

 

[Walkalong]

The S&W 696 is awesome, but pricey. You should be able to pick up a Taurus reasonable.

 

[saltydog452]

S&W produced a limited run of 3" round butt .44 Spcls in the 80s for Lew Horton.

I'd imagine you could still find one on the 'net brokerage houses. They aren't especially rare, just kinda unusual.

We have one..used to travel to Big Bend with a 4" 29, the 3" 24, and Ruger 44 Carbine.

salty

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Taurus also made a 2" snubbie Model 445. Here is a link to a nice CHEAP example on gunbroker http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIte...Item=103542279

The 445 is the one I was thinking of.

 

[nelson133]

I have a Taurus 431 and 441 in stainless, both square butt and 3 inch barrels. I like both of them, but they are a bit heavy and bulky for concealed carry. I also have a 445 in .45LC, it is very light and compact and even with factory loads it has substantial recoil. I also have a Rossi 720 and it is a nice compromise between weight and size. It is a solid little gun, but I'll probably end up selling it.

 

[kennedy]

I really like the older charter arms bull dogs, seem better made then the later ones, had two and sold both, stupid stupid stupid

 

[Fat Boy]

The local GM recently had a 2" barrel Taurus in 44 spec for $239.00...used but seemed to check out ok

 

[give]

rossi makes 1

 

[Guillermo]

There are still enough pre lock smiths out there that you can find a nice one.

I would search for a 696 or 624 before I settled for a Taurus, Rossi, Charter etc.

In my never-so-humble-opinion the selection of new revolvers is becoming less appealing. :banghead:

On the other hand pistols are becoming more appealing.

With this in mind, I am buying as many older revolvers from Colt and Smith as I can.

 

[Reed1911]

We have the Night Guards in stock, They are LIGHT, very good for CCW and great with the cowboy loads, you certainly won't spend a day at the range with full house loads, otherwise they are excellent. Current cost is 725.00


Rossi I'll refrain from comment. The Charter arms units are about like the Taurus guns, you have a 50/50 shot at getting an okay one that won't need to go back to the factory for repair in 500 rounds. I'm done with Taurus and really have no good comments about them.

 

[lee n. field]

(How did Firefox 3 know I wanted to open a tab at budsgunshop.com???? JPFM.)

Bud's Gun Shop lists the Charter Arms Bulldog 44S as in stock, $412.