Let’s see those 44 “Special” Revolvers

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OK, let's see. A bog standard Charter Arms .44 Bulldog. I picked it up used, got it for cheap, September of last year. It came with the DAO hammer and Pachmayr grip, both of which I would have spent money to get.

It's got "some issues"*, that I'm working through. I'm hopeful that it will end up well, because I really like the idea.

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* Cylinder latch release screw, needed to be adjusted and locktited.
Broke transfer bar, in the usual place. Paid a local shop to install the part.
Cylinder endshake sufficient to intermittently bind the cylinder. Put a shim in, yet to test.
Ejector rod is intermittently "scrapey" feeling when used. Works, but no other revolver I have feels like this. I'll have to, sometime, take it apart, check it out and possibly replace springs.
 
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Biblethumpncop said:
My love of the .44spl started 3 years ago with a Charter Arms Bulldog, then a 3" Taurus 431,
Click to expand...

Late '90s some time, I was in a local gun store. Some other guy was trying (unsuccessfully) to interest the proprietor in accepting a Taurus .44 snub in trade.

To this day I regret not catching up with the guy in the parking lot and seeing if I could make a deal on that gun.
 
This was my first 44 Special, and I bought it new in the early 1980's

UUEfpU0.jpg

thing kicked like a mule with factory ammunition. I was able to buy those rubber grips new from Charter Arms, and they really helped cut down on the pain. Later I added the Charter Arms spurless hammer as the original spurred hammer snagged on everything. I really liked the concept of a lightweight, big bore snubbie.

There are lots of M624 pictures, so I won't add any more, but I was able to find this M24. I really wanted the four inch barrel, never found one at the time, but I did come across the six inch version.

zsol9tc.jpg

I do have the original grips on all of these, however S&W grips are absolutely uncomfortable in my hand, and so I installed grips with which I could shoot the firearms. (S&W factory grips are not made for human hands. None of them are very comfortable and the target version is skinny at the top, fat on the bottom, which is the reverse of the finger length on humans, and do not put my trigger finger in comfortable position)

fuKjXux.jpg

These M24-3's were more or less S&W putting its big toe in the water and deciding if the temperature was warm enough to jump in the pool. According to the web, there were 2,625 four inch versions made, and 4,875 6.5 inch made. These sold well enough, that S&W came out with the stainless M624, and those bombed. They were selling for $250.00 at the local gunstore, (44 Magnums were closer to $400) and the store owner told me that those stainless 44 Specials were the worse business decision he had ever made. The average customer could not see a reason to buy a revolver that only shot 44 Specials! Lucky me I got three M624's at the $250 price, and I wish I had bought even more!

This is a rarely encountered 44 Special. Taurus made these

ihGgls8.jpg

It is a larger frame, like K frame sized and five rounds in the cylinder. Recoil is a lot less than the Charter Arms, but it is adjusted for 200 grain bullets, so I had to buy a bunch of 200 LSWC's instead of being able to use my standard load with 240's.

Lipsey had to come out with a 44 Special Flat top before Ruger decided there really was a market for the things. I got mine in 2008, and it is a great revolver.

jCqNekV.jpg
 
Presently my only other .44 Special. A Ruger GP100. I use this one for most of my shooting in this caliber and the Bulldog Pug for concealed carry.

IMG_20211218_160446871~2.jpg

Those are Altamont grips. I like them better than the factory originals.

Eventually I want to pick up a 5"-6" large frame with a six round cylinder for a general purpose belt gun. One day..
 
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My one and only S&W696 44SPL
 
DM~ said:
It has a target trigger and target hammer, they were options back when I bought it new...

I had the conversion to 44 spl. done by Vern Ewer, he does absolutely top of the line work.

DM
Click to expand...
Did he do the 25-20 also ? The gun S&W should have made instead of the Jet !!!! Did he sleeve the barrel and cylinder down ?
 
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