Sharing my new to me purchase!

[Eb1]

Well I have a thread regarding a .44 Special. Well I found out that a pawn shop had a Rossi M720 .44 Special.
My wife played a trick on me, and bought it before I went after work to get it. It was a big prank between the pawn store owners/staff and my wife. Ha. Ha. Very funny.

Anyway. The revolver feels like a tank. It isn't super heavy, but it just feels solidly built. I have it loaded with Hornady 165 grain Critical Defense. Should be a good nightstand/IWB carry piece. The revolver fits my pockets good, but it is little heavy. I was going to replace my Taurus 731UL 32 H&R Magnum
with this revolver. Might still do it, but it has to go IWB I think, or in a nice should rig.
I am very happy to have a .44 Special in this format.
Here are some photos:

 

[Certaindeaf]

Nice. Personally, I'd go half heavy slugwise.. like 240+ but that's me.

Enjoy.

 

[Eb1]

I will. Just dont have the spc brass right now. I will probably go 200 gr. Gold Dots at some point..

 

[bdb benzino]

Nice, I passed on one about a year ago, and am still regreting it!! I hope it shoots awesome for you!

 

[weregunner]

Heck-of-a-nice prank and gift!

Had the gun been sold out from under you you'd be missing out on a good one. Luckily that is not the case.

Nice find and let us know how she shoots. The gun that is.

 

[Eb1]

The wife shoots good. I have to sleep with one eye open.

I am going to have the gunsmith checkout the timing. Everything looks good to me, but I just want to make sure.
I have also ordered a new barrel from Numrich. It wasn't much, and I'd like to have some spare parts for this revolver.
It is a very special purchase to me, and if paying a little more for spare parts keeps me from having to hunt down another, then that is alright with me. It is worth the money.

There are several reasons for this being a lifetime purchase for me. My family takes long trips. We we go on long trips I bring the .44 Magnum to accommodate the Taurus 32 H&R Magnum 731 UL. I just have this weird idea that if we break down on the road, I want something with a little more umph than my current pocket pistol. Well the .44 Magnum is 3+ lbs. It is also SA. Not really an issue, but it could be. Now I have a .44 SPC that will fill the roll of the .44 Magnum on long road trips with the family.

I would've opted for a 1911, but there is only one 1911 that I want. That is my father's 1911 that he has had my entire life, and has been rebuilt and is a military issued 1911 A1 Colt .45 ACP. It is the only 1911 that I want at this time. After I get that one, maybe I'll get another, but that is my 1911.

I have a Springfield XD9 Service pistol. There was an incident, and let's just say that the 9mm is on my short list of close encounter stopping power. Yes, it stops the threat, but they are not stopped for good. I can't knock it to bad because it did save family member's lives, but it opened my eyes to big bore calibers, and why you want them when it comes to protecting your life.

I bought the .32 H&R Magnum for the extra round, and I like what it has to offer.. Light, easy shooting, etc. I did finish a deer with it once at about 12 feet with a neck shot. The bullet expanded fine. It was an XTP, but only penetrated about 7 inches. It did crush the backbone. I think it is fine for a pocket gun. Better than a .22 WMR, .380, .32 ACP IMO.

Sorry for the long post, but I really am feeling at ease tonight knowing I have this revolver at my beside loaded with.... well what I consider a little light, but should work fine 165 grain Hornady Critical Defense. I'd like to have some 240 grain soft semi-wadcutters, but I don't have any .44 Special brass right now. Maybe I'll cut down some magnum brass as I have plenty.

I can't wait to shoot the revolver. I'll post back with results, and what I think about the gun soon. It sure is built like a tank. Unlike other .44 Specials out there.

Now for a nice should rig for when I am riding the Harley. Anyone got suggestions on IWN and shoulder rigs for this model of revolver?

 

[Eb1]

Well we had a 7 hour range day today. Took everything but the kitchen sink. I shot the M720, and I have to say that it was one of the best purchases of a firearm I have ever made. Less bite than the Taurus 731UL in 32 H&R Magnum, and is more accurate. It is very accurate actually. At 25 yards I shot a 5 shot un-rested group the size of my fist. To give a better example. I was shooting cutie oranges off of the 15 and 25 yard polls with ease.
I was shooting the 165 grain Critical Defense. The revolver just felt right. It doesn't have adjustable sights, but shoots spot on at 25 yards.
There just isn't enough good that can be said for the revolver.

I like it a lot.

I also had my first experience with Tannerite today. It was a friend of mines birthday, and I surprised her with a cake. The catch was that we didn't have any candles, so she had to "blow" out the cake. hint-hint.
She used the .223 to fire a single shot into the cake, and then there wasn't a cake. Next came a milk jug, and then a box, and then another box, and another jug.

Then the shotgun games started. We played the see if you can shoot my left overs after I bust the clay. That was good fun. If someone didn't powder the clay, the other person on the line would have to shoot one of the splits. Great fun.
Next came the shoot the stack of apples from top to bottom using my .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk without hitting the one below the one on top. We were shooting at 25 yards for this game. I won. It is my .44 Magnum. No one else owns one. The absolute most accurate round in my .44 Magnum that I have loaded is Winchester Brass, Winchester LP Primer, 22.0 grains IMR 4227, and a 240 LSWC from Missouri Cast Bullets. Loaded to 1.610 with a medium/heavy roll crimp. It is stout, but not to stout, and absolutely shoot better than any other powder/bullet combo I have shot.
The only other load that comes close is a 240 grain XTP, same brass and primer, using 20.5 grains of 2400. I shot a few apples off the 25 yard line polls with this one also. It's not quite the same as the IMR 4227 load.

I loaded some 225 grain round nose lead with 15 grains of 2400, but I didn't know if that would be to much for the 3" Rossi. Anyone got an opinion? Should I post that up in the Hand Loading forum?

More to come on my new full time protection tool. Not the first tool though. That would be my brain.

 

[BossHogg]

I want one of those so much it's driving me crazy. A 3inch barrel 44 spl will just tickle my fancy. You my friend have a great wife.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I have three of them. Two exactly like yours and one with a cockable hammer. These were more solidly built than the Charter Arms Bulldog yet have a smaller frame in the trigger guard area than the Taurus. This makes them eady to conceal. The only thing I really don't like about them is the sharp corner of the underlug directly under the muzzel. I fixed the problem by rounding it carefully with a file and finished it with emeory cloth. They carry more comfortably that way and reholster easier.

I carry the 200 grain Gold Dot bullet exclusivly.

 

[Eb1]

I like to get up in the 200 grain range as well. I don't doubt they give superb performance. I am not really a niche type person, but I really believe the rubber stopper in the Critical Defense ammo works as advertised. I believe it does help ensure expansion and energy dump.
I know the Gold Dot doesn't have a reputation of clogging like some others. Hydro-Shocks come to my mind. Maybe Hornday will come out with a 200 grain Critical Defense. That's be awesome.

 

[weregunner]

Excellent reports there.

Those revolvers will serve you well.