Understandable.
Howdy
Mu 44 Specials tend to be a little bit older.
You make me just ill with jealousy. That's the nicest collection of .44 Specials I've seen. One I use quite a bit is a 2nd Model target. Since I acquired mine in a reblued condition, and it needed a bit of action work, I don't feel as if it's a crime against history to drop it into a holster and carry it occasionally.
Howdy
Mu 44 Specials tend to be a little bit older.
Like this S&W 44 Hand Ejector 1st Model (Triple Lock). It left the factory in 1907. The SN is below 200. Hardly any blue left on it anywhere, and the checkering is almost completely worn off the grips, but I got it for a terrific price. And it still shoots great with my mild 44 Special loads.
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There are some blemishes on this nickle plated Triple Lock, but the grips are in pretty good shape. It left the factory towards the end of production in 1915.
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This Target Model Triple Lock left the factory in 1913.
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A 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model that left the factory in 1921.
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44 Hand Ejector 3rd Model (Model of 1926) that shipped in 1929. It was carried by an officer throughout WWII. I even got his beat up holster with it. Yes, it has been refinished, and not a great job at that, but I love this old Smith. It is the first 44 Special revolver I bought.
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44 Hand Ejector 4th Model Target. I was looking for a Model 24 for the longest time. They are scarce as hen's teeth. When I found this 4th Model, which left the factory in 1955 I stopped looking for a Model 24.
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Almost a Model 24, this Model 624 shipped in 1985, my newest 44 Special. I picked it up during my quest for a Model 24. It originally came with oversized target grips, but I put these Magnas on it instead. Very easy to manage recoil with my mild 44 Specials and the small Magna grips.
View attachment 836828
Here is something you don't see everyday. A Colt Bisley chambered for 44 Special. That's because Colt never chambered the Bisley model for 44 Special. At some point this one had a 2nd Generation barrel and cylinder fitted, and fancy new grips too. It originally shipped in 1908. I have no idea what it was chambered for back then, but definitely not 44 Special. This is my only single action 44 Special, I have some work to do trying to catch up with Bob Wright.
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I'm a younger and more recent member to the cult of 44 special. It started with my getting a Charter Bulldog Jan of 2018, I then bought a S&W 629 4" a few months later. Shooting factory ammo was killing me so I got into reloading Feb of this year, been playing around with the round ever since. For the time being I'm sticking to 240 grain bullets, mostly Hi-Tek from Missouri. My loads have ranged from 5-7.5 grains of Unique.
The GP100 is definitely on my short list to pick up, I want one badly.
A word of caution to the S&W model 624 owners. In the mid 80s Smith & Wesson issued a recall on the 624. They were notified by their steel supplier that 14 bars of steel used to manufacture cylinders were not to spec and could result in a catastrophic failure. Smith issued a recall and fitted any defective revolvers with new cylinders. When they did, they stamped the original box with a red circular stamp. Just discovered the recall when I purchased my 6.5” 624 last month. Today there are no replacement cylinders available. If you do not know if your model 624 has been inspected you best call Smith & Wesson. I called them last month on the two 624s I own. Neither had been inspected and both were manufactured at the time when the defective steel was in use. Got both guns back in 10 days and both passed. S&W paid the shipping both ways. My guess is that if either or both guns had proven defective Smith & Wesson would not have returned them. That said I am sure they would have either replaced the guns or paid me for them. Either way, I didn’t care. I’m not interested in shooting a handgun that could explode and I could not in good conscience have sold them to anyone knowing that they may be dangerous. I got lucky this time. My advice is not to take any chances!
A word of caution to the S&W model 624 owners. In the mid 80s Smith & Wesson issued a recall on the 624. They were notified by their steel supplier that 14 bars of steel used to manufacture cylinders were not to spec and could result in a catastrophic failure. Smith issued a recall and fitted any defective revolvers with new cylinders. When they did, they stamped the original box with a red circular stamp. Just discovered the recall when I purchased my 6.5” 624 last month. Today there are no replacement cylinders available. If you do not know if your model 624 has been inspected you best call Smith & Wesson. I called them last month on the two 624s I own. Neither had been inspected and both were manufactured at the time when the defective steel was in use. Got both guns back in 10 days and both passed. S&W paid the shipping both ways. My guess is that if either or both guns had proven defective Smith & Wesson would not have returned them. That said I am sure they would have either replaced the guns or paid me for them. Either way, I didn’t care. I’m not interested in shooting a handgun that could explode and I could not in good conscience have sold them to anyone knowing that they may be dangerous. I got lucky this time. My advice is not to take any chances!
Always gotta watch threads like this cause DJ is gonna post pics and I never get tired of lookinHowdy
Mu 44 Specials tend to be a little bit older.
Like this S&W 44 Hand Ejector 1st Model (Triple Lock). It left the factory in 1907. The SN is below 200. Hardly any blue left on it anywhere, and the checkering is almost completely worn off the grips, but I got it for a terrific price. And it still shoots great with my mild 44 Special loads.
View attachment 836822
There are some blemishes on this nickle plated Triple Lock, but the grips are in pretty good shape. It left the factory towards the end of production in 1915.
View attachment 836823
This Target Model Triple Lock left the factory in 1913.
View attachment 836824
A 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model that left the factory in 1921.
View attachment 836825
44 Hand Ejector 3rd Model (Model of 1926) that shipped in 1929. It was carried by an officer throughout WWII. I even got his beat up holster with it. Yes, it has been refinished, and not a great job at that, but I love this old Smith. It is the first 44 Special revolver I bought.
View attachment 836826
44 Hand Ejector 4th Model Target. I was looking for a Model 24 for the longest time. They are scarce as hen's teeth. When I found this 4th Model, which left the factory in 1955 I stopped looking for a Model 24.
View attachment 836827
Almost a Model 24, this Model 624 shipped in 1985, my newest 44 Special. I picked it up during my quest for a Model 24. It originally came with oversized target grips, but I put these Magnas on it instead. Very easy to manage recoil with my mild 44 Specials and the small Magna grips.
View attachment 836828
Here is something you don't see everyday. A Colt Bisley chambered for 44 Special. That's because Colt never chambered the Bisley model for 44 Special. At some point this one had a 2nd Generation barrel and cylinder fitted, and fancy new grips too. It originally shipped in 1908. I have no idea what it was chambered for back then, but definitely not 44 Special. This is my only single action 44 Special, I have some work to do trying to catch up with Bob Wright.
View attachment 836829
Like this S&W 44 Hand Ejector 1st Model (Triple Lock)