Hi Folks. Asking for experiences here. I may be buying a 6.5bbl 24-3 and was wondering whether anybody had experience firing the gun from a rest or had a solid opinion on accuracy. I had one of these years ago and put several boxes through it but never really got a good idea of how accurate it was.

With the right loads you will very happy with the gun's accuracy. I had a 6 1/2' that shot very well (sold it a month or so ago), and I have a 624 with 4" barrel that shoots very well too if I do my part.

I discovered the accuracy and pleasure of shooting .44 Specials in my 29-2 just before the 24-3 was introduced. When Smith came out with the reintroduced the 24's in the 6 1/2 inch and 4 inch barrels. I picked up two of the 6 1/2's and one of the 4 inchers. Also picked up diplay cases for them as at the time of the reintro of these the display cases became an option with the N frame revolvers. one 6 1/2 and the 4 incher remain unfired. I used a 6 1/2 incher for range play. Handloaded rounds 200 grain XTP Hornadys with 6.5 grains of Unique really puts the Special in Special. Super accurate and with the thin tube of a barrel is just faster handling. Serial # should start with ABZ. Cheers

Frank Ruple
SWCA# 2087

I've had 44 mags since the mid 80's and I love them to the exclusion of all other calibers. Not saying I don't like or use others, just saying 44 is my favorite.

That said, a couple years back I fell into a grail gun of mine, a 3" 624. OMG!! Fantastic shooter!

Then a year or so back I fell into a 4" 624 - even better!

My all time favorite shooters bar none.

I load two types of rounds, both better than the anemic factory offerings. First is the Skeeter. It makes these revolvers sing. Way accurate and hard hitting.

Second load is my own through load development and is as safe as the Skeeter - more so actually. Same bullet over 6.5g W231/HP38. Holy potatoes, that's a Cadillac. Maybe 50fps less than the Skeeter, but a precision round that's a total delight to shoot. Hard hitting as well, but the one big hole for 100 rounds in the center of the target at 15 yards says it's a keeper.

You're going to love that revolver!

Yes, the .44 S&W Special is the best. Like you say, it's a round that stays in the black. I have a couple of Mod 1950 targets and I shoot the 4" one. The original loading w/ 247gr. bullet is almost the same as the .44 S&W-R, a fairly slow-moving comfortable round. The modern "cowboy" ammunition from Winchester probably is identical to the old 44 Russian.

Under my current living arrangements, unfortunately, I cannot set up a loading press. I wonder if any company loads an Skeeter-44 Associates-style .44 S&W Special with 7.5 grains of Unique pushing a 247gr swaged semi wadcutter. Do you know?

Perhaps somebody has machine rested a 24-3 to see what it will do.

You don't have room for a Lee Hand Press, MTM or other electronic scale, set of dies, a "Little Dandy" measure, and a loading block? This will all fit in a shoebox, and the only thing you even need a table for is to set the loading block and scale on, everything else you can do in your lap watching TV.

__________________
Gunsmithing since 1961

The most accurate revolver I own is a 44 special. It is a 6 inch gun that was converted from a GA State Patrol model 28-2. The best I can tell, it has a model of 1950 barrel and a re-chambered cylinder. It shoots good with factory roundnose bullets, but where it really shines is with my homecast Lyman 429421 SWC bullets and Unique powder. I also have a 44 special Ruger flat-top chambered in the same caliber and it is very accurate, also.

I have always heard from my old hand loading cronies that the 44 special is the most accurate revolver round extant. I have read this numerous times and particularly from 2 very famous sources, Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton. I am a believer! Buy the gun with confidence.

If you don't reload get a friend to load some of these bullets and powder for you.You'll never look back.

I've a soft spot in my heart for .44 spl cartridge. Do my best shooting w/that caliber.
I did trade one of these 6.5" 624's for a 3" 657. Got a soft spot for .41 mags too.
Good Luck, Kevin

I'm a sucker for a 44 Special, and was finally able to talk a shooting buddy out of his seldom-shot 24-3 a couple years ago. It immediately became a favorite, and despite a lot of whining and attempted coercion, the gun remains in my stable. The DA trigger is consistent and smooth, but the SA is little more than a tickle. It seems to prefer target loads to the big boomers, but still shoots either better than I can see to hold. I can't think of anything I'd be willing to trade for it.

Hi 44
I bought a 24-3 6.5 barrel last year have been loading for it ever since the best so far is lyman 429421 SWC bullet over 12 gr. 2400 powder moderate crimp starline brass at 25 yds on a rest ten rounds in 2.5 in. 2400 has worked the best for me also have a single action colt same caliber it likes 200 gr lees best and the same powder load.
Regards
Bob

I always find lack of room complaints to be funny. For about 25 years I didn't have much room, either. So I mounted my press on an old chunk of 2x4 about 18" long. Those are easy to find, often just lying alongside the roads. Then I bought a pair of C clamps. When I wanted to reload, my little boys, the dog and I just sat on the living room floor. The only thing to remember is to use the vacuum cleaner after punching out the old primers. Its not so bad, you get a very satisfying rattle as each goes up the tube!

I never used a loading block, and I saw no reason to. One of the steps was to charge the case with powder and without missing a step, start a bullet in the case as I was moving it over to the press. No chance of a double charge that way.

Priming was done back in the early years with a lyman tong tool. Its best done these days with a lee autoprime. Plate full of primers, and a bowl on each side while watching TV. You can prime hundreds if the program is boring.

Rich folks make a big deal out of having a huge and well stocked loading bench. If your goal is to take pride in the expenditures and show off the room, that's good. If you want ammo, you can make do and produce just as much an just as high quality rounds.

__________________
Dick Burg

I have a 4" 624 and a 2 1/2" 396NG right now. I have recently sold a 24-3 6 1/2". All 3 have been great shooters. The 24-3 got sold only because it was seldom used and I needed room for new pieces. The 24-3 was very accurate but too much to carry for a trail gun. Actually, I always shot the 4" 624 just as accurately as I shot the longer 24-3. The smaller 396NG is very accurate considering its size. At 23oz it is also very easy to carry all day.