I have a .44 Magnum "recessed" cylinder that measures 1-5/8 and not the typical 1-3/4". YES - it is a .44 Mag.

When installed in a gun - it does not meet up with the barrel. It comes up short. It would need to have a .44 barrel that reached back farther(model24?)
It does not appear to be machined shorter - but maybe.
Would a tapered barrel of a model 24 handle the pressure of the .44 mag?

The pictures show the 1-5/8" cylinder below a normal 1-3/4" 29 recessed cylinder. It does not have a serial # stamped on it.

If this is factory - what 29 did it fit?
Any guesses?

Attached Images

	.44 cylinder 001.JPG (224.4 KB, 158 views)
	.44 cylinder 006.JPG (235.2 KB, 132 views)
	.44 cylinder 009.JPG (270.4 KB, 160 views)

the third picture is blurry but if that is the cylinder in question, I'd guess that a machinist recessed the cylinder after it left the factory

My guess is well.It also looks like the Cylinder is the standard Blue not Bright Blue.I think it's a .44spl Cylinder that has been recessed and reamed to .44 Magnum.

"When installed in a gun - it does not meet up with the barrel. It comes up short."

That must be some cylinder-barrel jump. Have you fired it that way? Do .44 Mag bullets stick out proud of the front face of the cylinder? I agree that the recesses do not appear to be factory original. About the only way to cure it is another barrel. I think any .44 barrel would be safe with the .44 Mag, but just to be sure, I probably would use it mainly with .44 Special load levels. I suspect it might well be a .44 Special cylinder, and if so, I wouldn't want to shoot .44 Mag ammo in it. How about getting a replacement .44 Mag cylinder of the proper length?

On what I'm assuming is the shorter cylinder, there doesn't appear to be any bluing in the counter-bored area. That would be a clue to me that it's a .44 Spl. cylinder that's been modified. Is the rim recess the same on both cylinders?

Personally, I'd be more concerned about that cylinder holding up to .44 Mag. chamber pressures than about the barrel.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

If you recess a standard .44 Special cylinder, the headspace will be too great.

I think that cylinder is a great candidate for a pen and pencil holder.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Would a tapered barrel of a model 24 handle the pressure of the .44 mag?
Yes but IMO your best solution is probably to buy a new 44 mag cylinder .
What are you trying to fit this cylinder to ?

I do not believe it is a .44 special cylinder - because it fits tight against the backing plate just like a 29-2 cylinder does to its backing plate. If it were a .44 special cylinder, which were not recessed, and then recessed - the bullet would be to deep for the firing pin to hit it.
I have installed this in my 29-2 and it fits correctly at the backing plate, and turns with the trigger pulled - but the barrel does not come back far enough because this cylinder is short in the front. Yes, a .44 mag bullet fits fine and does not stick out the front.
I'm guessing this is a recessed 29 cylinder that was machined in the front to fit a model 24 - and the gun smith had it re-blued to a satin finish to match the gun. BUT WOW - if that's true, the machining job looks factory?!
This probably belonged to Elmer Keith from one of his experimental guns and is extremely valuable! Anybody want to buy it before I build an Elmer Keith .44 clone gun with it?
I may fit it in one of my satin blue pre-24s, install a target hammer & trigger along with a set of cokes and have quite a conversation piece at the gun range.

I think it is a rebored .357 cylinder.

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S&WCA 1729

1 5/8" is too long for 44 special cyls which are non-recessed; they're ~ 1 9/16". I don't think it started life as a 44 Spl cyl. And that's a good thing because they were no longer heat treated after the Oct. 12, 1945 change order took effect. Only the small frame .38s, .357s, .44 mags, and a few odd calibers were after that order went into effect.

Since it has no serial # on the rear face, then it's a post ~1957 to 1960 cyl. The headspace is correct for recessed chambers so it likely started life as a .357 N frame cyl from the pre non-recessed period. I don't have one to confirm the 1 5/8" length. "The book" states 1.62" which is just a hair under 1 5/8". Does anyone have one they could measure to verify?

If that's the case, it would have the proper heat treating for the 44 mag. If in doubt a hardness tester should be used before shooting 44 mags in it.

P.S. WHILE I WAS TYPING I SEE THAT TENNEXPLORER IS OF THE SAME OPINION.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I also think its a bored out .357 cylinder. I also agree that its only real use would be a pen / pencil holder.
Even if you went to the trouble of finding a new barrel and got everything fitted properly, I'm not sure if I could trust it.
Where did you get this cylinder and what exactly is the project you have in mind?

You can set back the barrel and shorten the ejector rod, for just the cost of machining. Just a suggestion.

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"I'm feeling MUCH better now"

For some reason, spare Model 28 cylinders seem quite common. I've a spare or two myself for no good reason other than "cheap" and "available". Have seen boxes full of them!

Annoying that they are short, but otherwise they'd be long gone for custom projects!

Doesn't seem worth the bother to modify a barrel. Paperweight is probably the most cost effective use.

I ruled out the 41 mag because it's the same length as a 44 mag, 1 3/4". I still think it's a .357 cyl, and from a Model 28 which would account for the satin blue finish.

A 44 mag barrel would be a simple fitting because it's a non tapered barrel. You wouldn't have to worry about taking too much off of the shoulder and ruining the barrel contour. Then just shorten the extractor rod and center pin.

Yes, a 44 Spl barrel would reach the cyl with only an extra turn for a normal fitting and sight alignment, and it would not be a problem with 44 Mag pressure.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Well - you guys figured it out for me. Thanks.

It appears to be a model 28 cylinder that has been machined out to .44 mag. I just checked it to my 28 no dash - and it is identical dimensions.

This is why the front of the cylinder looks like factory machining - because it is. This is explains why it is satin blue.

Also, the "recessing" is factory blued in my 28 cylinder - but the .44 cylinder is shiny like it has been machined.

NOW - what did the last owner use this cylinder in? Was it in a pre-24? It seems way too much trouble to bore the barrel on a 28 too just to have a .44 mag. Why not just buy a 29?

However, the extractor star is a newer style like a -2 gun. So maybe someone did go the whole 9 yards and built a .44 mag. out of a 28-2.
Me, I just bought to have spare .44 Mag cylinder parts. I had no project in mind.
I would fit it in a pre-24 BUT the extractor star would be a problem. The older star "teeth" are different and it would have to be recessed BUT if I put an older one in this cylinder which is closer to the back strap it would then be short up front.
I wish I could ask Elmer Keith how he did it.
Anybody want to buy this - it probably came from one of his guns and is rare and expensive

I wouldn't be concerned about the extractor star. They are pretty forgiving. Worse case scenario, a new hand of the same vintage could be used.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I have seen several Model 28's that were converted to .44 Spcl. Could have been someone's project.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Actually I could really use this cylinder for a conversion project I have started and my dad Hondo44 would probably buy it for me so I would use it! Lol. I have a .41 mag pinned and recessed I am converting to a short barrel .44 to make a shooter/beater. Its a clean tight gun but not really nice, some blue wear, modded parts, etc. It was my grandfathers and he left us lots of nice stuff and also would have loved the finished product of the project. I actually have a .44 special barrel in the frame now that lines up perfect when tight but I also have a couple diff .44 mag barrels I can use in it. My dad wants me to keep it .44 special but I would kind of like the option of being able to use mags in it once in awhile. I have not found a decent shape decent price mag cylinder to use in it yet. I would test the hardness of this before using full house 44 stuff in it, Though the need might never come up;~) I am a custom knife maker so I have the ability,equipment etc... Shoot me an email if you want to sell or trade it? I have lots of parts, grips, etc...
Thanks
Matt

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At one time, after Dirty Harry, it was very hard to find a M29. Many M28s were converted. This could be done with a 44 barrel or rebore of the 357 Magnum barrel. The cylinder is shorter so bullet selection was critical. I wouldnt fire anything hotter than Elmer's 44 Special load in it. Most of the gunsmiths doing the conversion recommended going with 44 Special due to recoil with the lighter weight.

44 Magnum and Special barrels were available then so you might see one converted that way too.