The 2010 Gun Digest (big soft cover book) has an article by John Taffin about the .44 Special.

If you have read Guns and American Handgunner for the last few years, there isn't anything new there.

He has some nice sixguns pictured.

Never-the-less, he's a great writer. I would reread his same story a dozen times, compared to the others out there.

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NRA Benefactor Member

Didn't John Taffin write a column about hair-line fractures caused
by shooting too many heavy loaded rounds? At any rate, I like his
writing. He seems to be a clear thinking man, who is able to express
himself quite well.
TACC1

Hello Buff,

I totally agree with you - but the best thing Taffin ever did was to write the book "Big-Bore Handguns".
I'm a fan of all the .44 calibres and to me, Taffin is kind of "Guru of the .44" - like Cooper is the handgunners Guru.

Best respects from Germany

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Honor as t h e way of life

I happened to save that article because I started shooting a 454 Casull on a regular basis. The article titled: "The Sixgunner - Heavy Recoil Takes its Toll on John's Wrist Over the Years"; it is in the January/February 1996 issue of American Handgunner. There was a follow-up piece he wrote in the March/April 1997 issue of American Handgunner: "The Sixgunner - Get Smart Keep Magnum Loads to a Minimum to Prevent Injury"

Hope this helps.

todd

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Blessed, not lucky

I'll have to find those and read them. I have always preferred light- to mid-range loads in .357 and .44 magnums. I'd like to hear what John has to say.

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Splittin’ hairs, aint ya Boss?

I have subscribed to American Handgunner for years. It is a great magazine, in my opinion. Taffin is an excellent gun writer. Like him, I'm fond of the 44 Special cartridge.

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195th Session FBINA

A great read is Taffin's "The Book of the .44"

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Vaya con Dios

I like Taffin, too. I've been reading about him and Diamond Dot for a long time. Even though there wasn't any new material in the article, I read it again last night. I am always glad to see a good, well-written story about my favorite sixguns published in a book that will be around for a long time, not just in magazine articles.

I agree with David's recommendation ! Taffin's "The Book of the 44" !

Very well illustrated !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

All the great articles written on the 44 spec. used to salt in the wound until 2 weeks ago when I found a NIB S&W 696.

It's enroute as I type and once the paperwork clears, I'll be in Smith Heaven.

My only fear is this will lead to a lever gun and then a S&W Md. 24...was the Md. 24 offered in an 8 3/8" barrel length?

Pete

John's "Book of the .44" is one of my all time favorite books. I am a bit of a .44 Special fan, myself:



The single action is a Cimarron .44 Special. Below it, is my 624:



I was "turned on" to the .44 Special by Elmer Keith when I was but a teen ager. I FINALLY was able to buy a Model 24 (6" barrel) after I was grown. I have been a fan ever since.

My favorite load is a 250 gr Keith bullet ahead of 7.5 grs of Unique (ala Skeeter Skelton). That'll do about 90% of what a handgun needs to do...

Dale53

I hope you like your 696 as well as I do mine,I looked long and hard for a long time for one and now it is one of those special favorites.I carry mine a lot in a Simply Rugged pancake and never feel under gunned no matter where I am,Great Gun and congrats on yours.

Nope. 1950 Target/Model 24/Model 24-3 were variously produced with 3, 4, 5, 5-1/2 and 6-1/2 inch barrels. No really long ones.