"Prototype" 44 Magnum

Doc44

Doc44

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During development of the 44 Magnum cartridge, S&W realized the 1950 style target revolver was too light and recoil was severe when firing this model with the new magnum cartridge. In January 1955, the company built several prototypes. These guns featured a heavy barrel and were built in S&W's tool room. The guns were to be cased and featured S&W's small logo on the left side of the frame (this was later changed to the large logo on the side plate). Several of these guns were used for testing and the one shown below with serial number S121836 was used as a shown sample revolver. It was kept in the tool room collection for many years before being sold by S&W.

Those of you who have factory letters on a 44 Magnum know that Roy indicates in his background material that S121836 is "the first 44 Magnum".

Bill
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That is another great example from your collection, and I appreciate you sharing it with us! What history. If only that gun could talk.......
 
Bill,

Yesterday you showed us the "rarest" .44 Magnum. Today it's the "1st" 44 Magnum. I really hope this doesn't mean you're getting to the bottom of your safe!

Thanks for another beautiful gun and interesting post!

Jerry
 
Bill,
Other than the stocks, are there any differences between this .44 and the eventual ".44 Magnum" released to the public?
Is there any record of the number of "prototypes" made/ utilized?
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Doc44 said:
During development of the 44 Magnum cartridge, S&W realized the 1950 style target revolver was too light and recoil was severe when firing this model with the new magnum cartridge.
Click to expand...

Doc44, Have any of the "1950 style target revolvers" ever surfaced or their whereabouts determined?
 
Pre-64...The prototype revolver was the final design and there are no differences between it and the production guns except for the location of the S&W logo (noted above). It is unknown how many were made, but I believe they made five guns that were either prototype or experimental guns used to develop the 44 Magnum cartridge (probably three prototype, and two experimental, but that is a guess on my part).

S121839 was shipped to Remington Arms in 1954 and given to C. G. Peterson, Manager of Products Services, to develop the 44 Magnum cartridge. This gun was eventually given to his friend, Jack Behn. Jack owned the gun until it was stolen in 1972 and never recovered. Jack discussed this with me at the NRA meeting in 2001 and sent me a copy of the list of guns stolen. S121839 was described as a 1950 Target 44 with a 4-inch barrel and blue finish, chambered to fire the 44 Magnum. It and several other guns that are probably prototypes or experimental guns are open on S&W's records. This is to be expected since the guns were never sold and were made by the tool room staff.

It is interesting that Jack was a good friend of Bill Ruger and eventually worked for Ruger. Jack was given one of the few engraved Blackhawk .357s by Mr. Ruger, serial number 100. It was also stolen, but fortunately it was recovered.

Bill
 
Chuck, just to stir the pot a little bit here-

Wouldn't the 4 1/2" be the rarest still, since there were several prototypes, even though this is the first? Never mind, I think I just answered my own question.
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The 4 1/2" is the rarest barrel length, while this one is the rarest .44, due to it being the first, and there's only one first.
 
Doc44 said:
It is interesting that Jack was a good friend of Bill Ruger and eventually worked for Ruger. Jack was given one of the few engraved Blackhawk .357s by Mr. Ruger, serial number 100. It was also stolen, but fortunately it was recovered.

Bill
Click to expand...


Doc44, I'm assuming, I think most of us assume that your heart lies with the S&W .44 Magnum..but you've left hints in past posts that you may have a "Ruger" connection as well?

I find the stories/ histories/ developments of the on-going relationships between particularly the Ruger, Colt's, and S&W companies of that era (1954-1956) intriguing.
 
Pre-64...I have a parallel interest in the early Blackhawk .44 Magnum and the ones with a 7 1/2-inch or 10-inch barrel and the early Super Blackhawks. I also try and collect factory ivory grips (approximately 600 pairs made) and factory stag grips (approximately 6700 pairs made).

I consider John Dougan a good friend as well as Bill Hamm, who has the best collection of Ruger 44 Magnums there is.

Pictured below is a second month of production Blackhawk 44 Magnum, serial number 475, shipped in early December 1956. It is about new and one of my favorites.

Bill
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Onomea said:
Colts. I wanna know if he's got any Colts!
Click to expand...

Oh God Arlo...I dont think I could take it.

Its bad enough when you ask around places for 44 mags....and the tell "Well we had one, but some guy name Bill come through and already bought it"
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