I have a few thousand saved up buy a 44 spl. I want to shoot this gun a bit and have something that won't decrease in value over the next 10 years. I reload so I can build any ammo I need to match the pressure requirements of the gun.

There seems to be some model 24's to be had so I've been looking at those. One other model I'm looking at are hand ejectors but I know very little about those. Would one of those stand up to say 500 rds a year or would I be better off with a newer model?

I don't expect to profit from this purchase, I just want to shoot it some and have my original investment returned.

I'm not interested in any reproductions like a Heritage or a 21-4. The idea is to have an original 44 spl and be able to shoot it.

Any suggestions?

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That's just somebody talkin.

"I'm not interested in any reproductions like a Heritage or a 21-4. The idea is to have an original 44 spl..."

They're .44 Specials, made by S&W. That's as original as it gets for me, but your opinion is just as valid as mine.

I was thinking more on along the lines of the earlier models holding their value a bit better. I've been watching the auctions and there doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in those. Also, I'm not a huge fan of internal locks.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Whatever you do, don't buy one of those horrible 3" barrel round butt Model 24's...Especially avoid the ones with defective cylinders in which they forgot to machine them for flutes...Those are probably too dangerous to even handle, and should be disposed of with a professional like me...Just dial 1-800-TRUCKMAN and I'll see that they are permanently removed from the public eye......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

If you do a search on GB for .44 SPL there are several M24-5 Heritage Target and they have no IL, one is even unfired.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Why not get a model 29? It can shoot 44 spl. And hold it's value. Obviously it could do
500 rounds per year of special.
If it's just about having a model 24, I understand.

Look for a s&w m24 in nickel?

My choice is if your going to shoot it a lot look at a ruger? No screws to come loose in the ruger. You can hammer it.

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Plant garlic in the fall

A revolver that has stood the test of time...1950 44 Target revolver with a 6 1/2-inch barrel.

Bill

If you want to shoot it and want it to hold it's value, by a shooter. A safe queen, (NIB with papers and letter) will hold it's value but only if you don't shoot it. When you decide to sell, you're gonna have a fired gun. Perhaps, fired alot. If you bought a pristine example, it ain't no more. So, buy a shooter. Also, which is more important, holding value or being an "original" .44 Special? I think the absolute safest bet to hold it's value, barring special circumstances like limited run or famous owner, is the Charter Arms. Just because I think any gun in the future will be worth what the Charter Arms are going for. Also, I wouldn't overlook single actions. Colts hold their value pretty well. So do the high end clones like the USFA guns, but there goes "original".

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The best I can with what I got

What Doc said.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

If you have "a few thousand" saved up and don't want to spend all of it, I think a Model 24-3 from the 1983-84 era would serve you very well.

Taking a quick look at Gunbroker, prices on them have risen dramatically in the last year or so, like most N frames. But you might find a nice one in the $1500 or less range with a little effort.

Since you are a handloader, a set of carbide dies, a couple hundred Starline brass cases, a few hundred cast bullets, some Unique and Large Pistol Primers will get you started for a couple hundred more (once availability and prices return to normal anyway).

I don't see any issues shooting 500 rounds a year of mild to moderate velocity cast bullet loads and I think an N frame .44 Special. pre-lock/pre-MIM S&W is always going to have appeal should you decide to sell it at some point down the road.

Ruger makes some handy dandy single action .44 spl's in blue and stainless. I have several. I also have these. Don't get no better than a 24/624/696. A Rossi mdl 720 44 spl in the pile

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S&W Accumulator

My 24-3 in all her glory. Fine firearm.

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To the OP.

Have you thought about an L frame?

A bit smaller and five shot. Should hold up to 500 rounds a year.

Model 696




Model 296 (a bit of a hand full to shoot, but a great carry gun.





Wood grips look good but rubber grips are more pleasant to shoot.

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Bill

(First, I am not a fan of the 44 S&W much preferring the 45 ACP.)

Having said that, whenever I hear “44 Special” the first thing I think about is the New Century aka Triple Lock. Want an original, buy an original!!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I'm still in single digits on .44's, but could be considered a fan With your reasonable budget, I think I would look for a Model of 1950. Best of the post war old school. And target sights to take advantage of the 44 Special famed accuracy. Doesn't sound like this is a SD gun, so consider the 6-6.5 inch versions. 500 rounds per year is only very slowly going to change the presentation of your future prize. Show us what you find.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

You have a few thousand saved up? Heck man, go for gold- get a Triple Lock! IMO the finest gun S&W ever made.



Or as Doc44 says, a Mod 1950.



FWIW, I get better patterns with the TLT than the Pre 24, but YMMV. They're both great guns.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Hold out for a Model 69 in what ever length you prefer. Look for a shooter that is $700 or less.

Shoot it all you want and it should always be worth $700. Shouldn't actually lose money on any shooter grade used 44 unless you get caught up in a bidding war and refuse to back off.

629's all hold their value too. and you can shoot all the specials you want without devaluing the gun. Forget collectibles. They may retain value, but the resale public for them is smaller and the buy in price is higher.

When you decide to sell, a standard run of the mill gun will be less money and also easier to sell to a larger crowd.

A 44 mag will never devalue just shooting specials.

Hands down, go for a classic, a 2nd Model Hand Ejector in .44 Special! In fact get two!

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

I have a 4” and 6 1/2” 24-3 and would love one in nickel. Is that a factory finish? I never heard of nickel versions. Ít sure looks original.

I found a Pre lock 624 and it’s a gem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The nice thing about the quandary in which you find yourself it is difficult to make a bad decision buying a S&W 44. All of those recommended above are likely to retain value and be good shooters. My philosophy when faced with such a dilemma is to buy the one I encounter first which meets my condition and price standards.

Like potato chips you're going to want more anyway so look for targets of opportunity. My first one was a 1950 as Doc 44 recommends. I think my most recent last one was a 396 Mountain Lite or maybe an engraved Triple Lock, or maybe a 2nd Model HE 44, can't remember for sure. In any case, I've never regretted any of them and I'm pretty sure, but don't really care, that all of them are worth more now than I paid for them. Enjoy.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

+1 for the pre-lock Model 24-3 or 624. If you have the scratch then get a Model of 1950 .44 Special Target. Or go old school and hunt down a 2nd or 3rd model .44 Military. Finally, you can't go wrong with a Model 29 or 629. Remember, you can't have just one!

Gila's 24-3.jpg Gila's old 624.jpg Gila's .44T_b.jpg 2nd Model .44 Military.JPG 44HE 3rd WSP S62697.jpg

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

Definitely do not overlook the USFA Peacemakers. The .44 Spl ones are still out there, albeit at a premium, but they are the best of the breed, at least until Standard Mfg. comes out with theirs in the caliber. Can't go wrong with a 24-3 or 29, either. The 24 is just so much more svelte and handy.

I'm happy with mine

I’ve been very happy with my 3” and 4” 624’s. I always thought the 696 was a good revolver too.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

If it has to say .44 special on the barrel you can’t beat a shooter grade model 24 or 624. If it only has to shoot .44 sp you can’t get much better than a model 29. It just all depends on what you want. I don’t think I would tie up my big money in any of the higher grade collectibles mentioned if I was planning to sell in 10 years.

My 3” 624 is great!

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

When the 24-3s were produced I couldn't afford one, a couple of years later they came out with the -3 snubnose I bought one $350. A few years later I picked up a 4 inch, $350 used, then a 6 inch that had been round butted, $200. In the last couple of years I picked up another 4 inch in the box for $800 and a 6 inch in the box for $750. They are appreciating and I expect they will continue to do so. With the current buying frenzy I think you should be able to pick one up for $1000 or less. They are much cheaper than the collectible 5 screws or triple locks, are well made and you can use the remainder of your cash to buy both a 4 and a 6 inch.
SWCA 892

Your altruistic proclivities are notable.

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213th FBINA

Pretty sure the OP wants one of the 3" bbld ones,or 5" ones in the modl 24-3 series or either the same in the 624 series. I myself went through this quest about ten years ago. You have a couple choices when it comes to factory ammo. Winchesters 200 grain Silvertip in boxes of 20 rounds which will probably expensive now or Winchester cowboy action loads which were going for about $45 for 50 rounds all lead bullet ammo. And the third option is to start reloading. There is a quite a selection of bullets
available from your jacketed bullets to either home cast bullets or commercially cast bullets. In these crazy times it's going to a job to find out who has what and is it in stock.And there are commercial companies that will reload ammo for you. The 4" version is considered to be the best case for barrel length and weight. The "N"frame revolvers large revolvers and fed what they like can be very accurate.I think you will really like the 24-3 series. Only thing is you picked on a special revolver.They haven't made them since the mid 80's and them that has them aren't eager to turn them loose anytime soon They only made about 2500 of the 4" bbld ones so besides rare they are expensive. Frank











i

What he said

I had 1300 in the one I just bought. They only went up from there on GB

What a wonderful quest you are on! Walking in the shoes of Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton and so many other notables!

I’m confident that a 1950 model would be excellent for you. As well, I personally am a fan of the 624 series, despite the lack of the blue finish. I have all three barrel lengths and prefer the two longer models For the range.

Depending on whether you can examine such possibilities as you find in person, it would be excellent to take a couple of .429 and .430 or so jacketed and lead bullets with you to check the throats and find one that will just pass the .430. Then find/Commission a set of stag grips to preserve the originals (or a pair of fancy target grips) and have the time of your life!

Please report back what you do find for us to savor along with you.

Muchos appreciados for your notation......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

I couldn't make up my mind either...



Adios,

Pizza Bob

PS: Added a 696 and a 396NG since this was taken

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NRA Benefactor Member

I walked into my LGS and there is was a s&w m24/44spec 6.5” barrel in nickel. Not really wanting or looking for one it’s the lastone in his inventory. I was reaching for the plastic and bought it on a whim. The shiny polished nickel blinded me. I just couldn’t pass it up. We only pass this way once go for the gusto.

The ruger in 44 special makes a nice companion to the s&w m24. To me I’d rather carry and shoot the ruger. The m24 I would shoot a little.

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Plant garlic in the fall

I would just buy a 629….you can load your 44’s down to special velocities and always have the option of more powerful magnum loads and magnum ammo is generally easier to find if you need ammo it is more readily available at almost all shops(when we aren’t under political or pandemic limitations)….that L frame 5 shot 44 mag is pretty cool too…

Any of the Smith 44 specials will stand up to 500 rounds a year for a very long time as long as you are not giving it the Elmer Keith treatment. It ain’t a 44 mag and should never be treated like one.
If you want a 44 mag, buy one, but the OP wants a 44 spcl.
There are a lot of people who want just a 44 special and the added feature of being able to shoot 44 mag is of no value to them.
Personally, I would opt for a 4” 24-3. There were not many made compared to the longer and shorter barreled versions of the same gun.
You can safely shoot that gun every day and twice on Sunday without causing any damage or excessive wear to it as long as you treat it like a 44 Spcl.

Groo here
Got a M-69 2 3/4 ,,, one fine gun and not too big or heavy.
A 3in 624 is nice [got one ] but big.
If collecting , that is one thing...
Of shooting , that is another.
For fun I have several 44spec / mags and like Skitter loads.
Full power in a 3in is a little much [ 41 is much better]
BUT I find most often a version of a M-25 [45acp] is my go to
For carry / defence.
The 44's reserved for when the 44 lever gun comes out...

I fire .44 SPL with my 629. Heaven knows there plenty of variations of the 29/629 to get whatever you wanted. My wife owns a Rossi 720 which is a wonderful .44 SPL, albeit in 5-shot.

I love the .44 Special and currently own 8 of them.
You're not going to hurt an N-frame S&W of any age shooting as many standard velocity .44 Specials as you want.
You didn't specify barrel length. Also is this just a range plinker or a serious target gun? For real target work, you'll want a 6-6.5" barrel with adjustable sight. For anything else, just take your pick. Any length will be just fine.
For the needs you describe, I recommend any of the Model 24-3s or 624s. Good solid shooters, accurate, still reasonably priced and with even minimal care will increase in value over time no matter how much you shoot them.
Of course the older .44 HEs are fine guns as well. However, to be original, most will have either service or magna style grips. Honestly, they aren't the best for shooting. That's why I prefer the 1980s 24/624s as they had target stocks.
Honestly you really can't go wrong with any .44 Special. They're great guns no matter when they were made.



I picked up this 1950 Military aka 4th Model HE a couple of years ago. Ita fast becoming my favorite.

I’ve always been a fan of the Model 1950 4”, Pre Model 24. Your price range affords a high condition example.

In cartridge revolvers .44 special is my hands-down favorite, I have owned a 1st Model H.E. and cannot find an improvement over the 2nd Model which is my favorite of the .44 H.E. family. I have to agree with those recommending a pre-number Model 24 or Model of 1950 Target for something that will hold up and yet always hold its value. As an aside to previous replies, I have a Lew Horton Model 24-3 3" round butt revolver that is right up there with my favorite to carry handguns. It is not a target revolver but I feel very confident with it at nominal handgun ranges under 25yds, I did have a square butt conversion done by John Culina which makes it very comfortable to shoot. I cannot understand why it would be considered horrible but to each his own. If I could find a Pre-Model 24 in a 3-4" barrel I would be happier but otherwise it suits me just fine. I have not had any experience with the 24-3 revolvers in any other barrel length but could see no harm in giving one of those a try. I have a Model of 1950 Target .44 special 6.5" in satin finish, it is the most accurate of all my .44's.
Model of 1955 .45ACP/AR revolvers are less expensive to shoot and possibly more accurate, the .45 revolver thing went right over my head when I was younger but found out how much fun shooting heavy bullets with lighter powder charges in a heavy framed revolvers was a few years ago. Something to think about while pondering what model to get, do not forget about the Model of 1955 Target...they are a joy to shoot and will get you going back in time with Model of 1917's and that whole family.

Speaking about 45 caliber revolvers. My late shooting buddy had one of the Ruger 45's with the two cylinders. He got decent accuracy from the 45acp cylinder but struggled with the 45 Colt one. At the time 45 caliber revolvers didn't interest me. Few years back, I bought one of the Brazilian 1937 contract 45acp revolvers. Haven't shot it yet. One day I'm going out to where I have a huge pile of good old Louisiana gumbo clay and try 5 rounds with the RIMZ clips I've been filing the nubs on the inside where the star goes. Frank

This is my view as well.

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Let's be careful out there

It sounds to me that LostInTheOzone knows exactly what he wants and it is NOT a Model 29/629. He wants a vintage .44 Special.

It's like saying "I want a 1953 F100 with the flathead V8." and then everybody says "Why don't you get a 3/4 ton diesel? It will do everything that flathead will do and MORE!"

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Well then, this is easy. Early: TL or 2nd model .44, Model of 1926, or 1950 Model, Military or Target. Late: Model 24-3 or Model 624. pre-MIM, pre-lock.
(I'll take the flathead Ford, too.)

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

This was my last Flathead, had it in my '51 Tudor, theres nothing like them.

Well, I could sure snuggle right up to a 24-3, in blue anyway. And a flawless 1950 like Doc44's, well I couldn't shoot that. Just couldn't. I do however have a USFA Premium in 44 spl and the first word that comes to mind when I hold that one is ART. And I have put about 100 rounds thru that one, with more to come. Mike