I read today that Taurus has a Titanium model in .44 Special with barrel ports and a friend has a Taurus .22 magnum 8-shooter that he really likes.

Any of you .44 Special experts ever tried a Taurus, either Titanium or steel? I've decided my next two pistols will be .44 Special snubby and a .22 magnum with at least a 4" barrel, but don't care which comes first. I'd love to find a good used Smith or two, but it more likely will be Charter or Taurus unless another unbelievable deal like the Model 21-4 crosses my path.

I had one of the now discontinued Taurus all-titanium, ported .41 Magnum snubbies. It was a very well-built pistol and held up well to the stoutest full-house loads I put through. Unfortunately, it held up a lot better than my hand did while shooting it as it literally brought tears to my eyes every time I pulled its trigger.

I've since sold it.

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Steve
NJ State Trooper (rtd)

I have a 624 and a 24-3 both are wonderful guns.I like the mod24 snubby ill have to look for one of those.great pics guys

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God save the SOUTH

NETFOTOJ

I have the S&W 24 in 3",4" and 6" and a pair of the S&W 21's. I shoot the 3" and the 21's and really love them, that said, my 3" 5 shot blue steel Tarus in 44spec is a fine shooting, very pleasant firearm. While I prefer the S&Ws, I never feel uncomfortable when the Taurus is the gun I have with me. You need not hesitate to buy and depend on the taurus.

Doc

not an exspurt, but did buy a Taurus 445 last year. Short 2 incher in polished stainless and spurless hammer with fixed sights. Well made revolver, sighted for, and accurate with, medium speed 200 grain loads. Smallest 44 special owned, recoil not too bad.

There are some caveats. First and formost is unreliable ejection of spent brass with the short ejection stroke. Second is the weak firing pin spring (don't dry fire it empty). The trigger edges got smoothed over, and the hammer shimmed.

Would have to look up the recorded velocitys, but seem to remember Speers factory brass cased 200 gdhp falling into unreliable expansion velocity range.

Couldn't resist such a small 44 special, and consider it worth the purchase price. Use handloads in it.

I also love the .44 special, and have a couple of 24-3s in addition to a Colt 3rd generation single action with a 5.5" barrel in that persuasion.

Here's the 24-3 4":



And the 24-3 6.5":

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Paladin wroteFirst .45 Colts, now .44 Specials. You are so right on both counts! (BTW, I enjoy your articles in "The Blue Press". Keep 'em coming.)

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+ Restore the Republic +

These are my 6 .44 specials.

Jay, you have it! Pachy's are the best. I have a set for each of my S&W's. They fit my have and look fine.

Finally got around to updating my own site with the full story of how I caught the "44 Special Obsession."

I never mentioned it here, but I started out looking for a .38 snubby. Life's an adventure and sometimes it's best not to end up where you thought you were going.

Baddest Tactical Pistol (Revolver) No. 3

Happy shooting!

My 29-2 likes 44Special for the occasional "light snack"(250gr JSPs @900fps)

Jay, that is very nice. I WANT THOSE GRIPS!

Bringing this back up from a deep sleep.
I bought a 21-4 TR a few months back, and let me tell you... this is the sweetest handling and shooting handgun I have ever owned.
Previously I had a nickel 5" 27-2,629-1 6", ruger GP100, and a Star Modelo Super.
I had carried the Star almost daily since 1993ish, and loved the 629.
The star is gathering dust and I have sold off the 629. The nickel 27-2 is going up for sale and my wife carries the GP100.
I cant believe how the 21-4 carries and shoots.
I am a convert. I love my .44 special.


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

+1, love my 44spl, Mod 21 TR. Sweet. Going back to gunshow today, may find another 44spl.

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Shoot'em to the ground!

We will be sending the forum cat-o-nine tails. For buying Taurus, flog yourself 21 times, then forward the cat-o-nine tails back using the prepaid S&W shipping label.

I first bought a 629MG for .44 Special - followed by a 696 & 296 - both bought new the same day nearing six years ago - then a 20+ yr safe queen 6.5" 24-3. After starting my reloading hobby with .45 Colts, I made .45 ACPs... then .44 Specials - then .44 Russians. Just something about Specials - and Russians!

The 696 became an every range trip companion, along with usually that 629MG. The 296 fit an OWL black leather pancake OWB holster - a great closeout buy from Michael's of oregon. It sported the 696's UM's rounded Combats - enclosing that hump for better recoil control. I shot 1,200+ Blazers through it - still miserable, but what a shooter/protector.

The 24-3 was beset with a myriad of inexcusable QC problems - thank goodness they don't make them like that (1983-ish) anymore. I fixed it finally - but a new favorite had arrived - a closeout on the '01-'02 Heritage 24 - in 6.5" - far better than that -3 would ever be - what a blue job, too. I sold the older 24 - and traded the newer one away, my last blued guns... I couldn't bare seeing the Heritage model grow 'character' like that -3. I soon bought a new 6" 629-6 - SS - and available now - my idea of a proper '.44 Special' - Keith-load ready, too. I ultimately replaced my 629MG with a new production 4" 629-6 - same as the 6", except for the barrel. Sporting wood grips, they are .44 Special/Russian shooters... cleaned - and sporting Hoge .500 Magnum grips, they are .44 Magnum ready. YMMV, but those are my all-time-favorite '.44 Specials'!



The 296 went back to it's OEM boots - and a Mika's pocket holster. The combo fits ~75% of my britches front pockets - and gets a lot more carry. No more Blazers - one burst in my 696. The GA Arms 200gr GDJHP .44 Special load is the same ballistically, cheaper, and in reloadable new Starline brass. I'm up to 2,200+ through it now - still tight (The gun... not my wrist!).

Stainz

I love those Georgia Arms 200-gr. HPs. Here's 12 in an Osama target I made to celebrate 9/11.

And here's my 29-3 with Pachmayr grips along with a Sig P226 .357 Sig and Browning FEG GKK-45 ACP at the range.

The best way to explain the 44 craze is to simply say that I will buy them where ever I find one, especially the pre-lock versions. I can give no other reason. I have even dedicated a couple of 44 Mtn Guns to 44 special only. I love the cartridge. The only caliber that even comes close is the 45 Colt and it is a distant second, right next to the .22lr.

Now Ya'll got me curious- My theory has always been to buy the .357s and the .44 mags, and have a gun that fires the Specials as well- but I had an old S&W .455 Eley wallered out to shoot yer Colt .45s- and it was a very nice, pleasant..(And accurate) thing to shoot... Are there any distinct advantages to ballistics of the .44 special fired from a revolver made specifically for that cartridge ? Or is the attraction mainly in the history, and cool factor of the orginals? Because those ARE cool!! I particularly like the Old Timers.

It,s popular because it IS good. Yes, the mag will do everything it will, and do it with yet hotter loads. But most people seldom shoot the hot loads regularly anyway. The real beauty is the lighter weight due to thinner barrel then the mag. Yeah I know about the mountain gun, but how many are out there to be found? And how many without the lock? I have a batch of .44 specials, and also at least one example of everything else. The 25-5 is pretty close to the special, but again is heavier with the larger barrel. So are examples in .41 mag.
Beyound 357, for the larger calibers the .44 special is the best balenced gun & cartridge combination hands down! Another I left out and shouldnt have is the .45 ACP in a revolver. Very good, but not AS good considering bullets for reloading at different levels etc.

That's the appeal of the .44 Special... a wolf in sheep's clothing!!!

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LEO since 1981.

I recently had some "friends of friends" from England visit us here in Colorado. The husband had heard of my interest in guns, and asked to see some samples. He seemed to be especially interested in the revolvers. I asked if he'd like to go shooting with me at the range the next day, and he eagerly agreed. I was surprised when he let slip that he'd never shot a handgun before.

The next day, I brought an assortment of handguns to the range. I started him out with a couple of cylinders-full of .22LR in a 6" S&W 617, followed by a couple of mags of .22LR in the Browning Buckmark Camper, then a couple of mags of .380 Auto through the Bersa 95, and then a couple of mags of 9mm through the Beretta 92FS. He liked all of them well enough, but his eyes lit up when I pulled out the S&W 696.

Shooting my pet load of a 185gr LSWC at 900 fps, he proceeded to knock down every steel target in sight, all with a huge grin on his face. He shot all 100 rounds of .44 Special that I had brought to the range, and then reluctantly handed back the 696. He said if it was legal in his country, he'd have a .44 Special revolver in short order. He also said the time at the range had been one of the highlights of his 5-week trip to America.

It was fun sharing the joy of the .44 Special with a newbie. Unfortunately for him, his government would never consider trusting one of their subjects with such a weapon (or any handgun, really...).

I read this whole thread, and I wish I hadn't. Because now, I'm finding myself wanting more .44 Specials (I currently own only one; a Taurus M445) and I cannot afford any. Small matter of being unemployed.

What's more, when I'm working again, I may not be in a position to buy more handguns.

But, if I could, I think I'd seek out a M24 or M624 with a 6" barrel.

A friend came out here from England on business last year, much the same situation on shooting, so I took him to the range and he also liked .44spl the most. It's a good caliber to like.

Wow. There are some nice 44's here. You guys are bad for my wallet...

Here are two of my favorite .44 Specials, a 4" M24-3 and a 16" octagon M92 from EMF and built by Steves Gunz:

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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

This one is mine. It was my 52nd birthday present to myself. I plan on getting Keith Brown conversion grips for it as soon as I can afford them.

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Pat Henson

Beautiful color-case-hardened frame. A Model 21 Classic I presume? Happy Birthday and good shootin'.

Thanks,
Yes, it's a 21 classic. I have a little skill with photoshop, and you'll notice it has no keyhole.
Pat

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Pat Henson

phensen, great shot of the 21-4.

I'll add a nice 624 to the "gallery"


Bill

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Bill

One more .44 spl
696 "no dash"
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/w...o/DSC06154.jpg

There are some beauties here so I just had to show mine.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

Is that a Model 21 nickel-plated or Stainless? Never seen one of those. Learn something every day about Smiths. Love those .44s. My next one is going to be a snubby or a lever gun, whichever I find first.

4" nickeled. It is the "Classic Model" and the grips are too small for me so I had to put Pachmyer's on it.

I have 3 44 lever rifles, 2 Marlins and a Winchester. I do luv my 44's

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

I want one of those so bad. Congrats on a great looking classic!

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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

phenson ,, thats nice.....and thank-you ..now i know what my next S&W is going to be..lol

I wonder why S&W is putting those skinny little grips on most of the classics they are re-releasing. Maybe the originals had skinny grips back whenever, but other than a J-Frame snubby, I don't know why anybody but maybe females with small hands would like such tiny grips. Of course, they come right off and you can get zillions of aftermarket grips. But why start so tiny? And I agree with you, Pachmayr's are cheap and work great. I personally like the Decelerators best.

That M21 was my first experience with Pachmyers so when I went on the Midway site, I just picked a pair that fit, not knowing the difference between the models. I'll try your choice shortly.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

Just bought my first .44 special - A M24-3

I guess I can hang around with you guys now.

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NRA Pistol Instructor

Congrats and welcome! The .44 Special is just that, special.

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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

Photos mandatory for admission to the .44 Special Obsession Clubhouse! Show off!

And welcome to the club. You're gonna love that 24-3. I've been looking for a 24 with a 4" barrel or less, but no joy so far. Only one I found has a 6" barrel and it's engraved, too.

Her is my 624 that I picked up about a year ago.

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U.S.A.F---E-7--Retired

I think this has become my favorite thread. Amazing some cartridges live 100+ years and others like one of my other favorites the 32 H&R mag die a quick death.

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Pat Henson

I've got a couple of questions.

1. What are a couple of good leather holsters for OWB strong side carry for a M-24?

2. How do you post pictures?

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NRA Pistol Instructor

For $425, I would NOT have been able to resist. What a deal!

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Sure you did

Wow. Thanks for these pics.

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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

Well, I guess I better get in on this thread. Here's my 3" Lew Horton 24-3, a 4" 624 and a 6 1/2" 624. I was a poor high school student back when Skeeter was writing about the production of these guns and I remember seeing them in the shelves at the local sporting goods store and drooling over them. Took a couple of decades to finally get my hands on some examples, but all were purchased for less than $385 each. I have a Lipsey's Ruger Flattop .44 Special on reserve from my local dealer.


Here's a photo of the 4" 624 in an El Paso Saddlery holster with belt. The leather was a gift from my best friend (forum member 2000z-71) for my 40th birthday.

That El Paso rig answers one of your questions. Maybe somebody else can come up with some more leather carry options. I bought an el cheapo Uncle Mike's for my 4" as a range holster and haven't gotten anything for carry yet.

As for posting photos, you gotta have a photo upload account somewhere on the 'net first, like Image Shack. You upload your jpegs from your digital camera there and copy the URL of the photo there. Come here, click the "reply" button, then click the square button at second from right at the top of the posting window, it looks like a tiny photo. When that little window opens, paste the url of your photo in it and click OK. Like magic, your photo will appear in the posting window after you click the "post now" button. Include any text you want in the post first before clicking the "post now" button. There may be a tutorial somewhere here at the forum but I'm not sure because I never looked for one as I knew how.

Good luck and looking forward to your photos.

I'm up to about a dozen wheelguns now (got a late start), and here are two of my favorites: a familiar Lew Horton 3" 24-3 and a 696 no-dash.



David W.

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David Wilson

How can you distinguish the Lou Horton M-24 from a non-Lou Horton model?

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NRA Pistol Instructor