.44 Specials

[Bohonkie]

Hi all. I recently bought a Model 624 (circa 1985) and can't wait to take it to the range. I also have a Thunder Ranch Special (Mod-21), a 1950 Target (pre-24), and a Colt New Frontier 7.5" in .44 Special. I really like guns chambered for this cartridge - enough to recently buy a used copy of John Taffin's Book of the .44 (for almost $200.00... try to find one).
A friend had a circa 1958 Colt 5.5" Peacemaker that I could never talk him out of. Sure could shoot (the revovler, not necessarily him!). I've not seen one since.
I have some questions regarding the aforementioned Taffin book I hope the good folks here can help answer. First, and I can't recall in what context, he wrote that we should understand what "Mile Post Marker 66" means. Well, I sure don't. Does anyone? Another thing is he refers to the recoil of the Model 29 resulting in the cylinder unlocking and rotating backward so the the chamber just fired will again fall under the firing pin. He wrote that high-speed photos showed the frame expanding rearward but the "cylinder pin" did not. The fix was to lengthen the cylinder notches. But... what is a cylinder pin?
Lastly, I foolishly loaned out my Lyman 429421 two-cavity mould and never saw it again. I've bid several times for a used mould but was always outbid. The 624 I recently bought came with a 429421 (single cavity). Does anyone have experience with a like mould that performs well with .44 Special loads?
Thanks much - mj

 

[The Preacher]

I can comment on your last question. The Lyman 429421 240 gr. LSWC is the classic Keith bullet for the 44 Special. I use it in my 44's: Magnum and Specials. Skeeter Skelton's load with it in 44 Special was 7.5 grs. of Unique.... A bit stout but that load will do your S&W 624 proud. JMHO

The Preacher

 

[Bohonkie]

Thanks, Preacher. Do you know of any other moulds that work well for the .44?

 

[StrawHat]

NOE makes a very good copy of that mold, up to 5 or 6 cavities if I recall.

Kevin

 

[rockquarry]

Get a Lyman book. Lots of good .44 moulds and loads. The popular Skelton load is a good one for deer hunting and if recoil doesn't bother you. It's no magnum load but is a bit too much for continuous everyday use for many shooters. Back off the powder charge at least a half a grain or more and it's far more pleasant to shoot.

 

[torizus]

The 44 is most definitely the top of my list of favorites.

I can only guess that his reference to "66" refers to Route 66 being so long that the number of mie post markers probably exceeds the majority of most roads.

The cylinder issue was one of the reasons they developed the "Endurance Package' that now may be common in 29's, not certain.

 

[torizus]

Another piece of info you may already be aware of, the 1985 624 had a recall for a cylinder issue.

The official version was a metallurgical defect in the cylinder of approx 500 guns. Depending on who you listen to, it was actually a mistake in chamber depth resulting in the possibility of clambering and firing 44 mags in 624.

Simple test would be to see if cylinder accepts and fully chambers a magnum cartridge.

 

[Nick B]

RCBS makes a mould that is an exact copy of the Keith design.
I think it's called a .44 250 Keith.

 

[pasound]

The 7.5gr 429421 Keith load of Unique in .44spl is stout, and hunting/target accurate. Back it off to 7gr and it will still be a big bang, but not as much "punch", and still very accurate.

 

[Joed49]

I've used the Lyman 429421 for years and even ran a casting business selling Keith style bullets in various calibers.

Also have the RCBS version which is slightly heavier than the Lyman. Problem was I couldn't get that mould to throw a .430 slug.

I've always been a fan of the .44 ever since my first one. Have to admit I prefer the Spl over the Mag, for most shooting I don't need all the power of a magnum.

There are 2 loads that I favor for the large frame Spl revolvers. The first is 7.5 gr of Unique with the 429421 and the second is 15.0 gr of 2400 with the same bullet. That second load is quite respectable at 1050 fps.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Don't give up on that 1958 SAA. I have one but it didn't come that way. I had the barrel and found a cut down '58 .38 Special SAA and now it's a 7 1/2" .44.

 

[Dale53]

In my .44 Specials and .44 Magnums my favorite mold is a Mihec correct copy of the H&G #503. This is a proper 250 gr. Keith bullet. It works beautifully and the production rate is high!

FWIW
Dale53

 

[American1776]

There are a few theories as to why the cylinders were unlatching or rotating the 'wrong way' on the early model 29s.

I've heard that excessive endshake would cause it.

I also read somewhere that the recoil was undoing the cylinder latch. I believe the endurance package includes a 'stop' that holds the cylinder latch in place to prevent it from coming undone during heavy recoil.

The extended cylinder notches are also present, as someone already mentioned.

 

[Bohonkie]

Good stuff. Yes, according to Taffin, et al, S&W ignored the early problems with the .44 mag but finally addressed them, resulting in the endurance package. My first S&W 29 (I now have 7 in various forms, including a pre-29) had the "reversing cylinder" problem under heavy loads. I was young and foolish then (still foolish, just not so young anymore) and routinely shot heavy loads in that gun, knocking it out of time on several occasions. The last time I had the action fixed and tuned, I dropped the charges down and have never had a problem since in the 40 years I've had that 29.
I checked the 624 and it won't accept a .44 mag cartridge (the base of the magnum case sits proud above the cylinder by about 0.131". Good to know.
I'm looking forward to loading for this gun - Unique, 2400, etc. My .357 registered magnum really likes 2400. Loads for this 624 will be kept within the 800-900 fps range. I'll try the RCBS and MIHEC moulds.
Nope, not giving up on the SAA in .44 Special!

 

[mikerjf]

Read a little online... John had a custom gun serialed "MPM66", so I'm thinking Mile Post Marker 66 was a significant location for him... where the family farm was, a place he went to shoot, etc. Maybe even the first sign he took out as a kid?

 

[Bohonkie]

Yeah. Not sure what he means but he seems to think we should all know what MPM66 meant. Also, I still can't figure out what a cylinder pin is. Do you think he means the cylinder locking stud (aka bolt)? My exploded view of firearms book calls it a stud. Youu know, I've read the aforemented three books and also "Smith & Wesson Handguns" by McHenry and Roper. Nowhere do you find exploded views of S&Ws or a list of the parts. So many of us use nicknames or otherwise rename parts. It makes it difficult to follow what someone writes about these fine guns. Thanks again - mj

 

[jdlii]

Great information but, a noticeable lack of photographs of .44 specials.
A decision was made to post a photo of my Mod. 624 that was "round butted" post factory. It shoots like a dream.

 

[msauter]

Jdlii had a good point ... thread needs pictures.