The .44 Spl. and The Scapegoat Mtn. Bull

Yep, I enjoyed that fine story also. Makes me wish I lived out there when...
I have a .44 Maggie but she's a bit too large for me, generally speakin', so I bought a model 696 L-frame. The K-sized grips with the L-frame fit my hand size better than the N-frames.
I'm mostly shooting paper these days, just for fun, so I don't have a need to load my 240's any higher than 900 or 1000 fps. Could do less, I suppose, but I like a little power when I shoot.
The 696 is a very nice-sized gun. I'm very happy with it, even though I have quite a few larger-caliber handguns.
It's small enough so that I'm now looking for a decent IWB leather or horsehide holster for it, so I can carry it CCW. It's small enough for that, I think, even here in Florida.
Good day, folks
Sonny
 
That is one of the most beautiful revolvers I have ever seen!

There is still some ivory left in the USA that's legal, but it's far beyond my means.
 
I've bought both the S&W 44spl's I've ever found, 4" and 6" 624's. They are great shooters and carry easy. But Sir, I wouldn't put them in the same picture w/ yours. Well done.
 
Several years ago I found a 5 screw pre-27 with 5" barrel, I had Hamilton Bowen convert it to .44 Special it is the finest S&W that I own. I have been saving for a while to have it engraved like the gun in this thread. I hunted the San Juan mountains in southern Colorado as a young man, taking several fine bull elk. My sidearm at the time was a 6 1/2" M/29-2, I built a .44 Special on an old police trade in HD using a barrel purchased from J&G Rifle Ranch, it served me well until I could afford M/1950 Target S&W's. I owned all the different barrel length 1950's, foolishly letting a beautiful 4" example slip through my fingers. No regrets though as I like the Bowen converted pre-27 the best of all of them, it has the rather unique serial number S XX2727.
 
I grew up reading Skeeters exploits and adventures. Though time and circumstance, I've been able to meet a few that knew him "in the day". While I didn't get the chance to know Skeeter myself, reading every one of his writings and listening to stories about him; I think he would have wanted and would have pestered S&W in his writings for what I feel he would called his favorite handgun: A 5" Mountain Gun wearing his proprietary "Roper" style stocks with a Performance Center action job.

I think S&W missed a bigun' on there!

My 4" MG (629-4) wearing a set of Kurak's round to square butt Coke style conversions and a Verne Trester 3lb single action job is as close as I can come.

BTW: A great story with a very illustrative writing style, by the way!!!!
 
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Dave, that was great to reread. If you don't write a book, you'll be doing a disservice to all of us lowlanders that may never see a mountain or walk in a Lawman's footsteps.
 
Thanks to the folks that revisit some of these older threads. Some of the best threads I have read are ones that have been brought back to life. Doesn't do much good to try the search option, you have no idea what will interest you until you start reading!
 
I never get tired of this story, and actually heard it the first time in person from the man himself when we did a little swappin.
 
I really enjoyed reading your story. Made me feel like I was there. Love your revolver, ivories and leather too. Wish I didn't live in Fl where it's usually flat and our woods aren't the kind of woods I'd like and are more often than not swamps full of mosquitoes and cottonmouths. No elk around here and the deer you see are usually kinda small to medium except for the rare occasional big buck. Best hunting around here is wild hog. Always wanted to live out west so I could poke around the beautiful countryside and hunt and shoot out there. Been there to visit, but never got to just poke around the countryside with a revolver and rifle. Sure would like to do that out west one day before my already bad knees go totally south on me or before I pass on.


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