The S&W Model 24 .44 Special Revolvers...

[PALADIN85020]

Actually, John, you still have both bases covered: in paragraph 8, it is spelled distributors and distributers, and in paragraph 9, distributors.

But it is a great article. I know that you wanted us to proof read it, or I wouldn't have brought it up!!

Best Regards, Les

Right you are, Les. Must be my aging eyes....

John

 

[Garthe]

So much to learn on this forum!

Thanks to ALL...!

 

[Pine_Worker]

Great article! I've always liked the .44 Special, it was the first revolver I ever shot, must have been about 12. Special memories with my dad.

 

[Frank46]

I bought my 44 specials in about a years time.First the 624 6.5 bbl shows up.Then it was followed by a 24-3 in blued finish and last but not least the 4' bbl and about 6 boxes of WW 210 silvertips.
624---$700
24-3 3" bbl 750
24-3 4"BBL 700
ok FOR APPROXIMATELY i SPENT $2200 for these 3 revolvers. And I get the pleasure of shooting 3 revolvers in 44 special which S&W don't make anymore and enjoying the heck out of myself. Frank And the only one I don't think I have a holster for is the 3" barreled one. Frank I still think I got my money's worth. The wife unfornsturally doesn't think so. Long ago I adopted the saying "Its better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission"Fortunately for me we are still living together. Frank

 

[Valmet]

Great write-up. It's good to see some of the later production .44 Specials getting some love and recognition. Love my 6.5" 24-3

 

[Hondo44]

I prefer my Pre War and Model 1950 .44s but like my 624 3" and 296 as well.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Nice write up......

personally never had the need for a .44 magnum here in Penn's Woods.....the .44 special seemed like a great woods carry option..... but finding ammo was almost impossible and I never had the time to get into reloading.

 

[bill-in-texas]

Another very informative write-up! Thank you, John...
I always enjoy your articles, as well as the follow-up comments.

I also learn a lot from you more experienced (than me) folks. Thank you, all.

I hope to get into handloading, one of these days, since that seems to be the key to getting the most from this highly-regarded yet, overlooked cartridge.

I'd also like to learn more about the pre-24.
(Did I read elsewhere on this forum only 5,050 made?!... Wow!)

-Bill

My Only .44 Spcl. is This 5" bbl'd 2nd Model.

 

[Farmer17]

I bought a mint M24 4" in about 2003 for $419. I sold it in 2008 for $750 to a friend and in 2018 I ran into that friend and he said it had set in his safe the whole time and he never fired it. He asked if I wanted to buy it back and I did for $750. A few years later I sold it for $1,050. I liked the gun but ammo was expensive and I really liked .357s and .38s better.

 

[6string]

My only exception to a very fine article are the words "intrinsically accurate". At least to pretty much any .44 made before the mid 1990's.
Those SAAMI spec 0.432" throats combined with the usual 0.429" bullets weren't a great match. Factory .44 Spl. ammo usually compensated by having hollow based bullets. Handloaders could often load better fitting bullets.

Finally S&W sorted the issue starting with the .44M 29/629 DX revolvers and finally incorporated the 0.429-0.430" throat across the board. Late .90's maybe?

But it has been a nice platform from which to start!

This post contains a serious and often repeated misconception about .44 cal revolvers and bullet diameters.
.429"-.430" is NOT the original and/or historically correct bullet diameter.
If you measure original .44 Special bullet diameters as found in original factory ammo from Wnchester, Peters, Remington, etc. it ia ALL in the range of .431"-.4325". I have these cartridges in my collection. But, if you doubt me, just check Phil Sharpe's book "Complete Guide to Handloading". He gives you the same numbers!
Measure, too, the cavities of original Ideal-Lyman molds and bullets cast from accepted standard alloys like 1-16 Lead Tin, or even softer, and they drop from the molds at .433"-.434".

The "faux standard" of .429"-.430" was simply a gimmick to allow early JSP style bullets to be driven at the higher velocities needed to sell the .44 Magnum to the public while keeping pressure within acceptable limits.

S&W always knew what they were doing when they developed their original "Special" cartridges (ie: the .32, .38, and .44 Spl) and were very careful in how they cut their cylinder throats and leades, not to mention bore and groove diameters.

With that in mind, the best decision I ever made concerning handloading was to stop buying awful commercial cast bullets and to just cast my own.

 

[jaymoore]

It would be easier to accept that 0.432" was the original intended size for .44 bullets if the old Lyman moulds were indeed listed as 432421 or similar.
And it makes sense that there has been a diameter shift over time, but S&W was very slow to conform to the changes. I bought my first .44 Spl. five screw sometime in the early to mid '80s and the ammo made then wasn't spectacular, accuracy wise.
So when did the shift in bullet diameters begin, especially with the .44 Special? Never mind the .44 Magnum. An advanced cartridge collector who isn't adverse to pulling apart vintage ammo might have an estimated date.
And why does Lyman continue to shrink their mould diameters? Last four cavity mould i bought won't hardly cast 0.429" bullets. It does OK when polymer coated, but that's just a happy accident.

ETA: Lyman did change the numbers on their .45 Colt moulds from .454xxx to 452xxx in the not too distant past. 1990s? And it could be argued that 0.454" was a little small. As a user, things get difficult at times trying to wring the most out of some of the old iron! Patched balls in front of black powder is easier to sort out....