Understanding the .44 Special obsession
- Thread starter netfotoj
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phenson
US Veteran
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.
G
Guest
Originally posted by netfotoj:
I've been reading John Taffin, Duke Venturino and Clint Smith writing about their ".44 Special obsession" and now I understand it a bit better.
I bought a Model 21-4 a month or so ago, NIB for $425, because it just looked like too good a deal to pass up. A real beauty with those Rosewood grips. Dealer said he got it from an estate sale and it had never been fired.
For $425, I would NOT have been able to resist. What a deal!
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Wow. Thanks for these pics.
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.
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.
OP
netfotoj
Member
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.
David W.
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I can do some 44 Specials.
A pair of poorly refinished 1926s.
And a pair of pretty 1950s.
A pair of poorly refinished 1926s.
And a pair of pretty 1950s.
I'll srare mine.
#1) A 2nd. Mod. HE with British proof marks.It appears to be unfired but does have a few handling marks (less than that you might expect from a 80 yr. old gun that has crossed the sea a couple of times).Bright crisp bore ans dark blue recoil shield.
#2)Blue 5" 1926.Stag grips.
#3) Nickle 4" 1926.Need to letter this one since the ser.# 232XX is below what is the stated ser.# range for the 3rd. Mod.Genuine ivory grips.
#4)1950 .44 Target 6.5".Keith Brown Ropers.
#5) 1950 44 Target 5" that the seller told me had been cut.Reasonably priced shooter.
#1) A 2nd. Mod. HE with British proof marks.It appears to be unfired but does have a few handling marks (less than that you might expect from a 80 yr. old gun that has crossed the sea a couple of times).Bright crisp bore ans dark blue recoil shield.
#2)Blue 5" 1926.Stag grips.
#3) Nickle 4" 1926.Need to letter this one since the ser.# 232XX is below what is the stated ser.# range for the 3rd. Mod.Genuine ivory grips.
#4)1950 .44 Target 6.5".Keith Brown Ropers.
#5) 1950 44 Target 5" that the seller told me had been cut.Reasonably priced shooter.
Product code 100787. The LH 24-3 is distinguished by the 3" barrel and round butt.
DW
You probably have a 2nd model that has been rebarrelled. I've run into several like that.
Of course, about the only difference between the two IS the shrouded barrel.
Bacon
Member
Isn't it also supposed to be in a certain serial # range? I have a 24-3 that fits your description but never thought it was a LH.
tbury
Member
My only 44spcl so far. But I do have an Uberti 44 Russian.
Hand Ejector Second model DOB 1931.
Hand Ejector Second model DOB 1931.
You may be correct.What puzzles me is the barrel is numbered to the frame as is the cyl. and the underside on the ratchet.Also I don't know if the frame itself needs to be altered for a proper mating of the bbl. with the ejector housing.
Beautiful gun Buffalo4star.
Steve:
23250 IS THE SER.# ON MY 44.THE PRICE I PAID WAS DEFINITELY TOO MUCH FOR A 2ND. MOD.THE QUES. IS WHAT IS THE VALUE (W/O THE IVORY).THESE WERE ADDED LATER.THE GRIPS THAT CAME WITH THE GUN DO NOT MERIT MENTION.NEED TO HAVE WRITTEN CONFIRMATION THAT IT LEFT THE FACTORY AS A 2ND. MOD.IN ORDER TO RECOUP SOME OF MY MONEY.SHOULD YOU HAVE A LETTER THAT WOULD SAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME.LET ME KNOW.
APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND THERE WILL BE NO WAR, JUST A WORKOUT OF THE $ INVOLVED.
Off the top of my head, the LH three-inch combat models were mostly in the AEL and AEM series. Mine is AEM11xx. I remember a thread with a lot of detail about this; I will try to find it and post the link here. One of the wrinkles (if I remember correctly) is that LH ordered 5000 of these, but could not move them all. I believe S&W moved some of them directly. But I am now rummaging in corners of my memory without benefit of caffeine, so I am going to shut up until I find the additional information. More later.
DW
handejector
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SaxonPig said:
That is a neat pair of 1950's. Five inch? Do they letter?
SP,
That is a neat pair of 1950's. Five inch? Do they letter?
semperfi71
US Veteran
M24-3 with Hunter holster
Colt 3rd with COWS leather
Colt 3rd with COWS leather
OP
netfotoj
Member
As Doc Watson would say, "Mighty pretty needlework."
Those are some of the finest .44s I've ever seen.
Maybe someday I'll find a Lew Horton 24...
Carolina Tom
Member
Here's my .44 Specials. A couple of 24-3s, a four inch and a three inch. A pre model 21 made in 1956 with five inch barrel and number matching grips. Sometimes it's called a fourth model hand ejector military.
dick44
Member
Question on rebarreled 2nd models
Was this done by choice or was S&W
out of 2nd model barrels?
dick44
Was this done by choice or was S&W
out of 2nd model barrels?
dick44
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