DA .44 special?

[sheep.dog]

I got to thinking about getting a day .44sp recently.
After reading so much Skeeter and Elmer I just have to have one. I've already got 3.75" SBH in the magnum, which I enjoy very much but rarely load it to its full potential- and that is exactly why Skeeter was so fond of the special.
The S&W thunder ranch and its more famous and expensive ancestors like the 1950. Sure would be nice....
Did ruger ever make a da .44 special? Anyone ever done a conversion?

I'm living in China for another 8 more, so I have lots of time to plan, though I'd love to get the ball rolling so perhaps it can be waiting for me when I get home. Living here has also allowed me to save some money....

 

[k22fan]

IMO It’s unlikely Ruger will make a DA .44 special in the near future. Despite all the barrels of ink gun writers used promoting them, .44 specials were never more than a tiny fraction of S&W’s revolver sales. For the last 25 years they’ve only made very small production runs of .44 special models most of which were never made again. Taurus couldn’t sell enough DA .44 specials to keep them in production either. Their competitors’ marketing flops won’t inspire Ruger.

Don’t take that wrong. .44 special is a great reloaders’ cartridge and I like my .44 special DAs.

There have been conversions of GP100s and a few Six Series revolvers but they’re expensive.

I’m curious. What keeps you in China and are you there for 8 more months or 8 more years?

 

[sheep.dog]

I'm teaching English here. Moved here a few months ago, only a week after being married. My new wife and I were both feeling kind of bored with the same old, same old at home. So we packed up and headed to Beijing for a year, so 8 more months unless we decide to stay longer.....we are saving money which is good and will allow me to purchase some new guns when I get home.

I understand your thoughts on the da .44 being a hard sell to the general consumer, but being in the land of no guns I have to keep the dream alive somehow. I'm interested in the idea of a converted six. Any more info?

 

[k22fan]

Six series cylinders were just barely big enough for 5 .44 special chambers. Pictures of conversions have been posted here in the past. Their cylinder walls look too thin for anything much beyond SAAMI spec loads.

GP 100s and S&W L frames make better .44 specials IMO. S&W made multiple production runs of all stainless 3” adjustable sighted .44 special model 696s but I think only one run of the light L frame 2 ½” fixed sight model 396 Night Guard. I bought the first 696 I saw. It was $400 OTD about 1996. It’s been a good revolver but the more common 6 shot N frame .44 special model 24 and 624 are more fun to target shoot with. Their recoil is more comfortable and there is no question about them handling heavier loads. L frame .44 special forcing cones are very thin and S&W does not have replacement barrels so most owners keep reloads pretty mild in L frames. I don’t know much about GP100 conversions. If you get lucky a member who owns one might post pictures and their experience with one.

 

[Hondo44]

Hi Kendall!

Glad to see you can access the forum. Wow, that was a change alright! I'd be going thru gun withdrawal!

I've read about a 5 shot 44 Spl conversion on a GP100 IIRC, by Bowen for John Taffin. So it has been done. If you order now and save your money, it'll be ready when you return. I love my S&W 5 shot 296 L frame and 624 3" N frame. But then I only have thirteen .44 Spl Rugers, Smiths, USFAs, Colts, and one American Derringer; so I don't like them much :roll: ! And have a 5 shot 586 conversion in progress.

296 with stainless cyl from a 696:

By the way, that .32 Mag single six you sold me is a very sweet gun. It now has a 22 Mag cylinder I reamed to 218 Bee 'Short' and a Ruger .22 cal. barrel cut to 4 1/4" and a steel XR3 grip frame. Just finishing up the conversion and loading ammo for it. Its original 32 cylinder is now chambered in 32-20 'Short' as a convertible cyl for my other .32 SS I already had.

 

[Wheelyfun44]

Hey Kendall!
Glad to see that the censors have not blocked this site for you!

What about new production or used 44 Spec models from S&W?
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=373469174
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=375044605
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=374687930
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=374849173
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=374978646
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=375216561

Of course, are you looking for a packin pistol?
If so, for the high prices of the 44Spec models, you might just get a snubby 44 Mag, and load for Spec?

And, just for old times, sake, here is a pic of my old 44 Spec SA Ruger


matter of fact, since this IS a Ruger forum.....here is my new Sheriff in 45



and...since you are in China, and haven't yet seen my 1858 repro...



Save your money and get back safely!

 

[sheep.dog]

Hey Pete,
Well, on this side of the Great (fire) Wall I can acess the forum, unfortunately photo bucket is blocked so I can't see the photos you posted. Though I could see Hondo's, I wonder where he uploads to.

I have been eyeing that thunder ranch on GB. You know me, I like packing a "big ol hog leg" around, no 2" barrel for me, ha! As far as the mag, the SRH Alaskan(2.5") weighs in 4 ounces heavier than the 4.2" GP100. Haven't looked into many of the other Smiths except for the thunder ranch. But that would be just too easy, why buy a gun when you can spends lots of money and time to.........uh.......

 

[gramps]

Quite a few forum members have Charter Arms Bulldogs in .44 spec. I believe they weigh like 26 oz. good all around guns with a 2.5 inch barrel. They are also made with 4 inch barrels. Charter is USA made!
gramps

 

[ra]

I have a S&W 696, it is a great gun if you can find one at a good price. I bought mine new around 2003 or so, paid $459 plus tax and background check.
Like Gramps said, I would have no problem buying a Charter Arms Bulldog, I have shot a friends and they are a good gun. I have been thinking about picking one up myself.

Roger

 

[Rclark]

I have a Charter Arms Bulldog .44Spec . Nice little gun and light..... The only downside really is you don't want to push to hard with it. I use my Single Action .44Specials for general shooting and just shot the Bulldog 'occasionally' (few shots once a month).... A good CC revolver. For me, the .44Special isn't niche . I really like it and the the .45 Colt.

 

[bogus bill]

I am a certified .44 special nut. I own 7 of them. A ruger lipsey special, two colt SAA`s, a old s&w triplelock, a s&w 1950 target, a old s&w heavy duty converted to 44 special and this s&w model 24-3 4". The 24-3 is my favorite and skeeters too. Of course his was the old 1950 target with a 4" barrel that is the same gun. Its the lightest, has target sights and the handiest.

 

[bogus bill]

Here are the rest of them. The 24-3 is the same gun as above but wearing faux ivory. I also had a old blackhawk converted years ago to .44 special from .357. Its the last picture.

 

[Hondo44]

I use Fototime. One of those Pete showed was the New Vaquero 44 Sheriff model:

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I don't have all the guns of some of you. I hadn't really thought that much about the 44 special. With 33 years in Alaska there were no specials just MAGS. But in Idaho 44 special makes sense. But still..... I like the 44 Mag 3-3/4 barrel guns both Bisley and standard grip. I figured I could use my 3" S&W 629 for a 44 special, the Taurus 431 3" 44 special, Course there's the Charter Arms 44, but Probably one of the coolest 44 specials is the 4" 624. Don't know if it's just me but they are hard to find. I like mine.

 

[sheep.dog]

I emailed David Clement he repsonded that he discontinued the .44 special conversion on the GP100.... he is converting them to 10mm/.40 and .41 mag but that's not what I'm looking for. His web page says that the now discontinued $1250 5 shot .44sp conversion conversion can handle a 250gr@1250fps, hot dang.
Also was in touch with Bowen, they do not offer any .44 sp conversions either.
Guess I'll check with Reeder.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Taurus used to make some decent .44 Specials.

I have a 431 with a 3" barrel and fixed sights that is quite nice. They made a similar one with adjustable sights, and several more variations/models. You might find one used.

Mine has a five-shot cylinder, and the chamber walls look kinda thin, so I'd never use anything except SAAMI ammo in it, but there's some of that available. Mine is usually loaded with Silvertips for nightstand duty or LSWC reloads for backyard work.

 

[bogus bill]

Here`s the deal with .44 specials. To start with I also own a s&w model 29-2 44 mag with the rare 5" barrel. The 24-3 4" is lighter than the 29. The 29 has thicker straight barrel and longer cylinder that makes it heavier. Smith made the .44 mag, 45 colt, in mountain guns. Not the .44 special because the others are the exact same configuration as the 24. The model 29 in a mountain gun must be nice, I just dont have one. The special is at its best if you reload. You can reload the special hot to be coming close enough to the mag to be able to do probley 90% of what most people envision what they need a mag for. Now most of us will buy what we can find. Just because certain models exist doesnt mean you can find it when you really want one. Here is the pecking order of what I would look for if all of the sudden I didnt own any of my .44s.
1. Maybe a model 29 mountain gun (smith & wesson)
2. Model 24-3 .44 special 4" smith and wesson.
3. A ruger lipsey special. Probley the easiest to find, strong and cheapest.
4. A colt SAA in 4 3/4" .44 special. Exspendsive and many might tend to make it a safe queen.
5. Nothing wrong with a .45 colt in a s&w mdel 25-5 (have one) or--
6. A ruger lipsey special in .45 colt

 

[DDubya]

Add me to the list of .44 SPL nuts. I now have 5; a pair of consecutive serial numbered Vaqueros with 4 5/8" barrels; a Ruger Blackhawk flattop w/5 1/2" barrel; a basket case S&W Triple Lock project gun; and a Rossi 720 SS with 3" barrel and adjustable sights. The Rossi is very close to the 5 shot S&Ws in .44 SPL. It has a surprisingly smooth action and is one of my favorite CCW guns.

 

[Thel]

I have a hunch due to manufacturing methods S&W can make smaller runs profitably than Ruger, thus, the relatively low volume runs of various .44's in the past that were made.
The conversions Clements did on the GP100 must have had a thicker forcing cone wall compared to the S&W 696 if it could take 240 gr. bullets at 1200 fps. Gary Reeder also
converts the GP to .44 SP and .41 Mag.

http://www.reedercustomguns.com/revolvers/skorpion.htm

Here is the link to Clements site:

http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerdarevolvers.html

 

[sheep.dog]

Yep, that Skorpion is sweet. I've been emailing with Mr. Reeder

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I have a S&W 696, it is a great gun if you can find one at a good price. I bought mine new around 2003 or so, paid $459 plus tax and background check.
Like Gramps said, I would have no problem buying a Charter Arms Bulldog, I have shot a friends and they are a good gun. I have been thinking about picking one up myself.

Roger

I saw a 696 this weekend 3" seems like it was $795 just seemed to high to me. With the 624 (no dash) Smith 4", the Taurus 431 3", the newer model Charter Arms Bulldog and then this weekend I did pick up an original 3" Bulldog 44 special. I sure wanted the 696 but just seemed high. What is a fair price for one? I guess the best time to buy one is when you find it but between the Bulldog and a 1971 Marlin 336 35 Remington I just couldn't swing the Smith.

 

[Cholo]

$795 isn't out of line for a really nice S&W 696. The no dash bring a bit more than the dash models. I've got a few dedicated 44 Specials, and my no dash seems to always find its way along whenever I go shooting. I like it that much!

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Thanks for that info Cholo. Guess I was wrong. I'll have to keep an eye out for another one. With all the tie straps people put on them I don't know if it was a - gun. My 624 is a no dash. Nice gun.

 

[Hondo44]

Thanks for that info Cholo. Guess I was wrong. I'll have to keep an eye out for another one. With all the tie straps people put on them I don't know if it was a - gun. My 624 is a no dash. Nice gun.

Cholo has pegged it. And I've not seen a pre dash 696 under $1000.