Same size gun for 44 Spcl vs 44 Mag?

[Joe Shmoe]

When it comes to Vaqueros, I just want to know what the difference is in a gun that's 44 Spcl ONLY vs a 44Mag. I imagine the size of the frame should be the same. Is the cylinder shorter on the Spcl? Just cool factor?
On the Blackhawk's, I think the the 44 Spcl is on a smaller frame. Am I correct in this?

 

[gunzo]

The 44 Special in the BH is in the smaller frame. They also chambered the small frame Vaquero in 44 special for a short time. Hard to find & pricey.
I am unaware if they actually chambered a big frame in Special only.

 

[GYJ44]

If it's a Ruger and chambered in .44 Special, it is a medium frame. Same size as the Old Model .357 Blackhawk and Colt SAA. About 20% smaller than the Ruger .44Mag frame.

 

[Rclark]

As above the .44 Special is on the medium frame whether a flattop BH or New Vaquero. What is confusing is the frame is marked as Vaquero instead of New Vaquero. That reason I was given ... there never was an original (large frame) Vaquero in .44 Special. How is that for logic.

 

[GYJ44]

As above the .44 Special is on the medium frame whether a flattop BH or New Vaquero. What is confusing is the frame is marked as Vaquero instead of New Vaquero. That reason I was given ... there never was an original (large frame) Vaquero in .44 Special. How is that for logic.

And then the later model large frame Vaquero .44Mag was marked "New Vaquero". At this point, Ruger is just messing with us.

 

[Joe Shmoe]

UGH! Ruger confuses the hell out me sometimes.
But thanks for the answers fellas.

 

[Rclark]

And then the later model large frame Vaquero .44Mag was marked "New Vaquero".

But that is because the 'New Vaquero' .44 Mag has the reverse indexing pawl -- so it's a New Vaquero instead of original Vaquero .44 Mag. All .44 Magnum are on large frame from day 1 in 1956 forward. Confused yet? :D .

 

[Hondo44]

Correct!
There's logic involved.

And similarly, since there was no 44 Spl made in the original Vaquero without the reverse indexing pawl system (RIPS), how can there be a 44 Spl New Vaquero????? It's simple logic.

 

[RC44Mag]

The special cylinders are shorter than the magnum ones mainly for safety sake. It prevents loading mag rnds the dedicated spc cylinder and grenading the revolver.

 

[Rclark]

The special barrels

Ummmm. Barrels are not different. The chambers/throats in the cylinder are a different matter as the throats are longer to 'fit' the .44 Special. A .44 Mag cartridge would fit if chambers/throats were cut accordingly... And they did fit back in the '50s when the .44 Mag was tested on the medium frame --which failed-- . That is why we have the 'large' frame today for the .44 Magnum.

 

[RC44Mag]

Ummmm. Barrels are not different. The chambers/throats in the cylinder are a different matter as the throats are longer to 'fit' the .44 Special. A .44 Mag cartridge would fit if chambers/throats were cut accordingly... And they did fit back in the '50s when the .44 Mag was tested on the medium frame --which failed-- . That is why we have the 'large' frame today for the .44 Magnum.

Thanks for the correction. I had just gotten back from a St Patrick’s day party last night and typed that. I inadvertently typed barrel but in the later sentence I stated cylinder. I recall that S&W made the magnum round a little longer so it wouldn’t allow the cylinder to close on a special revolver so it wouldn’t self destruct. My error, should have went straight to bed.

 

[GYJ44]

Thanks for the correction. I had just gotten back from a St Patrick’s day party last night and typed that. I inadvertently typed barrel but in the later sentence I stated cylinder. I recall that S&W made the magnum round a little longer so it wouldn’t allow the cylinder to close on a special revolver so it wouldn’t self destruct. My error, should have went straight to bed.

SAAMI spec chamber prevents the .44Mag from chambering in a .44Special.