.44 Special??

I'm sure you mean .44 Spl. only. I just purchased a quality SW M629 Mountain Gun that shoots .44 Magnum/.44 Spl.
 
I have (rather, had) a stainless Taurus 431 in .44 Special (the fixed-sight model). Loaned it to a friend about 3 years ago, who loves it and somehow keeps managing to schmooze me into letting him hang onto it. The only problem I've ever had with it is the cylinder latch working loose while shooting, which was solved with a little Threadlock. The wooden grips can be a bit hard to hang onto, but I've never seen any rubber grips to fit it.

Chris
 
Smith recently produced a beautiful, blue, N frame, “Thunder Ranch Special” (model 21-4) in .44 Special. Several are available NIB through GunBroker.com.
 
RWK Quote – “Smith recently produced a beautiful, blue, N frame, “Thunder Ranch Special” (model 21-4) in .44 Special.”

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only thing that looks worse than the gold bling on the model 21 is the ridiculous looking model 396 and both have the ugly locks.
 
I have to agree..

with Bullet94 on that. I had a Charter Bulldog, one of the new Stainless ones and it shot about a foot to the left. Traded it and took a beating.
 
They are not the easiest to find, but there's a few around. I think your specific application and personal preferences will limit your choices more than anything else. For example, is this for a CCW, or home defense, or both or plinking, or posing for pictures, etc.? Also do you prefer stainless, do you mind things like alloy frames, hideous front sights, or internal big brother locks? Weight is a definite limiting factor if you are thinking of a carry piece. I like that there is so much interest in the .44 special. Only recently came to appreciate the caliber myself. I like the suggestion of the 441 sans lock. Also S & W makes the best revolvers around (wow, there's news), so if you can find a used one in great shape, or unfired, that would be the sure thing, IMO. The older, original Charter Arms Bulldogs have a pretty good following. You can find one in good shape here and there on the web. The Charco and Charter 2000 models get mixed reviews. I guess we should know if price is a drving force in this equation as well.

TX
 
Marano -

Let me know if you are interested.

Nice Taurus 441 3-inch, adj sights, blued, 5-shot. Will be putting it on the boards in the classifieds soon.
 
These are all three .44 Specials. I actually carry the Smith 296 every day.

Gregg

rossi.jpg
 
tulsamal

What is the bottom one? I likey, I likey a lot. Is it like the bodyguard with the shrouded hammer or is the hammer concealed like the centennial? I want one, I want one either way.
 
The bottom one is a S&W M296. It is a Centennial. It is an L frame. It comes with small rubber boot grips but the larger wood ones help me control the hot CorBon load. It weighs 18.5 ounces. I carry it in a Wilderness Safepacker.

I wanted a 296 from the moment I read the review in a gun mag. But I guess too many people were scared away by the whole idea of a .44 in a 18.5 ounce gun! Smith discontinued the gun. Recoil isn't really that bad.

Gregg
 
But I guess too many people were scared away by the whole idea of a .44 in a 18.5 ounce gun!
Click to expand...
It wasn't the recoil of a lightweight .44 that bothered most people. It was the size of a L-frame in the configuration of a pocket revolver that just didn't make sense.
 
It wasn't the recoil of a lightweight .44 that bothered most people. It was the size of a L-frame in the configuration of a pocket revolver that just didn't make sense.
Click to expand...

I don't know how we can settle this without some type of universal poll taken a few years ago. That's the only way to settle what "most" of the "non-buyers" were "put-off" by. I know I still have people who look at mine and wonder out loud "how bad does it kick?" Nobody ever says it is too big.

I guess you can't slide it into your front jeans pocket but it goes right into any of my jacket pockets and that's what I want. The Centennial design means I can carry it that way and shoot it multiple times right through the jacket if I need to do so.

I'm happy but I realize (based on sales) that I'm in the minority!

Gregg
 
Sadly, the very company who brought out the .44 Special--in the Triple-Lock, no less, and then the 1950 Target--is now more interested in peddling german designed (and licensed) plastic brass chunkers and deformed mutant revolvers made of kryptonite or whatever element-of-the-month is currently in vogue, than making the finely crafted steel revolvers that built their reputation.
 
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