[IrishCop]

First Colt decides to make another revolver...

Now Ruger has to chamber a GP-100 in .44 Special, a caliber I really like.

It sucks not being independently wealthy...

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/12/19/tested-ruger-gp100-44-special-revolver/

 

[Skeptic49]

I'm so old, I can remember the high priced revolver smiths turning S&W fixed sight .41 Magnums into .44 Specials.

S&W no longer lists a .44 special revolver, just the .44 Magnums.

Geoff
Who has been around awhile.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Heck, I did it with M27s and 28s. Had to build up some front sights... called them "shark fins".

 

[IrishCop]

Heck, I did it with M27s and 28s. Had to build up some front sights... called them "shark fins".

Bet those were some nice shooting guns. You don't have an old photo laying around, do you?

Always liked the .44 Special. Way back in the day I actually had a S&W round butt (I think a 2.5" barrel) stainless (sigh). I still miss that one.

 

[Skeptic49]

I confess, I once owned a Charter Arms .44 Special.

Geoff
Who gave it up when he ran out of 180 gr. .44 Special Wadcutters.

 

[IrishCop]

I confess, I once owned a Charter Arms .44 Special.

Geoff
Who gave it up when he ran out of 180 gr. .44 Special Wadcutters.

I did too, Geoff. I was maybe 22 or 23, really liked it, and could never afford to shoot it.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Sorry no pix

Confession is good for the soul. I did too...very briefly

 

[t-star]

I have a charter arms bulldog in 44 special- 3 inch- it has quite a bite to it when using 240 grain slugs

 

[IrishCop]

I have a charter arms bulldog in 44 special- 3 inch- it has quite a bite to it when using 240 grain slugs

It kinda did as I remember. I think I shot maybe two boxes of bullets the whole couple of years I owned it. .44 Specials were a bit pricey (even then) for an E-4 with a wife and three kids.

I don't think that little gun cost me more than a couple of hundred bucks, but that was big money at the time.

 

[William R. Moore]

I've always had a soft spot for the .44 Spl. Somehow I couldn't justify what S&W wanted for them when they did that limited run a few years ago. Maybe if they hadn't done a pencil barrel......

I was rather intrigued by the Charter Bulldog, right up until I had one in my shop. While taking care of whatever the customer wanted, the yoke assembly came apart. At that point i realized two things: the yoke barrel was a separate part from the pivot arm and whatever Charter used to hold the parts together at that time had failed and.... they used the gas ring to locate the cylinder fore and aft.

I don't recall if I called Charter, I do recall spending quite a bit of time trying to figure out how to fix it without possibly destroying any heat treat. I finally degreased everything and used red Loc-Tite. It survived test firing with some stout loads and I fully informed the customer and suggested he send it back to Charter. Don't know what he decided to do but no lawyer came calling and he continued as a customer.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Me too and I've still got a couple of smiths and SAA s that get shot fairly often. 240 lswc 4.0-4.5 gr Titegroup. Fun !

 

[IrishCop]

Me too and I've still got a couple of smiths and SAA s that get shot fairly often. 240 lswc 4.0-4.5 gr Titegroup. Fun !

I'll make a note of that load, Charlie. I need to load up some Specials for my Model 29.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Same load shoots great in my 4" .44 Magnum (pre-29)

 

[stand watie]

Charlie Patty,

A "country boy gunsmith" and talented machinist in south Arkansas "got rich" converting S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman revolvers, when Model 29 were $$$$$$$$$ in the 1970s & several state police agencies were changing to 9mm SA pistols, to .44SPL.

I always wanted an "N-frame" converted to .44SPL & with fixed sights but never had the $$$$$$$$ when I was a city marshal/deputy long ago.

yours, sw

 

[Charlie Petty]

I learned how to do it right there at Lackland. Didn't get rich though

 

[stand watie]

Charlie Petty,

I think the guy in AR "got rich" because he paid so little for the Model 28 revolvers that he bought "in bulk" from police agencies & then made more money doing the conversions.

There days, when I do have the $$$$$, I cannot find a suitable N-frame revolver at a reasonable price. - In point of fact, at the last BIG San Antonio gun show I saw exactly ONE Model 28 that was in decent condition & it was >800.oo.

yours, sw