User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:12:27 PM EDT
[#1]
Here is a picture of my 44 special.... also known as the "Son of Sam" special after its most notorious operator....
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:13:12 PM EDT
[#2]
In the movie "Magnum Force" Harry states that he carries a ".44 Special light load" in his pistol. So there.  |
|||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:15:21 PM EDT
[#3]
nice handgun .... I used to have a Bulldog ... |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:26:28 PM EDT
[#4]
Bulldogs are good handguns. Lots of recoil in such a light firearm, but not uncontrolable. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:29:51 PM EDT
[#5]
Nice thread!
I can't remember if I've mentioned this or not, so please pardon my CRS Disease* if I have.  At the Indy 1500 Gun Show in June I found an apparently unfired S&W Model 14 I had been looking for for over two years. As I said, it appeared to be unfired, absolutely mint condition, "three T's," suede case, 6" bbl., made in 1959 (same as me!)--and just what my wife wanted. The trigger breaks like glass and is very light. The first cylinder my wife fired (from close, about 15 feet) could be covered with the palm of one's hand. She loves it! I paid $275 OTD, so I love it too.  *Can't Remember Stuff |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:34:41 PM EDT
[#6]
Seems that you remember all the important stuff.  I'd give $275 for a mint Model 14 any day of the week. Congrats.  |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:35:00 PM EDT
[#7]
My model 24-3
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/mdaze/IMG_0023.jpg Great gun Hope the pic works Mark |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:35:55 PM EDT
[#8]
Mighty fine looking pistol. Congrats. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:45:38 PM EDT
[#9]
What a great post from OP. Would have made a great mini artical for handgunner magazine. I am glad I read it here first.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:49:23 PM EDT
[#10]
Thanks. I bet I'd make better money publishing in Handgunner.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 5:50:36 PM EDT
[#11]
Thanks, It was the first handgun I purchased. I bought it used 13 years ago. The .44spec is very accurate even in the shorter barrel. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:07:48 PM EDT
[#12]
nice iron mdaze, I'm a fan of that style of grip.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:16:45 PM EDT
[#13]
Yep. That type of grip is always a pleasue to shoot. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:30:18 PM EDT
[#14]
Man, no kidding. I have a Performance Center 629 with those--it is the finest handgun I own.
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:41:54 PM EDT
[#15]
Don't presently own a 629. But wish I did. I think I will be on the look-out at the next gunshow. |
|||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:48:32 PM EDT
[#16]
I'm lucky to have two. The first was a gift from my wife--before we were married.
 It is a 3" bbl. 629 with factory Magna-Port (not the proprietary S&W Power Port, which I do not care for--trapezoidal ports on the sides of the front sight), Uncle Mike's finger-groove black rubber grips, and a real big, intimidating hole in the front--the perfect "truck gun." The other, mentioned above, is my "deer huntin' iron"--though, by chance, I haven't killed a deer with it yet. It has a 7 1/2" bbl., integral Weaver rail, factory Magna-Port, the BEST trigger I have ever encountered on a factory gun (of course that's part of what you pay for for Performance Center guns), and the fancy Goncalo Alves grips. It shoots honest 2" 100 yard groups with my handloads. I haven't made any big effort to kill a deer with it so far, but I will this year, just so I can say I have.  ETA: I know I've posted this, but here's my sight-in target from last October: 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 6:52:24 PM EDT
[#17]
Mighty fine shooting. Definitely "minute of deer". 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/9/2005 7:01:44 PM EDT
[#18]
Thank you--too bad my computer-fu isn't so skillful. Next time I'll know a scanner doesn't work like a copy machine--if you leave the lid open a hole appears white, not black like a copier. I killed a very nice, but odd, ten pointer with that shotty gun last November. He had a very symmetrical ten point (Eastern count) rack, but one side was hollow in the main beam. There is a hole in front, between the brow tine and first big tine (G2?) about the size of your little finger, and another oblong one on top between the two first big tines. It is hollow between them--a total of about 6". I'm going to hang it above the door to our cabin, with a rubber snake in/out the holes. So far no one has been able to explain this. I'd guess some kind of parasite when in velvet. I meant to call the Dept. of Conservation in Missouri and ask one of their experts, but I keep forgetting. Someday, I guess. 
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 4:44:04 AM EDT
[#19]
To this day you can't buy a model 29 in decent shape for a reasonable price. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 4:46:10 AM EDT
[#20]
Might not be a bad retirement career. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 4:57:53 AM EDT
[#21]
The more guns I own, the more my eyes look to the old classics. Example: I was recently posessed with the desire for a hammerless Colt automatic. They have the best lines of any auto pistol you will ever see. I have absolutely no need for such a thing, but I had to have one anyway.
 The 629 is a good revolver. Personally, I prefer blued revolvers, but the 629 works pretty good. Very accurate, comfortable to shoot, even with full power .44 magnum loads. The only problem is that mine didn't come from the factory with a decent finish on it. (Apparently buffing the stainless revolvers properly is as lost an art as proper blueing....) But with a little metal polish and elbow grease, I managed to polish it myself. It turned out pretty good:  One positive about this 629: It has one of the best DA pulls of any revolver I have ever handled. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:02:47 AM EDT
[#22]
Good Lord man, that's one fine looking revolver ....
I have two Redhawks and a Dan Wesson(for IHMSA) .... I've always wanted another 29
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:05:24 AM EDT
[#23]
I have a bit of an eye for gun porn. I am almost like the Hugh Heffner of the gun world.... She looks good in person, but she is much sexier in that pic. ETA -- I can even make a Glock look sexy:  |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:08:20 AM EDT
[#24]
It's always nice to start the day off with a new OP post. Keep up the good work!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:08:59 AM EDT
[#25]
Like this? (my Glock 21 for Limited 10)  
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:11:29 AM EDT
[#26]
"Hell, I was There" Great Book. I too am a fan of the .44 spec. I agree with you 100%.  If I ever run across a decent 24, you can bet I grab it if at all possible. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:24:03 AM EDT
[#27]
Nice, very nice.
You know OP... I always wonder how you old coots made it through TR classes alive j/kTaffin is a really nice guy. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:25:25 AM EDT
[#28]
A great book indeed. Kind of hard not to admire a man that lived such a rough life. One of my favorite parts was when the crooks rode up to his parents home where they were evicting them. Elmer confronts the guys and says, "Step down off that horse and I'll kill you. Take it or leave it." They (wisely) decided to leave it. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:26:40 AM EDT
[#29]
'Cept I ain't looking for a "career". I'm retired.
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:27:10 AM EDT
[#30]
OP, forgive me if I missed your answer already but does the -3 designation mean it is one of the 24's from the 80's?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:28:33 AM EDT
[#31]
I was on vacation last week and glomed onto my uncle's copy of "Sixguns" by Keith. He sure liked those S&W wheelguns. They were powefull, and smooth as glass. Elmer was an entertaining writer, as was Bart's dad Skeeter. I have two of his books....
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:29:53 AM EDT
[#32]
Great little pistol. It's hard to believe, but at one time, that pistol (in .32 ACP) was considered a "powerful" pistol.
Mighty fine job. It's very difficult not to "round over" the edges when doing polishing. Yours looks great. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:34:17 AM EDT
[#33]
I believe that is correct. I may need correction by the experts here, but IIRC, the -3 indicates the last model, the non-pinned and non-recessed version. Edited to add: Tman did a quick check and found that the pistols (-3) were produced in 1984 and they made 7,500 of them. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:39:23 AM EDT
[#34]
Many thanks. It gives me a good excuse to go to the range.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:42:49 AM EDT
[#35]
OP are you loading your own ammo for the Special? If so what bullet weight and approx. velocity?
My 24 shoots high at 25 & 50 and clean over the top of the target at 100 yds with the sight all the way down. Skeeter's load - 7.5 Unique. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:46:17 AM EDT
[#36]
I can answer that one. I was huffing and puffing like an old steam locomotive, and sweating like it was raining. In all seriousness, Clint and the instructors tell you to just do as much as you can and then take a break if you need it. I had prepared for the training, but all the "lay down, get up, lay down, get up" made my thighs burn after a while. I stayed with them though. I'm not quite as worn out as it may appear. And I out-shot a bunch of the young flat-bellys.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:53:00 AM EDT
[#37]
I do indeed. As listed in the first post ( ), I usually shoot a mild load with 5.0 grains of Unique behind a 240 grain SWC, for about 700 feet per second.I realize that this is a very mild load, but it shoots straight and I was able to easily adjust my sights to POA. I buy bulk bullets from Houston Cartridge Company at the gun show. I used to cast my own, but they sell them too cheap for me to go to all that trouble. And the store bought ones seem to shoot just fine. Skeeter's load of 7.5 graines of Unique will sometimes lead a bore. Elmer Keith's loads will definitely lead up a bore. Mine do not. Edited to add: If you look carefully at a gun show, you may be able to find a shorter rear sight blade. Smith made them in several different hights. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:58:07 AM EDT
[#38]
I know the feeling. My last pistol class was with cops, SWAT cops, and fellows going to Iraq as contractors. I was hardly the fastest one in the bunch, or in the best shape. But I had the top time on the stress course. Me and my old fashioned single stack 1911 with a blued finish, no less. The instructor told the class: "You will notice that his run was fast, even though it doesn't look like he moved that fast. His run was fast because he was dead on with every shot, which goes to show you that hitting your target is a lot faster than missing...." |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 5:59:30 AM EDT
[#39]
Oops, skimmed right over that in the first post. I'm still on my first cup of coffee.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:01:23 AM EDT
[#40]
Or, as Clint says, "If your threat isn't going down, do you think you need to shoot faster, or better?"
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:04:27 AM EDT
[#41]
Makes me want to buy a Single Action Army remake.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:07:47 AM EDT
[#42]
Great thread, and that is a sweet revover O_P
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:15:22 AM EDT
[#43]
The .44 Special was a very popular caliber in the old west. It's a shame that modern single actions are not made in .44 Special. Of course you can buy a .44 Magnum and shoot .44 Specials (or down loaded magnums) in it. But it won't be as accurate as a true Special. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:16:30 AM EDT
[#44]
Thanks, dpmmn. I can't hardly walk past a big Smith wheel gun at a gun show.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:27:00 AM EDT
[#45]
There are only 2 kinds of handguns - 1911's and N frames.
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:35:23 AM EDT
[#46]
Not going to get much of an argument from me.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 6:51:56 AM EDT
[#47]
Been looking for a 6" Model 24 for about 10 years now.
I do find the occasional snubby. The cartridge is a snap to reload. ANY load/bullet combination works well. My favorite plinker is a 6" Model 28. (Old Idaho trooper's gun) Outstanding revolver. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 7:08:00 AM EDT
[#48]
I had a partner that carried a Model 28. Not very fancy, kind of plain, but it was as tough as a bank vault. I once read an article in the American Rifleman where they took a Model 28 (.357 magnum) and unscrewed the barrel and replaced it with a solid barrel. Solid steel, no bore. They then proceeded to fire all six rounds of .357 Magnum loads and the cylinder did not split. They are as tough as nails. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 7:15:22 AM EDT
[#49]
 here is my S&W Family.. Baby bear, Mama bear and Papa bear.... Papa Bear is a 629 Classic DX.. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/10/2005 7:35:20 AM EDT
[#50]
Mama Bear is a classy lady!!
|
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
