Author Topic: A Look Back at the .44 Special  (Read 1700 times)

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Offline Elderberry

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A Look Back at the .44 Special
« on: September 25, 2018, 01:28:45 am »
American Rifleman  by Dave Campbell - Monday, September 24, 2018

Sometimes I wonder whether folks working at a gun manufacturer know the impact of their decisions beforehand. I spent a little time at a couple of gun manufacturers many years ago. A couple of guys clearly dreampt of being the next John Moses Browning but most just liked the idea of working where guns were being made.

So as the 20th century was about to debut, the brass at Smith & Wesson decided on a new double-action revolver design called the Hand Ejector Model. More powerful cartridges were in high demand so the company developed a solid frame with a swing-out cylinder to replace its top-break double actions. The first of these were the I- and K-frame Hand Ejectors in .32 and .38 cal. These revolvers were an instant success as the 19th century drew to a close, so a .44-cal. frame given the factory name of the N-frame was developed in 1905. The .44 Russian cartridge was designed for and during the Top-Break era. This new N-frame allowed for a more powerful cartridge so the engineers lengthened the .44 Russian case by .19", added 3 grains of black powder for a total of 26 grains to push a 246-gr. bullet to 750 f.p.s. The new cartridge was christened the .44 Smith & Wesson Special, tagging along with the already popular .38 Smith & Wesson Special.

These new .44 Hand Ejectors were made to very tight tolerances. Cylinder alignment was critical and these cylinders locked up in three places; the front of the extractor rod, the rear where an extension of the extractor rod fit into the face of the recoil shield and a third place on the yoke where it meets with the barrel. This provided for a very sturdy and repeatable lockup, thus allowing both cartridge and revolver to extract the most accuracy. Up on the barrel, a shroud was provided to protect the extractor rod and add some recoil-dampening weight. The first .44 Hand Ejectors became known as Triple Locks because of the three locking points. It was introduced in 1908 and available in 5" and 6 1/2" barrel lengths, chambered in .44 Russian and .44 S&W Spl. However, very few were made with 4" barrels chambered in .38-40, .44-40 and .45 Colt.

Sales of the new .44s were disappointing to say the least, probably due to three factors. First, these revolvers recoiled more than the .38-cal. guns. Though considered paltry by today’s standards, the Modern Technique of the Pistol was still about half a century in the future. Most people still shot a handgun with one hand in what we now call a “duelist stance.” Too, because of the extensive handwork necessary to manufacture a revolver with three lockup points and the time required to evenly polish a barrel with an integral underlug, the retail cost was greater enough to spur many budget-conscious shooters to opt for the smaller caliber. Finally, the semi-automatic pistol was getting a lot of attention at the same time. A lot of “cutting edge” shooters of the day chose something newer than a rehash of existing technology. More than a century ago, as today, much of the gun-buying public clung to the arcane and false notion that “Where there is lead in the air, there’s danger!”

Smith & Wesson had a problem. Arguably its finest revolver wasn’t making it in the sales department, and it was costly to manufacture to boot. A Hand Ejector Second Model was introduced in 1915. The Second Model eliminated the third locking point in the yoke, along with the integral underlug. It was in production for just two years before Smith & Wesson had to make the switch to wartime production. The Hand Ejector Third Model came about in 1926 because of a heightened demand for the integral underlug on the barrel.

Wartime demands of World War II halted the manufacture of the 1926 Model in 1940. Once the world was once again made safe for a few years, the company brought out the Hand Ejector Fourth Model of 1950. Like its great, great grandpappy, the Model 1950 was not a stellar seller. Target shooters more often than not chose a lighter, easier recoiling .38 Spl. or a .45 ACP for their paper-punching chores. Buyers of the 1950 Model were largely restricted to savvy law enforcement guys, often in rural areas, and a group of revolver aficionados known as The 44 Associates, publicly led by a sawed-off Montana cowboy by the name of Elmer Keith.

More: https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/9/24/a-look-back-at-the-44-special/

Offline thackney

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Re: A Look Back at the .44 Special
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2018, 12:02:43 pm »
I like shoot the 44 special in my 44 mag lever because it is not as punishing for target shooting.

But the cost is not much better.
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Offline Elderberry

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Re: A Look Back at the .44 Special
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2018, 12:22:07 pm »
I like shoot the 44 special in my 44 mag lever because it is not as punishing for target shooting.

But the cost is not much better.

That's where reloading comes in. I started reloading as a teenager with a Lee Loader for my 30-30 and have been an avid reloader ever since.

Offline thackney

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Re: A Look Back at the .44 Special
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2018, 12:43:01 pm »
That's where reloading comes in. I started reloading as a teenager with a Lee Loader for my 30-30 and have been an avid reloader ever since.

I just don't have the time.  Maybe when the kids are gone or when I retire.

I used to reload shotgun when I was a teenager.  I don't mind doing it.
Life is fragile, handle with prayer

Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: A Look Back at the .44 Special
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2018, 08:12:31 am »
I found the loads for .44 Magnum using IMR 4227 to be plenty powerful in the Ruger Super Blackhawk, yet mild enough to not jack open the action of my Marlin. It's a good all-around powder. A web search will bring up a few articles on load specifics.
How God must weep at humans' folly! Stand fast! God knows what he is doing!
Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis