Is there some where that I can get some info on the .44 Specials that Taurus used to make. I haven't found any palce that caries the specs for these guns. I am looking for info on weights sizes for the different models, is the frieing pin hammer mounted etc. Thanks for any help that you can give me.
44 Special
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The Buck stops here and we welcome you, sir.
I can only tell you a little bit about mine, its made some time in the 1990's.
It has a three inch barrel model 441 in SS. they also came with 4 inch, 6 inch. The model 441 comes with target sights...red front post insert.
Some were made in the blue finish.
The model 431 is same revolver but has fixed sights, none adjustable...came in same configurations as above.
Both revolvers are 5 shot HE cylinders, and you should be made aware that those cylinder chambers are over-bored to about .434 diameter at their throats. While barrels are .429 in their rifling diameter.
This becomes a bit of a challenge for me to reload cartridges that my cast bullets are .430 to a maximum of .432 diameter. I've done this to acquire the best accuracy advantage this situation can afford...and it seems to work well.
What happens is the normal cast bullet of .429 to .430 can bump up a little on ignition, but sometimes lets a lot of burning powder blow-by soot up the brass and the gun in general.
A fix is done by increasing the bullet diameter to .431 or .432, this bumps up a bit more to make a better ignition seal in the cylinder throat chambers.
I have a friend cast my bullets with beagled bullet moulds that increase their girth to near that dimension. The bullets are then sized in .432 swaging die if gas checks are used, or through a Star lube-sizer press with a .432 sizing die. Or, you can have a Lee sizing die made up in .432 diameter if need be.
Now all this might scare off the average Joe who would be thinking about acquiring one of these great Taurus .44 special revolvers, but I assure you the rewards are outstanding.
The gun is butter smooth in its double action mode and lite on the trigger pull. It is the most handsome .44 special I own, and that's including two early model S&W guns...a 2nd model and a 3rd model.
Being a five shot makes for slightly less weight, the gun can be carried in IWB holster without too much fuss, I've occasionally just stuck it in my back pocket as a carry place around my property...we live in the woods up here.
Hope this helps, good luck in finding one.
TB C45
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I can only tell you a little bit about mine, its made some time in the 1990's.
It has a three inch barrel model 441 in SS. they also came with 4 inch, 6 inch. The model 441 comes with target sights...red front post insert.
Some were made in the blue finish.
The model 431 is same revolver but has fixed sights, none adjustable...came in same configurations as above.
Both revolvers are 5 shot HE cylinders, and you should be made aware that those cylinder chambers are over-bored to about .434 diameter at their throats. While barrels are .429 in their rifling diameter.
This becomes a bit of a challenge for me to reload cartridges that my cast bullets are .430 to a maximum of .432 diameter. I've done this to acquire the best accuracy advantage this situation can afford...and it seems to work well.
What happens is the normal cast bullet of .429 to .430 can bump up a little on ignition, but sometimes lets a lot of burning powder blow-by soot up the brass and the gun in general.
A fix is done by increasing the bullet diameter to .431 or .432, this bumps up a bit more to make a better ignition seal in the cylinder throat chambers.
I have a friend cast my bullets with beagled bullet moulds that increase their girth to near that dimension. The bullets are then sized in .432 swaging die if gas checks are used, or through a Star lube-sizer press with a .432 sizing die. Or, you can have a Lee sizing die made up in .432 diameter if need be.
Now all this might scare off the average Joe who would be thinking about acquiring one of these great Taurus .44 special revolvers, but I assure you the rewards are outstanding.
The gun is butter smooth in its double action mode and lite on the trigger pull. It is the most handsome .44 special I own, and that's including two early model S&W guns...a 2nd model and a 3rd model.
Being a five shot makes for slightly less weight, the gun can be carried in IWB holster without too much fuss, I've occasionally just stuck it in my back pocket as a carry place around my property...we live in the woods up here.
Hope this helps, good luck in finding one.
TB C45
Thank you for the info Tracker Backer C45. I had heard something about the throat dia. some where else before. I think that also applies to some older Smith's as I remember in .45 cal. I haven't got into reloading yet but seems like I may in the near future. I don't see them come up very often for sale but I am keeping my eyes open as they sound like good duns from what I have read.
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Buck, you are so right about those over sized cylinder throats in the older S&W in .45 Colt caliber.
I have one that was originally a .455 WW-1 British contract gun, it got converted back in that early era to .45 Colt...and it was done properly. Only problem with it was the over sized cylinder throats that were around .457 or .458 diameter.
My solution to that fix was to use at least .454 bullets with hollow base cavities, the cast bullets bump up nicely to a better seal on the cylinder throats, then get sized again when they hit the forcing cone and enter the rifling...my accuracy is very good.
You can't use much bigger .45 bullets than .454 dia. as its difficult to reload them in the .45 Colt brass.
Here's a pix of my old S&W in all its beauty from being restored.
TB C45
Note: I've also used hollow base bullets to good effect in the .44 special merely because I'm into swaging bullets and can perform HP or HB in any cast bullet I choose to make them.
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I have one that was originally a .455 WW-1 British contract gun, it got converted back in that early era to .45 Colt...and it was done properly. Only problem with it was the over sized cylinder throats that were around .457 or .458 diameter.
My solution to that fix was to use at least .454 bullets with hollow base cavities, the cast bullets bump up nicely to a better seal on the cylinder throats, then get sized again when they hit the forcing cone and enter the rifling...my accuracy is very good.
You can't use much bigger .45 bullets than .454 dia. as its difficult to reload them in the .45 Colt brass.
Here's a pix of my old S&W in all its beauty from being restored.
TB C45
Note: I've also used hollow base bullets to good effect in the .44 special merely because I'm into swaging bullets and can perform HP or HB in any cast bullet I choose to make them.
In addition to a 441 (6") and a 431 (3") I also have a S&W 624 (3") Lew Horton made in the 1980's and a recent non-Thunder Ranch Smith 21-4. In order from most accurate to least is 441, 21-4, 624, and 431. The first two are closer to 2" groups at 25 yards, the last two more like 3" at that distance off the bench. The cylinder throats on all are .4305 and beyond. I have run about a dozen handloads through each, cast 240 SWC, Laser Cast 200 RNFP, Winchester and Remington 180 and 240 JHP, plus a neat 190 grain double-ended full wadcutter from National Bullet (before all their problems). I have not found the "magic" .44 special load for any of these, and I doubt I ever will given the cylider dimensions, without the custom bullet casting described by Tracker Backer. When I'm not testing handloads on the bench, though, at the standard "combat" distance of 21 feet, it's easy enough to hit very close to where you are aiming. So I guess a lot depends on what type of accuracy is important to you. The decision to own a .44 special also must take into consideration ammunition cost. Much of this stuff is $20 per box or more, which I don't pay, as I have been shooting only handloads for 15 years. Handloading also makes possible the enjoyment of .45 Colt and .44 Magnum without breaking the bank. Catering to the whims of an otherwise enjoyable gun to overcome accuracy disappointments is one of the more satisfying aspects of reloading these big bores.
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Man oh man, you said it. It is a joy to load for these big calibers...and find something that works.
As to the 2nd model restored .45 Colt, here is a target that shows some peculiar point of impacts from point of aim. The bullets are from a Hoch .429 mould in 145 grain, then swaged up to .454 dia. with a round flat top nose and deep hollow base.
It merely shows what it is capable of shooting if you find the working combination and realize the true POA.
Though the velocity is pretty high, the POI is 7 to 10 inches low because of the lite bullet weight and the bullet is faster than the recoil effect.
TB C45
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As to the 2nd model restored .45 Colt, here is a target that shows some peculiar point of impacts from point of aim. The bullets are from a Hoch .429 mould in 145 grain, then swaged up to .454 dia. with a round flat top nose and deep hollow base.
It merely shows what it is capable of shooting if you find the working combination and realize the true POA.
Though the velocity is pretty high, the POI is 7 to 10 inches low because of the lite bullet weight and the bullet is faster than the recoil effect.
TB C45
i got into the 44 special on a lark, now they see most of the action.in fact i just talked to my gunsmith today he hopes to complete the conversion of my blackhawk to 44 special by thursday or friday. i can hardly wait, but the weather dictates when i can shoot.the taurus 441 and the cimarron model p are a joy to shoot. the black should be a nice addition to this group. dan
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50/50, is your Blackhawk a once .357 magnum?
We'll be needing pictures when you get it back...sounds like a great shooter to be.
TB C45
We'll be needing pictures when you get it back...sounds like a great shooter to be.
TB C45
Buck, the .44 Special for years has been underproduced, I think they are only liked by shooters who've found just how great a cartridge it is, handloaders in particular. If you can stand a single action Cimarron & USFA offer the traditional single action in .44 Special. The Cimarron is made by Uberti & the USFA is American made. The Cimarron is about $465 & the USFA is about $950. The USFA is a very well made American gun & the Cimarron is a pretty well made Italian gun. Some like single actions some don't. I do. This is an option though. Frank
there seems to be a very real demand for the 44 special caliber,yet the gun industry seems to ignore that interest.sure you can shoot 44 specials out of a 44 mag, but that's akin to wearing your older brothers hand me downs, or chewing gum with the wrapper still on it.
if taurus was smart they would bring back a 4" and 6" model 441.
i love mine.
if taurus was smart they would bring back a 4" and 6" model 441.
i love mine.
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275 Posts
I'll drink to that statement, start making the model 441 with 3" 4" and 6" barrel lengths again...with some nicer fitting grips to fit medium sized hands.
We don't need target stocks, but something that is not so fata$$ed in the palm swell of the hand.
Oh, and bring back the model 431 too...so there is a choice.
Now if Taurus had the smarts to see the nostalgia of the early 2nd model and 3rd model S&W revolver in .44 special...they could cash in like Baretta and the other Italian gun makers did making early replicas of 19th century guns.
Just carry that idea over into the 20the century and make the 2nd and 3rd model replicas.
TB C45
We don't need target stocks, but something that is not so fata$$ed in the palm swell of the hand.
Oh, and bring back the model 431 too...so there is a choice.
Now if Taurus had the smarts to see the nostalgia of the early 2nd model and 3rd model S&W revolver in .44 special...they could cash in like Baretta and the other Italian gun makers did making early replicas of 19th century guns.
Just carry that idea over into the 20the century and make the 2nd and 3rd model replicas.
TB C45
S&W is coming out with this
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15702&isFirearm=Y
Model 396 Night Guard - .44SP. But something a little less pricy would be nice.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15702&isFirearm=Y
Model 396 Night Guard - .44SP. But something a little less pricy would be nice.
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