I'm a wheel gunner again!

[RU shooter]

After a long run with the semiautos in all different flavors and sizes I've returned back to the revolver after a trip to todays gun show. I traded My CZ40B for an older NIB Taurus 3" 44 spl. with adjustable sights:-D Even the Mrs. approved as the last wheel gun I owned was when we were first married 15 yrs ago.
Seems to lock up tight and the cyl gap is fairly low ,I dont know what the barrel slugs at but the cyl throats measure .433+ using calipers Think The large throats will cause any problems ? I have no experience shooting cast in spinners ,when I was younger I just bought whatever lead bullets they had at the gunshop never worried about proper boolit fit. So I guess a .432 boolit is in order ? will a slightly smaller boolit from a soft alloy bump up enough to work well? Help I'm a newbie again!

Tim

[462]

God knew what he was doing when he invented the .44 Special. There are those who have said that it is the perfect revolver round.

Here is a thread you may want to read. I started it because I was having a leading problem with my S&W 624 that has .432" throats and a .430" bore: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=54603.

I received a lot of great help and was able to solve the problem.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Usually the idea is to use a larger boolit that will be sized slightly by the cylinder throats, then again slightly by the forcing cone and barrel. Having said that I have fired off thousands of commercial cast boolits without measuring or worrying about it. Shoot some if they don't work, then worry about it.

Welcome back to the fire. I love my autos, but hate picking up brass.

Now you need a nice single action (s). Perhaps a 44Mag Blackhawk with 44 Specials for plinking and small game and firebreathing loads for hunting. I love the flexibility of my 44 Mag Blackhawks and SuperBlackhawks. My 45 Colt/45ACP(2x cylinders) convertible is a hoot as well.

Four Fingers.

[big dale]

i know what you mean. I have a stack of Glocks that I use often, but I also bring my old model Super Blackhawk each time I go to the range. I love the way it takes care of it's brass and the grin on my face gets even bigger when I fire it. 90% of the loads I fire thru it are at 44 special velocities and I just love shooting that old gun. I need to go to a gun show and buy another old model and this time not cutting the barrel back like I did on this one.

Big Dale

[jameslovesjammie]

I've always been a wheelgunner at heart. I've dabbled and shot a few auto's, and really TRIED to like them, but I always prefer the feel and function of a wheelgun. I own one semi, a CZ75B in .40 S&W, but it is really the only centerfire bottomfeeder I plan on having. Great ergonomics and trigger, but still not as smooth as my 686.

[Shiloh]

Love the tradition of Wheel Guns. Especially the fact that I don't have to crawl around picking up brass. Eject it right into the coffee can.

Shiloh

[Down South]

I’ve got a bunch of semi auto’s. All are S&W. None of them are in production now and all are great pieces and shooters. I usually shoot my revolvers. There is just something about a revolver that I like more than the pistols. I do CCW some of my pistols time to time but even my main CCW is a revolver.

[mooman76]

I went the way of the auto but come back after I started reloading and realized I don't have to chase down spent shells that fly every which way. Still like the autos but there is just something comforting about the old wheel gun.

[wallenba]

I'm pretty much a wheel gun only guy now. Have a Ruger Mark II .22 semi, and a series 70 colt 1911. But I reload 45 ACP for my S & W 625 wheel gun, when the brass is about to go, I load them up for the 1911 and just leave them behind. As a handloader I really grew to hate chasing down or hunting for my brass.

[454PB]

Did you get a model 441?

That's what mine is, and it also has largish throats. I use .432 sized boolits and it shoots well. I keep my loads very mild, the chambers walls are mighty thin.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm pretty much a wheel gun only guy now. Have a Ruger Mark II .22 semi, and a series 70 colt 1911. But I reload 45 ACP for my S & W 625 wheel gun, when the brass is about to go, I load them up for the 1911 and just leave them behind. As a handloader I really grew to hate chasing down or hunting for my brass.


With my autos, I always buy brass bulk and no matter how I take the ammo to the range, I always bring it home loose, that way I don't know if I missed a few. I get what I can see, have a bit of an extra look and that's it. If you load it into trays, you know you lost three cases or whatever. I don't need to know. grovelling around looking for a case or two, I got better things to do with my life.

Loev my old Smith and Wesson Wheelguns, my little Colt Police Positive and my Blackhawks and Vaqueros, but also love My Colt 1911, but the jury's out on the Beretta 92FS. Dang! love the feel of it, the ergonomics are better than just about anything for my big hands and it shoots like a target gun off the bench, but I am not able to get good accuracy from combat positions, good enough for combat, but not as sharp as I'd like. I'd better pull it out and try again.

[jdgabbard]

You know I'm a young guy. And I've owned quite a few semi auto pistols. But there is no substitute for a good wheelie. Their the only thing I carry anymore, at least for the most part.

[RU shooter]

Did you get a model 441?

That's what mine is, and it also has largish throats. I use .432 sized boolits and it shoots well. I keep my loads very mild, the chambers walls are mighty thin. Yes its a 441 I shot some Win Silver Tips yesterday with it as its all I had ,Not bad but not real great either. Hopefully it will do better with something else.

Tim

[exile]

Welcome to the .44 special addiction. It is all I shoot out of my Mountain Gun. I enjoy 200 grain round-nose, flat nose boolits the most.

exile

[358wcf]

Well, I guess I have to confess having fallen, HARD, for the 44 Special bug a few years ago-- Been a revolver shooter (only) for over 35 years, and lucked upon a new 6 1/2" 624 S&W when they were new- Loved that big thing, but couldn't get used to stainless, being a lover of traditional blue-- ended up trading it off to a very close friend who needed it badly! Needing no further excuse than not having a 44 at all, I broke down and sent my older S&W model 27 (4" 357mag) off to Hamilton Bowen with instructions to make me the finest 44 Special ever---- He did a magnificent job, and what a shooter it is!!! His action job is superb- Blue so deep, crisp factory style markings, and that checkered barrel rib and rear sight give away the Model 27 heritage-- and confuses so many observers! Bowen's work is top quality, and fast as well- only 6 weeks turnaround- Accuracy is unbelievable!
Gotta find another job for Mr Bowen to help me on! I've been bitten!!
44 Specials are just that, Special-- welcome to the club--
358wcf