Age and model of .44 Spc ? safe loads to shoot?

[Youngblood]

Anybody able to identify date and model of a .44 Special six shot. Barrel is not original. Serial number on grip frame and cylinder is 174XX and number where model number appears on modern gun, on frame in front of cylinder is 62590. Above the number on the frame in front of the cylinder is an "R". Does anybody know what current loads would be safe to shoot in this revolver? I appreciate the number of knowledgable folks on here, thanks for the consideration.

[hmitch5430]

I believe your gun was made in 1921. Others will answer what you can shoot.

[Wiregrassguy]

to the forums from the Wiregrass! It seems your .44 HE is a 2nd model and early in the production. You can shoot any .44 Special load out there. I recommend gaarms.com for ammo...try the cowboy ammo. It's dirty but cheaper than regular stuff. How about some pictures??

[Youngblood]

The original bbl was bulged and the forcing cone had been broken and shattered, so Bob Cogan of Accurate Plating and Weaponry (APWCogan) was able to find a .44 Spc bbl to replace the original. The gun has always been a shooter for me and once the original had been severly damaged I decided to make the following modifications; the notched top strap of the frame was modified to mount a Smith and Wesson rear sight. The rear sight was modified with two fiber optic dots on either side and a new fiber optic front sight was manufactured and fitted in place. The action was tuned and polished and the entire gun was plated with an industrial hard chrome finish with approximately ten times the corrosion resistence of nickle plating.Not traditional and not what I had intended when I aquired it 29 yrs ago but after being severly damaged by a "friend" i am grateful to be able to enjoy the gun after holding onto it for so long.

[Youngblood]

Thanks for the quick and knowledgable responses ! Wiregrassguy (neighbor) Bob Cogan is in Newville, Alabama just about 30 min. away form you(but you probably know that ) if you haven't been by Bob's shop its definitely worth the drive ! Thanks again for the help!

[Hard8]

Interesting to say the least. You have a S&W New Century aka Triple Lock aka 1st Model 44 Hand Ejector. I find it fascinating to see an early 20th century gun with rubber grips and an early 21st century fiber optic front sight. Truly one of a kind. Still, the frame is early, and was made before heat treating, low power factory ammo is safe to shoot. No +P CorBon or the like. Neat gun. Hard8

[Wiregrassguy]

Youngblood, yes I know Bob. I've been to his shop several times and they reblued my grandfather's .32 Reg. Police for me. They do good work.

Your gun is interesting. It is a couple of thousand units higher in SN than the SCSW lists for 1st model guns...15,375...and the 1st model ended production in 1915. Would you take some pictures of the yoke area for us. I want to see if you may have an early 3rd model...unlikely, but still interesting...as Hard8 says.

[Hard8]

Morning Guy, yep, I am basing my guess on just the left side of the gun. The half lug under the barrel takes it out of 2nd model land, a pic of the right side would go a long way to clearing up the mystery...Doc (t.o.Doc)

[Youngblood]

Attached (I hope) are pictures of the yoke area, as the barrel is not original a photo of the right side of the gun might not help but I'll try to upload one.

[Wiregrassguy]

Well, it's not a triple lock. So, it has to either be a 3rd model or a 2nd model that had a barrel change.