The world of revolvers has taken some twists and turns through the years.
From their earliest days to in the present day’s elephant-slayers, you’ll be able to guess there shall be one thing fascinating to have a look at. My good friend Ed picked up such a beast a couple of years again and graciously loaned it to me for this little write-up.
It’s an older Mannequin 44 Taurus .44 Magnum with a ported 6.5-inch barrel.
Let’s get the 800-pound gorilla out of the room proper up entrance… why does it appear to be a Smith and Wesson? There’s purpose for that.
Taurus had been making revolvers since 1941 and had gotten good at it. In 1970, S&W’s mum or dad firm (Bangor Punta) bought a controlling curiosity in Taurus and entered right into a relationship to share know-how, designs, and so on. It was this fashion till 1977, when Taurus was bought to its present house owners. That speaks to the truth that S&W thought-about Taurus a high quality producer; in any other case, they wouldn’t have partnered with them.
So the connection resulted in 1977, and unique Taurus designs turned the order of the day.
I attempted to get a producing date for this revolver, however with Taurus, that’s laborious. Given what we simply discovered above, we will safely assume it was made between 1970 and 1977 because it seems to be an terrible lot like a S&W Mannequin 29 with an added full barrel underlug and a vent rib barrel.
Granted, the brand new Taurus revolvers nonetheless resemble these of S&W, however the newer designs depart from that in a couple of methods. S&W might have made the one now we have right here.
Right here is a photograph of my 8 ⅜” Mannequin 629 that was made in 1982 for comparability.
The weapons are very shut, aside from the apparent underlug and rib variations. Even the cylinder latches are the identical, in contrast to new Taurus revolvers. I want mine had that underlug – it helps with recoil. However… mine was a present from an expensive good friend earlier than he handed and I do imagine my boys would throttle me if I ever bought it, so I received’t. Anyway, that’s why they appear alike. It’s on function and it’s authorized.
The Mannequin 44
The Taurus 44 is at the moment made solely in stainless-steel and three barrel lengths: 4”, 6.5”, and eight.37”. I pulled up the 6.5” model’s internet web page to see how the brand new one compares with the outdated.
They give the impression of being just about alike, aside from the grips (those on the outdated gun are Pachmyer grips, almost definitely added later), the cylinder launch form, and the sights. Fascinating factor in regards to the cylinder launch… it’s a precise copy of what’s on my S&W. They’ve modified it since.
There’s one distinction that’s laborious to identify from a facet shot… the barrel is vented. Both sides of the muzzle has 4 holes to vent gases and to carry the muzzle down in recoil. Once more, that is one thing that I want mine had. They do assist tame the .44’s bark and chunk.
This gun is strong. I weighed it on my digital scale and it went 52 oz. That’s a handful! It outweighed my outdated S&W by 7.6 ounces… proper at half a pound. That’s that underlug for ya.
One anomaly I seen on this gun is its sights. I’m undecided it got here from the manufacturing facility prefer it sits now.
Somebody has both purchased a third-party rear sight or put in crimson “dots” of one thing resembling fiber optic materials on all sides of the rear sight’s notch, within the blade, and the entrance sight has a crimson plastic insert minimize into it, which seems to be to be DIY. It certain makes it fascinating!
Why Would You Need One Of These?
Properly, for one purpose, deer. That long-barreled 629 you see above has accounted for extra deer than I can keep in mind, because the late Nineteen Eighties.
The factor about deer and heavy revolvers like what now we have right here is that it doesn’t take a nuclear load to place them down. My go-to load for deer searching out to 100 yards or so has all the time been a home-cast 240-grain SWC, pushed to round 1100 f.p.s.
That doesn’t bend something, is nice to shoot, and nonetheless goes all through a sideways doe at 75 yards. I’ve used completely different powders through the years, however have settled on Lengthy Shot by Hodgdon. 10 grains of that may accomplish what I would like – plus extra.
Out of my S&W 1854 lever rifle, I get 1400 f.p.s. Plus, they shoot into one gap. Winner, winner!
I digress. One more reason why you may want considered one of these is why good friend Ed purchased it used to start with… safety in bear nation.
He’s had it for years, and mentioned he picked it up for per week’s wandering within the wilds of Montana. He didn’t have to make use of it, he mentioned, nevertheless it was comforting realizing it was there. The 6.5” barrel is an effective compromise.
Though it’s simpler to hold, 4 inches generally doesn’t produce the velocities that the .44 is understood for. The lengthy barrel on the 629 (my artillery) is simply too lengthy to hold simply, particularly in a hip holster. Been there, carried out that, many occasions. You’re feeling such as you’re pulling the gun out hand-over-hand to get it previous the holster.
Shorter barrels are higher for the aim talked about right here. A chest or shoulder holster is one of the simplest ways to tote a long-barreled wheelgun within the searching woods.
Vary Time
I needed to shoot the Taurus and my S&W facet by facet and examine them, so I did. I used my favourite handload (talked about above) since this isn’t a brand new gun evaluation, and it actually doesn’t matter what I shoot. This load has confirmed correct, so I believed I’d strive it. I additionally needed to take my Garmin Xero C1 Professional chronograph out and verify the velocities.
I arrange a goal or two up at 25 yards and let fly. Right here’s a pattern. At all times has to have that Frequent Flyer!
My handload was fairly anemic out of the shorter barrels. Out of the Taurus, it averaged 991 f.p.s. with 525 ft./lbs. of vitality. A lot of the pictures had been centered, if a bit excessive, however that’s to be anticipated. I might see constructing off this load if this revolver had been mine to hunt with. The 629 didn’t do rather a lot higher… 1023 f.p.s., 556 ft./lbs. of vitality. At the least the accuracy was first rate with each of them.
Remaining Ideas
I’ve all the time appreciated revolvers, particularly these of the .44 selection (Particular or Magnum).
So it was with nice curiosity that I relieved Ed of this gun for a couple of days and performed with it. I used to be not disenchanted. The gun is correct, strong, and the vents assist with recoil.
In the event you run throughout one thing like this on the used market, you would possibly wish to contemplate selecting it up as it may be a most great tool. From searching to rough-country safety to dwelling protection, you can not be higher armed.
A .44-caliber, 240- or 250-grain laborious forged SWC at magnum velocity has been recognized to settle a predator’s hash in fast trend. I do know I certain like my S&W, and would like to have a “matching” Taurus!
The place To Purchase
