TINCANBANDIT's Gunsmithing: November 2022

This post is a bit silly, a simple disassemble and reassemble, no real repair involved, but I am short on content as I have yet to have a workspace to work on guns after my move.

A friend of mine dropped off a couple of long guns that he had inherited from his uncle, he wanted me to check them out, clean them and make any repairs if needed.

He is a retired LEO and is moderately knowledgeable of firearms, but not classic guns like the Savage/Springfield 745B shotgun shown here and the Winchester model 1894 that I repaired earlier this past summer (see that post here).

Savy gun enthusiasts may recognize the silhouette of the Savage/Springfield 745 as that of the Remington model 11/Browning Auto-5. That is because this is a copy, built by Savage under license. The guns were made between 1940 and 1949.

When I picked up the gun, I noticed the action was open, not uncommon for a semi-auto shotgun, but what was different was the magazine spring was jammed into the action.

My first thought is that someone reassembled the gun and forgot to install the follower.

In this picture you can see the spring and the wood plug (limiting the rounds for compliance with game laws).

I was incorrect in my assumption, someone simply installed the magazine spring upside down, the follower was there, only on the wrong end.

Cleaned up and ready to go

What is it about the 44 Magnum?

The 44 Magnum is not even a 44 caliber (it is actually a 43 caliber). So why did they name it a 44? I searched this question briefly when I covered the history of the 44 Magnum.

Perhaps there is something in the name?

World Numerology dot com says that 44 is one of the six "power numbers" while others claim that number 44 is sign of good things coming, a sign that your work and diligence will pay off.

Maybe Colt (who built the first 44 caliber revolver, the Colt Walker) was into numerology?

The guy who wrote the epitaph on Lester Moore's grave is probably grateful they called it a 44

As was Lynyrd Skynyrd as they used it in their song "Gimme Three Steps":

"and I'm tellin ya son, well it ain't no fun staring straight down a 44. Well he turned and screamed at Linda Lou and that's the break I was looking for and you could hear me screaming a mile away as I was headed out toward the door."

I don't really believe any of that numerology gobblygook, I just know I like the 44 Magnum because it is big, powerful and can take any game in North America.

This S&W ad from 1956 is not exactly accurate, they may have advertised their 44 Mag revolver first, it was Ruger that sold the first 44 Magnum revolver to the public.

The 44 Magnum has long been described as the largest caliber that most people can shoot comfortably (although some would argue that on both sides). This could be one reason for its popularity.

In addition, you can load your revolver with 44 Special ammo, similar to the 357 Magnum/38 Special.

Perhaps something lightweight like this Black Hills Ammo. These 210 grain flat nose bullets trot along at just 700 fps and have a miniscule 228 ft-lbs of energy.

Or you could load up some 44 Mag hunting ammo like these Hornady 300 grain XTP hollow points that scoot down range at 1150 fps and have muzzle energy of 881 ft-lbs.

Buffalo Bore ups the ante with these "anti-personnel" rounds:

While the box lists the speed at 1500 fps, that is an average for a 6" barreled revolver. See the chart below. When fired from a rifle, these things are moving at 2100 fps out of the barrel with an astounding 1,762 ft-lbs of energy. That is on par with the best 30-30 Winchester rounds.

The first centerfire handgun I ever fired (some 42 years ago) was my Father's Ruger Super Blackhawk.

Ever since that day I have been enamored (some would say obsessed, thus the post title).

A picture of that same gun, My Father still owns this gun.

I am sure Dirty Harry may have also had an impact.....(Dirty Harry fans will get the pun)

I ended up buying one of my own Super Blackhawks, a 10 1/2" version

It needed a steel ejector rod housing and a reblue, so I stripped it, polished and reblued it.

Then added the aforementioned steel ejector rod housing and a new set of walnut grips

I also bought this Ruger Super Redhawk with a 7 1/2" barrel, I did a trigger job and installed a set of Hogue padded grips

I owned this S&W 629 for a short time, then traded it for a Glock 20

I wasn't looking for this gun, but the deal ($385) was too good to pass up, a NIB Winchester model 94 Trapper Carbine, 16" with the saddle ring in 44 Magnum..

Another gun show acquisition is this early vintage Ruger 44 Carbine, another sub $400 purchase

Then I found a replacement for the 629, this one is a 629 Classic Hunter with the target trigger & hammer, unfluted cylinder and full underlug....a beauty. It also has the machine roll marks (as opposed to the laser engraving) and the "endurance package". I swapped the Pachmayer grips it had for these Altamonts

Then I bought this JM stamped, North Haven produced, Marlin model 1894 in 44 Magnum, it has some finish wear and is on the list to be reblued.

The latest addition to the 44 Magnum stable is this Dan Wesson 44 Magnum with a 6" barrel. I am currently looking for reasonably priced barrels and tools for it.

Edit: I purchased this 1983 vintage S&W 29-3 for a very good price, this makes eight 44 magnums...

Here are the 44 Mags that I would like to add to my collection:

The cream of the crop would be the Colt Anaconda

The Ruger model 99/44 "Deerfield" Carbine

The Israeli made Timberwolf pump action rifle

Another once Israeli made gun the famous Desert Eagle

The Destroyer Carbine, they only made 1500 of these from 1963 to 1967, but you do find them for sale online once in a while. If you are unfamiliar, these were made by Universal Firearms and based on their commercial M1 Carbine actions with the gas system replaced with a pump action like a shotgun

Another Ruger, this time the model 96/44, which is a lever action that is reminiscent of the Savage model 99

The Llama Super Commanche, this one is not high on the list simply because they are not great quality and not much of a collector or even a shooter gun, but it would be cool to have every make of 44 Mag revolver