S&W 624

[SteveC99]

I have the 624 in a 4" bbl length.  I have wondered about, but never seriously considered, the possibility of either reaming the 44 Special chamber to 44 Mag, or getting a 44 Mag Cyl.  The 44 Magnum would not be used a lot and not at high power levels.  I've always sort of wanted a good 44 Mag lever carbine and a 44 Mag chamber in the 624 would  let me have the ability to use the same ammo.  The assumption here is that the 624 is close to the 629 with only different chambers.  So, for anybody that knows, it this a feasible idea or should I just get a 44 Mag revolver from the get-go?  Thanks.

Steve

[dbriannelson]

I have heard from several sources that the heat treating of the cylinder is different for the .44 Magnum than the .44 Special.  I question whether that's true, as it would be less expensive for a manufacturer to have one process for all similar parts than to split the flow for different parts.  So I guess I can't help you that way.

However...Elmer Keith used to load the beejesus out of the S&W .44 Specials, creating the precursor to the 44 Magnum by putting 17.5 grains of 2400 behind his 250 grain cast bullet.  The result is clearly in .44 Magnum territory.  That load, by the way, will blow the walls of lesser .44 Special revolvers, so don't try it in your Charter Arms. 

And lever guns all will handle .44 Specials too as I understand it, so maybe keeping what you have and loading it up to where you're happy is a decent solution.

-Don

[Graybeard]

If you feel the need for a .44 Magnum I suggest you just buy one and not mess with what you have. I am constantly amazed that folks buy mild mannered rounds because they are mild mannered then feel the need to magnamize them.

[Lloyd Smale]

the cylinder on a 44 special smith is shorter then a mag cylinder. To get it to work you would have to either find both a cylinder and barrel or have the forcing cone of your barrel cut off and recut to make room in the cylinder window. Hardly worth it when 44 special smiths command higher prices then the mag versions. Cheapest thing would be to sell it or swap it for what you want.

[dbriannelson]

the cylinder on a 44 special smith is shorter then a mag cylinder. ...

The cylinder length of my recent Model 21 is 1.703 - same as my 629-1s.  I know the older S&W .44s were shorter, but don't know about the 624. 

Not that it matters a whole lot - no one seems to be encouraging a rechambering to .44 Magnum.

-Don

[S.B.]

I don't think the cylinder is long enough for magnum ream job. Look in the cylinder window and see how far the barrel protrudes into this window. Also, as dbriannelson mentioned the difference in heat treating is different. In the long run, you would probably be better off(cheaper) to put this gun up for sale (they command a high price in unaltered original condition) and buy a magnum?

[SteveC99]

Thanks for the replies.  The gun will stay unaltered.  I was not trying really to magnumize anything.  The 44 Special will give a 4" revolver all I want to shoot in it.  I asked mostly on curiosity, which has pretty well been satisfied.  Thanks.

Steve

[Lloyd Smale]

If your ever interested in trading it away let me know.

[Drilling Man]

However...Elmer Keith used to load the beejesus out of the S&W .44 Specials, creating the precursor to the 44 Magnum by putting 17.5 grains of 2400 behind his 250 grain cast bullet.  The result is clearly in .44 Magnum territory. 
-Don

  You left out the most important part!!

  He loaded that load in the OLD STYLE 44 spl. cases that had a lot more capacity than todays cases!!!  AND, that's the secret of how he got away with it for so long...

  DM

[Lloyd Smale]

A modern 24 or 624 will still do ok today using the newer powders and smaller case. As will a colt saa or any of its copys as long as there a good gun to start with. Ive shot thousands of them through guns without a problem

[S.B.]

Drilling Man, and the old balloon head cases weren't as strong as out solid head cases, of today.

[dbriannelson]

However...Elmer Keith used to load the beejesus out of the S&W .44 Specials, creating the precursor to the 44 Magnum by putting 17.5 grains of 2400 behind his 250 grain cast bullet.  The result is clearly in .44 Magnum territory. 
-Don

  You left out the most important part!!

  He loaded that load in the OLD STYLE 44 spl. cases that had a lot more capacity than todays cases!!!  AND, that's the secret of how he got away with it for so long...

  DM

Nope.  In the balloon head cases, he loaded 18.5 grains of 2400.  He reduced it to 17.5 grains for solid head cases.

At least, that's what I recall.  I can't check his book as I'm on the road right now.

-Don

[S.B.]

Now that I think about this, I think Don is correct? Thanks, Don, for setting this right.
Steve

[Drilling Man]

However...Elmer Keith used to load the beejesus out of the S&W .44 Specials, creating the precursor to the 44 Magnum by putting 17.5 grains of 2400 behind his 250 grain cast bullet.  The result is clearly in .44 Magnum territory. 
-Don

  You left out the most important part!!

  He loaded that load in the OLD STYLE 44 spl. cases that had a lot more capacity than todays cases!!!  AND, that's the secret of how he got away with it for so long...

  DM

Nope.  In the balloon head cases, he loaded 18.5 grains of 2400.  He reduced it to 17.5 grains for solid head cases.

At least, that's what I recall.  I can't check his book as I'm on the road right now.

-Don

  That does sound right... 

  But even Keith was smart enough to come up with the 44 mag. for hot loads, and i don't see any reason to hotrod a 44spl. these days...  Everyone makes a 44 mag...  If you want magnum velocities, buy a magnum...

  DM

[S.B.]

Good point.
Steve

[Lloyd Smale]

its part of the fun of playing with a gun. If a guy only loads one load and shoots a gun its pretty boring. What about all the ruger level 45 colt loads and using heavy bullets in a 44 mag to make it more powerful. If i run 300 grain 44s should i have to step up to a 454. to me its kind of cool to shoot kieth level loads in a little 44 special and use it to kill something. All of my shooting isnt plinking its all alitimately aimed at hunting with the gun. Its not a bit differnt then a guy who has a 257 roberts, 757 or even an o6 loading because the factory level ammo is downloaded and he wants more performance. Also not everybody that owns say a 44 special or 45 colt can afford to go out and buy another gun to use for hunting. As long as the gun is strong enough and the loader knows what hes doing theres absolutely nothing wrong with loading a round or gun up to its potential

However...Elmer Keith used to load the beejesus out of the S&W .44 Specials, creating the precursor to the 44 Magnum by putting 17.5 grains of 2400 behind his 250 grain cast bullet.  The result is clearly in .44 Magnum territory. 
-Don

  You left out the most important part!!

  He loaded that load in the OLD STYLE 44 spl. cases that had a lot more capacity than todays cases!!!  AND, that's the secret of how he got away with it for so long...

  DM

Nope.  In the balloon head cases, he loaded 18.5 grains of 2400.  He reduced it to 17.5 grains for solid head cases.

At least, that's what I recall.  I can't check his book as I'm on the road right now.

-Don

  That does sound right... 

  But even Keith was smart enough to come up with the 44 mag. for hot loads, and i don't see any reason to hotrod a 44spl. these days...  Everyone makes a 44 mag...  If you want magnum velocities, buy a magnum...

  DM

[dbriannelson]

What Lloyd said. 

My new Model 21 is a nickel-plated, fixed sight, round-butted "classic" replica and weighs a bunch, even with the skinny barrel.  It's flash, and I can see myself carrying it when I clip on my diamond tooth, lace up the spats, straighten the bowler and step out for a night playing piano down at Mame's Boarding House.  Be a shame to be stuck with popgun factory ammo, particularly as there's no option to get this particular style in .44 Magnum.

Likewise, there's a Ruger Blackhawk in the hands of Ben Forkin being converted to a short-barreled .44 Special that will clearly handle a load of 7.5 grains of Unique behind a 250 Keith.  There aren't any comparable .44Ms out there for this one either.

Reloading allows safe hotrodding.  I don't have any ambition to duplicate Keith's experiments, but do like faster bullets, bigger bangs, more money and hotter women, like any real American (man).

-Don

[S.B.]

dbriannelson, how do you shorten chambers by .010"?
Steve

[Drilling Man]

Also not everybody that owns say a 44 special or 45 colt can afford to go out and buy another gun to use for hunting.

  Seems to me that "if" you know at some point your going to be hunting big game with your 44, you buy the mag. first...  That seemed to work for me, but then again i have always been kinda practical in my purchases...

  Lets seee, "N" frame 44spl., or "N" frame 44 mag.??  Is it really that hard of a decision?

  I can't see any reason to shorten the life of my 44 spl., when i could have had a 44 mag. in the first place...  (and i do)

  DM

[dbriannelson]

dbriannelson, how do you shorten chambers by .010"?
Steve

Steve, is this in reference to turning a .357 Blackhawk into a .44 Special Blackhawk?  Or did I miss something subtle?

Seems to me you could actually shorten chambers with interference fit sleeves, but generally that would be pretty silly.

-Don

[S.B.]

Sorry, I read it as turning a .44 magnum into a .44special? My mistake. Don't think bushing would work in this situation? Easy to ream a .357 cylinder into a .44 special, take two different reamers, though.
Steve

[Old Fart]

I always appreciated the 44 spl for what it was.
I would hate to be the one who bubba'd a 624
up just to have something I could go buy.

There's always a chance that the 624 will appreciate
in value over time because of the semi-limited nature
of 44 spl's. Most people just buy a 44 mag. if that is
what they want.

[.41 special]

If you want a 624 in .44mag buy a 629 Mountain gun in .44mag, you'll have the same barrel configuration as a 624 with the longer cylinder, and all factory .44mag handgun.

[Three44s]

If you want a 624 in .44mag buy a 629 Mountain gun in .44mag, you'll have the same barrel configuration as a 624 with the longer cylinder, and all factory .44mag handgun.

DITTO!!!!!

Three 44s

[bluecow]

dont think that you would by a mustang and hammer it down a loggin road with your foot in the carb.  why buy a 44spl and try to make a mag out of it when the mag is less $$ and easyer to find? ( ammo and gun) besides the 44 spl will do most of what you need doing with less flash and bang.   i love my 44mag sbh and i love shooting the m24 44 spl.  let each stand on its own.   

[P.A. Myers]

Buy a cylinder and ejector assembly in 44mag, have it fitted to your 624. I have two dual cylinder smiths [45acp-45colt]. The pistol in the picture started as a very worn Model28 [357]. I also have a 25-2 that a colt cylinder was fitted. What you do is shorten the colt cylinder to the same length as the acp. A groove is cut at the rear of the colt cylinder to use the same stop. You don't expand the acp, you shrink the colt.  300 grain bullets hang out the modified colt cylinder, 240s do not. All you need to do to change it is remove the crane screw. Both guns shoot fine with either cylinder. It would be easier just to get a different gun, but that would be easy wouldn't it.

[Adawi]

I have the 624 in a 4" bbl length.  I have wondered about, but never seriously considered, the possibility of either reaming the 44 Special chamber to 44 Mag, or getting a 44 Mag Cyl.  The 44 Magnum would not be used a lot and not at high power levels.  I've always sort of wanted a good 44 Mag lever carbine and a 44 Mag chamber in the 624 would  let me have the ability to use the same ammo.  The assumption here is that the 624 is close to the 629 with only different chambers.  So, for anybody that knows, it this a feasible idea or should I just get a 44 Mag revolver from the get-go?  Thanks.

Steve

Henry's .44 mag Big Boy lever actions also chamber .44 spl's. 

[Lloyd Smale]

if you cut the barrel to fit a 44 mag cylinder in the gun the special clyinder wouldnt work. the only way to do it would be to buy a blank cylinder the lenght of the 44 mag cylinder and have it reamed to 44 special which would be silly as youd have the same bullet jump to the barrel that you would by shooting 44 specials in a 44 mag cylinder. Cant see how it could be done with the 45colt/acp either without using a full lenght acp cylinder or moon clipping a 45 colt cylinder. 

Buy a cylinder and ejector assembly in 44mag, have it fitted to your 624. I have two dual cylinder smiths [45acp-45colt].

[S.B.]

if you cut the barrel to fit a 44 mag cylinder in the gun the special clyinder wouldnt work. the only way to do it would be to buy a blank cylinder the lenght of the 44 mag cylinder and have it reamed to 44 special which would be silly as youd have the same bullet jump to the barrel that you would by shooting 44 specials in a 44 mag cylinder. Cant see how it could be done with the 45colt/acp either without using a full lenght acp cylinder or moon clipping a 45 colt cylinder. 

Buy a cylinder and ejector assembly in 44mag, have it fitted to your 624. I have two dual cylinder smiths [45acp-45colt].

EXACTLY! Well said, Lloyd. Besides, this type of project soon turn into holes you throw money into.
Steve

[Old Fart]

And like I said.....if you want a 44 mag buy a 629.
Sell the 624 to someone who will appreciate it.