Author Topic: 44 with sights (Read 930 times)

tiger yat · « **on:** June 04, 2009, 03:47:13 AM »

I have a 2007 sb2 44 magnum with iron sights (peep and a fire sight) that is my "primitive weapon" for Mississippi deer. My son really likes the gun and I would like to give him one. What is the best way to get a 44 sb2 set up for iron sights?

Does anyone understand why H&R began offering the 44 and 357 only in the sb1 frame, or why they offer such a short range weapon only with scope rails and not set up with iron sights? Does anyone understand why the companion barrel is a rifled shotgun slug barrel, which has the same basic range and purpose as the pistol cartridge rifles, rather than a smoothbore (maybe even with screw-in chokes) that would have complimentary uses?

Maybe the best solution is to pass the 44 along and get myself a 45-70!!!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2009, 03:51:59 AM »

The answer is the Indiana pistol cartridge chambered deer season is why the SB1 357 and 44mags are marketed. Best way to get sights is look for an SB2 with them already on it, Gander had a bunch recently, or have a smith add them.

Tim

tiger yat · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2009, 04:02:26 AM »

Tim,
I thought they offered the 44 and 357 on the sb2 frame well before the pistol cartridge deer hunting was started in Indiana and people from all over the country bought them. Also, why use the sb1 frame? and why offer that particular combo instead of more usefull combos like a smoothbore?

Tim, are you saying that some stores still have sb2 44s with iron sights or that I could get another sb2 with iron sights?

45-70.gov · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2009, 04:07:09 AM »

i like the scoped 357 and 44

i have plenty of iron sighted revolverz

small game and shot placement...i scope is best

can you use scope in primative weapon season??

iron sight or scope use different stock...

tiger yat · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2009, 04:52:17 AM »

I like the feel and balance of the wooden stocked, iron sighted 22" Handi. We hunt southern forests/pine plantations where you can only see 25-75 yards and a short range weapon is all you need. A single shot in .35 or higher can be used for the six week long primitive weapon season.

I really like the 44 magnum with iron sights that I have and I wanted to give one to my son because he likes it.

Since 2007 H&R has changed the 44 magnum stock to a plastic Monte Carlo, removed the sights and changed the frame to SB1.

petemi · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:03:20 AM »

Why don't they just open a custom shop and let folks order the barrel, frame, stocks, sights, checkering, etc. etc. the way they want it. They usually have it all in stock anyhow, so why not let the customer put together a custom order.........and wait......of course.

Pete

canon6 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:12:13 AM »

What Pete said.of course us Handi nuts like to "put together" our own Handi's,

Doug

petemi · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:33:08 AM »

Doug, you're right. I seldom see a Handi set up the way I want it, so I buy, jingle and jangle and get what I want in the long run. Their "Custom Shop" would only have to be a small part of the assembly area. I mean how long does it take to put a barrel, frame and stock set together.........if you have them.........could take forever if you don't. Never understood folks advertising for sale what they don't have. It's like the fresh Mamoth steaks I don't have for $500.00 a pound.

Pete

tiger yat · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:36:24 AM »

The current offering in the iron sighted wooden stocked handis includes the 30-30, 500 S&W, and the 45-70. The 45-70 is probably the more versitile of the two that are over .35 caliber.

I could buy him a 30-30, get a 44 barrel fitted to it, drill and tap the barrel to attach a front sight and attach a reer peep. Then he has a primitive season barrel using the same cartridges that I use and a longer range 30-30 when appropriate.

Or I could also give him my 44, get a 45-70 for myself and attach the peep and firesight. It could be downloaded to be a reasonable kicker for deer and loaded full-house if I ever need that.....

Or I could get him a 270; I also shoot a 270 in Model 70. We could then get him the 44 barrel, sights etc. Then we'd be shooting the same cartridges for primitive season and for rifle. Would he need a non-Monte Carlo stock for the 44 or can that stock accomodate a receiver peep? We would definitely scope the 270.

Decisions, decisions...

Lefty Dude · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:48:41 AM »

When I bought my .308 barrel from the accessory program a couple of years ago, I ordered it with the optional iron sights. It only added $45.00 to the total price. I now have the option of removing my scope and using the Iron. For my Rifle application this was a needed requirement.
Makes for a more versatile emergency truck gun and survival package.

I wonder if the iron sights are still on the lists of options, now that Remington is in the picture ?

wreckhog · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2009, 05:52:42 AM »

Custom Shop? Wait til they get the accessory barrel program 99 percent first. I'd order a Gander Mountain 44 with sights. Which Gander Mountain store in particular?

reno2507 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2009, 06:22:13 PM »

The "custom shop" will be on it's way (I took the liberty of forwarding Tim's resume)!!! You're welcome!

Tim- Once you have the job, I'll let you negotiate your own salary!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2009, 08:08:43 PM »

Sorry, I'm retired!!

Thanks tho,

Tim

buddybelt · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2009, 07:22:55 AM »

I just picked up a handi 44 mag with open sights from Gander Mountain a couple of weeks ago. They had 2 more in stock, this is in Wausau Wisconsin.

BuddyBelt

tiger yat · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2009, 08:30:24 AM »

Wisconsin is a long way from here! The Gander Mountain in Mississippi is out of 44s and says the only sighted models will be 45-70 and possibly 444 in a special Optima edition. Inventory is low right now and will pick up in August/September before the season.
I'll probably end up getting the 45-70 or 444 with sights. I may really like it; haven't heard to many complaints about the 45-70.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** June 07, 2009, 08:45:51 AM »

You have a PM.

Tim

jim36 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 07, 2009, 09:08:20 AM »

TIGER i WAS AT THE CANDY STORE THE OTHER DAY AND THERE IS TALK GOING AROUND THAT HERE IN MISSISSIPPI YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SHOOT ANYTHING ANY CAL IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO DURING THE MUZZLE SEASON.I KNOW OF NO TRUTH TO THIS, BUT IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT. I WILL STILL SHOOT MY 4570. CAUSE "I LIKE THAT THANG" JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
JIM

mike@nds · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2009, 04:19:03 PM »

I just shot my new .44 mag SB1 today.

The gun was set up with a 2-7 leupold and would drop them into one big hole at 50 yards when I held it loose on the bags.

But when there was any pressure it got erratic quickly. Going to have to do some forend work.

I switched to the BSA red dot, it was fun and would be practical for hunting, but I really want irons on this gun.

IMHO, Handi's just look better, and are more appropriate with iron sights.

tiger yat · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2009, 06:42:16 PM »

Hey guys thanks for all the replies. I'm still looking at the options. No hurries.

Mike, Your gun sounds like it shoots as good as mine, maybee better. Do you think a peep sight mounted on the barrel chamber scope screws would work well well the Monte Carlo stock? is the stock synthetic?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #19 on:** June 07, 2009, 07:50:11 PM »

The WGRS works fine with a monte carlo stock for me on one of my 45-70s, see the Peep and Firesights thread in the FAQs and Help sticky.

Tim

tiger yat · « **Reply #20 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:59:48 AM »

Thanks Tim,
You are a fountain of knowledge about these guns. I guess when you have so many you learn a couple things...
One more question. What's involved (tools etc.) with tapping a screwhole for a front-sight? Are the 44s cheaper when they're on the SB1 frame? Was that two questions?

tykempster · « **Reply #21 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:22:05 AM »

The buffalo classic 45 colt would be a nice one.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #22 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:55:25 AM »

Quote from: tiger yat on June 08, 2009, 04:59:48 AM

Thanks Tim,
You are a fountain of knowledge about these guns. I guess when you have so many you learn a couple things...
One more question. What's involved (tools etc.) with tapping a screwhole for a front-sight? Are the 44s cheaper when they're on the SB1 frame? Was that two questions?

Drilling and tapping isn't hard, but you only get one shot at it, I've done it by hand, but a drill press is a better choice, getting the hole drilled in the right spot and true up and down is the hard part, and only deep enough to clear the screw length, all ya need is a tap or two and the correct size drill, the Williams shotgun shorty ramp fits the 44mag/45-70 barrels perfect, they come with a 6-48 screw, ideally a taper tap would be used to start with, then a bottom tap used to finish the hole, but the taper tap could be used by itself, Brownell's sells the taps and drills necessary for the work if you don't have a shop locally to buy from, 6-48 won't be found at your local hardware store, but you could use a different screw size, 6-32 would be a common one, you'd need a tap handle too.

SB1 frames cost less, they're cast iron, no heat treating, SB2 are heat treated investment cast alloy steel.

mike@nds · « **Reply #23 on:** June 08, 2009, 07:57:01 AM »

I'm going to make my own banded front sight and solder it in place, not a big fan of drilling and tapping barrels (even though I've got all the correct tools).

ohiobenito · « **Reply #24 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:27:19 PM »

my 45/70 really likes that new leverution ammo from hornady. It'll keep under 2" at 100yds. Just make sure if you do decide to go with a scope that it has ample eye relief, learn from my pain