NM BH Flattop Anniversary .44 mag

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1mathom1

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
25
Location
Oklahoma
I feel lucky to have found one of the .44 mag Anniversary Flattops from 2006.

What grips fit? I've found that regular BH grips do not.

Also, do these hold any interest to collectors?
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
5,197
Location
West Tennessee
I like `em. In fact, I used mine as the basis for a custom .500JRH. If I didn't already have a plethora of .44's, I'd probably build another into a nice Bisley but keeping the original barrel and chambering.

.500JRH%2001b.jpg
 

Rclark

Hunter
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
3,533
Location
Butte, MT
Also, do these hold any interest to collectors?
Don't know for sure, but I know of at least one collector here that shoots one, and has another unshot in his safe.
Mine is a shooter and is my goto .44 Mag revolver when I shoot .44 Mag. I like it. Unfortunately, I don't get it out very often now, as I have my .44 Specials and .45 Colt flattop revolvers to keep me company for most of my shooting.

I did have one problem with mine. Never could keep the steel ejector housing on. Aggravating... So swapped it out for an aluminum one and all is well. Not as puuuurty, but functional. Also swapped out the grips for some Bear Paw grips as they are my favorite style of grip panels.
 

gak

Buckeye
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
1,552
Location
Aridzona
The anniversary .44 Mag is a hybrid of the midframe gripframe and full size BH/SBH/old Vaquero cylinder frame
..and uses the newer (2005+) midframe "XR3" grip used by the New Vaquero, .44 Sp flattops and Anniversary .357 flattops.
 

Rodfac

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
691
Location
Kentucky
Yep, I've got one, like it a lot. (However, I would have prefered a shorter bbl.:4-5/8" or 5.6" for carry on any modern conveyance). The 6-1/2" bbl. does add some beneficial inter-sight distance, thereby improving accuracy, though not by as much as some would believe. Off sandbags or a good back rested long range position, I see 1/4"-1/2" group size improvement when compared to that with the shorter tubes.

The gun itself came with a good trigger ~4 lbs., and oddly enough, the sights were dead on with my usual 1000 fps 240 gr LSWC loads (7.5 gr of Unique put up in Special brass, or 8.2 gr Unique in Magnum cases). For the most part, I cast and size my own LSWC's of the Keith 240 gr persuasion and have found that straight wheel weights, sized to 0.431 or 0.432" shoot into nice little clusters

Overall, accuracy runs < 2" at 25 yds from a rested position with most any realistic load. And the gun'll do the same with WWB JSPs or JHP's in the full house magnum mode. For my use vs. KY's white tails, a near max load of 296 backing one of Hornady's 200 gr or 240 gr XTPs, gives me through and through penetration with the usual behind the shoulder hold. These are very rarely DRT deer, but the twin holes provide a blood trail that most hunters can follow up for the short 50 yds or so to the carcass.

For a SA, it's hard to beat, for hunting or range use with lighter loads. You can't do better. I would, however, change out the 'cheese grater' grips for some that are a little more hand-filling. Altamont makes some pretty ones that do nicely and won't break the bank account.

HTH's Rod
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
3,208
Location
Alabama, in the bend of the Tennessee River
I obtained my Master's degree in 2006 and my wife bought me one to mark the occasion. I still have it. Mine need a trigger job, which John Gallagher took care of for me, but it's otherwise as-issued except for the grip panels, which are now buffalo horn. I like it.

I traded into another one and had it shortened to 4 5/8", but then I had John build me a custom old model flattop .44 (cut to 4 5/8", color cased the cylinder frame, steel gripframe and ejector rod housing) so I traded the short anniversary gun to him toward the custom work.
 

Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
LOL.... John Gallagher did the trigger job on mine too! Well, and a few other things :D

6GUNSONLY said:
I obtained my Master's degree in 2006 and my wife bought me one to mark the occasion. I still have it. Mine need a trigger job, which John Gallagher took care of for me, but it's otherwise as-issued except for the grip panels, which are now buffalo horn. I like it.

I traded into another one and had it shortened to 4 5/8", but then I had John build me a custom old model flattop .44 (cut to 4 5/8", color cased the cylinder frame, steel gripframe and ejector rod housing) so I traded the short anniversary gun to him toward the custom work.
 

Colonel Daddy

Buckeye
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
1,473
Location
Piney Woods of Northwest Florida
Snyd said:
LOL.... John Gallagher did the trigger job on mine too! Well, and a few other things :D

6GUNSONLY said:
I obtained my Master's degree in 2006 and my wife bought me one to mark the occasion. I still have it. Mine need a trigger job, which John Gallagher took care of for me, but it's otherwise as-issued except for the grip panels, which are now buffalo horn. I like it.

I traded into another one and had it shortened to 4 5/8", but then I had John build me a custom old model flattop .44 (cut to 4 5/8", color cased the cylinder frame, steel gripframe and ejector rod housing) so I traded the short anniversary gun to him toward the custom work.
Appreciate 6GUNSONLY for turning me on to the work of John Gallagher! Mr Gallagher has built one OM custom .44Special for me and and is building 2 more guns, a .44Special and a .45Colt Birdshead, both OM's of course. Hope to take possession them by the end of the year! Also, Mr Gallaghers case hardening is real as opposed to just acid colored that many smiths use. Check out his web site. It's easy enough to find! We discussed his case hardening and both agree that with modern steels it is no more than a decoration, but still something that many people like.
 

TRanger

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
814
Location
Florida
I had two of them and, regrettably, lost them under circumstances I hope never to face again. This model is my favorite "working" .44 Magnum. I even like the so-called "cheese grater" stocks that come on it. Need to round up another one.
 
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