44 Special Project

[Joni Lynn]

Great thread, absolutely wonderful.
Thanks so much for showing this as it progresses.

 

[kentdep]

This has to be one of the most interesting threads on this site since I have signed up here! Thanks for posting the infomation her and I too feel that this should be a sticky!!!!

Jay

 

[Lee Martin]

I need some suggestions on barrel length. Orginally, I was going to go with 4 5/8". Now I'm toying with 5.5". Does anyone have pictures they can post of an OM 357 (non-flattop) with a 5.5" tube?

 

[az6gun]

 

[kentdep]

I know that this isn't an OM but I like this look with the ejector rod housing making it the full lenth of the 5 1/2 barrel.

Jay

 

[win85shooter]

Lee,

It's not a 3 screw and it is a flat top but it is a medium frame .44 Special from Lipsey's with a 5.5 inch barrel.

Mike

 

[Nimrod308]

This one was a .357, now a .44 spec. I have a couple of 5.5" Rugers. This is my favorite bbl. length.

 

[Lee Martin]

I finally de-anodized the backstrap and will be sending it off for grips tomorrow:

I hope to get to the barrel this week.

 

[REP1954]

5 1/2" octagon sure made me happy.

 

[fishhuntnut]

Makes me want to go buy one of the new ruger flattops... no, think I will do a .41 Special project gun.... Hmmm.

Lee, care package coming in the mail. Thanks for the photos, Tom

 

[dougader]

I wish I had the talent and machinery to do this.

Wow. Great work.

I'm a sucker for the 4-5/8" barrel myself.

 

[Lee Martin]

I finally polished the cylinder this afternoon....

 

[Stoots]

Fantastic!

:wink:

 

[Saguaro Kid]

Amazing!!

 

[Boge]

I'm almost afraid to ask what something like this costs.

 

[Lee Martin]

More 44 Special project updates. This week two important parts arrived (Bowen target rear sight and a stainless #5 Belt Mountain basepin):

I also started turning the barrel today.

Pac Nor, 1" round barrel blank:

 

[Lee Martin]

The barrel will be 5.5" in final form, so a piece just shy of 6" was cut:

Both ends are trued in a lathe and the outside diameter is turned to just over 0.750":

The barrel blank prior to final outside finishing:

 

[p.d.]

This has been a slick thread. Thanks.

 

[az6gun]

Looking gooood! Thx Lee.

 

[Lee Martin]

I did some more work on the barrel today:

Polishing the outside on a belt sander:

Turning the barrel shank: