[ottobrito44]

what are the reactions to thew New Thunder Ranch in .45 caliber. I shot the .44 special and loved it, and different from some I liked the grips and the Logo very much. It seems they made a more business like revolver this time and in .45. Has anybody bought one yet??? Also, what is a better handgun combat/defensive cartrige .45 or .44 special???

 

[M1991A1]

My brother wants one bad. He told me that it has a true square butt frame and the old style coke bottle grips. Here's the link to the S&W page on it.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15715&isFirearm=Y

 

[sparky315]

There are a lot more good defensive loads in .45 than .44 special. I like that revolver, would think about getting one if they would make it without the g*%#[email protected]& lawyer lock.

 

[thearmedrebel]

I would more than think about it

would think about getting one if they would make it without the g*%#[email protected]& lawyer lock.

But I will not buy a gun with a lock I cannot remove. Period. I have told Smith & Wesson this. I would buy both Thunder ranch revolvers and a new M&P if I could order them without the lock. Only LEO departments can order the M&P sans lock. Oh well, I guess someone else gets my money...

Robert

 

[GunsnRovers]

If you remove the nub from the lock flag, you'll never have a worry about it again....

I don't have a S&W with a lock, but this M22, if the price point is what is suggested, may be the first.

 

[higgy1911]

Damn. I'll be buying it. I said when the .44 Special came out if they'd make in one in .45 ACP i'd buy it no matter what.
only question is if i'll have enough left over to pay for my next semester of school.
priorities, priorities.

 

[RickB]

It's a .45 Colt? A 4" ACP would be much more versatile, and probably more popular. 4" 625s aren't especially common; is there an ACP Mountain Gun? I suppose that would be what I'd want.

 

[ishootblanks]

I won't buy any Smith with the Clinton lock. Clinton is gone and the lock should be too!!!!!!!!!!

 

[magilla gorilla]

It's a .45 Colt? A 4" ACP would be much more versatile, and probably more popular. 4" 625s aren't especially common; is there an ACP Mountain Gun? I suppose that would be what I'd want.

The link said 45ACP not 45 Colt.

 

[thearmedrebel]

It's a 45 ACP

Not a 45 Colt.

 

[higgy1911]

yeah, its an ACP. I used poor phrasing in my ealier post. I just meant that since the model came out, I had been yearning for an ACP. Now that there is one. I will do the only honorable thing and keep the promise I made to myself. To buy it.

 

[ottobrito44]

TR 45 acp

It is a 45 acp revolver and its based on the critics on the original Thunder Ranch in .44 special which I shot. Its a kick-ass revolver and fun to shoot. Its main critics were the gripos which I found comfortable and nice looking, and the gold plated Logo from Thuder Ranch which I also found cool. The new revolver looks all business and at the caliber many thought the revolver should have been made for, .45 acp. I will probably try and get both, although I hope production does not cease on the first one. But I am still wondering, which is a better round???? Efectiveness, cambativeness??? 45 acp or 44 special???

 

[RickB]

Why do they call it a model 22? Smith used to make a gun like that, in the 1950s, I think; wasn't it a model 26? Or M1950? Or, I'm confused . . .
It appears that the 22 was the commercial version of the M1917. The 26 was the 1950 Target Model. So, the new gun appears to be neither fish nor fowl. The 22 didn't have the heavy, underlugged barrel, and the 26 had adjustable sights. The new gun is very cool. either way.

 

[PatR]

If the new .45 acp M-22 was the Smith of old I would be interested, but I have lost all interest in Smith & Wesson revolvers when they began installing that God awful key lock on what use be a beautiful side plate! And when I now see that lock I ’m reminded by all what is wrong with our society and sick to death of political correctness of it all! S&W should have done what Ruger did, installed the lock under the grip, and if you really wanted to lock the gun one would have to remove the grip to engage lock. AT least S&W didn’t put that stupid looking Thunder Ranch gold insignia on the revolvers side plate!

 

[GCT00427]

I agree with PatR. I bought new S&W revolvers for many years. I like the style of the Thunder Ranch guns (less the logo) and would have been very interested in buying the .44 Special. I just cannot take the lock. It is obnoxious and I will never like the looks of it. They even changed the profile of the back of the gun where the hammer rests and I do not like it. I will only buy used S&W guns now. I just can't help it.

Chuck

 

[tipoc]

On the effectiveness of the .44 Special vs. the .45 acp. for self defense in a wheelgun: The short answer is there is no significant difference inherent in the two rounds out of a 4" barrel in a wheelgun for self defense purposes. Both are excellent stoppers.

There are differences.

.44 Special will shoot a little flatter over a longer distance than the .45 acp this is in plus 100 yards shooting. It has the reputation of better accuracy for long shots. Though most shooters can't see that difference.

If you handload you can probably get a bit more velocity out of the special than out of the .45 acp. The .44 is a more versatile cartridge for the reloader. If you reload and experiment the .44 will be of more use to you than the .45acp.

There is a wider variety of .45acp ammo available off the shelf at a cheaper price than for the .44.

The .45 with moon clips is the fastest reloading sixgun available.

A wide variety of bullets are available for both.

In terms of "stopping power" that depends on the bullet and load used and both these rounds can get the job done with the argument of which one is better being academic.

tipoc

 

[tipoc]

Just to amend the above a bit. Elmer Keith in his outstanding book "Sixguns" has a very useful chapter on "Selection of Cartridges". Hands down he preferred the .44 Special in a wheelgun over any other round for about any serious purpose. He makes three points in comparing the .44 and .45acp that are valid today.

1. Most factory ammo for the .44 is loaded down to around 700-800 fps with a 200 grain bullet (Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore, and a couple of others are exceptions today) which Keith considered a light load but is actually useful for self defense. Handloaded the .44 can easily do 1000 fps with a 246 grain bullet out of a 4" barrel and is still more manageable than the .44 Magnum and will take on elk and anything smaller. The .45acp can be loaded to these velocities as well but lacks the case space to to take on much more at least with the powders available to Keith.

2. Keith maintains that out of a 4" fixed sight gun the .44 is flatter shooting than the .45acp even with different bullet weights. My own experience leads me to agree but only past 50 yards give or take a few.

3. Both rounds are extremely versatile for target, game or self defense. Keith enjoyed both rounds and shot a lot of both. He preferred the .44 bottom line because it was easier to reload with the powders available to him and the increased case size. He also points out that the jump from the end of the bullet to the chamber was longer for the .45 than for the .44. He points out that the rifling for the .44 was deeper than the shallow rifling for the .45 acp barrels (shallower cuz they were made for FMJ G.I. ammo) and took a lead bullet better. Both these factors he thought adversly effected accuracy at longer ranges.

My opinion as an owner of several wheelguns in both cartridges is this, the .44 special, 45acp (pistols too)and the .45 Colt are the best rounds one can have in a self defense piece revolver or pistol. An edge to speed with half moon or moon clips for the reloads of the .45acp and the edge to the .44 and .45 Colt for hunting and long range accuracy. Shooters choice.

tipoc

 

[ZZToplc]

Great another gun I'll have to start saving for. Oh well.

 

[ottobrito44]

Thanks

Thanks for the info guys!
OB

 

[SuperMan]

Defensive vs. Hunting....

For a defensive revolver I would rather have the .45 ACP. There is a much better selection of loads available and more importantly the bullets more reliably expand.

As to power, one of the posters over on the 24 Hour Campfire just had his M25 over to Clark Custom Guns who punched it out...so now he can shoot .45 ACP, .45 Super and .460 Roland. We are talking some serious velocity.

I am hoping that the next in this series of classics will be a M58 .41 Magnum that has the covered ejector rod and slim barrel just like this one...it would be even nicer without the lock. I have a bunch of S&W revolvers...only two have locks and just happen to be two of the three models they made in .38 Super....Bob