When I decided I wanted a custom .45 Colt single-action sixgun for heavier loads, a Ruger New Model was sent off to Jim Stroh. He is recognized by his peers as one of the top metalsmiths in the country.
The .44 Magnum
The .44 Magnum arrived in late 1955 with most examples not arriving in gun shops until 1956. At the time Elmer Keith said recoil wasn’t bad and wouldn’t bother “a seasoned sixgun man.” Meanwhile, Major Hatcher of the NRA said shooting it was like getting hit in the hand with a baseball bat. I obviously was not a seasoned sixgun man at the time, being a teen, and I leaned heavily toward Major Hatcher’s assessment when I shot a .44 Magnum for the first time. Keith had spent nearly 30 years shooting his heavy .44 Special loads with a 250-gr. cast bullet at 1,200 fps, so he was better prepared for the .44 Magnum at nearly 1,500 fps. Major Hatcher was not and neither was I!
still great sixguns. Top gun has been cut to 5 and tuned by Jim
Stroh; bottom sixgun has been re-barreled by Smith & Wesson.
It Can Be A Good Thing!
My dictionary has one definition of the word “compromise” as the settlement of a dispute by mutual concession. There are always compromises and trade-offs when it comes to firearms. A 10-pound rifle is much easier to shoot than a lightweight, however a 6-pounder is certainly much easier to carry all day. When it comes to sixguns I prefer Perfect Packin’ Pistols for carrying, but long barrels for shooting a compromise in both situations.