.44 Specials of The Shootists
The Shootists had 2 .44 Specials built especially for them. The first was by USFA for the 20th Anniversary and the second was by Ruger for the 25th Anniversary. Both are very nice guns, accurate, well-made, and worth shooting.
The 20th Anniversary .44 Special by USFA
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The Serial numbers began with "SH" ... mine is SH003. I was the 3rd Chairman of The Shootists. John Taffin was 1st, Deacon Deason 2nd, I was 3rd, Paco was 4th ... etc.
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The barrel was inscribed ..
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The gun came with USFA hard rubber stocks on it. I had Paul Persinger make a set of one-piece Walnut for mine.
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The 25th Anniversary .44 Special by Ruger
This sixgun is a flat-top Bisley, 7 1/2" barrel. I had moved to Mozambique when it became available and did not buy one. My son-in-law bought one plus 1000 rounds of .44 Special brass with THE SHOOTISTS headstamp, so that we would have one in the family!
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The front sight did not work for him so he had Gary Reeder install a different sight. Other than that it is like it came from the factory.
Both of these are accurate well-made sixguns and very enjoyable to shoot!
--
Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.
Beautiful
by Dave B 
, Alamogordo New Mexico, Monday, May 29, 2023, 08:15 (480 days ago) @ JimT
edited by Dave B, Monday, May 29, 2023, 08:25
Both are beautiful yet useful tools!
44 Special
I held one of the "mistake" guns and got it sold to one of
by Hobie 
, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 22:02 (477 days ago) @ Dave B
our guys on Leverguns (from the shop here). I could have had it for cost but didn't want a long barreled Bisley... yeah, I know!
--
Sincerely,
Hobie
.44 Specials of The Shootists
by Paul , Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 10:26 (478 days ago) @ JimT
I have a hankering for the first one, but never have the funds when one DOES come on market. Even "in the family" they go for more than I can scrape up. Jeff Quinn had a couple of the Rugers and I was blessed to be able to acquire one of them from the estate. It now wears a Fermin Garza front sight and has only been fed a diet of "Skeeter Loads". That USFA, however, still whispers at me.
See the link?
by Dave B , Alamogordo New Mexico, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 12:22 (477 days ago) @ Paul
While not marked, it was the correct configuration.
Dave
See the link?
by Paul , Thursday, June 01, 2023, 07:45 (477 days ago) @ Dave B
Sure did. They are lovely pieces of artillery. My goal is to figure the trajectory properly and smack the "banana rock", or more likely, the banana rock gong that is set up at the same distance from the firing line. Maybe one day I'll even get a chance to get it out into the deer woods.