Another Boomer .44

**Zeeba** · August 4th, 2014, 09:11 PM

The second handgun I ever purchased was shortly after I was discharged from the Navy - a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk - in 1969. In 45 years, the gun has served me well, and is accurate now as the day it was born. Myself? Not so much. 45 years can take its toll on the body, and that bane of the old folks, "Arthuritis", has reared its head more often than not. I still loved to shoot the old 'hawk, but handling the cartridges, both inserting them and knocking them out of the cylinder was getting to be less than fun. Rather than retiring the old girl, I got her a playmate - A Taurus M44 double action hand cannon. Pictured below, it's wearing a set of Hogue monogrps in Pau Ferro, replacing the stock rubber ones that wore a blister into my shooting hand near the thumb. The seam between the halves would open slightly and rub the skin, rather abruptly, and started causing some discomfort. 100 rounds of maggie-mums will do that. The gun shoots very well, with probably the best trigger of any of my handguns. I printed about 1-½" groups at 25 yards off a rest using Hornady 200 gr. XTPs over 27.0 grs of W296.

**felly smarts** · August 4th, 2014, 09:55 PM

Reading this post reminded me of my Pop.

I remember Pop trying to load his 357. Shaking like hell, his knuckles were large from arthritis, he would get it done. The whole time he would cuss that old gun like it was the gun that wouldn't sit still long enough for him to load it up. And then he would cuss me for asking him if he needed help and cuss me for laughing at him. Now that I'm thinking about it...Pop cussed at me a lot.

I feel that same arthritis creeping into my hands and knees a little more each passing year. I can only hope that I live long enough to cuss out my grandson for the same reasons he cussed me out. He was a grumpy old man, but it was all a tough guy act.

**stainless** · August 5th, 2014, 12:35 AM

Nice piece Zeeba. I used to shoot my wheel guns at 25 and 50 yards.

Can't do that anymore due to the eyes more than anything else. Things are kinda of blurry out there.

**Gunsnwater** · August 5th, 2014, 02:24 AM

It looks real good with those grips. How long is that barrel?

**Zeeba** · August 5th, 2014, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by Gunsnwater

It looks real good with those grips. How long is that barrel?

It's 8-3/8" long.

**dp2002** · August 5th, 2014, 08:05 PM

Very nice, congrats!!!

You can handle that weight with arthritis? If yes, there is hope for me yet!

And, because I am a little crazy I guess, those long barrels always remind me of the Jack Nicholson Joker in Batman...
http://youtu.be/hasipuR7-as?t=47s

**fritz1919** · August 5th, 2014, 08:33 PM

Zee

Beautiful pistol and a great story to go along with it.

My reloading this year took a hit from the "big A". I try to follow my pop's direction. "Keep movin, once you stop you're done". He would have been 95 this month.

I've adjusted his remedy to include a hot shower, one full 325 aspirin, and a couple cold beers.

Again, beautiful piece. Happy shootin.

fritz