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In 1973 I decided, after much study and rumination, that my first S&W had to be a .44 Special. While at the time everyone was coveting the model 29, .44 Magnum (remember this was post-“Dirty Harry”), I wanted a .44 Special. I told my shooting buddy that I wanted a S&W model 24 and he laughed at me. He said that it had been discontinued in 1967, and even if I could find one, I probably would not be able to afford it. That same friend, from whom I learned much of my S&W knowledge, later came to me and told me that J&G Rifle Ranch (an entity that still exists today) was selling original model 24 six and a half inch barrels. I bought one and salted it away. I was a great fan of the late Skeeter Skelton at that time. He was a gun writer for Shooting Times magazine and a great proponent of the .44 Special. He constantly lobbied S&W to bring back the model 24. While he was eventually successful (S&W reintroduced the model 24 in 1983 and later, in 1985, the stainless version model 624) I couldn’t wait. I guess I wasn’t alone in wanting one because a mini-industry, converting various S&W models to .44 Special, sprang up. I already had a leg up, in that I possessed an original barrel, I just needed a gun to convert. I found a gently used four inch model 28 at a LGS and purchased it for $125. Now I just needed a gunsmith to do the conversion. Skeeter recommended Miniature Machine Company of Deming, NM. Skeeter carried a lot of weight in the gun community, because when I contacted them about doing the conversion, I was put on a wait list – how long? Approximately a year. Sigh. Very shortly thereafter, I read an article in another gun magazine about a gunsmith in CA that was doing this conversion. I contacted him right away, liked what he said and gave him the job. My 28 and the 24 barrel got shipped off to George Matthews in Downey, CA. He bored and recessed the cylinder as well as making sure that it was square to the forcing cone. Installed the barrel and changed the Patridge front sight to a Baughman ramp with a gold insert. The beauty of using the original model 24 barrel was, not only did it have the correct roll marks, but it was satin finished, just like the model 28. I didn’t even need to have the gun refinished. My buddy and I went a little further when I got it back. We installed a smooth combat trigger – common today, but not so much in the early 70’s. We also installed a SAO model 14 rebound spring – again, entities like Wolff, Wilson or Miculek weren’t offering spring kits so this was the hot set-up to help reduce trigger pull. Sometime in the mid-80’s, as my eyes deteriorated, I installed a red dot optic using a B-Square, “no-drill” mount. It was a Tasco ProPoint and was huge. This was when Tasco optics were sourced from Japan and of good quality. It still resides atop that gun today. My converted model 28 is the most accurate of all the Smiths I own. Aside from the .44 Special being an inherently accurate cartridge, the work that George Matthews did, all contribute to its accuracy. Many turkeys and hams were won with that gun. Here is that gun… This is all back story to establish how much I love the .44 Special. Over the intervening years, since my conversion came into being, I have managed to accumulate a few more .44 Special revolvers. Not all of them S&W’s, but most are. I tell you all this to introduce you to what will be the pinnacle of my small .44 Special collection. I related the story of my encounter with all of the Heritage Guild stores in another thread – while that ended in disappointment, it primed my pump for a new addition to the safe. Saturday night I spent several hours combing 52 pages of S&W revolvers on a classified ad website for guns. Only one spoke to me. In 2001 S&W introduced a series of revolvers called the Heritage Series. This offering was in collaboration with the S&W Performance Center and Lew Horton Distributors. These were not exact copies of older guns (30’s and 40’s) but rather paid homage to them. They were a very divisive offering. It seemed the gun community either hated them or loved them – I fell into the second camp. This series of guns were available in several finishes, depending on the model. There was a blued finish as well as a nickel finish, but the most desired finish was a color case hardened frame done by the master, Doug Turnbull, himself. These frames were paired with a blue cylinder and barrel. It was this variation of a model 24-5, that I came across in those listings. A couple of negotiating e-mails later, and the gun, number 25 of 327, was mine. I just sent off the funds this morning. Here is what I am getting… Now the hard part, the waiting. I have two guns at my dealer right now. I’m waiting for my OGAM exemption to come from the NJSP. Since the exemption purchase is outside of the OGAM framework, I’ll be able to purchase the 24-5 separately regardless of the time interval. I hope to bring all three home at once. Adios, Pizza Bob

I wonder if folks on the automotive boards spend this much time arguing about firearm technology?

#35 THIS KID IS GOING PLACES AND I INTERVIEWED HER & ASSISTED DURING THE PHOTO SHOOT & PRACTICE SESSION! FROM SOMEWHERE DEEP IN A CRANBERRY BOG IN THE PINES OF SOUTH JERSEY COMES SPEED-ON-STEEL SHOOTER EMILY CUTTS NJ's EMILY CUTTS A 2A PIONEER AT 15 YRS OLD! STATIC STEEL CHAMPION LOVES BANGIN' & CLANGIN'! by Black Wire Media Monday March 11, 2019 www.cnjfo.com/join-us From deep in the cranberry bogs in the Pines of South Jersey comes a true competitor & 2nd Amendment warrior, high school sophomore Emily Cutts, an east coast Steel Shoot champion! As Apache helicopters & USAF cargo jets take off & land at Joint Base McGuire-Ft. Dix-Lakehurst NAS, Cutts is concentrating on ringing AR-500 steel plates as fast as she can. The flightpath at the Joint Base is immediately overhead, but nothing seems to break Emily's concentration. The sponsored youth shooter, just 15, has amassed so many plaques in just 4 short years on the local & regional circuit that the family has to figure out where they'll all fit. This 15 year old has already competed and placed in static steel matches in at least 9 states! When asked what's most important to her about shooting, Emily responds with, "FUN" and "Protecting the 2nd Amendment"! She and her mom & dad attended the 2A Seminar hosted by the NJ Constitutional Republicans at the Centerton Country Club in Pittsgrove, NJ on January 17th. The family heard Mark Cheeseman, Jay Factor, and CNJFO's Theresa Inacker and David Rosenthal give presentations on the status of the 2nd Amendment in NJ as they see it. This moved Emily so much so that 12 days later she recited from memory, her history paper, and Cutts' live presentation, "How to Protect the Second Amendment" was given to her sophomore English class while video of her competing play behind her on a monitor! "If the Second Amendment fails, the Bill of Rights fail"--Emily Cutts Emily's paper goes on to explore the topics of retreat during a home invasion, how the new 10 round magazine capacity affects her competitive shooting on the national circuit, how working together with groups like the NRA and CNJFO will help to get our gun rights restored. She illustrates how insane NJ gun law is by showing it's a felony for a spouse to use a hand gun not registered to themselves to defend the family. She further explores NJ gun law by saying, "Every move the government makes in an attempt to decrease crime levels with firearms only affects the safe and responsible gun owners". Cutts takes it all in stride, and is shy at first when asked to talk about what she's accomplished thus far. The only child of proud parents & NRA Life Members Doug and Lorie Cutts, Emily was introduced to shooting at 3-4 years of age, making range visits to see what mom & dad do for recreation. At age 6 she peered through dad's rifle scope, and received permission to handle only after reciting the 3 NRA safety rules. By 9 years old she was shooting her own youth model break-action, single-shot .22LR rifle at the Delran Junior Marksman Club in Delran, NJ. Emily was the 2nd youngest of 23 kids in the program and scored the second highest out of the group. She was HOOKED and soon found she "HAD a NEED for SPEED!", so at age 12 she entered her first match and the rest, as they say, is history! Emily's favorite static steel stage to shoot is "Show Down", the same one she broke her own 7.46 sec. UNOFFICIAL world record in December 2018, by scoring a time of just 7.32 sec. for 5 targets with her Ruger 10-.22 rimfire open class rifle (optic w/ a dot sight) at her first match of this year, held at Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol Club. Old Bridge R&P Club hosts the NJ State Rimfire Challenge and is known throughout the region as a terrific venue for this fun discipline year-round (weather permitting). CNJFO was invited to set-up a membership table at the championship match a while ago and we'd love to be there again. This season she competes as a Grand Master in this sanctioned sport, having earned USPSA's highest rank at the same December match! Steel Challenge (the national ranking organization in the sport) classifies competitors strictly by accomplishment (speed on steel), not by age, so Cutts is one of the youngest Grand Masters in the sport today. Cutts has FUN shooting and wouldn't do it if it wasn't fun to do. When asked when does she get serious, her reply is, "When I step-up to the Line!" The somewhat shy-at-first sophomore is quick to point out that there's a lot of camaraderie in the shooting sports. "It makes you feel like you belong". "Fellow competitors loan each other their guns if yours breaks (and they do occasionally) even if it costs them a first place". My gun broke during a match and Cole Busch (a well-known on the national stage--Editor) offered his gun to me to finish, but mine was repaired in time". Living in the reality of NJ gun law for a competitive shooter at this level means her father Doug must always have a couple hand gun permits "open", waiting to see if Emily wins a new hand gun as a competition or raffle prize. "We have to float overlapping permits all year round in case she wins one or we have to replace worn out or broken parts" says Doug. The steel match season runs 12 months of the year in warmer climate states, and Emily's season runs March to November, during which she'll probably shoot between 10 & 15 THOUSAND ROUNDS. "Her .22 hand gun of choice is a Ruger .22-45 and the serialized part of that gun is the upper, the barrel" says Doug. Doug adds, "Her Rock River Arms 9mm pistol caliber carbine (her favorite) has a traditional serialized lower, so if she wears-out the barrel it's easy to replace". Doug wonders if the new fee scheme for permits being contemplated in Trenton will affect his ability to continue to provide for Emily's needs as a competitor. Off-season Emily slows it down a bit with some bench rest shooting and this past December Christmas break used her .50 cal Thompson Center Renegade traditional black powder percussion sidelock rifle to harvest TWO deer with ONE bullet by using 60 grains of loose black powder and a .50 cal sabot from her dad's hunting blind. So Emily scored two deer and her dad was goose-egged this season! We nibbled on some venison jerky during the interview (see the harvest pix). The high school sophomore earns honor roll grades, sings in the school choir, has competed in HS gymnastics, built a non-functioning Gatling Gun for her 8th grade history project, and did a Facebook Live video to her 8th grade history class from the range at the US Steel Nationals in Georgia. Her high school doesn't go on lockdown when Cutts wears her "gun" earrings or her gym shirt adorned with AR-15 rifles. They understand that's just how she rolls. Her 8th grade history teacher still has her Gatling Gun on display. After high school she plans to find a college that has a static steel or "action" shooting team where her skills would make her eligible for scholarships. (Editor's Note: We proudly informed the family that Emily would easily obtain the Cal Ellis Memorial Scholarship from the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs if she submitted an application for same as a high school senior). In addition to turning "Pro" as a speed shooter, Cutts wants to help people by becoming a physical therapist.

I'm sure a use tax will eventually be instated, either with one of those little GPS OBDII dongle things, or mandatory mileage reporting on taxes, or other such bullshit. Or maybe EZPass readers on all the highways. Pretty sure our esteemed beaver-in-charge has proposed something like that already in the last year, because we are still taking home money for ourselves and he can't have THAT.

I'm in the woods with the jeep as often as I can.

Why do we reload shot shells? 1. We can make a shell equal to the quality of a Winchester AA ($9 per box) for less than $6. 2. We can make 16 yard, ATA Handicap, skeet, sporting clay, trap doubles, low-noise/low recoil loads any day with a common set of components: wads, hulls, powder, lead & primers. 3. We never run out of shells or have to buy "whatever is on sale" 4. Repetitious factory style work is relaxing when you can see your product. Believe me, it's a good thing to do after pushing a pencil all day in the office. 5. OK I admit it: Fixing (yes it happens), cleaning, modifying, adjusting, tinkering with the machine is fun just like screwing around with my 72 Chevelle carb. 6. Any shell press is an excellent addition for the underground bunker hahahahaha 7. 300 shells per hour made, boxed & load up the machine for next time. I go down bunker for 10 minutes, pump out shells and that feeds the beast for a while. Also, some shameless self promotion- there is an awesome 12g hydraulic foot pedal operated MEC for sale in the other forum.

Quick background - I used to live in PA some time ago and was a avid shooter in the Montgomery and Bucks county area. I typically went to to Nockamixon park or Target World. I enjoyed skeet shooting the most. Then I got married and moved to NJ and sold my guns (love is a strange thing). In any case, so now I am interested in going back into the hobby/sport and trying to navigate the NJ rules. This forum has been very helpful, so thank for all the discussion. I still have a few questions but I'll post them somewhere else. By the way, any Cherry Hill gun enthusiast? Let me know, it's kind of lonely in these parts. Cheers to all

There "ought to be a law" that every hand gun Noob start with a 4" or 6" S&W revo. A LOT of folks walkin' around today THINK they know how to shoot their semi's, and they always shoot low & left. In the right hands, a 4" S&W is a 50 yard gun. A 6" is a 75 yard gun, and a 8 3/8" tube held steady will deny real estate beyond 100 yards all day long Younger eyes can shoot a Model 29 at 100 yards & hit a one gallon paint can! ~R

that's funny right there.

mileage tax some states have i believe aready instituted such taxes

Their response has always been a desire to track how much you drive and institute a mileage tax. Usually involving some invasion of privacy rather than simply mandating checking the odometer.

WELL you only drive a chevy. <ducking n running, lololol> but you probably drive a boatload more than me too.

Anyone who thinks any LEO in this jurisdiction would not jam you up in a split second has passed from optimist to delusional. Protests will be met with: "I don't make the laws, I just have to enforce them." "Let's let the judge sort it out."

Both dudes are gay metrosexuals, so it's a draw. Get a horse!

Hypothetical scenario: electric Harley and Tesla pull up to same charging port/station/extension cord/ whatevs. Do they fight? If yes who wins?

So we have electric motors fail. Check You have no idea what happens when the computer in your car fails or resets. Check. You make a statement and when proven wrong by example, you claim thats not what you said. Check Delorean a car that was not ready for prime time and died. But still loved by fan boys. Just like a Tesla. Check.

Hmm. Somehow I can't warm up to a case hardened double action revolver.

It was a joke since @1LtCAP isn't into Puff Daddy or E40.

Hope not, but it could very well happen. Just a thought, SCOTUS will be looking at NJ carry case and possible grant of cert (Rogers case). If the do take the case, I have to imagine our new justice Kavanaugh won't forget about Booker, Harris, et al during his confirmation hearing. I know as a justice at this level, that stuff should be left in the rear view mirror and bias should be non-existent. However, human nature/emotion may not be that easy "to let it go". It could be the "juice" we need to ram it to this NJ political hacks.

Welcome, if your into shotguning Quinton sportsman club can't be beat. They have it all, trap, 5 stand, skeet, just a normal field for hand throwers and there's 2 manual machines, also my personal favorite the 16 stand sporting clays. You can rent a golf cart, bring your own or just walk, it's a really nice walk through the woods. It's all open to the public. Friday nights theres dinner and all the SG venues. Sundays the kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch.

Thanks guys. Yes... been working on but did not make a big announcement yet. Am doing our YouTube channel here, started with the three videos, 2 on optics, 1 on auctions. Have 5 guns coming in for testing and hooking up with some major manufacturers. (there is more but all I can say at this time.) Please do like and subscribe, means quite a lot! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtyUQg6KTCiE_pp7kj2teNA

what if ya don't like any rap and think it's more annoying than fingernails on a chalkboard?

For a snub revolver review. Leave the Charter Arms at home please.

Come on Maks, does Macy's tell Bloomingdales?

LEOSA FAQ http://www.colddeadhands.com/docs/leosa.pdf

I still have mine:

Used. A S&W N-frame - naturally

I have revived this thread for a reason - it led me to look at HG's website. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they listed their used gun inventory, by store, on the site. I spent some time perusing the lists of guns for each store and was surprised to find some interesting S&W's. I made a list six guns in which I was interested. Just so happened that on Wed (3/6) I had a Senior Billiards League match at Woodbridge. Looking at the map, I realized that it was only a stone's throw from the Rahway store. I also noted that by simply heading due west on Rt 22/78 I could also hit the Branchburg and Easton stores, while working my way back home. I set off that morning with my list and a pocket full of cash. I should mention that the list, as it appears on their site, includes SKU numbers - which, one would think would make it an easy task to check inventory to see if a particular gun was still available. I was looking for two guns at the Rahway store. So, did the counterman simply go to a terminal and punch in the SKU's? That would be too easy. We spent the next 15 to 20 minutes looking in every display case in the store - all to no avail. No guns. Off to Branchburg. I obviously didn't take a close enough look at the website because when I got there I found the store was closed on Wednesdays - my bad. I figured I could call them the next day. I had three guns on the list from the Branchburg store. Now for their premiere store - Easton, only one gun on the list for Easton, but it was a doozie - one that I doubted even existed, but I just couldn't take the chance. After waiting a while, a nice older gentleman waited on me. I asked if they had that particular model as listed on their website. Again, we repeated the scene from Rahway with both of us looking in every display case. He kept saying that he knew they had another version of that gun - to which I repeatedly replied that was not what I was after. He seemed totally befuddled and finally disappeared into the back office, only to come out five minutes later saying that he had had someone check the list and the gun was supposed to still be there (so they do have the capability to check inventory, they just don't avail themselves of it). He told me that the person that would know was out of the building, but would be back in less than an hour. I left all my contact info and asked them to call me when they confirmed the status of that particular gun. I was in my car, pulling out of the parking lot when he came out the front door and flagged me down. He told me that the person that would know had just come in the back door and had told him that there was no gun, that it never existed. I didn't know what to think of that - already frustrated enough so I just thanked him and left. Thursday I call Branchburg and get a recorded phone message that they can't answer right now, etc, etc - leave a short message and a number and they will call me back ASAP. So i told them the three guns I was looking for and asked them to call. Did that happen? Of course not. I waited four hours and never heard a thing. So, not one to give up easily, I called again. This time I got to talk to a real human being - a receptionist. I told her about the previous call and lack of response, said I was interested in three guns. She said that she'd connect me - guess what happens next. I looked at the timer on my phone - 17 minutes and no one picks up. That's it, I've had it - I hang up, The next day it dawns on me that there was a vehicle on their site to message the individual stores. I give it one last try and send a message, via their site, to Branchburg. I get the your message has been sent notification and that someone would respond forthwith. Still waiting. If any one of these scenarios had played singly, I may not of thought much of it - just dismissing it as not great CS in that one particular instance. But to have what happened in three stores of the same chain I have to think that there must be some kind of systemic disconnect. That these stores are making money in spite of themselves. That with a few tweaks and training they could probably increase their revenue by at least 50%. So I wrote to the managing partner of HG and related the experiences I detailed above. I will be anxious to see if I get any response, or if indeed it is systemic and it starts at the top. It will take something pretty special for me to ever patronize one of their stores again. Adios, Pizza Bob PS: The above experience just exacerbated my gun-buying jones, so I satisfied that this morning. I'll post the results in a separate thread when my dealer receives the goods. PB

What it looks like, is Mueller is going to come up empty handed with Russian collusion, and after the Dems have been beating that drum for 2 years, only to come up with zip, they're going to look like real assholes. So, Nadler needs to keep the Russian hoax going longer, hopefully to the 2020 elections, to try and help the Dems save face. Mueller's report looks like it will be a big nothingburger. The Democrats will look like major crybabies and losers. This is why they are ramping up all these new investigations and gun laws.... more smokescreens. I told you guys this was going to be the Dem playbook for the next two years.

The grey man is the safe man.