S&W Thunder Ranch 44 spl.

[lewmed]

 Does anyone know anything about these revolvers I seem to remember some QC problems. I'm looking at a never fired one in a wooden case that a fellow wants to trade me plus a bunch of cash for a old 44 Auto Mag pistol. The finish is 100% and the barrel isn't canted the cylinder to forcing cone gap is .006" and it looks brand new.  I'm thinking any 4" N frame round butt revolver is worth $600 the only thing I'm not liking is the ugly gold thing on the side plate. 

[Tanners Owner]

While I don?t have one of those N frames, I have others and frequent the S&W forum. I recall seeing the main issue on some early issues was the height of the front sight, causing the gun to shoot low. Smith corrected it subsequently.

My 24-3 snubby is a fun, accurate gun. I shot it at an IDPA match recently and did pretty good.. I do like the 44 spl.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

The biggest issues I've run across have been canted barrels and excessive BC gaps. If the one you're looking at is as nice as it sounds I'd grab it. I'm in the market for another N frame .44 myself. Recently picked up a pinned and recessed M 29 6-1/2 incher dating to 1978.
If the gun you're looking at has the ILS you can remove it and this link is an outfit that makes a plug to replace it.
https://www.originalprecision.com 

[DOC 1500]

I just looked at 1 on Guns International for $950

[DOC 1500]

A quick check on the interweb showed about six different pistols for sale starting at $799 - $1300 Plus.
Don't know anything about the pistol just thought I'd share this info.
Edit: from what I just read on Firing Line. Com I wouldn't pay anything apparently it's garbage oh, a lot of troubles not worth it .
Many people sent them back to Smith & Wesson. One guy said they were fixing the problem after serial number 300

[DOC 1500]

All you have to do is Google, problems with Smith & Wesson Thunder Ranch 44 special

[lewmed]

 Well I did the trade the guy raised his offer to $3,000 and the revolver.  I just hated to part with the Auto Mag I bought a pair of them in 1973 when a family gunshop closed it's doors.  I paid $700 or $750 for the pair and a 357 conversion I think msrp at that time was $249 I wish all my investments had turned out that good.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Good deal. I'd have no problem snatching up that N frame.  .44 special is a fun accurate round to shoot.
I'd give up every semi auto I own CZ's included before I'd ever give up my J K L and N frames.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

All you have to do is Google, problems with Smith & Wesson Thunder Ranch 44 special

All you have to do is google problems with CZ, glock, S&W or Sig or any gun manufacturer on the planet and OH MY guess what they are all garbage.

[DOC 1500]

 sorry if I caused any problems,  I'm just sharing info I found
 if I'm wrong I'm wrong.😖

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

sorry if I caused any problems,  I'm just sharing info I found
 if I'm wrong I'm wrong.😖

No problem. Thing is you can look up problems with any gun or any product for that matter and find more negative comments on the item than positive.
Sometimes problems are real and sometimes people just complain. If the problems are real and the company fixes them that's a good thing.
Gun manufacturers are generally good at fixing or redesigning issues out. Auto manufacturers are the worst. Today they mostly bandaid or try to reprogram away problems never really fixing them because each model line has a specific run time and they are not going to invest any money redesigning something that will no longer be produced in a year or two. They all do it too. Nothing unique to one brand or another.

[lewmed]

 Well I shot the 44 spl today the trigger is very good the only problem is it shoots about 7" high at 10 yards. Both 200 and 240 gr lead bullets at just under 800 fps shot 6" to 7" high. My guess is the front sight needs to be about .100" to .125" taller. All the photos of 21-4 revolvers I see on line show them with tall rounded front sights mine has a very short ramp sight. Most people reported the gun shooting low so someone must have changed them. I have a milling machine I haven't used in a long time I think I'll blow the dust off and try to make a partridge sight about .220" tall and see how that works.

[Ron M.]

The front sight is available from a few sources. I had a 21-4 Classic the front sight was a touch too tall, a few minutes with a file and some cold blueing put it right on target with my 240 gr hard cast SWC loads.

[Tanners Owner]

Well I shot the 44 spl today the trigger is very good the only problem is it shoots about 7" high at 10 yards. Both 200 and 240 gr lead bullets at just under 800 fps shot 6" to 7" high. My guess is the front sight needs to be about .100" to .125" taller. All the photos of 21-4 revolvers I see on line show them with tall rounded front sights mine has a very short ramp sight. Most people reported the gun shooting low so someone must have changed them. I have a milling machine I haven't used in a long time I think I'll blow the dust off and try to make a partridge sight about .220" tall and see how that works.

I recommend contacting S&W cust service- they may be able to take care of you, perhaps sending you a replacement front sight if you ask nicely

[lewmed]

 Smith and Wesson customer service said they would be happy to send me a shipping label and replace the sight if it hadn't been tinkered with. They also had no idea what the correct height should be.  I found a sight adjustment computer thing on Brownell's site where you can list your sight rad. in inches the distance in inches to your target and how much you are high or low and it shows the adjustment needed. Now at least I have a general idea how tall it needs to be.
 
 I shot it some more this afternoon after making a new sight and ended up with a height of .278" that's .165" taller than what came on the revolver it's dead on at 10 yards now.