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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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Just got the 44 mag I purchased almost a month ago. It is a fully engraved Monson gun with a 6V BA with power control barrel. The tag on the fact. box says "Satin Chrome". I thought it would be satin nickel but it is apparently chrome. The serial number is 000121 and the paperwork in the box is dated April 1981. Is this considered a model 44 or 744? I'll put up a few quick pics.
Came with factory box, metal barrel tool, warrenty card, color ads, DW welcome letter and 1981 parts list. Missing the manual and gap gage.
I bought this mainly due to the facotry engraving and the low serial number. How rare is a factory chrome gun? Only one I've personally seen.
Guns condition is very good and locks up nice and tight.
Why do people sell guns without even cleaning them after their last outing? I worked about an hour thoroughly cleaning this gun.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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Nice looking Dan, not sure on the chrome though if not stainless then it would be a model 44 I would think! Someone will know!
May 3, 2011
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Wow that is really nice. Enjoy that bad boy.
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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These were limited edition guns most of them had a fabric lined wood presentation case. with a letter or card with serial number, the finish was called Dove Grey which was a matte bead blast finish. The run was limited to 500 which would explain the low serial #. It's late and I'm sure I'm missing some of the info but I'm sure others will jump in with more on this. Thought I had a pic of one in the case but couldn't find it.
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June 20, 2010
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The revolver doesn't look like a Dove Grey finish from the looks of it (at least to my eyes). They come up on GB every now and they tend to look like the photo in the below link
https://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/revolvers/nice-looking-744-le-found-for-sale/
Is the barrel itself SS or blued (or chrome?!?) ?
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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The barrel tube looks like chrome, but could be stainless, I'll have to try a magnet. It does have a blued barrel nut but that is probablly a replacement from somebody ruining the origional.
Well I just tried the magnet and everything I touch is magnetic. Then I tried the magnet on my 741 and it stuck to everything on that gun as well.
The label is calling it a model 44V so I guess that setteles that.
The label on the styrofoam box says 'brite blued finish' in type writing, then beside that it says 'satin chrome' written in marker.
From what I can find in some catalogs I've seen, I'd say the engraving is what they called 1/2 engraving, since the gun isn't entirely covered by engravings.
The gun seemed a bit unusual to me, that and the low serial number called out to me so I thought I'd pick it up. I'm happy with it, just looking for a little history to go along with it.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
May 17, 2010
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Its a handsome gun what ever it is! congratz!
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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That is a Model 44, the lowest S/N that we've seen here, and it looks exactly like what Satin Chrome should look like. Factory Chrome is pretty uncommon, Satin Chrome even more so. The Large Frame revolvers debuted in late 1980 in .44 Magnum, you've a pretty early one there.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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Here is the gun were talking about and at one point in time it was a Dove Grey Limted Edition Engraved Revolver.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=275251930
Not sure what happened to the mattte finish on this one, but this a Dove Grey Engraved no doubt about it, these came in a fabric lined presentation case and a numbered certificate.This was a run of 250 so 121 is about middle of the pack. Not sure how these were shipped from the factory, if they came in a styro box plus the presentation case or if they came like a S&W in the wood case like many of my Smith's.
There were 2 of these for sale at the same time a little more than a year ago, 1 on Gunbroker the other on Auction Arms, I believe a forum member picked up one of them.
To bad we just don't have a better time line on some of these guns.
This looks to be a nice shooter so a range report is due.
April 25, 2008
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That is a real treasure. Very nice!
The Savantist
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January 24, 2009
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Here is one in it's presentation case.
And the accompanying letter that would have come with it.
Yours looks more shiny than most, I wonder if it's been refinished at some point. Regardless, that's a nice find, way to go!
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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The gun Dan Fan posted is the one I bought. It didn't come with any certificate (wish it had) and it came in a styrofoam box. I wonder what happened to the wood case? I'd call this finish matte chrome, for lack of a better term. It has some shine, but not as much as the flash pic I took would suggest. In room lighting it has a faint luster. I don't think its been refinished, polished perhaps but it looks to be origional. There are a few light handling marks here and there. Insid the crane there are a few "freckels". I don't know if that is the starts of rust (I hope not!) or somekind of staining from use/cleaning chemicals. I may try to see if they can be removed with a good cleaning.
I plan to shoot this gun as it appears that it has already been shot some. I'd like to get a non powercontrol barrel tube for it, so I don't have to clean the crud out of the shroud all the time.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
November 23, 2011
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These are truly beautiful guns. 
R S
May 17, 2010
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I just noticed that yours does sport the pewter medalion in the grip, so shouldn't it be safe to assume it is one of those 250?
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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I'm assuming it is one of that limited run, just wish I had the certificate to go along with it. That and the wood box would really add to the value of this gun. I changed the grips when I cleaned the gun, I'll put the origionals back on after I go to the range.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
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Definitely a beauty, I like the factory engraving, it is not overdone like many engraved pistols seem to be. I have no experience with these but looking at the pics I bet it is original, maybe somebody polished it slightly to give a little more luster. Best of all it has been shot a little, so you can take it to the range occasionally, and enjoy it to its potential.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
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