S&W’s ‘Retro’ Model 21 Revolver in .44 Spl. good defense choice
Photos & Report
by R.K. Campbell
Contributing Editor
Recently a friend returned from instructing a new class of permit holders. He stated his opinion but I have heard it before: ‘Some people have no business with automatic pistols!’
The occasional shooter or less interested shooter may be better served with a revolver due to its simpler operation. The revolver may be instantly checked to see if it is ready, and a simple trigger press fires the piece. There is no safety lever to worry about and if the revolver isn’t grasped perfectly it will fire just the same. A revolver will not short cycle. Some of us are simply better suited in temperament to revolvers. And there are any number of very experienced shooters who simply prefer the revolver. (Maybe Jerry Miculek, for example.)
A relatively light, fast handling and capable big bore revolver would seem to be an ideal personal defense firearm. The problem is we have not had that choice. Big bore revolvers usually feature a full underlug barrel and adjustable sights that snag unnecessarily on clothing. A true personal defense revolver should have fixed sights and be light enough for 24-hour carry as well as rapid presentation from the holster. In response to popular demand and prodding from well placed firearms authorities Smith & Wesson introduced a modern rendition of the Model 21 .44 Special. Based upon the large frame Hand Ejector, the modern revolver is even better than the original.
The new version features fixed sights that are a bit wider than the original. The action features a transfer bar ignition system that is both safer and more reliable than earlier revolvers. Without the need to incorporate a rebound lever into the action trigger, compression is smoother and lighter. The front post is pinned in and may be replaced if desirable. This new post is also wider than the original, although it retains the half moon profile. The round butt offers rapid grip acquisition and fits most hands well. Among my friends who fired and evaluated the piece, the round butt grip proved to be a bone of contention. Some liked it and commented favorably, others simply did not like the grip. Aftermarket custom grips will take care of that. Consult Kim Ahrend, Ajax Grips, Badger Grips, Eagle Grips, Hogue Grips, Craig Spiegel or Pachmayr. There are others but these are among the best known and should have a good selection. The N-frame round butt grip is not the same as the K-frame despite appearances.
There should be little debate as to the big bore and small bore dilemma. Big bullets let out more blood and let in more air than small bullets. Neural shock, crush cavity and temporary cavity are watch words of junk science. Only actual damage and blood loss mean anything. A big bore bullet cuts a big hole whether or not the bullet expands. Despite being chambered for a .44 caliber cartridge the Model 21 weighs but 37 ounces. This is just a little more than a high capacity 9mm and several ounces less than a 1911 .45 Government Model. Frankly, the balance and appearance alone instill a great deal of confidence. With the 4-inch barrel, this 6-shot revolver feels solid and the action and sights are appropriate for the task. This revolver is among the first true fixed-sight big bore service revolvers produced since the 1960s. The M 58 .41 Magnum is a good try but it is really a cut down Magnum, with a heavy barrel and an absence of adjustable sights, more so than a purpose designed fixed-sight frame. The Model 21 features a scalloped frame that tapers to the barrel and a tapered or “pencil” barrel. The revolver also features the tried and true action lock as found on many modern handguns. Love it or hate it, ignore it or use it. It doesn’t hurt the handguns performance and may be a bonus in storage.
Firing is the true test and final arbitral of performance. I have fired the revolver with loads that range from mild to wild. While the frame raps the knuckle a bit with heavy loads, it is nothing like the roaring buck of a .44 Magnum. Most of my practice has taken place with the Black Hills 210-grain FP, a mild practice load. This load has proven out to be very accurate and would be a fine small game load. While not my first choice for personal defense it does have weight and caliber even if traveling at less than 800 feet-per-second (fps).
Black Hills offered a special load introduced with the original Thunder Ranch .44 using a 250-grain SWC at about 800 fps. I hope they will see fit to continue production and they will if interested shooters vote with their wallet. I have also used a number of handloads using the Magnus 215 gr. SWC bullet. Don’t let anyone fool you, handloads are the way to go for practice and economy—especially these days. Using lighter loads to master the piece works just fine.
The most accurate single load proved to be the Thunder Ranch head-stamped loads from Black Hills. If you have any of the original load head-stamped “Thunder Ranch,” I suspect you may be well served with the load but you might wish to hoard what may one day be a valuable collector’s item. At any rate the big lead bullet with plenty of bearing surface proved to be the most accurate single load tested, even embarrassing the author by beating his handloads by a margin. As for respecting collector value, I shot the dickens out of my Model 21 and there is a good chance it will be a short production run as well. The free market is a wonderful thing but not very predictable.
If you favor an expanding bullet for personal defense the Cor-Bon 200-grain DPX really floats my boat. At 950 fps this all copper hollowpoint is a good solid load but not too hot for good control in double action pairs. There is also a credible 165-grain JHP that strikes to the point of aim with a dead-on hold. This load breaks about 1,050 fps and is downright pleasant to fire despite the velocity. The 200-grain load strikes to the point of aim with the six o’clock hold, while 240- to 250-grain loads print several inches high for me. As for personal defense, the balance of expansion and penetration with the DPX load is ideal and the load features excellent accuracy. From a solid bench rest, the DPX load has gone into less than 2˚ inches for five rounds at 25 yards. That is certainly good enough for who it is for.
If you are into adventures in the wild or large animals are part of your threat profile then one of the Buffalo Bore loads might be an intelligent choice. The 250-grain Keith load breaks just over 1,000 fps and the 180-grain JHP load breaks a surprising 1,185 fps. While recoil is there, this is enough gee whiz to fell anything short of a Sherman Oak tree and should be good enough to dust off one of those troublesome wild cats. The Keith bullets strike high but the lighter JHP load is dead on the money. Surprisingly, recoil was not as sharp as expected from the hot JHP 180-grain load. These loads are best reserved for sighting in and serious use.
I think that the ability to control a piece adequately is important. This does not mean putting five rounds into the same hole in two seconds. We can do that with a 9mm and a few thousand practice rounds. The ability to deliver accurate fire with a credible handgun is important. Handguns are not very powerful and if we take a little time to slow down and deliver the perfect shot we are probably better off. For the dynamics of personal defense a double action .44 Special revolver just may work better for many folks than a 1911 or Glock. It is your hide and your choice but the Model 21 .44 Special is certainly a credible revolver with good features.
My friend Paul commented that the Model 21 is mostly about nostalgia. Many folks remember them and have disposable funds today they did not have when they were young and the original Model 21 was available. Others seem nostalgic for a past they never lived through. For whatever reason the Model 21 is quite a handgun and a must have for the serious revolver shooter. I certainly recommend the 21-4 over older revolvers on the basis of reliability, accuracy and longevity. With a .002 barrel cylinder gap, the Model 21 is much tighter than early revolvers yet never showed any inclination to bind with powder accumulation even after firing hundreds of rounds of ammunition. And the piece is simply smooth and continues to become even smoother after firing a thousand rounds of ammunition.
During the test program, I replenished a modest supply of brass with new Starline Brass. This is an excellent resource for the handloader. You can never have enough brass and a few hundred cartridge cases is cutting it short in a major test program. Incidentally, during handloading tests the Magnus 215-grain lead bullet gave good results. In jacketed bullets, the Sierra 180-grain JHP gave sterling accuracy. I have always enjoyed good results with Sierra and the .429 inch JHP was no exception. At 1,050 fps or so, this is a fine bullet for the .44 Special.
Carrying the Model 21, I went for class and performance. DeSantis Leathergoods is one of our most trusted holster makers. While they have enjoyed several large law enforcement contracts, they have an excellent reputation among armed civilians who have needs quite different from law enforcement. The DeSantis Belt Scabbard features the ideal tilt for a rapid draw, allowing a locked wrist. This is what we used to call the FBI tilt. The thumbreak is reinforced so it does not bind against the body during the draw. Overall, this is a fine holster with good features. I found the balance of speed and retention ideal.
I am enthusiastic concerning the “retro” .44. This is a piece that showcases what Smith & Wesson once did best—produce the finest revolvers in the world. If you own an example only because you can, that is a good enough reason. As I handled this handgun I could not help but think of another nation that once had a pretty decent handgun tradition. There will never be another Webley .455 and probably never again will the British subjects own handguns. If you wish to keep owning and using handguns like the Model 21, support the Second Amendment Foundation. It’s the right thing to do.
Smith & Wesson (2100 Roosevelt Ave., Dept. GWK, Springfield MA 01104; phone: 800-331-0852; online: Smith-Wesson.com) still catalogs the standard blue-finished Model 21 as well as a 4-inch barreled S&W Classics Model 21 in a choice of blue, color case hardened or nickel finishes. The MSRP was $960 but check with your dealer. And if you like the .44 Special cartridge, you might want to check out Smith’s Models 24 and 396.
Return to Archive Index