Between the longer cylinder, chonkier frame, and ejector rod shroud being slimmer and simpler to machine, the barrel on the 2004-vintage Model 21-4 Thunder Ranch Special looks longer and slimmer than the one on the 1930-vintage .44 Hand Ejector Third Model, but they're both four-inch tubes.
Every now and again I toy with the idea of taking a chamber reamer to the 21-4 because it's surely up to milder Magnum loads of the Silvertip/Hydra-Shok variety, but then I remember I already have a 629 and the urge goes away.
The other thing I keep meaning to do is replace those Ahrends with some Eagle Secret Service Grips, and maybe track down some more period-correct stocks for that beater Third Model.
Any day now, surely.
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