Mitchell 440 Special - Anyone know about them?

[@Clive]

I was browsing the freeads site this morning and came across an announcement for this reel. I have looked at the info' on the excellent Mitchell Reel Museum site, but it appears to have been overlooked. Anyone know the history?

It was listed at €22 and unfortunately my finger accidentally brushed the 'Buy Now' button. Don't tell the wife

 

[nottskev]

I got years of fishing out of my 300 and Match, so this will probably be a pleasure to use. With the spool properly filled

 

[@Clive]

I already have two excellent 440A Match reels, one of them bought new by a dear friend who gave me it about 15 years ago. Plus two second version half bails, one mint, a good fourth version pre 300 from the mid 1950s and a 300 bought with my paper round and Saturday job money in the early 70s. But, this 440 Special appears to be a bit on the rare side. I felt obliged to re-home it. The 440 came out around 1966 and the 440A Match around 1978. But there was also a 440A (S) in 1981 that might have been a one off. I think that this one is a version of the earlier 440 for the French market.

 

[Ged28]

If you use Facebook it might be asking on the "Traditional angling and retro tackle" (TARTS) page. I think there's a couple of people on there well clued up on the older Mitchells.
I've got a couple of Matches, a 440A and an older one with the bail arm similar to yours, from memory that ones just called a Match with no numerical designation. I can't remember ever seeing a "Match" with a torpedo handle, though that could be retro fitted.

 

[@Clive]

If you use Facebook it might be asking on the "Traditional angling and retro tackle" (TARTS) page. I think there's a couple of people on there well clued up on the older Mitchells.
I've got a couple of Matches, a 440A and an older one with the bail arm similar to yours, from memory that ones just called a Match with no numerical designation. I can't remember ever seeing a "Match" with a torpedo handle, though that could be retro fitted.

Thanks. I don't do fb so that option isn't open to me. I found another one on sale in the States and that had a torpedo handle too. That might be the clue! The Yanks wouldn't be interested in a Match reel, but an auto bail would be ideal for spinning, and the torpedo handle would suit that market.

 

[Ged28]

Would you mind if I put a post on that Facebook page and used one of your photo's? I'm quite intrigued myself, of course I'd report back any info they came up with.

 

[@Clive]

Would you mind if I put a post on that Facebook page and used one of your photo's? I'm quite intrigued myself, of course I'd report back any info they came up with.

Yes, no problem.

You are right about there being a 440A Match and a 440A none Match. There are differences in the gears apparently. The Match is different to the 440A and 410 that share the same drive components.

 

[Ged28]

Thanks, I'll put a post on, see if they can come up with anything of interest.
Mine are a 440A Match and the other just Match, no numbers.
Bit of a nightmare following all the variations Mitchell made, all within basically the same body.

 

[@Clive]

Yes. It is awkward when lookjng for parts. The schematics for the 440A Match aren't very good as regards the lines between part numbers and the actual parts, but the parts for the 440A none Match differ from the Match reels. Looking at the French freeads sites it seems that the Match endorsed reels came with the paddle handle and the 440A models have the torpedo handle. Then there are the 330 and Ottomatic versions..........

 

[Ged28]

Both my Matches have the paddle handle. The only Mitchell with the torpedo handle I've owned was a 410.

 

[Ged28]

Nothing concrete from FB as yet, people have suggested it may have been a marketing ploy.
The Mitchell museum website lists a 440S, I wonder if this is the special. Unfortunately there are just question marks in the dates and numbers columns, suggesting to me that it may well be rare model.
I've had a look at some pictures of the standard 440 (no A) model, it looks identical to yours, without the special badge. It too had the torpedo handle. The special may well have some internal differences, such as gearing and additional bearings.
Whatever the differences are it looks like you've got a very nice and usable reel at a very good price, and probably quite rare too.
I'll let you know if anymore info turns up.

 

[@Clive]

Thanks, I appreciate your help.

The torpedo handle is probably down to market preferences. At the time the reel came out the French only used fixed spool reels for game fish, predators and sea fishing. The other markets such as the States and Australia also had little in the way of coarse fishing. The auto bail lends itself to spinning as does a torpedo handle.

The gears in the 440 differ from the 440A. It appears that the 410 & 440 have the same and the 410A & 440A share the same internals. And the Match has its own gears. The pinion gear on the Match appears to be unique to it and unavailable from the usual sources.

I have three SAP reels from the same town that Mitchells were made. They are the same model and were made within a five year period, but no two are identical mechanically and even the spools don't interchange.

 

[Ged28]

Like I said, it's a bit of a nightmare keeping track of Mitchell variations
I'm surprised about the spools though, I've got/had 300's, 400's, 410's and Matches, and think all spools interchanged.

 

[@Clive]

The Mitchell Museum website doesn't list a 440A Match, but strangely lists the rhw 441A Match version.

Looking at reels advertised in France there are 440 reels with auto bails and 440A reels with auto bails, but I only found one 440A Match which indicates that the Match probably was aimed at the UK market As there are lots on sale on ebay UK. There are some 440ALC denoting 'Lightening Cast' possibly aimed at spinners. I found three types of handle mount: the usual "High Speed" one, another with a concentric bullseye pattern and a spherical one. Then there are three types of handle; Torpedo, Curved Paddle and Straight Paddle. The auto bail is also found on Otomatic versions of the 330, basically a 300 with auto bail as the 440 is based on the highr geared 410. No 330A reels so maybe that version didn't prove popular.

There are two more 440 Specials on sale over here, one is boxed with papers and has the Torpedo handle. I found a Match that has no model number denotation. That too had the Torpedo handle so possibly a 440, not 440A but you never can tell.

From a spare parts point of view the pinion gear for the 410A and 440A models, #82618 is unavailable as far as I can see. You can get the other gears, but not the pinion gear. The same part #81090 for the 410 and 440 (none A models) is readily available.

Both of my Match reels are 440A so it will be interesting to compare them with the earlier 440 version.

 

[@Clive]

I picked the parcel up this afternoon and took it into the basement workroom along with my tools required to clean and re-lube an old Mitchell; steel dish, artist's and tooth brushes, turps, paper tissue, etc. Didn't need any of that. When I opened the reel up it was unlike any other old reel I have come across.

Normally they are full of dried black grease. Looks like the previous owner has done a forensic job on it. I brushed under the crown gear and found a tiny piece of the usual black wax, but that is all. Overall the reel looks hardly used. The bail wire has a hardened tungsten-carbide guide, no roller, so an early reel. So, a light coating of marine grease, oil on the bail parts and reassembly.

5:1 gear ratio, two turns of the handle oscillation, i.e 10 turns of the rotor, auto bail and it now purrs like a contented cat. The serial number is 40158 with a number 5 also stamped on the foot. Now, this is really strange because the Mitchell Museum says;

The first four versions of the 300 called “The Mitchell” at the time did not have the 300/301 model number engraved. The first two versions did not have serial numbers at all and the beginning of the 3rd version also did not have numbers. Keeping this in mind:​

1st Version – 1939/40 No Serial Numbers but a “unique” #5 is stamped on foot​

2nd Version – 1940/46 No Serial Numbers but various stamps on foot​

3rd Version – 1946/49 No Serial Numbers but various stamps on foot​

Serial Numbers Begin​

3rd Version – 1949/52 Serial Numbers first begin within the 3rd version release. These have a letter prefix starting with “A” followed by only 5 numeric digits. The serial numbers were stamped on the bottom of the foot at first but between SN A66544 and SN A74901 it was moved to the Housing. The estimated breakdowns are:​

1949/50 – SN “A” Prefix​

1950/51 – SN “B” Prefix​

1951/52 – SN “C” Prefix​

1951/52 was also the transition period from the standard half bail to the 4th version full bail when both reels were being made!​

4th Version 1951/52 – SN “C” Prefix was carried over with the transition period occurring in the very low “C” serial number prefix range. The lowest number found on a 4th version was #C00447 but the highest number found on a 3rd version with a prefix was #C03203. The highest number found with this prefix on a 4th version was #C92525. This is when Mitchell realized there wasn’t going to be enough alphanumeric numbers so they changed to just numbers. The lowest SN I’ve documented is #40779 and the highest is #9963012 and over 900 different serial numbers in between and still growing!​

1953 – SN 40779 to 203519​

I am totally stumped as the 400 range with 5:1 gearing is not shown to start until 1963, but the 330 with auto bail is from 1955, and the serial number is from 1953, but with the "5 " stamped on the foot that dates it 1939 1949. Yet the A/R switch is late 60's onwards. Answers on a post card.

Anyway, for around £23 inc. delivery its a bargain.

 

[Alan Whitty]

I'm sure if you pm Mark Wintle he would have some knowledge of the reel...

 

[@Clive]

All sorted thanks to Nobby Clark.

The reel dates from 1966 after some bright spark at Mitchell realised that if they put the auto bail rotor from the 330 onto their new high speed 410 (complete with roller bearings) body, they could make a reel that would conquer the British match fishing scene. The prototype was called the 440 and had a red decal marked Special. Small numbers were distributed through the UK concessionaire in order to get some market feedback from match anglers. A few also found their way onto the continental markets to see whether lure fishermen were interested in it. Those had torpedo handles. As we now know the 440 Match, lattely from 1977/8 440A Match became the 'must have' reel for many match anglers.

The 440 Lightening Cast, later the 440 ALC was sold for the American and European markets. Same reels as the Match.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Only just seen this. Jim Partridge's book on Mitchell Matches has much the same as above. Early adverts for the Match (late 60s) in the UK have the torpedo handle. Never seen a Special in the UK. I suspect UK match anglers quickly switched the torpedo to the twist grip - easy enough if you pry off the dust cap and undo the screw. Your reel is most likely a French market reel. It didn't take Mitchell long top switch the manufactured models to be like this though the 410 handle continued with the torpedo handle. I got a 840 with torpedo handle that I switched to a twist grip.

 

[@Clive]

Funnily enough Mark I have just come across a 410 Special in the free ads.

It looks to me like Mitchell were testing the market when they launched the 440 Special. I have seen them for sale in Germany and France, and the serial number of two of them refer to 1964, 2 years before the 410 and 440 were launched. Nobby seems to think that the UK concessionaire distributed some reels to match anglers to get their views on the pre production samples. The 440 had the non roller bail. By the time it morphed into the 440 Match it gained a roller bail. Otherwise it was identical to the 440 Special until around 1977 when the 'A' suffix reels were launched.

I haven't had chance to try it out yet, but it has been paired with a Chapmans 500 Avon type rod as they are from the same period.

 

[bennygesserit]

must say that reel polished up very well