Working guns have always held a special place with me.
I grew up at a time and place where firearms were tools. Owned and used by ranchers, oilmen, merchants and lawmen.
Used to gather table fare, defend the homestead/headquarters or to bring some outlaw to justice before the Courts.

Be it a carbine, rifle, shotgun, six shooter or semi automatic pistol. Each one had a purpose and no matter how
worn the finish of steel or wood, each scratch, gouge or whittled notch made it a cherished possession.

Back about the time when they were blackin out the bottom of the tv screen when Elvis did his numbers,
I was defining my own style as to the tools of the trade that suited me. A single action revolver and a double action
or two, a couple of lever rifles purty much rounded out my little remuda.

I developed a fondness for the large bores in the late 60s and early 70s. Having made the acquaintance of a firefighter
and master gunsmith who turn me on to the conversions of Smith .38/44 frame revolvers to .44spl and 45 long colt.
Having built a gaggle of 'em over the last 40 years, it jest whetted my appetite for other custom creations of working handguns.

As I near the homestretch of this race, I find myself longing for the older revolvers of my youth and those of my father.
Dividing my time between bendin leather for friends and family, to scourin' the web for prospects for my latest projects.
Handguns not worthy of the purest of collectors, but not ready to be turned out to pasture or gone to seed jest yet.

Although I might refinish one to suit myself...Where as I can put my own wear or tear on 'em.
Other times I jest roll with what's left of the original finish.
Of course the proof is in the puddin, it's got to shoot where's I'm lookin'. And this'n sur nuf does that.

Here sometime last year I uncovered a treasure trove of virgin 38 Special brass along with a couple of syrup buckets full of lead swc bullets.
So, I've been workin on my using revolver inventory in that chambering.

What with a 5" Outdoorsman bring prices that would break a banker...I's jest built my own-self one.

As they say, I believe I've purty much come full circle on this'n.

Mabee, jest mabee, I'll take 'er along on a lit'l date in the tall and un-cut someday soon...







Till Next Time....From Out There

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Dave, Man, that's nice...

Stoke up that smokewagon with a big dollup of 2400 powder under one of them heavy lead sharp-shouldered slugs and have at it!...

Drew

Dave, That is really fine looking. Is she still a .38? The shells in the pic look a bit long as in .357.

Tom

Dave that's a good'n!

I'm with you on the workin' guns, old pals that go with you same as they did with Dad and Grandpa. Every scratch is a story.

Now... where's the purddy holster for that piece that I KNOW you're workin' on (or already got made) !?!

GF

A great project. You even found a McGivern gold bead front sight to put on that "McGivern-esque" five inch OD!

If I ever get a serious gunsmithing bench set up, and if I can find a proper donor OD with a barrel whose last inch is bad, I may try something like that myself.

Envy and inspiration at the same time!. My heart is full.

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David Wilson

Drew,
That thar 2400 is jest the ticket...A feller can go right down town with that load.


Yea Tom,
She's still a 38 Special...Fer now anyways.
Got a sharp .357 reamer around here sumwheres.


Ya know Gale,
I need to be thinkin about cobblin me own-self a carved rig,
for sportin' that'n around in.


David,
What with the price of gold and us jest been po folk and all...
Any-hows, Misses chased me off'n her jewelery box, whilst I was searchin for scrape gold.
She sez she don't have anything scrappy enough for your's truly.

So just had to move on the the next best thing...100 year old Ivory !




Been asked 'bout this Scapegoat Mountain thing.
Wells it a place dear to my heart. I like takin my gals there.

The .44 Spl. and The Scapegoat Mtn. Bull


Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Dave ol boy...that is goin to be one fine shootin irn....what did she start ofn as?

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On the Oak Savannah

I dunno Dave, looks like "Ole Dave" has a pretty serious bench set up now!

It was an Outdoorsman 6 1/2" 85-90% or so.

Had been converted to a short throw hammer...With as slick a double action as I ever squeeze on,
a single action that's crisp, lite and clean breaking.

Y'all know me, them 4 & 5 inch ones jest rides right
ahorseback or in the pickup truck, for a workin revolver.

Su Amigo,
Dave
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

On Horseback I would think that an old Brauer Bros pattern shoulder holster under your duster would be just the berries for keeping hemlock needles and chaw juice off've your gat...

Dang Dave, that ol lady is durn near enough to tempt me into takin' a hacksaw to the Outdoorsman I snagged at the auction last fall, and I ain't even managed to put a round through it yet.

That's purentee a classy lookin' shootin' iron.

Was glad to see the link to the Scapegoat mountain story too. That there is a classic tale of the good ol days.

Thanks for sharing.

VERY nice one Dave !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Ya know Drew,
That ain't no half bad idee

I may just do that very thing...When leadin pack stock or workin ahorseback in general,
I slide my sidearm around my gunbelt to the crossdraw.

Just to keep a lead rope or catch twine from hangin up on 'er handle and jerkin it out on the rocky ground.

As far as the smithin bench goes...It don't hurt none to be invested in a tool & gage shop

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

My suit maker tells me that I have the body of a stump. I ain't worked many beef creatures nor spent near as much time on the back of a pony as you, but when I did, a sidearm with a tube longer than 4 inches always reminded me how big my kidneys really were...

Working guns for working folk, I believe the way Smith and Wesson always intended it to be.

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Always Stay Strong!

Ah, wells thar Iggy,

You know me...I can't discard nothin'!

So, I got this old nickeled 5 inch HD that I lift'd off'n this ol bandit I know.

Switched her out with a nice 4" .45 Long Colt tube. Got a picture of 'er sumwheres here.

De-nickeled the 5" barrel, milled that half moon key sight off, slotted the little base for a
patridge kinda sight and pin'd 'er on.

And Shazam, I dun got 'er done as that southern comic sezs.





Oh yea, picture of the HD...Still gotta have her re-nickeled.

(I'll be look fer that picture)

Found it! My goin' to town pistola




Out on the Trail Sumwheres.

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Dave

I really do like your think'n firearms are ment to shoot and be used. If you can make what you like even better. Got a couple I had revamped. I can say your threads are full of new adventure and good stories.

RB

Great looking shootin iron there! I like those carved ivories!

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SWCA #2421

There seems to be an sudden epidemic of keyboards with non-functional G keys on this thread.

Hey! Before you go cuttin' up that OD ya better be givin' me a call!

Great gun, and thanks for the link to the Scapegoat Mtn. story.
Any more threads like this, and I'll be hunting up a .44 Spl. too.
TACC1

LOL, Don't worry, my Momma raised some dummies, but they was my sister.

That OD is safe.

Nice looking OD Dave.
Thanks for the link to the Scapegoat Mtn. story.
I enjoyed it very much.

Yup,

With each 'G' saved I get a discount coupon fer pre-war Smiths


Stay tuned for more ol Smiths and a lot fewer Gees & Whizzes

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

and I know you kinda guys, say all you want is a perfectly functional tool then spend a bunch a time an money makin her look snazzy.
In my line of work, that's perfectly fine.

I really like that Outdoorsman and especially that ivory front sight. I was tempted to add one to my old shooter Outdoorsman but wouldn'y quite know how. But boy that one you have would probably do wonders on whitetail with a stout loud of 2400 and a good cast SWC.

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Vaya con Dios

Yup Steve,

As they sezs,"A ten dollar horse and a forty dollar saddle!"


I try to hang on to my good saddle, a decent pair of boots, hat and 'bout a buck two ninty eight worth of clothes in between.

Oh yea, and sum ol high dollar Smith & Wesson...Jest for old time sake.


Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

...and if I do say so myself, you have put togther some real beauties...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Yup,

Ol' Steven there is the Master of the Craft.

Everyone ought to visit his site, it's a pure pleasure to see his work.


Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Some threads are educational. Some threads are entertaining.

This one is both! I love the gun, the link, and the banter.

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Proud anachronism

I think that the only way I am ever going to be able own a pre-war N frame is to buy a nice Outdoorsman in 38 special. The 357's are too expensive but a really nice Outdoorsman comes along every once in a while for a great price! Very entertaining thread. One of the reasons I like this site so much!!

Aircrewman,

Your thinkin right, right thar...I could go with either one of these.



I'm torn as to lengthen the chambers of the Outdoorsman to accommodate the longer .357, Mabee someday soon.

Su Amigo,
Dabe

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I hate to revive this old thread (well not really looking at these guns) but faced with three months of downtime I have been thinking of ideas, but I could not cut my Outdoorsman down since I kind of like the barrel length as is, but now might be the time for getting the front sight done.

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Vaya con Dios

Good to revive this thread. Who knows? Maybe 'nuestro amigo Dave' has whipped up a holster for the 5" OD?

Best,

Dyson

Doan no bout yew, but ah caint reed much oh this whiffout talking all folksy and she it.

Amigo Dave, nice OD....nice job!!!!

Cheers!!!!!

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Heavy Duty Enthusiast!!!!!

Dave,

That's a particularly pleasing combination of barrel length and front sight on that Outdoorsman. It's giving me ideas..... I've got an Outdoorsman that's already had the .357 treatment. Thanks very much for the post!

Jerry

Wells, I'll be darn...Looky here Boys we done got us one of the lit'l Abner types caught in in our's trap right cheirs...

Warren seriously, glad you enjoy some of us oldsters havin a little fun.

But, son ya need to work on your country folk jargon and quaint village verbiage...Kinda difficult to decipher.

Su Amigo,
Dave

BTW, Glad you liked the revolver in the OP...Ya did see the revolver in the OP didn't you?

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Dave,
I believe I enjoy your yarn as much as your guns. Thanks for putting it down in verse.

Keith you sure have a way with words, you should write a book and your revolvers are first class. Thanks for sharing pardner. Ron.

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S+W Fan

There are those who would say that some of us old timers like Dave and I tend to wander into "cowboy colloquialism" from time to time, others just call us hicks or weed hummers but we have a good time anyway.

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Eccentric old coot

Yup,
Ya know Iggy, here in the last half century I've learnt more useful idees and thangs from folks in overall and gallases across a barb-wire fence that sum stuffed shirts in some high-rise penthouse office anyhows.


Oh, for all the rest of you fine folks, this use of 'cowboy colloquialisms' is jest a way of have a little fun in the sunset.

Hell, ol' Iggy's packin a valise full of them real high degrees,

I was jest now thinkin of buyin myself one of them mail-order PhDs.

Stay tuned...This month or next we'll be overhauling a early post war N frame.

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Yessir, I'd allow as how I probly pick up more 'usin sense' from the pards I worked with than all the law enforcement classes I ever attended.

Can't wait to see what Ol' Dave's a hatchin' up!

Well, Dave, I do hope that if ya go to whackin' on a post-war N frame, you'll have the good sense to bring it with ya when ya come out here - along with the one that ya pictured in yor first post. I'd love to try both of 'em out on a pdog!

You do nice work, Dave, I'm always impressed (even with the posts I've read a time or two!)

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Even older, even crankier....

Its OK to hammer on them college boys. But as you indicated, it seems like most who put them down have been there themselves. In today's article in the Salt Lake Tribune one of my favorite writers put out another of his gems. The guy is Ron Kirby, and todays best quote was that he wasn't too impressed with the folks with college degrees. Some he knows are as sharp as a marble. So if you're looking for a time waster, read Kirby's articles when they come out.

Kirby: If only I had gone to college to learn to write ... | The Salt Lake Tribune

It also looks to me like out gun collecting has branched in two different directions. We have the high dollar boys who've accumulated a whole room full of untouched and like new condition pieces. And then the other direction which I've been chasing for a few years now. Those are the working guns that have earned their keep over a lifetime or two. Personally I've tended toward 44s and short tubes, but I sure can appreciate what Dave's done, too. Over the last year or two I feel lucky to be able to carve my steak into eating size pieces, so I've just had to comfort myself with HH Heiser leather. Sure wish I could do it myself, but there's something comfortable about a 55 year old or older holster that still looks show room new.

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Dick Burg

Anyone who thinks Dave or Iggy are country bumpkins are in for a big surprise. Couple of wise old cougars is more like it.
DW

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"NUTS"

I love the gun and the story just topped it off real good this morning.

Both my boys worked and one guided in the The Bob. I have been in there on ocassion. I know the area.

I thought everyone talked like that outside of the key board!
I grew up in that atmosphere of lingo.

John

"Lil Abner"? I thought it was Yosemite Sam or Festus from the old Gunsmoke show!

I did like the revolver. Very much so. I think you did an outstanding job.

Still, I found it amusing how so many in the thread got into the cowpoke lingo. Too funny!

Warren,

Yup, thar's a few of us that's kinda in the 4th furlong of this here 6 furlong race...
And we're jest have one hell of a good ol time!

Shore nuff glad you could join us for the ride .

Stay tuned and brin' yur red top boots. The tall ones,
cause I's got a sneakin' suspicion it's gonna get a lot deeper around cheir before it's over.

All My Best
Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"