I picked this revolver up for $300. I took it to a gun shop to get a value and they said they would give me $150 for it so that bummed me out. The revolver doesn't have a model number on it. I'm attaching some pictures. The serial number is S 66963.

Hopefully someone can give me a history on this revolver and what to you think the value would be. There is some bluing worn from the cylinder and barrel with a little missing on the frame as well. Thanks for your help in advance.

Looks like you have yourself a .38/44 Heavy Duty. This one is a post war transitional gun.

You got yourself a very good deal at $300. Some other forum members will be along shortly to talk about this gun, they have quite a cult following.

In addition, your gun sports the very desirable 4in barrel. I would say the value is $500 +/-. It has some wear, but the post war transitional status with a 4in barrel helps. Be sure it will not accept 357 magnum rounds. If it can, it has been reamed out.

Nice deal even if reamed out.

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}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

I want to say it looks like an N Frame "Post War" Pre Model Variation.

The SCSW as I read it since it only has 5 numbers after the Letter S, it could possibly be from between 1946 and 1947 production Stared in 1946 with SN S62489 and ended in 1947 with SN S67999.

There are a lot of other people here who can probably give better information and are more experienced than I am. Hope it helps you.

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Who says I have too many?

Yes, as stated already, above, it is a post war transitional 38/44 Heavy Duty which later became the model 20. Some would call it a "pre model 20" although the factory never used such terminology. If you ordered this revolver in 1946, you were ordering a "Heavy Duty" model (literally).

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}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

You got a deal & the LGS was ripping you off for sure.....

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

"What he said!"

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S&W Accumulator

For your sake, I'm glad you didn't accept the offer of $150.
It's worth north of $500, I'd venture.
Maybe the gun shop knew that; maybe they didn't.
At any rate, you have a post-WWII .38/44 Heavy Duty. It's known as a "transitional" model because it retains some of the parts used in pre-WWII versions of the same model.
As mentioned, it's probably a 1946 or 1947 production gun.

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John

I was not trying to step on your thread, Sorry. I guess I did not read all the posts before typing mine. Hope I did not offend anyone. I was just trying to help is all but I can see that I need to be more careful in the future.

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Who says I have too many?

Do You want to break even and I will pay the shipping?...

Yours probably left the factory in about mid-1946. I show several close SNs from that time. I'm happy you didn't fall for the $150 offer, but that's how gun shops make their money. Buy for a quarter, sell for a dollar.

I definitely wasn't going to take the $150 when I just paid $300. I thought that the LGS would be more honest. They should be knowledgeable. They sure act it on their show on CMT. Oh well, there is plenty of dealers to deal with in the future. Thanks to everyone for your help.

Gunshops need to buy at wholesale prices and sell at retail to stay in business obviously.

If they say the value of your gun is $150, that's deceitful.

If they say it's only worth $150 to them, that's a little better.

If they say we can only pay you a wholesale amount because we have to sell it at a profit, that's better still.

But if they make you an offer and say we can only pay you that amount to have a profit margin in it for us to run a business, and it's 50%, 60%, 80% or whatever, of retail, they have been completely honest and done you a service. Because they have also provided you with their estimate of the guns true retail value.

That's the way the best gunshop here in town treats its customers.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

To most gun shops, and their customers, what you have is a weathered S&W 38. The terms "transitional 38-44 heavy duty" just don't register. $150 probably gives $100 or so margin to pay the bills. I wouldn't fault them for that. Selling guns to gun shops never gets top value, the math just doesn't work. The good news is on the other end of that equation and that is picking up heavy duties marked as "38s".

You got a great deal though. A couple of weeks ago I picked up one which is quite similar and just 500 numbers earlier off the line. I was told by the resident HD expert that range of numbers shipped july 46. You might take notice that your serial number actual includes an S. The S prefix lasted from immediately after WWII til 1969 IIRC.

How bout those grips, I bet they number to the gun. Take the grips off and look at the underside of the right one for a matching number. Those are somewhat desirable and valuable sharp shouldered magnas. They worth almost what the gun shop offered you for the gun but they add a lot more value to your gun. If they number to the gun keep them with the gun!

The 38-44s were designed to handle very hot 38 special loads, a 38 loaded to speeds close to modern 357 magnum levels. A 158 grain bullets at 11-1200 fps is the general range. There is some interesting history there relating to the invention of the .357 magnum. One of our members, Aspenhill, has a great web sight on the subject of HDs: Page 1

I think the HDs and the 3rd model 44 are the coolest of the cool. Yours should be a great shooter.

Lee-
I sent you an email. I've been looking for a shooter and have a WTT ad up in the classifieds. Take a look at it.

Since nobody has said it yet,

Welcome to the Forum.

You got a good deal on your HD. Most gunshops these days concentrate on the more popular firearms, like the tacticool black rifles. Older S&W handguns seldom rate a second glance.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

A lot of gun shops don't have knowledgeable enough staff to recognize a gun over 50 years old. They probably classified it with any and all 38 M&P's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

$300 Heavy Duty...THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO ME!!

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Halfway and one more step

Notes to OP: 1) Welcome to the Forum and congratulations on your find. 2) Do NOT go into that shop again with anything of value!.

Bob