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I came across a great old Heavy Duty at the local gun show this weekend. I had the opportunity to show it around to some other collectors while there. It looks to be an early original pre war nickel with matching stocks.

Are the nickel 38/44's harder to come by? Would like to learn anything more about the gun from the more knowledgeable members here.

Trying to get pics

Here is another pic of the serial number. Can anyone tell me what year?100_1431.jpg

I'd guess late 1931. NICE HD!

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

I have heard 10% tossed around as a rough estimate on total nickel HDs. Seems low to me but I may be deceived by refinished guns, or the fact that the first 2 I bought were nickel.

Anyway, beautiful gun. Stay away from hoppe's (or other ammonia copper solvent cleaners) when you clean it. When the nickel is already bubbling up a little like that, hoppe's can exacerbate the problem.Some may contend this fact, but I have experienced it so I am sticking to it. Anyway, there's plenty of other choices.

I have one SN on my list less than 100 away which shipped in July 1931. But that doesn't really mean much as SNs do not track very well with actual shipping dates.

GF and I came across the aisle to look at it. I even mentioned it in the gunshow report down in the Lounge. The gun looks right to me. As for the number made in that finish, we seem to see way more than the 10% we usually suggest . The same thing we see on 44 3rd models. Even by 1930 S&W seems to know their customers and what they want. Either that or the hardware stores that ordered just demanded they get nickel guns. Back in the day, you could order a gun via mail order. And if you sent them a Postal Money Order for a nickel gun, by God that's what you got.

No reason to question the gun or your. Had you hesitated for a minute, GF would have stolen it right out from under you. Or I would have. Its a nice gun any of us would be proud to call our own.

Link to lounge thread: The Gunshow - it was a blast

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Dick Burg

I'd date it at mid 1931. I did a check of all the guns in my database for the 37000 serial numbers and out of 100 numbers, 9 are nickel. I do believe the 10-11% nickel production numbers as accurate. I think nickel guns survived better than blued guns, but that is only an opinion.
I hope this helps,
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

That's a great old nickel 38/44 and I'd believe Bill's 10 - 11% nickel production guess. Bill knows more about Heavy Duty's than most members here combined and is the "go to" for Heavy Duty questions.
Congrats on your find!

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

Gotta' love the gun shows.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

is that the remains of a lanyard ring stud near the serial number? If you take the stocks off is there a lanyard ring retaining pin there? Is there an N on the left side of the grip frame or on the rear face of the cylinder?

Here is 55931 with a pair of Murad grips and HBH. Shipped to H D Folsom, NY, NY. Enjoy!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

PS I am not questioning that it is correct as others more knowledgeable than I have liked it. My question is, was that frame initially supposed to be a model 1926 .44 HE 3rd model, which are occasionally found with lanyard rings, that was changed at the factory? Same serial number range. that would be interesting, probably no way to tell.

I have #55765, also nickeled, but with pearl service grips.

I believe that his gun is using a leftover 1917 frame that had the lanyard hole drilled and was filled and used to make this HD.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Good enough for me. I like the pistol. I think I have a set of those murad grips somewhere.

100_1436.jpg Here is another photo

100_1446.jpgPhoto of one side of the grip

100_1448.jpgPhoto of the other side

The eagle/S2 and "H" inspector stamps confirms the 1917 frame. The "N" on the right side of the grip frame confirms factory nickel. Very nice, and good photos. Thanks, Larry

OP, your gun exhibits one of the unfortunate characteristics of a nickel gun in that acids from the grips combined with humidity have started eroding the nickel on the grip frame. If it were me I would clean the frame and the back of the grips as much as possible and if you plan on storing the gun with the grips on it I would coat it with RIG or similar to prevent further erosion.

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Does the new information about the frame being from a leftover 1917 affect the value?

I don't think it does if it came from the factory in that configuration. I think it makes it cool.

No, S&W did not believe in throwing good parts away, and a "N" frame is a "N" frame.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Mine with S/N 3860X lettered to Aug. 1931.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

If your pistol was presented to me I would not hesitate to accept it as an original .38/.44 heavy duty.

As Burg said I'd been on that in a heart beat!

I think it's an outstanding revo and has a great set of stocks.
All the heavy hitters say it's straight so the HD shipped nickel.
Are you going to shoot it?

Great to have meet you and I hope to again!

GF

I have learned a lot about this Heavy Duty. Thanks to all the folk's here who have been helping me figure out what I ended up with.

Special thanks to Gale and Dick, I am glad I got to meet you both at the show. I appreciate you both taking a look at it in person.

I am very glad I had the opportunity to buy it, and I would like to shoot it. Do you think it would be ok to shoot?

Shoot it all you want, just keep it clean and lubed and you will be just fine. Just a note, if you do shooot it, after you do with the service grips you will want to put a set of packmayers on it as the svc grips are not very comfortable to shoot with , especially hot loads.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

I agree with Bill,Those Service Stocks will eat the Web of your hand raw in no time with real 38/44 Rounds.

Here's a couple of nickel pre war HDs, middle and late 50 thousand range-