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03-20-2015, 10:51 AM
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Pre war nickel Heavy Duty letter arrived
I just received the letter for a nickel 38/44 Heavy Duty that I had sent away for.
It was shipped to an what I thought was an interesting destination, Consolidated Chemical Laboratories Inc., in St Louis MO on December 23, 1938.
The gun looks too nice for it to have been use as a guard's gun or a working gun. There isn't really much, if any holster wear on it, but nickel tends to hold up a lot better to holsters than bluing.
Maybe an executive had it shipped there as a Christmas present to himself 
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Rick
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03-20-2015, 10:58 AM
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very nice Rick! I bet the Christmas present idea is just what happened? have you contacted the SWHF on this one yet? They may be able to find the invoice showing the initial order.
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Kris
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03-20-2015, 11:23 AM
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Wow. Nice! Now, where did I put that tube of Flitz? 
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03-20-2015, 12:30 PM
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Very nice!
Is the box original to the gun? What does 38/44 mean? SWHF? Smith & Wesson ? ?
That thing is sharp!
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03-20-2015, 12:34 PM
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Very nice nickel HD Rick! I hope the one I just got letters somewhere special.
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very nice Rick! I bet the Christmas present idea is just what happened? have you contacted the SWHF on this one yet? They may be able to find the invoice showing the initial order.
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Hi Kris - I didn't know you even liked nickel HDs 
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03-20-2015, 02:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THEMULE
Very nice!
Is the box original to the gun? What does 38/44 mean? SWHF? Smith & Wesson ? ?
That thing is sharp!
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It's an original box for the gun, but not "the" box that that gun came in.
38/44 means its a 38 special on a 44 frame. There's a lot of information about the 38/44 Heavy Duties and Outdoorsman on this forum. Just search 38/44 and you'll find many threads about them.
You can also check out this website 38-44 HEAVY DUTY HISTORY
The website belongs to forum member Bill Patteson (1Aspenhill) and he is the authority on everything Heavy Duty.
SWHF is the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation. There is a section on the forum that's dedicated to this group Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation
"Smith & Wesson ? ?", I can't answer that without being a wise *****
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03-20-2015, 04:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1blindref
It's an original box for the gun, but not "the" box that that gun came in.
38/44 means its a 38 special on a 44 frame. There's a lot of information about the 38/44 Heavy Duties and Outdoorsman on this forum. Just search 38/44 and you'll find many threads about them.
You can also check out this website 38-44 HEAVY DUTY HISTORY
The website belongs to forum member Bill Patteson (1Aspenhill) and he is the authority on everything Heavy Duty.
SWHF is the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation. There is a section on the forum that's dedicated to this group Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation
"Smith & Wesson ? ?", I can't answer that without being a wise ***** |
THANK YOU. I'm the new kid on the block tryin to learn.
Smith & Wesson ? ?......... You answered it. Historical Foundation.
That really is a nice piece you got there. The Box is equally nice thanks again
Bob
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03-20-2015, 04:38 PM
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Hey! I have One just like it hanging around here someplace.I can't take a pic as I am Handcuffed to my Leather Workbench at the moment,You will have to take my Word...
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03-20-2015, 06:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THEMULE
THANK YOU. I'm the new kid on the block tryin to learn.
Smith & Wesson ? ?......... You answered it. Historical Foundation.
That really is a nice piece you got there. The Box is equally nice thanks again
Bob
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You're welcome Bob.
And thank you for the compliment. Once you fondle a 38/44 Heavy Duty, you'll need to add add one or three to your collection 
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Rick
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03-20-2015, 09:00 PM
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nice one Rick! here's one for you! Alex does have one like it!
Enjoy!
Bill
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03-20-2015, 10:38 PM
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Rick, this nickel HD shipped to Germo, Inc., St. Louis, MO, in August, 1932. (shipped as nickel, obviously renickled)
I Googled Consolidated Chemical and Germo. I find that Consolidated had a line of Germo products. I'd wager there is a connection, and for some reason those guys liked nickled Heavy Duties!
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03-20-2015, 11:01 PM
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03-21-2015, 12:22 AM
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Not to direct any flack toward Santa's slay, but I think it was likely common to send such as firearms to business addresses rather than residences. Also even in those days there may have been a tax break or even a discount if the firm was otherwise a purchaser.
Still... Wow! A beautiful gun as are others in this thread.
My take
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03-21-2015, 06:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iskra
Not to direct any flack toward Santa's slay, but I think it was likely common to send such as firearms to business addresses rather than residences. Also even in those days there may have been a tax break or even a discount if the firm was otherwise a purchaser.
Still... Wow! A beautiful gun as are others in this thread.
My take
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and besides a discount or tax break, men didn't have to answer that "what came in the box from Smith and Wesson, Honey?" question, if it was ship to their home
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03-21-2015, 11:04 AM
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Rick. I bought the HD above from another Forum member some years ago.
He had done some research and found that Germo supplied cleaning materials to many jails, and there was some history of corruption allegations concerning contracts, etc. We postulated that the HD's may have been purchased as "incentives" to Southwest sheriff's for bargaining purposes.
Just fictional musings, but...if only these guns could talk!
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03-21-2015, 01:30 PM
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John, that's really interesting information. Thank you for sharing that!
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Rick
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03-22-2015, 09:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JayCeeNC
Rick. I bought the HD above from another Forum member some years ago.
He had done some research and found that Germo supplied cleaning materials to many jails, and there was some history of corruption allegations concerning contracts, etc. We postulated that the HD's may have been purchased as "incentives" to Southwest sheriff's for bargaining purposes.
Just fictional musings, but...if only these guns could talk!
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Very well could be true! Today's box of Omaha Steaks was yesterday's .38/44.
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02-05-2019, 02:36 PM
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Another necro thread, but I needed to document that another 5" Nickel Heavy Duty was shipped to Germo Manufacturing in November of 1930. If not for multiples going there in a short period, I would agree that it was probably an employee trying to avoid wife questions.
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