I stopped by my lgs today.He has just got a large collection of sw guns into store.3 pre 29 in black box,some with all tools.One has all tools and nickle screwdriver.57 no dash 6 inch in wood box.A older gent with pre 64's,browning pigeon grade,diana grade guns,sig p240 38 wadcutter,,many more guns.A true treasure trove of guns for everyone.The one gun i like is this one i will describe.

There is a gun that looks like a model 19 or 28,but there is a 6 1/5 inch barrel.I measured it 10 times.

The serial number is I looked 10 times.

Same serial number in cylinder rod shroud,end of cylinder, and bottom of grip.

Letter from Smith Wesson that gun was reblued.

There are 5 screw's.
Onright side of barrel is 38 smith & wesson.Just like a model 19

Can i get advice as to what this could be.If any of this seems odd,or could it have been a factory pre19

Double check if the serials letter prefix is an S or a K.

If you correctly measured it at 6.5" and the barrel is marked .38 Special more likely its an Outdoorsman which would be an S prefix if it has a barrel rib.

Welcome to the Forum.

"On left side of barrel is 38 smith &wesson.Just like a model 19"

The Model 19 was introduced in 1955 on the K frame and was chambered in .357. As noted above, if it has an adjustable rear sight and is chambered in .38 special, it is an Outdoorsman, which was built on the larger N frame.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

engine,i looked the numbers 10 times to make sure.The 5 digits are the same.

Gun does have adjustable sights and ramp front and i think a red ramp front but not sure .Will look friday and get pictures.

I measured 10 times and gun has a 6 1/2 barrel.When i first looked,i thought it was a n frame as the frame size was bigger.

I never even thought about it being a outdoorsman.

The deep blue looks like the deepest dark blue i have seen.

I remember a sw guy telling me the blue should be like looking in a barrel of oil.

this gun looks like that

That is when i noticed the reblue as the sw logo is a little light on one side,but the gun has not been shot since reblue.

Engine,how late were the outdoorsman made?Also,what model did they become.

Thank you engine and muley for advice.

I think i can get it bought for around 450.00 as the dealer thinks its a pre 19 .I have a bunch of 38 special to shoot

The Outdoorsman became the Model 23. It was dropped in 1966.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Muley,thank you.I wonder what roughly the serial number dates gun to.

I think i better be at my dealers door when he opens friday morning.

Engine and Muley,that is what puzzled me was the frame was a definate n frame size

If there is no serial prefix and your sure its a 6.5" barrel, the two things you need to check to see if it has a shrouded ejector rod and if it has a rib on the barrel from the frame extending to the front site.

IIRC the serial is a bit high for a pre war .38/44 OD but a pre war gun would have no rib on the top of the barrel and would have a rollstamp with patent dates there.

If there is no rib and no ejector rod shroud double check the barrel length, if 6" with no ejector rod shroud more likely a K frame M&P target model.

Can you get a picture?
That would probably help a lot!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

A pre war N frame .38/44 OD would have a round barrel top and ejector rod shroud like this:


A post war .38/44 would have a barrel rib like this :

1953. $450 is a good price for a mechanically sound .38/44 Outdoorsman, refinished and all.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

A K frame pre war M&P target would measure 6" from cylinder face to muzzle, have no barrel rib and no ejector rod shroud like this:

engine
definatly post post war.

PILGRIM,
pictures on friday.The gun looks 100% new in every aspect,since reblue

Also see the post changed to "S" serial prefix ?
If so its a post war .38/44 Outdoorsman (Pre Model 23) and if in good mechanical condition with factory refinish is a bargain at $450 IMO.

The Outdoorsman is an N Frame.
I have one it's S 79xxx.
The S makes it a post-War.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

1953-1954 from the 4th edition

At that price I would be at the shop when they open with enough cash to buy the rest of that collection.

Engine, lol.this gun looked like a model 19 when i first looked at it.I thought it was a model 19,or 28 as it had a shroud and adj sights

Shrouded ejector,adj. sights. .but i measured a 6.5 inch barrel.Checked 10 times for length.



The top of barrel has a rib. The gun looks exactly like the one shown a few previous posts.

The top has a rib that looks like a model 28 or model 19.

engine,i listed at first post what guns and rifles i saw at the lgs yesterday.

Buy the gun!

You might want to check to see if it has been reamed to accept the longer .357 case. Not unheard of. If it has not been altered, the (empty) .357 case will fail to fully insert and stick out 0.1" from the back of the cylinder. This would lower the value somewhat, however even with the reblue it is already undervalued. Hopefully, it is not altered. I own two of these and they are not only beautiful, but a lot of fun to shoot.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

That gun is a 38/44 Outdoorsman. At that price be standing at his door when he opens up today with cash in hand. 6.5" is correct for the barbel length for a post war 38/44. I have one dated to 1957, just before they started putting the Model numbers on them.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

"What is it worth" may be different than "what is it selling for" with this model. A nicely refinished 38/44 would easily bring $600 at auction, since you just don't find many out there for sale. If original and mint, near $2000.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I saw a gun re-blued by fords about 10 year's ago.

Absolutely beautifull.Just a heavy deep luscious blue that looked like the factory blue on the early pre 27 and pre 29 guns.

Really all the guns from that era,as all of you gents know what that heavy luscious blue looked like.

This 38-44 has not had the cylinder turned,ejector used for many many years after the reblue.The gun is absolutely spotless.i pick it up monday and will post pictures.You can still see the sw emblem,and all the words on the marcas registrada.To me,a 53 5 screw outdoors man that looks like this is a closet queen,and i will buy a talo 357 7 shot,7 inch for range shooting.i just hate to ruin or devalue these older rare guns.Would this be part of the 38-44 transition era of outdoorsman?

Im no .38/44 OD expert but I do have one near your serial,
IIRC the standard finish in that era was "satin Blue" which has a duller finish like the Model 28 (unless special ordered another way).

Does your letter specify when the gun was refinished and does it state the refinish was done at the factory ?

Post some pics when you get her home, Even if it was refinished to perfection I wouldnt be afraid to shoot it especially at what you have invested , I probably wouldnt be beating it up in the field in a holster either but it would definately see range time and no need to worry about the .38's fouling up .357 chambers either.

BTW I have a .44 Special that was refinished by S&W in 1967 and it is the shiny dark carbonia blue and perfect in every way.

When you get it home remove the stocks and look for any refinish stamps on the left grip frame.

Engine,pictures on monday for sure.i did not see the box with r in it on the frame.
Which means a sw factory reblue.you are right on finsh on those certain guns from that era.

This deep bright blue looks like the 27-1.27-2,the deep heavy blue of certain sw guns from the 60's and 70's.

I have a lot of 38 special to shoot,and i figured this gun would be perfect.REblue or not.I just dont want to mess up a potential expensive gun.

I will let you see pictures on monday.I think the recoil on this would be the same as a 686 6 inch barrel.

Thanks for your immense help engine,and everyone else.