I locked in a deal for a 5"....yes....5" pre war Outdoorsman!! If anyone has the production numbers on this variation ,please chime in. I believe this one sometimes carries the nickname the "McGivern Model"

As soon as I have it in hand, I'll letter it. Were these all special orders?

The serial number is in the 58xxx range very close to a known example from the Wheeling WV PD.

I realize it's refinished. But, I'm not sure that matters very much.

Here are some pics.......

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The refinishing doesn’t bother me in the least.

A real beauty!

Congratulations! I have tabulated the serial numbers of 36 McGivern ODs, and yours is probably no. 37 unless it happens to be one whose serial number I picked up when I was researching these about five years ago. In the 58xxx range I know of 58094 and 58100. If your serial number is different, it's a new one to the list of known specimens. If you'd be willing to share your serial number, I would be happy to add it to the roster.

It has long been a belief of most collectors that only 50 or so McGivern ODs were assembled. I find it hard to believe that collectors have identified fully three-quarters of all McGivern ODs produced, so I suspect the total production may actually have been somewhat higher and maybe even as high as -- wild guess -- 200. This was not a catalog model, and as far as we know the company made them up only on a special order basis. Actual production quantity may never be known. In any event, it's pretty clear there aren't as many of these as there are collectors who would like to have one.

EDITED TO ADD: Even though the ad is no longer available on the GI website, I found a cached image of the page and got the serial number from that. It's definitely a previously unreported specimen of its kind. The price was terrific. I paid nearly three times that for mine just five years ago.

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David Wilson

David,
I have McGivern OD #57578 shipped Dec.16, 1938 to Sports,Inc. Chicago,Ill. It has a plain partridge front sight and numbered magna grips.
It must have made someone a nice Christmas present!

Dick Bower

Hi
The best guess I have is about 50 Total Production great gun.
There was a order for a shooting team in Washington I have the information in my records. I think it was about 15 in one order. David
do you have that shippment.?

I am always amazed at how you guys know these unicorns and their appox production numbers. I got to study the book more, but I suspect everything known isn't always in there. They are trying though. It bugs me that sometime in my life I may have seen something rare and never had a clue. Worse yet if I saw something now and didn't know. But, my policy now is if in doubt ask and someone here will clue me in.

Thanks, Dick. I had that one on the roster already, so it must have come to my attention in the past. Don't think I had the date, though, so I very much appreciate that.

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David Wilson

Jim, I don't know about a Shooting Team connection, but there was a 48-gun shipment to Seattle on June 18, 1934 that included eight McGivern ODs. I have it in mind that this was a PD order, but Washington LE agencies were known to buy their guns from commercial wholesalers. If there was a Seattle PD Shooting Team, then your recollection may be connected to this order. I'm pretty sure I have more info about this. I just need to dig it out of my disorganized files.

Or -- and let us hope this is the case -- there may be 15 more McG ODs out there to be found!

Interesting distribution note: Most of the McGivern ODs went to western states. The midwest, eastern and southern states received very few. A lot didn't receive any.

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David Wilson

5 inch OD #38684 Adjustable sights!

That's a great gun! I remember Ray Brazille had one that shipped to D.W. King. He had pulled the sideplate and it had D.W.King engraved inside, and obviously had an action job. One of the slickest DA's I've ever tried. I also handled one that went to Doug Wesson. Dummy me bought neither of them

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PTLAPTA!

WELCOME TO THE FORUM, .44Special. NEWBIES LIKE YOU, WHO REALIZE THAT WE ALL LOVE GUN PORN, ARE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR GROUP. THANKS FOR THE PICS....

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIND. IMHO--REFINISHED, OR NOT, THAT IS A VERY INTERESTING, AND ATTRACTIVE REVOLVER. I WILL EAGERLY AWAIT, THE ARRIVAL OF YOUR HISTORICAL LETTER.......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I HATE TO KICK A GUY WHEN HE'S DOWN, BUT I MUST AGREE----WITH THE UTMOST OF RESPECT, OF COURSE----DUMMY YOU ! ! !

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I bought the revolver you mention from Ray in 2013. There is a thread devoted to it here:

A King-Marked McGivern Outdoorsman with Shortened Hammer Throw

Sorry about the photos. Photobucket actually lost all of mine in a server transfer mishap before they started charging customers whose photos they still had for the right to post them on third party sites. I still have the images on a thumb drive somewhere, so I ought to try to find them and edit this page to get the pics back in.

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David Wilson

Can I ask for clarification? Is this gun an Outdoorsman (adjustable sight) or a Heavy Duty (fixed sight)? It was mentioned as an HD back in 2010. If it's actually an OD, I would like to add it to the McGivern OD roster.

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David Wilson

I certainly can't argue with that!
Sadly, those are not the only two! LOL

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PTLAPTA!

Buck up, Steve! You're young enough to make that error many more times.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

If the refinish doesn't matter to you , then it really does not matter. You are the one who owns the gun. Had the gun been in 98-99% mint and all original condition it would be 10k,,, so if you paid 25-30% of that you are in good shape. If your happy thats all that matters. Rare gun indeed.

J.F>

Welcome aboard from Wyoming, .44Special.

I agree with those who say, "Don't worry about the refinish."

I also appreciate the thumb-relieved left stock. I have a '50s K-frame that somebody did that to -- terrific feeling and handling. Looking forward to your range report (you are going to shoot it, ya?).

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Now you really have my attention. Is there any chance you can post photos of this revolver?

This serial number is lower than the lowest-number McGivern OD currently known, so it may be an example of the special order Police Target Heavy Duty. (Three of those are known from the 35xxx to 37xxx range.) It might also be an original Heavy Duty that was later returned to the factory for addition of adjustable sights. A couple of those are known in addition to the ones that letter as original McGivern models.

I'd really like to see this revolver discussed on the forum because of its potential interest to students of specific models. If you can provide photos, please include details of the front sight and any stamped marks that might indicate a return to the factory for modifications (star or diamond, for example).

And please start a new thread about your gun rather than adding to this one.

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David Wilson

David, Would a grooved backstrap be a tell tale sign of an original target gun?
Or did Smith groove any guns sent back for the target mod?

Grooved tangs do not guarantee an original target gun . . . the factory would and did groove the tangs on guns returned for target conversions . . . here's an example:

Roy's letter establishes that .38/44 s/n 39682 shipped January 20, 1932 to Wolf & Klar (Ft. Worth, TX) . . . one of ten units in that shipment with 5 inch barrel, fixed sights, blue finish and checkered silver medallion walnut stocks.

Bill Cross (Doc44) was able to research Historical Foundation records to determine that in February 1933 it was sent back to the factory and converted to a target revolver . . . complete with square notch adjustable rear sight, Patridge front sight with Call Gold Bead, grooved tangs, and the trigger adjusted for target shooting.

The target conversion was requested by Mr. Frank A. Culbertson, Mine Offices, Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Butte, Montana. The cost was $10 for target sights and grooved tangs, $0.80 extra for the Call Gold Bead, and $1.00 for Express Shipping.

Russ