For once, fortune favored the old.

I stopped in a spot, and there was a 5" Heavy Duty for a price I may not disclose unless plied with alcohol. (OK, OK. It was $350) A bunch of consignment guns had just been put out, and this was one of them.



Oh my - looks like a pre-war HD with obviously-wrong-but-still-worth-something football cut-out grips.



They thought it was a parts gun because the number in the crane cut out didn't match the serial numbers on the butt, cylinder, and barrel. The matching serial number is 54095.



It doesn't look refinished - just a nice, old patina. It hasn't been converted to .357 - a round won't seat.



I have one already, but it is post-war and clearly refinished. Now that I have this one, I may turn the other into a .45 Colt or .44 Special. I got the refinished one from a guy on Facebook who thought it was a Model 10.

This old one has a trigger shoe on it. It actually feels pretty good, so I may keep it. The action has that long smoooooooooth feel found on pre-Pearl Harbor guns.



I can't wait to shoot this old boy. There is just something about these guns that is hard to describe. I know a great big N frame .38 Special doesn't make any sense - until you hold one. I think this thing would just up and shoot a sassy bandit all on its own.

If anyone has a book handy I'd love to know when this gun was made.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Looks like 1938 far as I can tell. Very, very cool find. GREAT price.

It needs some stag stocks and a semi-fancy belt/holster combination.

That is a great find, if I had a jealous streak that HD would set it off.

I used to think that way, but now I think it makes as much sense as an N-Frame .357 Magnum.
After all, the HD was meant to fire the precursor of the .357 M, not just standard power .38 Specials.

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You're shy a few manners.

Well done. Wanna make 100 % profit? Fantastic gun at an unbelievable price. Enjoy

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Illegitimi non carborundum

I got it to the range today for a quick 50 rounds - Armscor 158 grain FMJ at 20 yards. The top hole is two rounds. Not too bad for an old guy with old eyes and an old gun with tiny sights.



What a joy an N frame .38 Special is to shoot. It's like will never be on the market again, so I am glad I have this one.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Not bad shooting at all. Miscreants who see that target will take their business elsewhere!

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You're shy a few manners.

I have one of those that I have never shot.

Your post has inspired me to give it a try this weekend up at the cabin.

Nice find!!!!!

Now all you need is a .44 Special or a .45 Colt reamer and a barrel.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Aaaaaaaaaaah, that's really good shooting.

Nice gun. I would like to have one. I wouldn't convert one to .44 or .45. A .38 Spec. case, 158 gr. SWC, and 12 grs. of 2400 will do 1194 out of a 6 in. barrel. I've never checked a 5 in. barrel but I'll bet it ain't no slouch. Larry

My rudimentary reloading setup (Lyman 310 and Lee dippers) limits me somewhat. I have a pound of 2400 so I cranked out some loads with 9.4 grains under a 158 LSWC. It was what my dipper threw, so that is what I got, well under the 11.5/12 grains I’ve seen listed as a standard .38/44 loading.

It shot well, landing right on top of the sights at 20 yards. It was dirty though and I had to keep an eye on unburned powder getting under the ejector star.

A forum friend was kind enough to swap the targets for some diamond magnas, so now it looks right.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Make sure you have a firm crimp when using 2400.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I agree with Muley and, in addition would mention that 2400 doesn't burn well when less than full charges are used. I learned this the hard way 20 some years ago. Magnum primers not necessary.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

All you need now is an older Tyler T Grip. Those Diamond magnas sure look good, though. What a great deal, and fine old war-horse!! Congratulations, and thanks for sharing with us!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Some of the .38-44 loads given in older manuals went up to about 14 grains of 2400. The problem with using heavier loads is not safety but instead will be bore leading if you are using lead bullets. The original pre-war .38-44 factory loads did not use jacketed bullets but metal-capped bullets with a lead bearing surface.

Lose the shoe. Dangerous.

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No life story has happy end.

Not really, as most trigger shoes were used by target shooters who did not carry their revolvers in holsters. There may be a slight risk of accidental discharge when trigger shoes are used with some holsters without proper care being taken while holstering the revolver.

Here are some numbers which can be used for fun and games guessing----and might even turn out to be worthwhile. Only one of these is a 38/44---and they're all targets for whatever difference that might make.

54911 shipped January 28, 1941.

58669 shipped May 14, 1940.

59378 shipped June 7, 1940.

Ralph Tremaine

I just noticed you asked when yours was "made". Jinks told me 54911 up there was made in 1938.

I’m fine with dangerous.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”