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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 08-30-2018, 01:47 PM
PatriotArmsNJ PatriotArmsNJ is offline
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Hello:

I recently purchased this revolver. I am having trouble making an ID. It's stamped Oklahoma State Police. It looks similar to a pre-10 but the Extractor Rod setup looks different. Grips are not original. Can anyone help?
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Old 08-30-2018, 01:56 PM
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I'm pretty certain it's a 38/44, but you didn't say the Cal. and I can't make it out on the barrel.
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Old 08-30-2018, 01:57 PM
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.38 S&W Special CTG
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Old 08-30-2018, 02:03 PM
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Good looking gun. Is the ejector rod the mushroom head type? The stocks appear to be for a K frame they're a little small for that N frame.
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Old 08-30-2018, 02:06 PM
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Not the mushroom - possibly a custom gun for the Oklahoma State Police?
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Old 08-30-2018, 02:08 PM
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Its a 38-44 and very desirable. . I think from about 1938 or 39. Some have been reamed to 357 mag. Not a bad thing for shooting, but hurts value as a collectable. The grips are of a much newer and smaller K frame.

I may have been reblued. Awful nice for a Highway patrolmen's carry gun. But, maybe it was a administrators and stashed away.
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Old 08-30-2018, 02:13 PM
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No not a custom gun. The reason I asked about the ejector was to come up with a time frame. I'm not near my reference books so can't help with the date. The 38/44 heavy duty came out in the early 30s and ceased production at the beginning of WWII and was reintroduced after the war. It was the forerunner of the .357 mag and was loaded pretty hot for the time.
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Old 08-30-2018, 02:15 PM
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Great thanks for the info - I may have found an example online.
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Old 08-30-2018, 03:02 PM
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It is a .38/44 Heavy Duty. SN 52501 would date its shipment to around mid-1937. At least I have listed four other HDs having nearby SNs which did. The finish does not seem original, and the grips on it are definitely not, they are from post-1969. The .38-44 (not .38/44) cartridge is simply a more heavily loaded .38 S&W Special, MV around 1100 ft/sec. It has not been loaded by the major ammo factories since the early 1970s. You should definitely check to see if the chambers have been lengthened to accept the .357 Magnum.
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Old 08-30-2018, 08:04 PM
jw mathews jw mathews is offline
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I agree with the comments posted above as to description of gun and K-frame grips. Still a nice piece. It might be worth a factory letter to determine if gun was part of a shipment direct to the OHP or if it was shipped to a distributor. Some collectors specialize in guns marked for various law enforcement agencies, so the OHP marking probably adds some value to yhe gun.

I don't know if the 58-44 cylinders were treated to stand the pressures of the 357 Magnum and personally do not think reaming the chambers longer would be a good idea. I do think the hi-speed .38 Special ammo has been replaced by the .38 Special + P and that such ammo would be entirely safe to shoot in that 38-44 revolver. A beginner could start with wadcutter target loads, move to standard .38 Specials & then on to the hi-speed ammo after developing proficiency.
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