Last year I tried to buy this gun but couldn't pull it off. Then recently
made a trade with the guy who did buy it. All in good time, I guess.

A .44 H.E. 3rd Model 4" barrel. Too modified to be of interest to most.
Sights have been installed obviously. I think the rear sight is a later design.

Serial #326** which puts it into 1929, according to the book.
Number on stocks different from rest.

There are many here knowledgeable about these. Tell me about the
back sight. All comments welcome.

Its a great shooter. I intend to shoot it and tend to its needs for the
rest of my allotted time

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	44HE1.jpg (189.0 KB, 617 views)
	44HE2.jpg (200.5 KB, 474 views)
	44HE3.jpg (174.9 KB, 442 views)

Most excellent piece. I’d be plenty proud to own that!

I like it, are the stocks numbered to the gun? I'd probably have bought it just to get those pre-war magnas. Rear sight does look more modern, maybe after 1950, but if it works well with that high front sight, who cares.
Enjoy it.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Jeff, here is what the OP wrote in the first post:
But I totally agree: the stocks are the best part of this revolver! Prewar N frame Magna stocks are not all that easy to come by, especially in that condition.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I've got a 2nd Model that was sent back twice to the factory in the same year, it has later model rear sights and a front sight that could create a problem in a cross-wind. Nice piece...

And I read that a second time to check too. Getting even older I guess. A set of pre-war magnas was offered on eBay yesterday with an opening bid of $695 and not as nice as those on the OP's gun appear to be, but I didn't bite, perhaps I should have.

Jeff

Yes, the Magna-style grips did not appear until around 1935. Those on it very definitely enhance its value. In fact, I'd probably remove them to a safe place and buy a much cheaper pair (like replica or used M1917 grips) for shooting use. Note that postwar N-frame grips are different from pre-war.

This one doesn’t have factory return stamp. Whoever did the
work didn’t fall off a turnip truck.
Thanks for replies and info, guys.

That is a post WW II factory rear sight.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I have it's shinny and unmodified sibling, It's a fantastic shooter and one of my favorite guns.

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IMGP0184.jpg (145.5 KB, 147 views)

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SWHF #595

What a great alternative to packing around a later 4” 24-3 or 624. A 4” Berns-Martin N frame holster would be perfect for it with that front sight and probably not hard to find. Excellent looking grips.

Thanks, DWalt. I do have others that will work.

1929 should have shipped to Wolf & Klar of Ft. Worth. As they routinely replace the S&W shipped wood with either MOP 0r jigged bone you might look for something in that style and in the pre war frame length. That is one neat find ya got there pardner!

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Randy
Provenance nerd

Agree, W&K often replaced the wood but not always. Stocks number to the gun on this one; shipped to W&K in 1931. Most of you have seen it before, unfortunately I never get tired of posting it, guess I should take some better pictures. Wonder where all those stocks W&K tossed ended up?

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Attached Images

3rd Mod HE 38302.jpg (47.7 KB, 115 views)

Dang, that's a sweet early 3rd Model .44, mods and all. The magnas are icing on the cake. Curious to now if your magnas have patent dates on the inside of the silver escutcheons. Here's my chopped transitional 3rd Model wearing matching magnas cut for grip adapter. Dan Meigs sourced the revolver (from who knows where!) and the holster came via forum member VM.
S66805 .44HE 3rd cut barrel_a.jpg S66805 .44HE 3rd cut barrel_b.jpg S66805 .44HE 3rd cut barrel_holster.jpg

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

That one is a keeper. Some guns you buy to collect and some you buy to shoot and that is a fine shooter.

Unmodified, does that mean the stocks, also? That looks really nice.
Speaking of stocks, are they really that expensive, or are certain ones rare? I'd like to get a set of magna stocks for my model 10-8, as it has what I think are called target grips.
andy52, either way, that is a good-looking gun, as is the OP's. How do they stay that nice after +/- 90 years?

Prewar N frame Magna stocks are difficult to find in top condition, and are expensive when you find them. Prewar K frame stocks are a little bit more common but also are not cheap. The closer you get to the present day in the postwar period, the more common they become. They went through several changes over the years (see below, my response to your additional question).

Magna stocks for that late a gun will be much easier to locate and you should be able to get them for <$100.

For the 10-8, they will be of the PC variety, rounded on the bottom, no sharp edges at the butt (see picture below). They will also not have the smooth diamond at the screw location.

Rounded bottom on the PC Magna stocks:


This picture is of a Model 10-5. The stocks have a smoothly tapered shoulder at the top, lack the diamond and have the rounded shape at the butt. These would be correct for your Model 10-8.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

While we are on the subject, here is a picture of two postwar K frame M&P revolvers wearing original stocks from the 1940s.

The upper gun has the prewar style that was also used in the immediate postwar period (until April, 1946).

The bottom gun has the most common postwar stocks that started shipping in March, 1946, overlapping with the older style. The difference is in the extent of the checking (checkering). Both have the sharp shoulder. This style was discontinued in late 1952. Notice also the squared off bottoms. When the PC type was introduced in the mid-1950s, those were used on fixed sight guns, while the square bottom type with sharp edges continued to be offered on the adjustable sight models (except the 2" Model 15). The diamond was dropped in the Bangor Punta era, in about 1967.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

That's a beauty! It has an early post war Micro click sight of the pre ~1960 era, with the small 1/2 moon cut behind the sight blade notch.

If it were mine I couldn't wait to get it to my shop to fix the rear sight mounting. The gunsmith may not have fallen off the turnip truck but I think he was holding on for dear life with only one hand.

The tang was not trimmed to proper length at the front and I don't understand the gaps between the top strap and the sight blade holder at the rear.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

The stocks that are on it are real ivory, no they didn't come on the 3rd model but I do have the wood service stocks.

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SWHF #595

My third model is s/n 32846 which shipped on March 29, 1929. Your gun may have shipped a little earlier.

The Gila Bender posted: Curious to now if your magnas have patent dates on the inside of the silver escutcheons. Yes. Numbers on back
are 50150 (1937).

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	44stock1.jpg (24.8 KB, 47 views)
	44stock3.jpg (29.6 KB, 34 views)

Hondo44,
If it were mine I couldn't wait to get it to my shop to fix the rear sight mounting. The gunsmith may not have fallen off the turnip truck but I think he was holding on for dear life with only one hand.

LOL! I didn't notice how off the sight was till I saw the pic.
Thanks, guys.

Those are a set of gorgeous stocks.

I can't help but wonder if the adjustable rear sight that is on it now is not the first adjustable rear sight it was modified for? Weren't there earlier factory versions of the adjustable rear sight that were known for having adjustment problems........so maybe one of those got swapped with this later version?

Just a WAG, as then again it may be the first adjustable sight it was modified for.

Nice .44....
Came across this one a few years ago on a small
gun show in Texas.
The OP's is in much better shape.
I call this one the Half-Breed.
The front sight had been modified.

Just another .33. Yeah boy! Gorgeous! Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

I love the ability to install different height front sights on that gun.

That's always possible; like the pre war adjustable sight. Although the notch would be smaller for the rear of the sight. So it would have had to be enlarged for the post war sight.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

This is how the factory modified my 2nd Model H.E. with a post war adjustable rear sight. It was sent back to the factory for the sight modification, then after he tried it out he sent it back for a complete refinishing.

Kinman,

That's a sweet 2nd Model!

In the pre war period the factory did beautiful work. More than just machining and screwing the sight on. For example, they would have contoured the front end of the sight tang to match/fit flush with the front contour bevel of the top strap.

I would also contour the entire tang for a flush fit to the top surface of the top strap after removing the grooves for a nice retro look. And with the advantage of a micro click sight. Just like the factory did with the K22-40 and the 1946 Mexican model Target .38.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,

I lettered this piece, shipped 4-27 returned to the factory twice in '67 to be converted to micro rear sight, red ramp front and after tried for effect, sent back to the factory for a complete refinish.

Beautiful!

Did the letter indicate it was originally a fixed sight or a Target model?

I'm glad to see the 'one line' wasn't replaced by the 4 line address.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes, letter stated that it was originally shipped as a non target. The stamps are shown in the proper area where the factory did their work. The stocks were a special job done by John and Jennifer Culina, fine line checkering done by someone in their circle. Its a terrific shooter and that tall sail of a front sight works perfectly, one of the few I own that I shoot rarely. I think the 2nd Model is a classy look, without the enclosed ejector. This thing balances nicely too. Might have to take it to the range tomorrow...