I am in the middle of a gun trade for this gun. It is a early 5" Outdoorsman with King Red Dot Front sight and King white outline rear. Unfortunately, it does not have the original stocks on it. However, it does have the nicest set of Cokes that I have seen in years

I am told this and several others were special order guns for a LE shooting team...Normally I would say the story is bogus. However the gentleman trading it has a sterling reputation. I will most likely letter the gun.

At any rate, has anyone seen a "Factory" modified Outdoorsman in this configuration?

Giz

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I am in the middle of a gun trade for this gun. It is a early 5" Outdoorsman with King Red Dot Front sight and King white outline rear. Unfortunately, it does not have the original stocks on it. However, it does have the nicest set of Cokes that I have seen in years

I am told this and several others were special order guns for a LE shooting team...Normally I would say the story is bogus. However the gentleman trading it has a sterling reputation. I will most likely letter the gun.

At any rate, has anyone seen a "Factory" modified Outdoorsman in this configuration?

Giz

__________________
Non gratum anus rodentum

The 38/44 Outdoorsman with a 5-inch barrel was also known as the "McGivern Model" and was often fitted with a McGivern front sight blade and Magna stocks.

Your letter will tell you if your gun is original or not. I once owned a Registered Magnum that lettered with a King Red Post front sight blade and white outline rear sight blade, so anything is possible.

Bill

Steve

It sounds like you are talking about a pre-WW2 gun with post-WW2 stocks, and
questioning the front and rear sight blades.

Its one thing to find out if the gun was shipped with those sights. That would
be in the records. If I had to bet, and I wouldn't bet much, I would say
that it was not shipped that way. Bills registered magnum is another story,
as those were custom-configured guns. I'd be skeptical about the McGivern
models. Its also possible this gun was originally a heavy-duty, and then
converted to target sights.

If the gun was shipped differently than it is today, and that is a certainity
with those stocks if its a pre-WW2 gun, then maybe the factory did change the
sights if the gun was returned to them, at some point. If there is not a
date stamped on the grip straps, it would be impossible to track that down.
Even with a date, it would be very difficult to track it down.

As Bill suggests, best thing is a letter. There are many known examples of
shorter-barrel outdoorsman lettering as non-target guns.

Later, Mike Priwer

Thanks Bill and Mike.
The gun has the exact front sight as Bill's RM. I have never seen a true King rear adjustable sight from an overhead view, but this appears to be a King rear sight. When I receive the gun, I will post pics and we can really dissect it a bit. I believe the current owner is willing to get the background on it for my records. As he stated it was a LE gun, it was supposedly ordered, with others for the department, as a target gun for competition.

Great story, but we all know a few of them

Giz

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Steve

A King rear sight blade is one thing - a King rear sight leaf is a whole
different issue. Its remotely possible that the factory would have sent the gun
to King, to have one of his rear sight leafs fitted - if that is what you are
talking about - but I doubt it. I've never heard of the factory installing
a King rear sight assembly. The sight blade, yes. The assembly - that would be
news to me. Bills gun had a King rear sight blade.

Later, Mike Priwer