Thoughts on Grandfather's 38-44 Outdoorsman

[paplinker]

I wish he had kept the original stocks in the box. I'd love to know what they were and looked like after his service. I have no idea when he put the targets on but, they have many years of wear on them, too.

Just speculation and I not knowing his shooting habits, I think he likely used the magnas before retirement. Afterwards He bought the target stocks. Those kind of targets without the relief cut are kind of hard to keep from getting banged up from ejecting casings. I would be curious if the gun fits the holster well with the target grips. I think the holster being so old that it might be shaped for the magnas even now.

Since I cannot see the name does it appear to you the name was added before or after his service?

I would also be curious if the gun lettered to a hardware store where he bought it or if it was part of a police shipment.

 

[handejector]

My thoughts are free, so there won't be a refund if you discard any of them.
First, you are one lucky man! What a fabulous heirloom outfit you have there.

I would advise getting a letter. It will cost you $75. If the SWHF has any more data, they will make it available to you for a few dollars more. Buy ALL of it! It would be money well spent!

If you have not cleaned the brass on the leather outfit, I recommend NOT polishing it. Clean the verdigris off and leave it at that. Post the leather outfit here so our leather experts can inform you about the history and best ways to preserve it- Gun Leather & Carry Gear


Your gun shipped in July 1940, so it most likely shipped with magna grips.
Grips- I'd leave Granpa's Target grips on it. That's how he last carried it, and that's how you got it. No ridicule from me, but I'm not fond of modern S&W laminate/plastic grips, and, to me, they look just horrible on that old gun from a totally different era. If I had to put something else on it, I'd obtain a worn set of pre-war magnas or the modern repros by Keith Brown.

I know it is not for sale, and shouldn't be, IMO, but you are wrong about the value. The name and wear DO disqualify what we call "condition collectors", but that whole outfit with family/LEO provenance makes for a very desirable outfit for those who collect historical and/or LEO guns. Pretty neat career there since it stretches from Motorcycle Patrolman to Acting Chief with the same department, and probably a pretty prominent one at that! (I'm no authority on CA cities)


There may still be a piece of white paper tape on the bottom of your box which is where the serial number of the gun would have been written.

 

[jpage]

Any pictures of him on his Harley ?

 

[nbedford]

I saw a nickel 38-44 outdoorsman last weekend at a local gun show. Fairly good shape, and they wanted $1,200.00 for it. Your's is in better condition.

 

[rocknroad]

Pretty neat career there since it stretches from Motorcycle Patrolman to Acting Chief with the same department, and probably a pretty prominent one at that! (I'm no authority on CA cities)

Think Rose Parade and Rose Bowl...that Pasadena.

In 1962, my dad got to fly in the city helicopter, over the Rose Parade with his Father-in-law, the Chief.

 

[rocknroad]

Any pictures of him on his Harley ?

Check the last post on the like I provided earlier, to the "inherited Grandfather's 38-44....", post #16, on this thread.

It was an Indian. Last post.

 

[Muss Muggins]

If I were gonna make a change from the stocks you got with the pistol, I'd get some bonded ivory . . .

 

[BAM-BAM]

IMHO I'd put your Grandfather's target grips... back on!!

Family heirloom guns as you noted are priceless.

My Dad passed 14 years ago at the age of 88........ but

I have my father's six inch .357 magnum Colt New Service with King adjustable sights from 1938/39 ..... as a grade school'er in the 60's I have memories of him coming home for lunch or dinner taking off his gun belt and putting it on the dining room table ( we had a eat in kitchen) much like Matt Dillon on Gun Smoke. He carried that big old Colt for about 30 years; from his pre-war years riding an Indian till his promotion to Captain. Shooting it at least weekly in the Police Pistol League matches; and in one shootout with bank robbers on a wooded hillside in the Burgh.

As a family heirloom Dad's Colt still makes a rare trip to the range.... I thought about changing the grips to better fit my hand..... actually, he had a spare set of thumb rest target grips for it....... but the "magna"/service style Colt Factory grip with a Pachmayr t-grip is the way he carried it on duty..... every time I wrap my hands around that grip is like shaking hands with my Dad one more time!

Follow your Grandfather's lead...... he was the one who changed the grips....he had a reason for customizing it ..... to make it a better gun for him.

Follow his lead..... and shake his hand!


Just read Muss's post above..... if you just gotta have magna grips ... check out Grashorn Grips or "Oldmountainman" both members here for a set of stag with medallions for about $160-170 ......with no bark they look like ivory..... both ivory or stag could have been period correct.

 

[rocknroad]

.... every time I wrap my hands around that grip is like shaking hands with my Dad one more time!

Follow your Grandfather's lead...... he was the one who changed the grips....he had a reason for customizing it ..... to make it a better gun for him.

Follow his lead..... and shake his hand!

What an awesome description of the legacy of these guns. Thank you.

 

[rocknroad]

OK, another shot with the consensus stocks on. I'll admit, I am enamored by this setup.

 

[delcrossv]

I posted everything here a few months back. My grandfather's pics are near the bottom.

Just inherited my Grandfather's 38/44 Outdoorsman

On an Indian 4 no less! Sweet!

 

[mm93]

OK, another shot with the consensus stocks on. I'll admit, I am enamored by this setup.

Glad you decided to go with what your grandfather carried. I would be hard pressed to change them, even if I found the correct originals.

 

[mikerjf]

Lucky guy, great gun! As Grandpa's, either his stocks or any close-enough that you are happy.

I'd love to have gotten my grandpa's Bankers Special, but the Post Office took it back when he retired.

miker

 

[ABPOS]

OK, another shot with the consensus stocks on. I'll admit, I am enamored by this setup.

It is really nice looking and it looks like it would be comfy to shoot.

 

[hkcavalier]

Sounds like you're overthinking the issue.

Store the memento grips and then shoot it with whatever you are comfortable with. No one is going to raise an eyebrow over non-original grips at the range or elsewhere, unless of course you go way off the beaten path with hot pink plastic or some-such.

The only scenario in which it matters is if you're looking to sell to a collector, and since that's not happening, do what you like.

 

[rocknroad]

Just speculation and I not knowing his shooting habits, I think he likely used the magnas before retirement. Afterwards He bought the target stocks. Those kind of targets without the relief cut are kind of hard to keep from getting banged up from ejecting casings. I would be curious if the gun fits the holster well with the target grips. I think the holster being so old that it might be shaped for the magnas even now.

Since I cannot see the name does it appear to you the name was added before or after his service?

I would also be curious if the gun lettered to a hardware store where he bought it or if it was part of a police shipment.

Sorry, I didn't answer your question earlier.

The gun does not fit the holster any more. My grandfather put some sort of padding inside the holster, decades ago. The padding seems to have taken on a life of its own and grown into some sort of rock-hard, fungus-looking blob. I'm not going to mess with any of this, in fear of damaging the holster or the finish of the gun.

As for the engraving, I've always assumed he did that early on in his service. The gun was pretty much retired from daily use when he went to the detective squad. I am about to get his detective's Colt Cobra, too. It's not nearly as cool as the Outdoorsman though.

Edit: (thanks to the forum members for teaching an old dog a new trick) I have finally figured out how to utilize the clamshell holster that my grandfather used. It seems like a rather dangerous way to carry a gun but, it's pretty cool to now get the gun into the holster.

 

[Jack Flash]

Sounds like you're overthinking the issue.

Store the memento grips and then shoot it with whatever you are comfortable with. No one is going to raise an eyebrow over non-original grips at the range or elsewhere, unless of course you go way off the beaten path with hot pink plastic or some-such.

The only scenario in which it matters is if you're looking to sell to a collector, and since that's not happening, do what you like.

I agree with this gentleman. You have already said, directly or indirectly, it would bother you if you scratch / scrape / dent / ding these treasured stocks. Trust me, if you take it the range enough that WILL happen.

 

[rocknroad]

I agree with this gentleman. You have already said, directly or indirectly, it would bother you if you scratch / scrape / dent / ding these treasured stocks. Trust me, if you take it the range enough that WILL happen.

Thanks and I concur with your opinion.

As I was putting the treasured targets back in the Outdoorsman box, I pulled out Granddad's holster to try and figure it out. Being a little too young to understand the clamshell holsters, I posted in the Gun Leather & Carry Gear forum.

Some help with Grandfather's LE belt/holster

Wow, this place is full of knowledge and wisdom.

Here is one of the pics I shared in the other thread...

 

[janman]

Since you're not preserving anything for collector value, shoot the gun and use whatever grips make you feel good. Get connected to the gun. I have a rare M&P 1905 Target that I shoot with the original grips because that's what it felt like when the first guy to ever shoot it felt over 100 years ago. If I was looking for tighter 2 inch groups at 25 yards, I wouldn't buy better grips, I'd buy a different revolver.

Other than mint/unfired, a used gun's value doesn't change much (if at all) whether its had 50 or 500 rounds through it. All things being equal, it's the exterior condition that most collectors use to determine value.

If the smooth targets give you that psychological "connection" to your grandpa, then use them, that what they were made for. Guns were made to be shot, paintings were made to be looked at. If they crack (not likely if you're shooting .38 Special), fix them, they'll still have the sentimental value to you.

 

[Drm50]

This neck of the woods 38/44 Outdoorsman is scarce but plenty K38s. There were quite a few small town PDs in this area that used 38/44s as duty weapons. Of all the S&Ws I've owned, never a 38/44 Outdoorsman.