Has this S&W 44 special 3rd model been reblued?

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drcwks

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Hi,

I was hoping someone could tell me what to look for when a revolver has been reblued. I've only been collecting vintage S&W revolvers 3-4 years.

I have a chance to purchase this revolver once owner decides what to price it at. It hasn't been put on the market yet. When I first saw it I thought it was a 38/44.

I just wanted the knowledge in advance to help determine if the collectability is no longer if it has been reblued / refinished.

What little I know the side plate joints should be a smooth line that you hardly notice. There are voids on where side plate meets the frame in places. Plus I have read to inspect the screw holes being dished out.
Those areas to me look suspicious. The S/N is 58xxx so I think that's 1939-1940 vintage but the grips (relying on what I have learned appear to be earlier from 1911 to 1920.

The barrel length is 4 inches.

Sorry for the poor pictures. IT was a quick look and see since it wasn't for sale yet or I would have taken better pics. Just curious on rebluing and what this would be worth in this shape.
Also you can really see the swirl marks on the right side plate.

Thanks for your help.
 

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drcwks said:
Hi,

I was hoping someone could tell me what to look for when a revolver has been reblued. I've only been collecting vintage S&W revolvers 3-4 years.

I have a chance to purchase this revolver once owner decides what to price it at. It hasn't been put on the market yet. When I first saw it I thought it was a 38/44.

I just wanted the knowledge in advance to help determine if the collectability is no longer if it has been reblued / refinished.

What little I know the side plate joints should be a smooth line that you hardly notice. There are voids on where side plate meets the frame in places. Plus I have read to inspect the screw holes being dished out.
Those areas to me look suspicious. The S/N is 58xxx so I think that's 1939-1940 vintage but the grips (relying on what I have learned appear to be earlier from 1911 to 1920.

The barrel length is 4 inches.

Sorry for the poor pictures. IT was a quick look and see since it wasn't for sale yet or I would have taken better pics. Just curious on rebluing and what this would be worth in this shape.
Also you can really see the swirl marks on the right side plate.

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Is that a hump back hammer? I've been looking for one of these.
 
daddio202 said:
Looks re-blued to me too. Also looks like a hump back hammer, would be a good shooter at the right price.
Click to expand...
I wonder since it’s been re-blued if an $800 price would be fair. I have a few 38/44s and never thought about a 44 special but found it without really looking. I just didn’t want to pay too much collector value wise. If I remember the bore and rifling was good. Oh. I don’t have pics but it was a police revolver. There were stamps on the butt and was told it was some PD.
 
Last edited:
Yes it has the wrong (although still valuable) stocks. That style (deep dish large gold tone medallions) was used from about 1910 until just after WW1. Yours being 1939-40, it would have shipped with flush mounted large silver medallion stocks (grips).
 
cgt4570 said:
Yes it has the wrong (although still valuable) stocks. That style (deep dish large gold tone medallions) was used from about 1910 until just after WW1. Yours being 1939-40, it would have shipped with flush mounted large silver medallion stocks (grips).
Click to expand...
Yes, I like that grip style and knew I could find the period correct for late 30s and use the service grips on another revolver.

I also have noticed 1937 -38 and earlier the small S&W logo was on the left side. Now it's larger and on the right side. I don't know if that is throughout the N Frame series of other models if the logo location follows that same pattern.

Hopefully once they run the check to be sure it's not stolen and price it I will be the new owner. I was looking in the latest 5th edition on values and I think this may fall into the $1200 price range. I thought the re-blueing hurt the value more. Still learning.
Thanks
 
drcwks said:
Hi,

I was hoping someone could tell me what to look for when a revolver has been reblued. I've only been collecting vintage S&W revolvers 3-4 years.

I have a chance to purchase this revolver once owner decides what to price it at. It hasn't been put on the market yet. When I first saw it I thought it was a 38/44.

I just wanted the knowledge in advance to help determine if the collectability is no longer if it has been reblued / refinished.

What little I know the side plate joints should be a smooth line that you hardly notice. There are voids on where side plate meets the frame in places. Plus I have read to inspect the screw holes being dished out.
Those areas to me look suspicious. The S/N is 58xxx so I think that's 1939-1940 vintage but the grips (relying on what I have learned appear to be earlier from 1911 to 1920.

The barrel length is 4 inches.

Sorry for the poor pictures. IT was a quick look and see since it wasn't for sale yet or I would have taken better pics. Just curious on rebluing and what this would be worth in this shape.
Also you can really see the swirl marks on the right side plate.

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
 
It looks reblued. If it was reblued at the S&W factory there is a stamp on the grip frame usually on the bottom left side. It is in a small rectangular box with the letters R-B in it. The stamping is fairly light. I brought my Model 1926 to the factory for refinishing and this is the way they marked them fifty years ago.
 
Thanks to everyone's input on the information on this 44 special.


I went back to the gun shop to look the revolver over again and was hoping it was priced.

The employee said his boss hasn’t priced it yet. I asked if he could call him and tell him I was thinking in the $800 to $1000 range.

He called and said his boss wasn’t done researching what police dept. it came from and said the asking price would be more like $1600 to $2000.

I guess I was lucky to even know they had it. I was looking at some other used S&Ws last week and asked if he had any in the back that they haven’t put out yet. That’s the only reason I knew about it. I thought they were going to put it out for sale after the holiday but apparently not.

Anyway…At least I learned a lot in just 3-4 days. So now when I hit the gun show this weekend, I’ll have a little more knowledge.

I still told the employee to call me once they decide on the price and more information from the guy they bought it from.

Thanks again to all.
 
Get a serial number and lets see what range it falls in.

I call re-blue, but not a bad one.

The humpback hammer is special order, so the gun might have gone someplace interesting.

Best,
RM Vivas
 
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