How about a Thread for 38/44 Transition revolvers 1946 to 1949

[bmg60]

Hi
lets see if we can get a thread going on just 38/44 Transition guns.
There are some scarce Transition models that we just don't see all the time. The most common guns were the 5 inch Blue and the 4 inch blue.
One of the rare models was the 6 1/2 inch blue. The other rare ones were the ones that were original nickel in any barrel length.
Let see how many members have one of these put away.

I will start it out with a 6 1/2 inch blue with the original box numbered to the gun in 99% condition shipped in 1946.
it is serial number S 62533 which is a very early number.

[Art Doc]

Sweet.

But like you said, pretty scarce so I don't know how many folks here will be able to participate. As for a low-rent accumulator such as myself... I'm out.

[ladder13]

I think I need a better pic

38/44HD S645XX, stocks number



38/44 OD S70094

[GLL]

The transitional Outdoorsman is my VERY favorite revolver ! I have posted all of these before but this looks like a good place to try again. The pair both have checkered"registered magnum" style barrels.

Jerry

[gjamison]

I think this is with in your guidelines. 38/44 HD 5" barrel S65165

[DCWilson]

Well, I have two.

My first .38/44 Transition was this heavy Duty, shipped July 1946 (S66842):



Box and stocks are original.

Last year I acquired this transitional OD from a forum member. It has a King reflector front sight and round notch white-outline rear leaf. Shipped September 1946 (S70130).



I'm with Jerry: I think the .38/44 Transitional Outdoorsman may be my favorite S&W revolver. (But I have a soft spot for the prewar .22/32 Kit Gun as well.)

[GLL]

The "funest" Outdoorsman !
It is a great little shooter.
Steve handed it to me at the Tulsa show a few years ago !

Jerry

[DHENRY]

I've shown this guy before, but still like to share it.
Shipped in 1946.
Keith Brown made the birdseye maple grips for it.
Don

[smith17]

S70927 with aftermarket swivel and a funky front sight (Jerry, similar to your fun gun's sight). Don't think I have asked for a ship date yet.
Ed

[gripper]

38/44 Transitional Heavy Duty, prewar long action with post war 4 line address, serial number S 73213 shipped November 1949




Chad Gripp
SWCA #2323

[bmg60]

Hi here are two more late shipments the 4 inch is serial number S-74799
and the 5 inch is serial number S-72265 both are 4 line address.
all numbers matching.
Jim Fisher

[Combat]

My two "Trans" A four and a five inch. 4" sn. S74119 5" S67461

[gripper]

Transitional Outdoorsman S 71453






Jim, You have a great bunch of transitionals. Thanks for posting them.

Chad Gripp
SWCA #2323

[Toyman]

Serial S 68104 shipped 08/29/ 1946purchsed from MR. 38/44 himself at Tulsa sping show 2010

[GLL]

Jim:

Thank you for starting this thread ! It has already provided new information for my transitional OD files!
Hope to meet up in Boise this summer.

Jerry

[MKT]

Here is my Transitional Heavy Duty, which underwent period modifications to make it a target gun. S67625 had an adjustable rear sight, a huge front sight assembly and some type of cockeyed hammer modification coupled with incorrect grips. The gun sports the single line rollmark and large ejector knob.





Windage adjustments are like the old style adjustable sights, loosen one screw while tightening the opposing screw. Elevation adjustment is accomplished at the front sight. The large "paddle" of the cockeyed modification of the hammer does make it very quick when shooting single action.

Comparing these shots to some of my more recent pictures tells me I need to set the light box up again and redo a few guns.

[raisedin99]

A 5" serial# S 638xx with stocks numbered to the gun . According too 1Aspenhill more than likely a June-July 1946 ship date for it.

Certainly not a beauty like the others here, this photo actually enhances its appearance none the less the butter smooth action makes up for its looks.

I picked it up back in September, still haven't shot it still don't know if I am going to keep it, retirement is tough with all these decisions.

Terry

[bmg60]

Hi
well I left the best until last. rare original 4 inch nickel all numbers matching. 4 line address shipped in 1949. serial number S-72159.
enjoy the pictures. there have been some great guns on this thread.
Heavy Duty Bill will be along later with some nice one we hope.
Jim Fisher

[DCWilson]

Originally Posted by raisedin99

A 5" serial# S 638xx with stocks numbered to the gun . According too 1Aspenhill more than likely a June-July 1946 ship date for it.

Certainly not a beauty like the others here, this photo actually enhances its appearance none the less the butter smooth action makes up for its looks...

Terry, I like that revolver. Working guns have their own handsomeness, and that one has just enough history on its surface to show that it was more than just a display piece. Nice one.

Jim, thanks for starting this thread. There are some really nice transitionals here.

[wheelgun28]

Heres my contribution to the collective.

SN S649XX

Shipped July 1946 to Sutcliff Hardware Louisville, KY

[phenson]

This 5" HD shipped November 1946, SN 67280. As you can see, its not a safe queen, but it sure does shoot well.

[adowns]

I believe mine is the earliest postwar 38/44. It is number S62989. It has been around the block. I think it has been reblued at least once. When I got it the cylinder was almost "in the white" from holster wear and had some shallow pitting. I polished and cold-blued the cylinder and replaced the k-frame grips it was wearing with aftermarket grips. It's still no beauty but it shoots good. And the chambers have not been altered for .357 magnum, still 38 special.

[The Gila Bender]

Here are my Transitional HD's.

#S72878 with 4" barrel, long action, four-line address, matching magnas, and red box. Shipped April 28, 1949 to Gopher Shooters Supply, Faribault, MN.

#S65402 is an early post war transitional, circa 1946. It is a Hamilton Bowen .45 Colt conversion with 5" barrel, long action, large knob ejector rod, single line address, and aftermarket ivories.

I am fascinated with the 1946-1949 transitional period and enjoy comparing early and late features. Someday I'll find a Model of 1950 or Model 20 to study -- and shoot!

[gripper]

Jim, This has been a good thread you started. I like to see all the transition guns out there and appreciate all that have shared their guns. There were a lot of cool guns that came out of the 1946 to 1949 era, both unique and rare.

Chad Gripp
SWCA #2323

[1Aspenhill]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply, but I've had higher priorities today (4 &7)! Thanks to all that have posted their transitions on here. So I will start out with my 6.5" Blue ,
S63023, which was shipped to Baker, Hamilton and Pacific, San Francisco, CA on 19 July 1946:





Next is my 4", S63604, which was shipped to Decatur and Hopkins, Boston, MA on 11 July 1946:


Next up is my 5", S66876, which was shipped to Hoffman Hardware, Los Angeles, CA on 24 July 1946 and has the original hang tag plus the postcard from S&W on the new finish and a place to send in your comments:




The last one is now 1 of 2 known since Jim trotted his out that he was hiding from me. 4" Nickel, S73378, which was shipped to Gene Burris, Blackwell OK on 18 July 1949:


And now for my target sighted Transition, S71201 6.5" barrel, blue finish was shipped to Lee Hardware, Shreveport, LA on 4 November 1946. It has an offset hammer to the left and the smoothest action you will ever come across:



I hope you enjoy them!
Bill

[j38]

A couple more:

Jerry


S65372 - probably from 1946



S65122 from August, 1946

[GLL]

Bill:

Your S71201 Outdoorsman is a truly beautiful revolver but HD S63023 is exceptional !!

Jerry

[1Aspenhill]

Thanks Jerry-I like it to!
Bill

[dacoontz]

Nothing like Bill and Jerry's group but I like these two.

This first one has an April 1949 ship date. SN#S72472.



This Transitional OD shipped on March 6th, 1947 to Denver, CO. Serial number is S69521 and it is one of the first few transitional OD's that are known. Per Jerry's info it could be the first one to leave the factory with a standard grooved barrel as opposed to the checkered RM barrel that is seen on the earliest transitional OD's. That's makes it interesting to me, as does the "improved" front sight.

Edit: Just clarify, this one wasn't the first with the grooved barrel to leave the factory but simply the lowest serial number in the bunch. Thanks Jerry for the clarification .

[1Aspenhill]

Jerry,
How many RM barrelled 38/44 Outdoorsman do you know of?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Bill

[rburg]

I had one I sold to David Carroll a few years ago. I'm not sure what the serial number was, but I'm thinking it was a low one, in the S69,000s.

[GLL]

Originally Posted by 1Aspenhill

Jerry,
How many RM barrelled 38/44 Outdoorsman do you know of?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Bill

Bill:

I know of eight with the RM barrels ! All are in the S69000 range. Interestingly there are fifteen others I know of intermixed within the same range that DO NOT have the checkered barrels !

Jerry

[Chop]

Fantastic thread and pictures.
I have a 4" blue serial # S657XX. In pretty fair shape with matching # grips. I should letter it one of these days.

Chop

[GLL]

Bill:

Daniel's S69521 Outdoorsman is the lowest serial number I have record of that does not have the RM style checkered barrel. Notice that is was not shipped from the factory until 3/06/47 and yet the very highest transitional serial number in my files is almost S72000 shipped in September 1946 !!

Jerry

[1Aspenhill]

Jerry,
I guess it is like Roy says, depends where they are in the stack and which stack the shipper pulled them from!
Hope you got the serial number I sent you the other day.
Bill

[K9 Rex]

I own S 62555. Shipped July 10, 1946 to Cullum & Boren Co.,Dallas, TX. Tried to post pictures, my computer won't allow me to upload pictures to this forum for some reason. ( posted pictures of another gun before ).It's a "4, refinished in nickel, otherwise unaltered.

[230grfmj]

Here's a 38-44 ODM I used to own that is SN S 70420. It has a cockeyed hammer and special red bead front sight, however I never obtained any accurate information as to who did them, or exactly when or where this gun shipped to.







Here is a 5" 38/44 HD that I also used to own. It is SN S 68103., and it shipped to E.K. Tryon in Philadelphia on July 25, 1946.

[bettis1]

No picture handy but I have another pretty early one. Four inch HD #S63637 shipped to Edward Tryon Co., Philadelphia PA on July 19, 1946.

Bob

[GLL]

Another photo just to keep this thread on page #1 !

There seems to be a steady supply of high quality pre-war Outdoorsman available for sale but nice transitional guns a getting very difficult to find !

Jerry

[1Aspenhill]

Here is another one I used to own, an early 5", S63846.

[arc2x4]

1946 manufacture, from ship dates/ serial numbers listed here, mine must have shipped in July or August 1946. Real Ivory Grips that are about 25 years old. What would you folks say the value of this is. It belonged to the deceased husband of a Retired Co-Worker of mine.
S/N: S 6601X

[JSR III]

I have two. The HD is serial number S67706 shipped August 1946 and is a 5" blue. The OD is serial number S 69847 also shipped in August 1946 and is a blue 6.5" The OD has a 10 grooved barrel and rear sight. I will try for photos later.

[1Aspenhill]

Another Transition: S66215

[squidsix]

Originally Posted by arc2x4

1946 manufacture, from ship dates/ serial numbers listed here, mine must have shipped in July or August 1946. Real Ivory Grips that are about 25 years old. What would you folks say the value of this is. It belonged to the deceased husband of a Retired Co-Worker of mine.
S/N: S 6601X

Is that Elephant Ivory? It's beautiful.

[arc2x4]

Thanks Thats what I was told, that its Elephant Ivory and at least 25 years old, maybe much more than that.

[1Aspenhill]

Another one I used to own, S68104:


Enjoy!
Bill

[P&R Fan]

Here is my .38/44 Outdoorsman Serial # S 69XXX, from 1947. According to Jerry (GLL) it has a checkered Registered Magnum barrel rib. It shoots really well and I have owned it since about 1999. Gave $400 for it at a gun show.
Jim

[1Aspenhill]

Pete must have been in the boonies and I know he would like to see this one!

[Streetdog262]

Here is mine. I found this at a big box sporting goods store marked as a "Pre 28". S646XX. Stocks number to the gun.

By streetdog262 at 2012-02-05

[bluongo]

I recently acquired this refinished .44 shooter, barrel,cylinder,and frame match grips do not. Although not a Heavy Duty I thought you fellows would be interested in knowing the serial number for reference. S 68994 I am not looking to sell but would appreciate any estimates on value? Thank in advance.