There have been several threads lately focusing some well-deserved attention on the 38/44 Heavy Duty and Outdoorsman so I had to share my admiration for the transition models. With the expert assistance of MR Heavy Duty himself (1aspenhill) I recently acquired a 4” and a 5”. They fit well in this family photo with their companion 6 ½” Outdoorsman.



The 4” . . . the most recent addition . . . was adopted into the family while in Tulsa last weekend. It’s always hard to pick one favorite but this one ranks right near the top..



The 5” is rather special in its own way . . . it is one of only three that have surfaced of the 284 that shipped to the Missouri State Highway Patrol in May 1948.



The 6 ½” Outdoorsman is . . . like any long action Outdoorsman . . . just plain special in every respect.




Russ

Russ:

Beautiful guns!

Thanks for sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Was the Missouri Highway patrol gun refinished? Surely it didnt ride in a holster and still look that good???

VERY nice OD ! The transitional Outdoorsman is one of my very favorites and I own a "couple" myself ! If you are willing I would very much appreciate the serial number for my files (offline).

Jerry

[email protected]

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Very good question. The patrol only kept the Heavy Duty for four years and this one was in-service for less than a year when it went back to the factory for "repairs". There's no evidence that it was refinished except the hammer stud is polished flat. Our speculation is the hammer stud was replaced as part of the repair. It was returned to service for another three years before the patrol traded it to Shapleigh Hardware for the 5' K-38s in 1952. We have no idea where it spent the last 60 years but it survived them well.


Jerry, you already have the serial number on the Outdoorsman.


Thanks everyone, Russ

Russ:

Thank you ! Thought it might be a "new" one !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Russ are the MHP guns Department marked ?
Thanks.

3 Outstanding Guns, pics are nice as well.

Unlike the Austin PD, Arkansas SP and perhaps others, the MSHP Heavy Duties are not department marked. The only way to tell is by the serial numbers.

Russ

Thanks Russ.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol also had pre war HDs that were marked, as did the Fort Smith, Arkansas PD. The Fort Smith guns were 4 inch versions. Dr. P has one with the roll mark removed.

Hello everyone, I need help to find out if my HD's are transitional , long action..etc... For some reason for the last 4 moths I have found 4Hd's and the Outdoorsman, and felt in love with the HD over all.... I am still learning and when people mention long action... and transitional HD's I get lost.... thanks, here is a picture of two HD's and the Outdoorsman, cheers!!!

Attached Images

Screenshot.jpg (16.4 KB, 80 views)

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Heavy Duty Enthusiast!!!!!

PS, I am waiting for the new stocks for the Outdoorsman, those are just for now...Cheers!!

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Heavy Duty Enthusiast!!!!!

Mr linde
Beautiful guns!!!!!!..., In my opinion the best Smith&Wesson guns ever built!!!!!.. the 38/44!!!!
Very,very difficult to find in my Country,but not impossible, I have seen a 61/2" Model Outdoorsman!!!!!...
Regards
Roberto

I'm sure the other guys can tell by photo, but if you post partial serial # I can look them up for you. The pre war and trans Hd's would have the long action which is the very smooth trigger pull. Post war has the newer short action.

Here you go:

pre war- 35037-62335
trans- S62496-S75206
post - S75000-S256133

from the 3rd Cat.

Thank you ar33c9, will do!!
Cheers!!!

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Heavy Duty Enthusiast!!!!!

Russ,
Are you displaying my Outdoorsman again!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill

When I said your finder's fee on the Heavy Dutys is an Outdoorsman I meant a charm you can carry on your key ring!

Russ

lazcool, the revolver on top is a prewar .38/44 Outdoorsman. It cannot be transitional because it does not have a ribbed barrel.

The next two guns are probably postwar transitional HDs. I say that because the four-inch barrels are more common after the war; before WWII the five-inch barrel was more commonly found. Furthermore, your two HDs have postwar stocks with the sharp shoulder on the upper contour. If they are original to your guns, they help point to late-'40s manufacture.

All three guns have the long action. The short action N-frames first appeared in 1950, so all prewar N-frames are long action. The long action is one of the features that defines a postwar transitional revolver, so it is definitely possible for a gun to have a long action and be transitional.

The hammer profile on the HDs is what allows you to tell transitional status at a glance. On the short action HDs and ODs (1950 and later) the hammer spur comes off the hammer lower down.

The Outdoorsman seems to have a humpback hammer, another indicator of prewar production. A humpback hammer could not be fitted to the postwar transitional Outdoorsman without modification, as the HB hammer profile is in design conflict with the postwar hammer safety block feature.

Nice guns, all of them. You now know first-hand what others have asserted for some time -- there is nothing like a heavy-frame .38 Special!

EDITED TO ADD: And perhaps the simplest quick indicator -- a postwar transition N-frame will have a serial number with an S prefix ranging from about S62500 to S75000 (round numbers, so don't take those as threshold identifiers). No S prefix means the N-frame is prewar and long action; S76000 and above will point to short action (again, round number).

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David Wilson

David,
thank you for all the info, that clears a lot of my questions, I will keep the information for my records, I keep learning every day about this Jewels!!!
Cheers!!

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Heavy Duty Enthusiast!!!!!

Russ,
Here are some for your viewing pleasure!
6.5 inch with 2 piece maroon box

5 inch with 2 piece maroon box and original hang tag


4 inch with 2 piece maroon box

4 inch Nickel


And my transition 38/44 Outdoorsman with offset hammer


Of course when I get yours it will look good to have a pair!
Enjoy!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Nice guns Russ. The Outdoorsman is really neat. Modern sites with the long action. You're findin some nice guns, Larry