.38/44 Outdoorsman

kdailey · May 6, 2012

Many like it, but this one is mine. Shipped from factory 12/16/1931, "Special Order Variation. Delivered to Police Department, City of Wichita, Attn: Captain L. G. DeWite, Wichita Kansas." "This was a single unit order and it was billed at $30.69."
Sorry, just haven't had it out of the safe for a while.

RKmesa · May 7, 2012

Very Nice!! Does it have a Right side?

chud333 · May 7, 2012

I guess cops need BBQ guns too.

Chuck

lawandorder · May 7, 2012

Thank you for posting the photos of your great Outdoorsman. Have you learned any details about Capt. DeWite?

kdailey · May 7, 2012

lawandorder said:
Thank you for posting the photos of your great Outdoorsman. Have you learned any details about Capt. DeWite?

No I haven't, but that is something I should do. I am still looking for the right side of this gun.

lawandorder · May 7, 2012

I have some dates and a little info on him. Will post it when I get home this evening.

kdailey · May 7, 2012

Thank you Sir, I look forward to that.

lawandorder · May 7, 2012

L. G Dewitt apparently worked for Wichita Police Department from about 1920 to 1948 when he was Asst. Chief of Police.

Leslie Dewitt was promoted to Acting Captain in April of 1928 in charge of Day Shift Uniforms.

Demotion ? from Acting Captain to Lieutenant and put in charge of the 2nd Detail in 1933.

Did not find anything that coincided with the ship date of your Outdoorsman but certainly could have been a personal revolver that was enhanced later.

It is important to note that he served under one of the great Law Enforcement professionals in the 20th century.Orlando Winfield Wilson was Chief of WPD from 1928 to 1938 and brought about many innovations and considerable professionalism to WPD & LE overall. He was probably second only to August Vollmer of Berkeley PD. who was Wilson's Boss there at BPD.

If I run on to more will let you know. You could contact the Wichita PD and they could give you more info on him.

smith17 · May 7, 2012

What is meant by the Special Order Variation?

Russell Cottle · May 7, 2012

That's a 'spiffy' ol' Outdoorsman!

Masterpiece · May 7, 2012

smith17 said:
What is meant by the Special Order Variation?

Smith17,

Generally it seems that Roy has been making this reference to firearms that are on the books as being specifically "Special Ordered" & not a firearm that shipped from stock on hand!! Those mainly being Targets, Engraved or a Pistol/Revolver shipped with features any way other than in a standard configuration available in the period of the research request!!

2152hq · May 7, 2012

Very nice!.

Just viewing the pictures, it appears to be a couple of different karats of gold plus perhaps platinum for the inlay work.
Sterling silver tarnishes and turns black over time,,.99Fine silver retaines it's color pretty well but is more white than the grey tone color of platinum.
Just guessing of course...
A first rate job.
..and someone would have had to do the Factory style polish & bluing (again?) after the engraving/inlay work was completed.

Even the Grip Adaptor is engraved to match.

kdailey · May 7, 2012

lawandorder said:
L. G Dewitt apparently worked for Wichita Police Department from about 1920 to 1948 when he was Asst. Chief of Police.

Leslie Dewitt was promoted to Acting Captain in April of 1928 in charge of Day Shift Uniforms.

Demotion ? from Acting Captain to Lieutenant and put in charge of the 2nd Detail in 1933.

Did not find anything that coincided with the ship date of your Outdoorsman but certainly could have been a personal revolver that was enhanced later.

It is important to note that he served under one of the great Law Enforcement professionals in the 20th century.Orlando Winfield Wilson was Chief of WPD from 1928 to 1938 and brought about many innovations and considerable professionalism to WPD & LE overall. He was probably second only to August Vollmer of Berkeley PD. who was Wilson's Boss there at BPD.

If I run on to more will let you know. You could contact the Wichita PD and they could give you more info on him.

Thank you Sir for that information. I will give them a call, to try and find out more.

kdailey · May 7, 2012

2152hq said:
Very nice!.

Just viewing the pictures, it appears to be a couple of different karats of gold plus perhaps platinum for the inlay work.
Sterling silver tarnishes and turns black over time,,.99Fine silver retaines it's color pretty well but is more white than the grey tone color of platinum.
Just guessing of course...
A first rate job.
..and someone would have had to do the Factory style polish & bluing (again?) after the engraving/inlay work was completed.

When I first acquired this .38/44, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who did the engraving. There is no doubt in my mind, (although I have not been able to verify to the extent it needs to be), that this engraving was done by Orville Kuhl, who did a lot of engraving for King Gunsight Company of San Francisco during the 30's. I have seen many other firearms that he has done, and are quite similar.
Smith & Wesson Forum - merlindrb's Album: Kuhl Engraved Guns
Roy Jinks told me that he could not verify the engraving ID.

kdailey · May 7, 2012

RKmesa said:
Very Nice!! Does it have a Right side?

Yes it does have a right side.

.38/44 Outdoorsman

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