OK, this was a birthday gift to myself, and the GB spirits looked after me.

Smith and Wesson 38/44 38 S&W Special. Pinned bbl : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

Yeah, I know it's a beater, but I've wanted a HD for a LONG time.
Looks like I'll need to find some decent N frame diamond magnas and maybe a Tyler T.
Any help appreciated.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

If it is what you wanted, it is a great grab. Congratulations on the gun and another birthday.
I have grown fond of shooter grade guns as the cost of high grade guns continues to climb. I own them to shoot them. Looks are a consideration, but not a prime one.

Well Chukar, I'd come to the conclusion that HD's just don't exist this side of the Mississippi. They are just.....absent. Some sort of a strange geographical phenomena. Really have come to believe they are mainly a Western thing, like Colt SAA's.
Thanks to the miracle of Al Gore's internet, they can be made attainable.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I would call it honest patina...
give us a range report when you get there...

It is always nice to find a gun that has been used but not abused. I always go for a gun that shows some "honest wear" over a safe queen or a project piece.

Good luck with it.

Honestly I think those stocks are not as bad as you think. I would leave them in a jar of acetone over night and then just give them a nice oiling. See where they are after that. I think you will find they match the character of the gun and don't look bad at all without all that terrible lacquer.

I would bet that with a gentle application of Flitz and Renwax the old heater looks a lot better than you're giving it credit for. Only problem with investing time or energy in those stocks is that they have been refinished one too many times and are now smaller than the frame. A wanted ad on the forum might just pay off.

I think it is pretty darn cool! Yes, I would look for wood. I just got a remarkable set of N round butt Thailand grips off ebay. All sellers are not created equal. Enjoy your Smith! Bob

Don't forget that a set of stag grips will add a bit of the old time West to a lawman's shootin' iron. I have a whole stable of those HD shooters and they are great. You can't stop with just one!

This ^ and an old Mershon grip adaptor
Good pickup at that price!

Nice grab! I would leave the grips as is. They sorta match the
look of the HD's finish.

Congrats.
I wouldn't be in a hurry to swap grips. Perhaps some cleaning/TLC on both gun and grips and maybe also add a grip adaptor.
After that, just enjoy/shoot it.

A beater? Why? What's wrong with it?

L. that's a great snag, far from a beater. As others have suggested just some honest ware. Neither of us really wanted to have a gun that was just to nice to shoot. Again the grips should clean up with a little effort. As for a replacement set of "diamond Magnas," well I just put a set of Stage grips on the one I have. So we may be able to come to some sort of agreement. Do you want/need them ASAP or can it wait until we get up?

Fred

Heck, that gun is almost broke in. It probably earned it's scratches and scrapes plumb honorable. Probably got some interesting tales to tell. Be shame to break up the combo.

Shoot it, clean it and repeat. Your great grand kids will no doubt be able to do the same thing with it down the line.

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Eccentric old coot

I bought a 4" HD a couple of years older and in a little better condition early this year for $500. I felt that was an excellent price for mine.