44 HE Transitional by John Gallagher

Kansasgunner · Nov 16, 2019

I'm told all work on this gun was done several years ago by John Gallagher of Jasper, AL. It shipped in 1948 as a 6.5" barrel transitional target model. The barrel was cut to 3.5", the action tuned and then refinished in matte blue. The stocks were added recently and started life as unrelieved rosewood targets. They have been very handsomely checkered by a fine craftsman. I'm very happy to be the new caretaker and hope to get it to the range soon. I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Eddie Southgate · Nov 16, 2019

Looks nice .Enjoy !

Hondo44 · Nov 16, 2019

Pretty darn nice package, congrats.

Pretty early Post war Transitional, still having the one line on front right frame makes it an early one. Does it have the sliding safety hammer block visible in the hammer channel? Do you mind telling me if it has an S prefix to the butt serial # and or the serial #?

BillyMagg · Nov 16, 2019

Kansasgunner said:
I'm told all work on this gun was done several years ago by John Gallagher of Jasper, AL. It shipped in 1948 as a 6.5" barrel transitional target model. The barrel was cut to 3.5", the action tuned and then refinished in matte blue. The stocks were added recently and started life as unrelieved rosewood targets. They have been very handsomely checkered by a fine craftsman. I'm very happy to be the new caretaker and hope to get it to the range soon. I hope you all like it as much as I do.

My ONLY objection is anything that danged purty deserves to be "SHINEY", so S & W Bright Blue! well dang, why don't we just make the whole thing "Fire Blue!"...

quinn · Nov 16, 2019

Boy, that one could follow me home any day of the week! I keep hoping to find that Jovino sometime did a 44 special. Really nice rig!!

lawandorder · Nov 16, 2019

I purchased a BHP from Mr. Gallagher a few years ago. He does great work.
Your . 44 looks great.

6string · Nov 16, 2019

It takes a real artisan to touch a classic S&W of that vintage and come with something worthy of the original.
I'd offer to say that John Gallagher managed to do so, with class and good taste!

Very Nice!

Jim

Valmet · Nov 16, 2019

That is a truly cool and unique piece!

A10 · Nov 16, 2019

I would pack that Roscoe full time!

tt66 · Nov 16, 2019

That is a really sweet 'perfect packin pistol'.

KSK · Nov 16, 2019

Awesome gun!!! Congratulations.

Bob L · Nov 17, 2019

What a great looking revolver. Really looking forward to the range report. Thanks for sharing it.

mh51 · Nov 17, 2019

Now that should draw a crowd at the range!

rbrbrb6 · Nov 17, 2019

John has done great work on revolvers and rifles for a good number of years. Unfortunataley he is in a battle with cancer right now and is hoping he makes it to the end of the year. He is not taking on any new revolver work at this time and is focusing on wrapping up the jobs he as in house to the extent that he and his son Isaac can. Isaac does great work on rifles and John is teaching him all he can during these last few months so Isaac is getting a crash course on revolver work. I had two of the oldest jobs down at Johns and I told him to just box them up and send them home so he could focus on others guns but he went ahead and finished them both and they shipped last week. They are among my most cherished guns due to the friendship they allowed John and I to develop over the years. If you have one of John's gun, I would hang on to it. Barring a miracle there won't be many guns left that will be touched by John.
These are the two guns.

John also had been saving two old model Ruger flat op 357 guns to convert to 44 Special in the vein of Skeeter Skeltons original 44 Special conversions. I traded a gun John built that I had in the safe back to him so he could use it to fill an order and he sent me one of the 44 Special conversions in exchange. The other gun is currently on GB along with a Thad Rybka holster ( who is a friend of Johns and just retired) along with an Ashley Emerson designed knife and two boxes of Ashley's Garrett Cartridges in 44 Special. That offering is currently up to over $4300.

iskra · Nov 19, 2019

Well Done!

Kansasgunner said:
I'm told all work on this gun was done several years ago by John Gallagher of Jasper, AL. It shipped in 1948 as a 6.5" barrel transitional target model. The barrel was cut to 3.5", the action tuned and then refinished in matte blue. The stocks were added recently and started life as unrelieved rosewood targets. They have been very handsomely checkered by a fine craftsman. I'm very happy to be the new caretaker and hope to get it to the range soon. I hope you all like it as much as I do.

I do, I do! Definite 'me too, me too'! Yours, something of considerably more sophisticated version of my M 1917 .45 ACP rework. Similar length barrel chop and 'sort of' ramp installed. Yours much nicer & more 'pro'!
I really like the 3rd Model postwar Transitionals & 44 Spl. the 'sweet spot'! With several in 5" and the below, as yours originally in 6 1/2" bbl. My only 'shortie' 44 Spl, a Lew Horton original in 3"; happy to find 'right' in late eighties.

Congrats on a nice gun!!!
Best!
John

jack the toad · Nov 19, 2019

Kansasgunner said:
I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Absolutely!!! What's not to like? Congrats...

Kinman · Nov 19, 2019

Great stuff, thanks for sharing. Love them short .44s, best I can do for the moment is enjoy my 24-3 Lew Horton Special.

29aholic · Nov 19, 2019

It was really great to see that gun in person at Tulsa. If you ever decide to move it along keep me in mind.

Great gun.

44 HE Transitional by John Gallagher

Kansasgunner

Eddie Southgate

Member

Hondo44

BillyMagg

quinn

lawandorder

Member

6string

Valmet

A10

tt66

KSK

Bob L

Member

mh51

rbrbrb6

Member

iskra

Member

Attachments

jack the toad

Kinman

29aholic

Member

Similar threads

Latest posts