THIS IS ONE OF TWO KNOWN 38/44 HEAVY DUTY POLICE TARGET VARIATIONS. THIS GUN WAS SHIPPED ON 2 MAY 1930 WITH ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS, CALL GOLD BEAD, 5 INCH BARREL, AND SERVICE GRIPS TO R.M. SEVIER, SPECIAL AGENT, MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD, MONROE, LA.THIS GUN HAS BEEN RESTORED TO IT'S ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION BY MASTER CRAFTSMAN, GENE WILLIAMS. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE ON R.M. SEVIER. I KNOW HOW MUCH PETE AND JERRY LIKE THESE!
ENJOY!

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38-44heavyduty.com

THIS IS ONE OF TWO KNOWN 38/44 HEAVY DUTY POLICE TARGET VARIATIONS. THIS GUN WAS SHIPPED ON 2 MAY 1930 WITH ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS, CALL GOLD BEAD, 5 INCH BARREL, AND SERVICE GRIPS TO R.M. SEVIER, SPECIAL AGENT, MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD, MONROE, LA.THIS GUN HAS BEEN RESTORED TO IT'S ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION BY MASTER CRAFTSMAN, GENE WILLIAMS. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE ON R.M. SEVIER. I KNOW HOW MUCH PETE AND JERRY LIKE THESE!
ENJOY!

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill,

That's a beauty too. I remember seeing it in Gene's shop when it was just a pile of pieces. He really does a beautiful job.

(Of course, by posting this, you are just asking to start a discussion as to whether this is a Target Heavy Duty or perhaps one of the first Outdoorsmen. Let me be the first to suggest that it is simply a subcaliber target version of the Mod. 1926)

Bob

Bill,
Another fine HD! I wish 5" target models were standard production guns back then. Thanks for sharing.
Larry

Bill,

That is a very neat gun!

Michael

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N-Frame-itis THERE IS NO CURE!

Do you suppose this was built on a 1926 Target frame or did S&W convert the fixed sight frame to adjustable sights? Since the 1926 and the HD were identical save the caliber it would have been easy to create a Target HD by simply using the 1926 Target frame.

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No life story has happy end.

Franklin,
I can only assume that they built it the same way they did the target 44s of the day which was to mill the top strap for the adjustable sight and to cut the front sight, mill the base and add the target site. That's what I think.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Neat gun and story, Bill.
Another rarity!
Don

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OGCA Life
NRA Life

Dang! That will take your breath away!

I am very very impressed. That is truly a work of art. I am extremely impressed at how well that captures the look that the HD fans love to see.

Ok, you have convinced me. I need to get one of those built up also by Gene.

Thank you very much for posting the pictures! That is almost more impressive then the 6.5" you posted on.

Very impressive Bill!

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SWCA 1646

Bill

So - a couple of questions . One, your note
said a Call gold bead - but what is on the gun
is a McGivern Gold bead. Did you mean McGivern ?

Second - is a police target something different from the
McGivern model ? And is it something different from a 38/44
5" target ?

Gene does nice work.

Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike,
It is not a McGivern Gold bead but is not quite as flush as most Call Gold beads. As you will note, this was shipped in the second month (missed first month by 2 days) of production and 18 months before the first Outdoorsman was shipped. In the History letter, the Historian says " The above revolver was specially ordered as a target model before the Outdoorsman series was officially introduced. These early Outdoorsman were referred to as .38/44 Police Target Models."
Gene does great work!
Hope that helps,
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill

Do you know anything about the history of
that front sight blade ? Did Gene make that
up, or was it that way when you got the gun ?

I will post a question to Roy, asking what
is the difference between a 38/44 police target
model, and a 38/44 McGivern model .

Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike,
Gene made it from a regular patridge front sight. If you have a correct N frame pre war Call Gold bead, I would be glad to take it off your hands!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill

Gene should be able to make it correctly,
himself. Tell his to make it flush - no
projection whatsoever. Absolutely flush.

Regards, Mike Priwer

So, they didn't make any specific target frames for 44s? They took regular fixed-sight frames and milled them?

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No life story has happy end.

That is a lovely revolver...thanks for posting the photos.

SP

That is true for all pre-WW2 targets. There
was just frames and barrels. All target barrels
are fixed-sight barrels that get further work.
The same was true for frames.

It may have been that, somewhere in the various
machining processes, they took frames destined
for targets, and finished them differently.
But the forgings are all the same.

Sometimes, when you pull off the rear target
sight leaf, you will see the remanent of the
original fixed sight. Typically, this would
have been a gun that was originally fixed
sights, then sent back to the factory to be
converted to target.

Later, Mike Priwer

Monroe, LA

Monroe is half an hour from my hometown of Ruston, LA. I've never seen a S&W shipped closer.

MP- Wow. That's interesting info. Thanks.

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No life story has happy end.

Jerry-thanks
Mike-thanks for confirming that the frames were all the same. Shall I look in the mail for a Call Gold bead front sight any time soon?
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

A fantastic AND significant gun!

So, Bill, is that the FIRST "38 Outdoorsman"?

Should the NcGivern Model have really been called the "Sevier Model"????

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Lee,
Thank you. At first it was the only one until the Historian lettered another one that was in Apr 1930. I would say that there apparently were several of these before old Ed put his name on the 5" Outdoorsman!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill

No, but I'll tell you what. If Gene won't fix it properly, have him take the
blade off, send it to me, and I will get it fixed correctly !

Regards, Mike Priwer

Bill, That is a stunningly beautiful old revolver! Congratulations and thanks for the showing, Jerry

Did this ever get answered?
Aaron

In my mind, yes it was answered. The 38/44 Police Target as Roy put it in the letter was a 5" adjustible site Heavy Duty. Mine has smooth front and rear straps. The other that Roy has lettered, has serrated front and rear straps. This would move it more toward the 38/44 Outdoorsman which had the serrated front and rear straps. As cataloged the 38/44 Outdoorsman was available in 6.5" barrel. Ed McGivern made the special order 5" Outdoorsman famous although other gun shops ordered them also. I would also have to feel that these early guns set the tone towards the development of the 38/44 Outdoorsman.
Hope this helps,
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

My heart skipped a beat.

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Vaya con Dios

Amazing revolver. I hope you can find out more about the lawman it was made for and shipped to. That would really make it a treasure

What a beautiful piece of S&W history! The earliest 26 Targets had smooth grip straps as well IIRC. What is the little circle on the yoke hinge?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Isn't the circle where the "dent" for the Ourdoorsman and other early HE's is at?

Aaron

Hi Aaron,
The little dent for the 'detent plunger' is actually on the frame side of the hinge and the plunger is in the yoke, just out of sight with cylinder closed.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Jim,
You are absolutely correct!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Beautiful grips, those alone are worth the price of admission IMHO.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

that sure is pretty!!! do you have any HD's that you take to the range?

Yes I do.
bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Beautiful gun Bill.

I did a little searching today and found a link that might give you a starting place in your search for R.M. Sevier.

I found his name listed as a S/Sgt and crew member on a B-24 bombing mission over France in 1944.

Look far down the page in the left column. He's listed under the crew for "15 Jun 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 617". Maybe you can back-track from there; if this is your guy!
Congrats,
Craig


15 June 1944 -- Mission #110 -- Target: La Frilliere

Thanks Craig, I will follow up and see if it is the same guy.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Bill, I've been captivated by the accounts of some of the missions on the B24 site. R.M. Sevien is mentioned as a flight engineer on flights 110, 116,117, 119,121-123, 127, 129 and 130. There may be more but at least those.

In fact, he is mentioned by the pilot in an account detailed on Mission 130 where he had to repair fuel lines (in flight) that were damaged by AA fire.

If this is your guy, he saw some serious action in those B-24's. Since this happened about 14 years after he acquired your gun, it's possible he might have even carried it with him on those missions.
Craig...

bill, if you get a chance could you show some pics would love to see em!!! you are the HEAVY DUTY KING!!!!!!!

MOOSHOO,
What do you want to see?
Bill

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