.38-44 Heavy Duty

[Abbotson]

First off, please delete if this is not allowed, thanks.

I inherited a pretty decent old .38-44; even had # matching grips. I think it was made about 1953. It had unfortunately been refinished before I got it.
I've taken it to a few shows without much interest. What would be a reasonable figure for it?

 

[lestert357]

It looks like a Transitional to me and would probably date in the late 40’s. What’s the serial number? Since it has the phosphate refinish I’m purely guessing a value in the $500 - $750 range.

 

[H Richard]

I'm thinking (without any other information) probably a realistic $500 to $600.

 

[Abbotson]

You're probably right.
I'll post the sn shortly.

 

[Malysh]

Too bad, the refinish affects the value.

 

[robertrwalsh]

IN my neck of the woods (CA) about $700 would be reasonable. I just scored a non-refinished very clean 5" for not quite $900 out the door. Gun only. Mine is a 1935 vintage.

 

[DWalt]

My guess is that it may have been blued over a sand blasted surface. Could also have been sprayed with one of the baked-on black Teflon finishes. Not phosphate. Most any HD in sound firing condition will start at about a $500-600 price and go up from there. Have its chambers been modified to accept .357? In that finish condition, elongated chambers could be more positive than negative.

 

[Malysh]

There's no way I would pay $700 for a poorly refinished HD.
No more than 5, and honestly, I would even pass on that price.

 

[Abbotson]

S 75415

 

[Abbotson]

My guess is that it may have been blued over a sand blasted surface. Could also have been sprayed with one of the baked-on black Teflon finishes. Not phosphate. Most any HD in sound firing condition will start at about a $500-600 price and go up from there. Have its chambers been modified to accept .357? In that finish condition, elongated chambers could be more positive than negative.

It's still .38. Story goes it belonged to a security guard and then went to his son who didn't care about guns so it then went to my dad.
It's the first 4-inch and only 2nd HD I've seen in the wild.

 

[MSD2343]

Just fyi, my HD is about 200 units earlier than yours and it shipped in June 1949 per its historical letter. Mine is a transitional with the long action. Yours appears to be as well.

 

[Housepuss]

These transitional were made 1946 to 1950. Serial number range is S62496 to S75206 So even though S75415 is a bit out of the range it may still be a transitional model. Those grips look like sharp shoulder and would have been on late production Transitionals. They started in 1948 and lasted until 1952.

The 4" barrel is not too common. Most were 5" with the 6 1/2" being the least common.

 

[lestert357]

It’s post war and appears to have the long action so would be a Transitional.

 

[Abbotson]

Just fyi, my HD is about 200 units earlier than yours and it shipped in June 1949 per its historical letter. Mine is a transitional with the long action. Yours appears to be as well.

I had always wondered. Thanks so much for the information!

 

[Abbotson]

Just fyi, my HD is about 200 units earlier than yours and it shipped in June 1949 per its historical letter. Mine is a transitional with the long action. Yours appears to be as well.

 

[flyer338]

The grips may be worth $200 - 250 by themselves. Those diamond N-frame magnas are bringing the bucks.