38/44 question

[sqhead]

i was at my lgs yesterday,they had a 38/44 in the case.I asked to look at it,was pretty clean,alittle surface rust on the cyl.,frame was in good shape,wrong sile like grips,price was 289,00,i was gonna grab it but noticed the barrel rollmark was off center,i guess the barrel had been cut to 4.5 in. from 6.i passed on it.should i have bought it at that price,no box or extras..

 

[rburg]

Yep, you shoulda. Its priced as a distressed shooter, and it'll make a good one. It has no collector value, but you already know that. They're very nice guns and I think you need to got there in the morning. Early. Because our other posters will be trying to sniff it out.

 

[Richard Simmons]

I agree with rburg. For the money I'd have bought it. Did you check to make sure it hadn't been reamed out to .357?

 

[sqhead]

no,would'nt even know how to check.

 

[nicky4968]

Try to insert an empty .357 case into the cylinder. It should be 1/8 of an inch too long.
Don't test chambers with live ammo.

 

[sqhead]

if it had any diamond grips on it ,i would have taken her home.what is it worth,if not 289.00?

 

[1Aspenhill]

Buy it-6.5 inch barrels are still available.
Bill

 

[Dave T]

I'd have bought it "as is" so fast I probably would have hurt my arthritic shoulder getting the wallet out of my back pocket! (LOL)

Dave

 

[semperfi71]

In my mind you cannot buy a modern made, quality .38 Special at that price. And in this case it is a .38 Special that can be handloaded to "close-to" .357 Magnum velocities.

As well it is from a family of collectible handguns.

If the bore is good, action tight, and finish as you described, it is well worth theprice.

 

[hsguy]

In my mind you cannot buy a modern made, quality .38 Special at that price. And in this case it is a .38 Special that can be handloaded to "close-to" .357 Magnum velocities.

As well it is from a family of collectible handguns.

If the bore is good, action tight, and finish as you described, it is well worth theprice.

I cant think of an equivalent new gun for twice that that price.

 

[bettis1]

So sqhead, did you get it? Hope so. If so, show it to us.
Bob

 

[Art Doc]

"Don't test chambers with live ammo."

Why not?

If the barrel cutting wasn't a total hack job I would have offered $250 and taken it at $289 if they wouldn't budge.

 

[Colter]

i was at my lgs yesterday,they had a 38/44 in the case.I asked to look at it,was pretty clean,alittle surface rust on the cyl.,frame was in good shape,wrong sile like grips,price was 289,00,i was gonna grab it but noticed the barrel rollmark was off center,i guess the barrel had been cut to 4.5 in. from 6.i passed on it.should i have bought it at that price,no box or extras..

I saw it on Friday and have been thinking about it all weekend.

Since you saw it first, I will wait until Tuesday to go and get it.

Note: It was that piece that brought me to this forum tonight.

ML

 

[JSR III]

I saw it on Friday and have been thinking about it all weekend.

Since you saw it first, I will wait until Tuesday to go and get it.

Now, that is the definition of a true gentleman. KUDOS to you sir!!!

 

[bettis1]

James is correct. That was spoken like a true gentleman.

But somehow it reminds me of the old saying: "The early bird gets the worm...but the second rat gets the cheese!"

With the unknowns, it could go either way. We eagerly await the pictures and details.

Bob

 

[firestrat]

Is it really a bad thing if it's reamed for 357? I would think it would handle it, but what do I know?

 

[bettis1]

firestrat,

Reaming to .357 isn't a "bad thing". It's just a "thing". Either cutting the barrel or reaming probably remove the revolver from the collector realm and put it in the shooter category for most folks. Cutting the barrel won't compromise the safety and reaming the .38/44 to .357 probably won't either if common sense prevails. The problem might lie in someone trying to hot-rod it just because they could fit a hotter load in the cylinder.

If an owner attempted to pass the modified gun off as original, that would also constitute a "bad thing".

Bob

 

[delta-419]

38/44

I have one that was chambered for .357 and it shoot great, both 38spl and 357.

 

[GLL]

I would have grabbed that one so fast ..... !

Is it an Outdoorsman or Heavy Duty?

Here is a long-action Outdoorsman that someone cut and reamed to .357. It was also a nice price but not $289 !!! A GREAT shooter for warm .38 Specials!

Jerry

 

[dewey]

NIFFTY gun,Jerry.
Must put you 20+ by now ! Don't show them,please,I'll regret they ever left the S.E. Dan