3rd Model 44spl Transitional

[rburg]

Looking at the photos, I'm not seeing grooves on the grip frame. That's a dead giveaway that the gun shipped as a fixed sight gun, not target. And all that means almost nothing depending on your desired use for the gun. Its still a great old gun that you won't find another anywhere near it.

You can spend a lot of time at gun shows, but your chances of even seeing another early postwar 44 are slim to none at all. And there are some folks posting to this thread who might get there before you. And if we did, that gun would be gone. We're not really all that mean, we're just decisive buyers.

 

[singleshot1]

Ed, you didn't tell me about that one!! That is one neat old 44. It would go very well with your other one. We were in town today, but I just wasn't up checking out the local LGS. If you get it,hint, hint, let me know. I'll be in town thursday night for a sleep study, and I'll stop by friday morning. Dave

 

[nedlate]

You can spend a lot of time at gun shows, but your chances of even seeing another early postwar 44 are slim to none at all. And there are some folks posting to this thread who might get there before you. And if we did, that gun would be gone. We're not really all that mean, we're just decisive buyers.

Thanks for the advice Dick, the thought did enter my mind about it being gone with more decisive buyers from the Forum! There is no rework star on the butt, I was just looking at the diamond mark on the butt.

Ed

 

[nedlate]

Ed, you didn't tell me about that one!! That is one neat old 44. It would go very well with your other one. We were in town today, but I just wasn't up checking out the local LGS. If you get it,hint, hint, let me know. I'll be in town thursday night for a sleep study, and I'll stop by friday morning. Dave

Dave-With you being one of the decisive buyer in the area I knew better than to tell you!! I just spotted the gun yesterday. I have too much going on to go to the Whitebird show this weekend. Like pulling apart the son's car engine! Let me know if you go. Hopefully I will see you Friday. I have an early appointment at Moscow on Friday though.
Later
Ed

 

[Hondo44]

Thanks for the advice Dick, the thought did enter my mind about it being gone with more decisive buyers from the Forum! There is no rework star on the butt, I was just looking at the diamond mark on the butt.

Ed

Ed,
I saw that. A diamond on a major gun part after going back to the factory usually means a replaced part, but on the frame? The star transitioned to different marks c. late 50's. And since your date is 9 56, the star could have been replaced by the diamond. I have an M frame refinished by the factory in 4.43 that has both the star and the diamond

I guess anyone could have stamped a date on the side of the grip frame in the correct location. Now that I re-look at the date stamping, I remember the factory date stamp usually (and I emphasize usually) has a period between the month and the year. The 4 stamped on left side like yours means it was to be assembled as a 44.

 

[Hondo44]

Ed,

I knew I had seen a front sight like yours installed at the factory and I finally found it. Notice in text below it was lettered and Roy believs the factory did the target sights. See also that the rear of the rear sight over the hammer is positioned farther forward just as yours is!

It's from this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/68475-model-1917-target-45-colt.html
"Based on a star on the butt next to the serial number and a 7.49 date on the left side of the frame under the grip, Roy believes the revolver was returned to the factory and reworked to a target model in .45 Colt caliber. The factory "done good" because it shoots really sweet."

 

[nedlate]

Hondo44-PM sent
Ed

 

[nedlate]

Well thanks everyone for the encouragement-I did bring home the 44spl today! Now to clean it up and take it out shooting.
Ed

 

[Hondo44]

If you buy them and change your mind, you can always resell. But if you don't buy them and change your mind, you can't "re-buy" them!

 

[rboineau]

With a butchered trigger guard it is maybe a $500 gun.

 

[rburg]

But if you don't buy them and change your mind, you can't "re-buy" them!

Its getting to be a pretty common saying among gun guys. You regret the guns you passed on more than the mistakes you bought. I'm a big boy these days and can take my lumps. I know how to sell/dump my mistakes and hopefully not take too much of a licking. I've even rationalized my mistakes to the point of thinking if I only need to take a $50 loss on a mistake, its just another lesson I needed to learn. But when I don't buy a gun and it eats at my soul for the entire ride home, then the days and weeks after, I really hate it. As I toss and turn at night remembering the ones I let slide through my fingers, I vow to not do that again. But I never seem to really learn.

 

[nedlate]

If you buy them and change your mind, you can always resell. But if you don't buy them and change your mind, you can't "re-buy" them!

Advise from you and Mr. Burg really helped me rationalize this purchase! Actually if it had been a HD I probably would have held off, my rationalizing for buying it was it being a 44 Special! This estate had several modified guns-2 Brazilians, 1 having a cut off barrel, bobbed hammer and duracoated, the other having the hammer bobbed. A S&W 43 made into a round butt but only $250. Ruger Security Six with hammer bobbed, the list goes on! Oh yeah-the Ruger 22/45 with a 2" barrel!! Snubby! I believe they said only 3 guns out of the bunch were original. I bought one of them a 625-3. And bought a Remington 40X .22LR single shot with shortened barrel and a Model 700 stock! With a Weaver T6. So I was a little short of $ for the .44 Hand Ejector 3rd Model! (Which showed up a few days later). Here is a Picture of the other 2 guns.

 

[nedlate]

With a butchered trigger guard it is maybe a $500 gun.

But it is nicely butchered!!
Ed

 

[rburg]

Advise from you and Mr. Burg really helped me rationalize this purchase!

Well, there's a test you've got to make about buying these guns. It really does relate to your own personal financial position (and body mass). You look long and hard at the gun, and you realize you want it, that its nearly impossible to find another. Then you ask yourself the question, "if I buy it, will I have money to eat lunch tomorrow?" Then even if you don't, you can ask "do I really need lunch tomorrow, or am I fat enough already?" Then you just go ahead and buy it anyhow.

Remember, if you were looking at a junk plastic semi-auto, made who knows (and who cares) where and by who, you wouldn't have the problem. By purchasing the 44, you've joined a pretty elite bunch of grumpy old gun owners. We don't care what the rest of you guys think or own, we know we've got the best.

 

[nedlate]

Well, there's a test you've got to make about buying these guns. It really does relate to your own personal financial position (and body mass). Then you ask yourself the question, "if I buy it, will I have money to eat lunch tomorrow?" Then even if you don't, you can ask "do I really need lunch tomorrow, or am I fat enough already?" Then you just go ahead and buy it anyhow.

I could probably loose 10lbs or so! I had to go hungry last time I asked you a question about a couple of guns in 2008! One was a 22 Outdoorsman, the other a 22/32 kit gun with the red box. I'll have to post a picture one of these days. I see I had 98 posts back then, before the big post crash! Now look-I have 99.
Thanks for the advice!
Ed