Abused 44 Hand Ejector

[ratznfragn]

Found this poor abused neglected 44 Hand Ejector,Third Model in a pawnshop.It looked so sad and alone I couldn't help myself.(I'm a sucker for strays.)The serial # is 29xxx,all numbers match,including the beat to heck grips.Just curious what you guys think a ballpark value might be.I know it's in awful shape,(you should have seen it before I cleaned the rust and crud!)so I don't expect much,just want to know.

Thanks for any help!

 

[peyton]

I love it. How is it mechanically? When you cleaned it how deep is the rust? I have been looking for one.

 

[sbachler]

Please give it a good home. I saw an old Colt in a similar condition at my local pawn shop that needs a loving home.

 

[ratznfragn]

Mechanically it's great.No endshake,tight lockup and carries up just fine.Bore is bright and sharp rifling as well.Doesn't seem as if it has been shot much,just very neglected.Looks like some light pitting in the worst spots,but its hard to tell.

 

[cgt4570]

While I don't usually condone refinishes, that one would probably look great with a spray-n-bake epoxy finish. It would hide the pits and even everything out.

 

[ratznfragn]

I have considered Duracoat,but I'm kind of leaning towards trying to preserve what left of the original finish.I welcome opinion on a refinish,as I am on the fence at the moment.

 

[hsguy]

Is the serial number still visible on the butt?

 

[ratznfragn]

Yes,it's easily read,just doesn't look that way on the picture.I can read the numbers on the butt,the cylinder and the ejector shroud well,the number on the right grip panel takes some looking,but can be read.They all match.

 

[charlies]

Have it refinished by an expert...
It deserves to look its finest.
Charlie

 

[hsguy]

Glad to hear it, should be a fun shooter.

 

[Texas Roots]

I absolutely agree with Charlies since it has a good bore and chambers. I wouldn't care if it took 2 years; I'd still have someone like Bowen do the work.

 

[wilshire1412]

It does look like there is enough left on that one to warrant a decent restore vs. a spray and bake. Could get expensive though. If it were mine I would get it done by a pro.

 

[dkees]

Pieces like yours are what I scour pawn shops for. It's a great piece of history and mechanically sound to boot. My opinion is just clean it up and shoot it.

What a great find! Good on you for rescuing it.

 

[mikepriwer]

If you have, and are willing to spend, the money for a refinish, that
would be the best thing to do. Dave Chicoine offers an equivalent
factory refinish. Its what the factory would have done, decades ago,
if a gun was returned for refinishing. This is not a restoration - just a
refinish.

If you don't want to do that, this gun would be an interesting candidate
for the restorative process that Drew mentioned yesterday. It sure
won't hurt it. This process takes time, but I think there is fundemental
reason why it helps.

The idea is to pulverize hardwood charcoal, down to a fine powder.
Mix that with 3-in-1 oil, and apply it with a rough cloth, like burlap.
Work it on, and let it sit for a bit, then wipe it off with a soft cloth.
That should leave a film of oil. Then you repeat this, maybe every
week, for several months. This should bring back some of the blue,
and make the gun a lot more presentable.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[ratznfragn]

Mike,thank you for that idea.I think I'll try it and see how it goes.I'm still considering a refinish by a pro,just not right now.I've been looking at Dave Chicone,as well as Ford's.Any opinions,anyone?I've only got $100 in the gun at the moment,so a refinish price on top of that makes it still feasible for me.
Still kind of curious as to what its ballpark value might be.

 

[Dave T]

A mechanically sound 44 Special for $100! I'd have dislocated my bad shoulder getting the money out to pay for that. Well done and good luck with your project. If you get tired of it let me know (LOL).

Dave

 

[Combat]

I am in the same boat as you with this problem.I found a nickel 3rd model in a pawnshop for a cheap price.I want to get it refinished but I haven't decided witch route to take.After thinking about it a long time I am leaning towards sending it to Dave Chicoine.From what I've learned about him it wont be cheap and it wont be quick but it will be done right.And that's what I'm looking for.It's to nice of a gun to let someone half ass it.

 

[Raider]

It doesn't look too badly pitted so it could be refinished. I have a badly pitted 38-44 like that, ugly outside but beautiful inside, that I decided to leave the way that it is. Its a grand shooter.

Charlie

 

[10-12]

I have considered Duracoat,but I'm kind of leaning towards trying to preserve what left of the original finish.I welcome opinion on a refinish,as I am on the fence at the moment.

If S&W or Ford's can not coax a near factory type finish out of it I would leave it alone. Those coatings are practical for a working gun but I hate to see a gun that may have so much history treated to anything but something resembling the original finish.

Just my opinion.


I think you did well. I would have snapped it up unless the seller had a safe queen price on it.

Bill

 

[mikepriwer]

R

As to the cost of refinishing, if ( and this is a big if ) there is nothing
else wrong with the gun, and Dave C would inspect it, to ascertain
that, then I would guess, and its only a guess, that a refinish would
run $300 to $400 - but that is just a guess.

As to its value, the gun is an early 3rd model N-frame. I'd guess
$300 to $500, but its condition is not going to appeal to everyone.
Still in all, its got to be worth at least $300.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[Peter J.]

I can't tell from pics how badly pitted it might be. If its not too deep, I'd say it's worth paying for a professional re-blue job.

 

[bubbajoe45]

value

I agree with Mike Priwer. 'As is' it's worth around $300, given that it hasn't been altered and just shows finish wear and damage.

 

[feralmerril]

Many years ago I was in a bad motorcycle wreck. My best friend and wife took me in for a month or so. I gave him a nice 1917. Later we were deer hunting and by chance met another friend of mine that had a ffl. We got talking guns around the campfire and my buddy went to his camper and got the 1917 to show off. He pulled it out of a amway sample case from his selling days. There must have been some bad chemical in the leather. The entire gun was coated with a very thin layer of rust! Really bad! My other friend that had a ffl said let me send this back to smith. He did, somebody at the factory must have made it a labor of love. That was the prettiest blued smith I ever seen, before or since! Now I know they wont work on them, but this was back around 1971. Think the reblue back then was like $16 to $25s!

 

[Joe Kent]

If the pitting is not "too"bad ,I would go for the refinish. It will always bring at least what you have in it with the "Low" starting price you paid. It will be a great using gun.

 

[ratznfragn]

Thank You to everyone who replied to this thread.The ballpark values that have been given and the opinions on a refinish have helped me to decide.I am going to send this one off most likely to Dave Chicone in the near future.In the meantime,I do believe I will try the charcoal treatment Mike described.If that helps,I'll post further pictures for everyone of the results.

 

[Muddyboot]

Great choice, Dave Chicone is doing a 2nd Model Hand Ejector for me right now that mechanically was a basket case. Also having it reblued and the hammer and trigger case color redone. It won't be cheap to have the work done on your 3rd Model, but it will be done right.

 

[oldRoger]

I have seen a lot of Ford’s work, they are around the corner from me. I am very impressed and am thinking of having them reblue the frame on an old M41 that I have. The blue is gone from every surface that the fingers/hand touches.

 

[gunsmithin]

Get a good gunsmith(one that does not own a power buffer) reblue the gun, preferably with a rust blue finish. You can do the strip job yourself,with abrasive paper, a good backing block,to keep the edges straight, and the flats flat, and go to a 1200 grit. When it is down to the 1200 grit, with no pits showning,and all the letters still sharp,(mask off the letters when you start, so they do not get rounded, and remain sharp and slightly raised) send it to a good gunsmith that specializes in rust blueing. Not modern hot blueing, as it is not the correct finish. I use Brownells Oxpho rust blue. Does a really good job. Must be good, I have fooled the top collectors in Pa with some of my jobs.
Any other questions, just ask.

 

[WildCard ZX6R]

Personally i would just clean it up gently and try the charcoal method, load it up with some warm handloads and carry it into the backcountry.

 

[Mule88]

Interesting ugn, nice find, if it could talk it would probably have some interesting tales to tell.