Info help on a Heavy Duty for my Son.

[montezumaz]

Lots of long haired jazz guys down there.

Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd (December 19, 1918 – January 30, 1980), better known as Professor Longhair, was a New Orleans blues singer and pianist. He was active in two distinct periods, first in the heyday of early rhythm and blues and later in the resurgence of interest in traditional jazz after the founding of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1970. His piano style has been described as "instantly recognizable, combining rumba, mambo, and calypso."

 

[Iggy]

Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd (December 19, 1918 – January 30, 1980), better known as Professor Longhair, was a New Orleans blues singer and pianist. He was active in two distinct periods, first in the heyday of early rhythm and blues and later in the resurgence of interest in traditional jazz after the founding of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1970. His piano style has been described as "instantly recognizable, combining rumba, mambo, and calypso."

Yup, Dave Keith came up with that cat. Fits the time frame for sure.

Thanks for the help.

 

[DWalt]

It is definitely in the 1935 manufacturing range. On my list is SN 458xx, a HD which shipped in 7/35. If Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd was born on December 19, 1918, it seems unlikely he would have been the original owner as he would have been only about 16-17 years old. But of course he could have come by it somewhat later. I'll assume you know what the .38-44 cartridge is, but if not, it is just a more heavily loaded version of the standard .38 S&W Special cartridge having a MV of about 1100 ft/sec. The greater mass of the N-frame revolver helps tame the recoil of that heavier loading. The .38-44 cartridge has not been factory loaded since the early 1970s, but this revolver will handle any .38 Special loading (including the +P) just fine. Sometimes these are encountered with their chambers lengthened to accept .357 Magnum cartridges, but if so, it was not done by S&W. There was also a more DeLuxe version of the HD called the .38/44 Outdoorsman, the principal difference being that the Outdoorsman had an adjustable target-type rear sight.

 

[Plain Old Dave]

Pretty gun, but the premium for an excessively large and heavy 38 baffles me.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

 

[wheelgun610]

..... What can you tell me about the gun that I can tell him?

I sure hope you told him to just buy the damned thing. Only thing I see 'wrong' is that the stocks might've had some varnish or some other finish applied to 'em. That could probably be rectified fairly easily with a bath of mineral spirits.

I've got one that looks like it, but has its factory original magnas - and it's in the 49000 serial range - ca. 1937.

Mark

 

[Iggy]

DWalt,
Thanks. I think my son can read these posts now. Your info will be helpful and informative.
I have a couple of 38/44 Outdoorsmans. One a 34 vintage.

Wheelgun 610.
I agree the stocks look to have been refinished.
If he gets the gun a letter will be order.

 

[Kurusu]

DWalt,
Thanks. I think my son can read these posts now. Your info will be helpful and informative.
I have a couple of 38/44 Outdoorsmans. One a 34 vintage.

Wheelgun 610.
I agree the stocks look to have been refinished.
If he gets the gun a letter will be order.

Hope your son gets it.

That's not just another .38. A reloader can do some very interesting things with the right powder.

 

[Iggy]

Kurusu,
Unless the seller's price is outrageous, I think one of us will wind up with it.

 

[Kurusu]

K frame M&Ps don't have the shroud protecting the ejector rod.

N frame 38/44 Heavy Duty's do.

AH! But my two only N frames, so far, don't have an ejector shroud either.

 

[Iggy]

Yeah, I have one of those too.

 

[The Gila Bender]

An HD with (number matching, hopefully) big medallion service stocks, 1935-ish? That's a keeper, buy it!

 

[Texas Star]

Only flaw I see is those scratches/holster wear around the muzzle. But the photo suggests that Byrd's name is faint. Could the gun have been re-blued over the name? The photo isn't sharp enough for me to guess about a re-blue.

I guess this Roy Byrd was sort of the equivalent to Harry Connick, Jr. then, except he played piano instead of singing. Connick is married to former VS model Jill Goodacre. I hope Byrd was as lucky in his choice of a mate.

Wonder if Roy was related to Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, the famed explorer? I found an old Zeiss binocular ad from the 1930's, about Byrd using their glasses. The Roosevelt brothers also used Zeiss products.

BTW, animal trapper and adventurer Frank Buck also wore a .38-44 HD. It could have been a .44 Special, but I lean toward a HD. He later bought a .357 Magnum. But that was after WW II and he died in 1950. He wore the .38-44 longer. I'm pretty sure he got that gun because it had a reputation of penetrating well in large animals, especially when used with FMJ bullets.

 

[Iggy]

Now we have to wait a week.. Seller forgot to bring it.. Won't be back until next week.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Only flaw I see is those scratches/holster wear around the muzzle. But the photo suggests that Byrd's name is faint. Could the gun have been re-blued over the name? The photo isn't sharp enough for me to guess about a re-blue.

I guess this Roy Byrd was sort of the equivalent to Harry Connick, Jr. then, except he played piano instead of singing. Connick is married to former VS model Jill Goodacre. I hope Byrd was as lucky in his choice of a mate.

Wonder if Roy was related to Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, the famed explorer? I found an old Zeiss binocular ad from the 1930's, about Byrd using their glasses. The Roosevelt brothers also used Zeiss products.

BTW, animal trapper and adventurer Frank Buck also wore a .38-44 HD. It could have been a .44 Special, but I lean toward a HD. He later bought a .357 Magnum. But that was after WW II and he died in 1950. He wore the .38-44 longer. I'm pretty sure he got that gun because it had a reputation of penetrating well in large animals, especially when used with FMJ bullets.

The Roy Bird that was a Piano player might have been a tad dark to be kin to Admiral Bird .

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Roy Bird and Admiral Bird . Don't see any family resemblance .

 

[BillyMagg]

Roy Bird and Admiral Bird . Don't see any family resemblance .

Eddie, Eddie, no doubt they both wore very dark glasses dude! is your name Southgate, or are you a Southgate Weatherby Fan?? LOL

any way, I grew up at Walter Hill, Tenn.,,, yep, four letters and a period.. I don't suppose you're familiar with the old mill damn there?? loved that place

my Dad was an IP in the C-130A, B, and E model,,, I crashed one of USAF's first flight simulators there at Sewart AFB, Tenn. when I was 9 years old..

now I'm just a damned old Yankee! well not really, but don't tell my neighbors that the "South is gonna rise again", they're all kinda jumpy anyway! LOL

so Iggy, we gonna have to wait another week eh??

 

[Iggy]

so Iggy, we gonna have to wait another week eh??


Yup, the pucker factor is goin' up....

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Eddie, Eddie, no doubt they both wore very dark glasses dude! is your name Southgate, or are you a Southgate Weatherby Fan?? LOL

any way, I grew up at Walter Hill, Tenn.,,, yep, four letters and a period.. I don't suppose you're familiar with the old mill damn there?? loved that place

my Dad was an IP in the C-130A, B, and E model,,, I crashed one of USAF's first flight simulators there at Sewart AFB, Tenn. when I was 9 years old..

now I'm just a damned old Yankee! well not really, but don't tell my neighbors that the "South is gonna rise again", they're all kinda jumpy anyway! LOL

so Iggy, we gonna have to wait another week eh??

Yup, I'm a real live Southgate . Not really a Weatherby fan. My dad was stationed a Sewart several times , same name as mine. Depending on when your dad was there he may have known him . He retired in the early 80's and moved back to the Lavergne/ Smyrna area and was an SRO at the local TWRA Range for a number of years prior to his death in August of 2017.

Have not been to the Mill Dam in Walter Hill , might have to check it out , always looking for a good spot to put a fly rod to work !

Eddie

 

[Iggy]

Well, he got it. Got a good price too.

 

[Kurusu]

Well, he got it. Got a good price too.

Good. Thanks for the update.