Looking to value N Frame 38sp

[Max242]

Morning, I have an opportunity to pick this up. Based on the great info found on this site I think I may have the ID on this one correctly. Let me know if I'm wrong. S# S74*** Post war N frame 38 sp. Pretty nice condition. Timing and lockup are fine. I wonder what a fair offer price would be for this? Thanks in advance for the info.

 

[JP@AK]

I think I may have the ID on this one correctly. Let me know if I'm wrong. S# S74*** Post war N frame 38 sp.

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Yes. Postwar N frame is correct. It is a .38/44 Heavy Duty (that is its name).

The stocks are correct. They are early postwar sharp shoulder N frame Magna stocks, available only from c. 1947 until c. 1952. Those are harder to find than the K frame equivalent.

 

[Max242]

Yes. Postwar N frame is correct. It is a .38/44 Heavy Duty (that is its name).

The stocks are correct. They are early postwar sharp shoulder N frame Magna stocks, available only from c. 1947 until c. 1952. Those are harder to find than the K frame equivalent.

Thanks for the info, that's great. Do you have an opinion on a fair price? Now that I have the correct name, I'll start searching online for recent sales.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

It's a Transitional .38/44 Heavy Duty, as Jack says. The Standard Catalog says valuations are speculative because we don't often see the sales. Here's the valuations they posit:

Exc VG Good Fair
2500 1250 800 400

Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 5th Edition (p. 641). Gun Digest Media. Kindle Edition.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Also, they say the 4" barrel gets a 10% premium.

 

[JP@AK]

Also, they say the 4" barrel gets a 10% premium.

Yes. My only Heavy Duty is a prewar version, shipped in July 1934. It has the more common 5" barrel, like those used by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, before 1952, when they bought the Special Order 5" Combat Masterpiece. I actually prefer the 5" barrel.

 

[Muley Gil]

This revolver has the older long action. You need to tighten the strain screw.

 

[22hipower]

I'd be surprised to find it tagged at less than $1200 where I shop although many folks, including more than a few LGS employees, don't know what they are. Quite a few stories about finding them tagged simply as a S&W 38 Special at M&P prices; I bought an engraved one once on GB with bad pictures, listed as an M&P, which had gotten no bids. I suppose that happens less often than was the case in the past. I paid $850 here on the Forum for a transitional 5 inch perhaps in a little better condition than the one shown but that was six years ago. Assuming the cylinder hasn't been reamed for 357 Magnum I think a knowledgeable seller, recognizing the scarcity of the 4 inch, would list it between $1500 and $2000. There's a 5 inch transitional for sale on one of the fixed price sights for $2650.

 

[YouveHadYour6]

Just saw one of these at the last show I attended, much lower condition, prob around 70%. Almost got to haggling on it myself but it was marked over $900 and on the second day someone was chatting up the seller enough I found something else to bring home. Not certain it moved, but looked like it and I believe original ask was $975.

My guess would be around 950-1100 on the example shown, maybe 25-50 more given the 4" barrel and expecting that the stocks number. In my area collector revolvers are a bit soft again right now and .357s will always sell faster than .38s, generally regardless of model. Relatively uncommon and desirable, the H/D and it's adjustable sight brethren the Outdoorsman both, but not as widely known as they once were.

 

[orionengnr]

Bought a .38/44 that was a bit distressed about two years ago. It had been re-blued and the ejector rod and sleeve were bent/stripped.
Paid to have that fixed (Clark Customs, great job) and nice revolver. Shot it a bit, sold it about a year ago--can't own them all (at least not at once) but I'm happy that I got to own it for a bit.

 

[Gun Relics]

I would say $1000 - $1200 is about right. I would like to have a 4" myself. I paid $1100 for this 5 incher a few months ago. I was surprised that interest in the gun was lukewarm. I bid until I hit the reserve and everybody else bowed out. The box was not included. Mine is a S 72 XXX all matching including the grips. Similar time frame as yours as also noted by the 4 line address which had just been started from previous one line. Mine shipped Jan 1949 to the Army Exchange in New York City. It also has the long action and is considered transitional.

That being said, at the risk of drawing rotten tomatoes from this crowd, I don't really care for the satin finish guns. I think Smith and Wesson excelled at beautiful polished finishes and that's what I prefer. I wonder if that could be holding down the prices on some of these models.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I recently bought a pre-war 5" in very nice shape for abut $900 otd and a post-war 4" also in nice shape for not quite $1k.

 

[goldwinghg]

Morning, I have an opportunity to pick this up. Based on the great info found on this site I think I may have the ID on this one correctly. Let me know if I'm wrong. S# S74*** Post war N frame 38 sp. Pretty nice condition. Timing and lockup are fine. I wonder what a fair offer price would be for this? Thanks in advance for the info.

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Are they 38/44? If that is it. I see them listed from $850 to $1100. I don't see them selling but there is two that have been listed in TGT Houston.

 

[Truckman]

I don't see them selling but there is two that have been listed in TGT Houston.

I looked at one of those, a HD, several years ago...A member here had listed it...I passed on it...Looks like everyone since did the same......Ben

 

[22hipower]

I ignored them for decades but in the last few years have developed an appreciation for them. They're direct descendants of the TLs, and 2nd Model HE 44s which attract many of us. Same great quality and historically significant as predecessors of the Registered Magnums. Lots of LE history which can sometimes be documented to the guns. The 4 and 6.5 inch pre-war versions are rare, more so than most of the S&W models we consider rare/scarce. There are several iterations, the pre-war HDs and ODs, the transitional versions of each, and the "pre-20/23s" and the really rare model marked 20s/23s. Not to mention they were sometimes modified as King Super Targets which opens up a whole additional area of interest. Lots to love with the HDs and ODs.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Mind if I tag along here?

Serial S 141275

4” and appears to be factory nickel plated. It’s lived a life. I think it was someone’s carry piece. It had a bobbed hammer but I had a similar vintage nickeled hammer installed. It’s got wear and tear but it shoots great.

It was sold as a “S&W .38” with no reference to it being a Heavy Duty or N frame.

Thoughts on a value?

 

[spin132]

I picked up this HD in 2024 for $725 OTD. Condition isn't as nice as the one you're considering. Shipped in 1952. Hope that helps -

Mike

 

[cgt4570]

Here are my examples of pre, post and transitional Heavy Duties and Outdoorsman flavors. I've since found correct sharp shoulder stocks, and added another pre-war HD that letters as being shipped with a humpback hammer. The one in the pic doesn't letter with it.

 

[Mike LaNier]

Nice gun; snag it if you can. I had both a 38-44 "Heavy Duty" 4", and a 38-44 "Outdoorsman" "6.5" in my gathering; I let the Heavy Duty get away and I've regretted it ever since. I actually used it in a revolver class at Thunder Ranch, which inspired Clint Smith to ask "Where in the world do you get those old guns?"

 

[Timber Wolf]

I have no idea on value, but I have its’ twin around here somewhere. I bought it over 30 years ago at a local pawn shop without knowing what it was beyond a .38 special. A Lady friend pointed out it was much heavier than her .38 (a K frame). Anyway, the only thing wrong with mine beyond honest light wear is the front right has been filed down somewhat.