Model 38 pinto...

[coneten]

I picked up a Model 38 Bodyguard today. Pinned barrel, SN# 793J4 on grip frame base, matching grips. The barrel, rod and cylinder are nickel plated and have 7934* (star) stamped on them. It has a wide target trigger. JUst thought it was interesting, affordable and in very good condition.

 

[indiuckian]

How about a pic....

Good Morning Coneten,

I sure would like to see a pic of your pinto. Tim and I looked for your in Lexington last week. It was a good show. I was at Biff's yesterday and we were talking unusual single barrel shotguns and I had to tell him about your Cambodian single shot commie killer 12 gauge. It pays to look at ALL markings. Even those on 60's single shot shotguns. Let's see that pinto! Here is my 49 I picked up last week and got grips for. I love the look of these humpbacks.

 

[coneten]

Indiukian

 

[coneten]

And a little extra.. "Hoosier Handkerchief"

Uncle Chester, It has been awhile.
Old timey hunting hat, he had no sense of style.
If it swam he caught it. Fish was always fried.
Turtle, bass, bream and carp..everything was tried.

Uncle Chester ran a long trap line
In the basement we would find
his very scary furry horde.
Skins stretched out on many boards.

Rabbits, possum, raccoons I think.
Muskrats too and even mink.
Back then mink sold for a dollar.
To become a ladies collar.

At the table Chester would say grace.
A peaceful smile on Aunt Nora's face.
If you fidgeted or clowned around
that smile would become a frown.

She was pretty quick to get that switch
The thought of it still makes me twitch.
It would smart, just a little sore
and in awhile I could sit once more.

Uncle Chester then would smile and wink.
To this day I kind of think
it was probably because
He was as afraid of her as I was.

I was just a kid and a little guy
Get spanked and I was sure to cry.
Chester would say "Hey there chief..
You need a Hoosier handkerchief?"

 

[1 old 0311]

Love the pinto's.

 

[coneten]

Indiuckian, Now being from Indiana you might not know what a Hoosier Handkerchief might be. Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia most likely refer to this as a Kentucky Handkerchief. The disgusting act of blowing ones nose without the aid of a handkerchief..and if you say you have never done this you are a liar. Avoid any female who does this. She can out drink, out fight and out shoot you.

 

[indiuckian]

Coneten

My cousin Eddie (yes, I have a cousin Eddie) taught me how to do that on my first rabbit hunt in 1977. Yes, I have done it but only once.. Nice pinto brother.

 

[coneten]

Richard, That Model 49 looks like a real keeper. I kind of like those grips though. Kind of like a gamblers revolver. Your cousin Eddie "His heart was bigger than his head."

 

[Malysh]

I picked up a Model 38 Bodyguard today. Pinned barrel, SN# 793J4 on grip frame base, matching grips. The barrel, rod and cylinder are nickel plated and have 7934* (star) stamped on them. It has a wide target trigger. JUst thought it was interesting, affordable and in very good condition.

Are you sure the cylinder and barrel are nickel plated?
The Michigan State Police used to use special ordered Bodyguard Airweights with stainless steel cylinders and barrels. I can't really tell from a picture if your gun has nickeled or stainless parts and might be an MSP Bodyguard Airweight or a pinto Bodyguard Airweight.
Either way it's a nice gun, and I hope you enjoy it.

 

[coneten]

Malysh, I tested the cylinder and barrel with a magnet and they are not stainless. I missed on of those MSP Airweights a couple of weeks ago by about 20 minutes.

 

[bamabiker]

The magnet will stick to gun stainless. I just stuck one to my M686.

 

[LSP 972]

The Michigan State Police used to use special ordered Bodyguard Airweights with stainless steel cylinders and barrels.

They also issued uniform trousers with a canvas-lined pocket (left or right as needed) for those revolvers. The idea was for the trooper to have a back-up piece instantly accessible to his off-side hand. This was a splendid concept that had a lot of thought put into it.

At the time I heard about it, my agency was issuing two M-66s per trooper; a four-inch for duty, and a 2.5" for off-duty/back-up. I always thought the idea of a snubby K-frame as a BUG was a bit retarded; its really too big and heavy for that purpose. A J frame makes a LOT more sense.

I floated this idea to the command staff, and was given permission to look into it. What killed it, of course, was the cost involved. Just buying the guns was expensive enough; but the cost quoted by the vendor to supply uniform pants with a leather-lined pocket was truly frightening.

Anyway... whoever at MSP that brought the idea to fruition has my hat off to him; it was innovative, to say the least.

.

 

[Stinger4me]

I thought the guns issued by the MSP had a stainless cylinder. The barrels were probably blue but they may have changed them.

 

[Malysh]

I thought the guns issued by the MSP had a stainless cylinder. The barrels were probably blue but they may have changed them.

Yes, you are right. MSP issued Mod 38s with stainless steel cylinders but the barrels were blued steel.
I Coneten has a pinto Mod 38, which is a different animal.