Model of 1950 Pre-24 44 Special Value

[Zooyork77]

Hello,

I have a Smith and Wesson 44 target model of 1950 pre-model 24, five screw, special order variation revolver I am looking to get a value of for insurance purposes. I have the letter from Smith and Wesson That the gun came with a 3 1/2 inch barrel, baughman front sites, blue finish and checkered walnut stocks. The gun is still original except it is nickel plated at this point in time. No we do not know when that was performed. Based on the letter this was a custom order shipped in 1955. I am not looking to sell it but merely looking for a approximate valuation for insurance purposes. I will add a few photos to show the condition.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[SVT28]

Wow!!! Another lettered special order 3.5" 44 special shows up on the forums in the same month. The renickel if not a factory job really hurts the value but if all of the serials match including the stocks then you will still get a lot of interest in it. Does it have any dates stamped on the frame or any diamonds/R-N markings that would designate its been back to the factory for refinishing? The nickeled sight is sort of a giveaway that it wasn't factory...

Also, post the serial omitting the last 2 digits or the full serial as some other members probably have more insight that I do on this one. Nice gun OP

SVT28

Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Neat gun!
I've never seen one.
Too bad it got Nickeled.

 

[SAFireman]

In it's original configuration, that gun would bring good money.

Currently, it has a sad nickle re-finish. I would say 800-1000 in my neck of the woods. And that is if it was a 100% legit configuration prior to the nickle job.

 

[handejector]

I wonder why they didn't nickel the mainspring and the grips? They sure got everything else!

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! I think $800 is on the high end of value for that gun. The hammer and Trigger are nickeled, the rear sight assembly is nickeled and the front sight blade is nickeled. That sort of makes it an absolute shooter at the best.

Whoops forgot the frame. I see Lee got it.

 

[gkitch]

Rare enough to warrant a proper and full restoration by one of the masters, perhaps?

 

[Doc44]

Unfortunately, the 1950 44 Target has little value to a collector. I would value it at around a $1,000.

Bill

 

[Zooyork77]

The serial number is S1278XX.

I will attach pictures of all the other markings I can see.

 

[Hondo44]

Look for a B preceding the barrel serial # in the barrel shroud. If it has a B, it could have left the factory as a blue gun.

It's clearly been re-nickeled after it left the factory as several posted above.

However if it has an N or no B or letter, it could have originally been a nickel gun. Even if it has a B it may have been nickeled before shipping in the Outside Service Dept as a special order gun because it has an O stamped in the rear of the barrel shroud, the most important mark which is shown in your last photo of your 1st post. But it could also indicate the special barrel length and/or reblue after cutting the barrel or to match the frame.

Since you have the letter what does it indicate the "special order variation" is? Please attach a copy of the letter.

 

[handejector]

It is not as bad a buffing job as we usually see.
Replacing the hammer and trigger to get case colors would be easy.
Finding a blue rear sight is possible.
Do all that, and you could probably get $1500-2000 even with the mismatched grips.
It is even possible to find a blue ramp and blade. It is pinned, so it is not hard to replace if you can find one.
With all the above done, I bet it would bring 2000 pretty easily.

 

[Zooyork77]

The grips actually do match. The color is off because of the lamp lighting I was using to take the picture. Unless I'm mistaken I was told they were original. Is there anything else that tells you otherwise?

 

[Hondo44]

The grips actually do match. The color is off because of the lamp lighting I was using to take the picture. Unless I'm mistaken I was told they were original. Is there anything else that tells you otherwise?

Yes. If the grips matched the gun, the number on the back of the right grip would match the serial # on the gun.

 

[Zooyork77]

Thank you! I didn't even catch that….

 

[Zooyork77]

Here is the letter btw.

 

[Hondo44]

Thank you. I'm not a fan of nickel plated guns but many are. If it were mine I'd have it de-plated, and the hammer and trigger re-color case hardened. There's places that will do all of that under one roof using all its original parts with a very excellent restoration of the period correct carbonia blue finish that originally came on the gun. And it would still be worth more than you paid for the gun and the restoration. Just not full collector value of its worth if still original.

 

[ddixie884]

She is a rare bird. I like it as is but would have liked it better before plating. Thanx for sharing. I don't see one of those every day........

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I see the letter says Barrel was Cut.
What Barrel Length did they cut?

 

[Zooyork77]

The 1st page of the letter indicates S&W produced the model of 1950 pre-24 in a 6" barrel and blued. It goes on to say they had a few that were special ordered in 4.5", 5" and 5.5". The ones that were special ordered could also have there front sight changed and be nickel plated. It did not indicate what the length was originally. It only said that it was ordered, cut to 3.5" and shipping from S&W that way.

 

[Zooyork77]

This gun was originally purchased by my grandmother from my grandfather from a friend who used it durning his time at the Dallas police department. My grandfather liked it because it was nickel plated and none of his other firearms were that way. When he passed away it was gifted to me along with his other firearms. Normally, I am a purist and I would rather have it blued like it came from the factory. But because it was his firearm and that's the way he liked it I plan on keeping it that way.