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Recently I acquired what I thought was an original 38/44 Outdoorsman in a local internet horse trade. I posted about here http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...ease-tell-me-about-my-latest-acquisition.html
After getting an education from members here turned out what I got had been re-barreled. The finish was a bit on the rough side. Plenty of typical holster wear and signs of neglect. One of the previous owners obviously got his money's worth out of it. It appeared to have had plenty of use and a heavy drag line. The DA trigger pull was terrible but worse of all it didn't shoot worth a Tinker's darn.
Really wanting a 38/44 for many years but not willing to pay the price they fetch. I was willing to live with the rough appearance and unfortunately I opted to believe the guy I traded with was being honest. After hearing and seeing internet posts here and other groups about the spectacular shot size groups from the heavy N-frame 38/44's. I was way beyond disappointed after taking it to the range. I didn't bother to take it home and clean it. Left the range and headed straight to the gunsmith.
The gunsmith just like the members here immediately recognized the replacement barrel. First thing the smith asked if I was sure it is a 38 and not a 357 with a barrel marked 38 Special. I went back to my car and grabbed a few pieces of 38 and 357 brass. He tried the brass, looked in the cylinder with his flashlight "yheeep 38 all right don't see many of these nowadays".
After removing the brass he dry fired it double action, "not good ya been messing with it" he asked. After telling him I hadn't been inside of it or even removed the side plate. "yah boughta used Smith and Wesson and yah didn't bother to even take a look, bring it here first next time" he said. While I was standing at the counter the smith pulled the side plate to reveal the goo saturated innards. "Yeeep somebody been fixing it with a can or two of WD-40".
I asked the gunsmith if i could clean out the goo with brake clean. "Nope, detail strip and cleaning, cost ya 40-50 bucks, more if I have to replace any parts". After I agreed to the job the gunsmith asked if I'd be interested in re-finishing it. At first I declined saying I'd ruin the collector's value if I re-blued.
The gunsmith responded loudly "collector's value" then started laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall out of his stool. After he quit laughing he apologized for being rude and laughing. Speaking in an apologetic, fatherly manner. He told me there is no collector's value, not the original barrel, bluing on the barrel and frame don't match, sights look like they're from later model. He continued telling me the so-called pin barrels are still worth a nice chunk of change and preferred by many shooters.
I asked the gunsmith about the cost of re-bluing, bright polishing and if a couple of minor pits on the frame could be removed with out making the surface look uneven. He told me if I wanted it re-blued right. He couldn't do it but could farm it out to an out of state facility that specializes in bluing. He claimed the facility does an excellent job, could make it look better than brand new and their polishing rivals or exceeds top of the line Weatherbys. Then I heard the caveat "they ain't cheap though".
The gunsmith gave me a color brochure and told me about modern spray-on and bake finishes. He showed me a Taurus revolver he recently did in the color listed in the brochure as gun-blue gloss. He had several fender washers he did in different colors in both satin and gloss type surfaces. The Taurus really looked good, the price was right so I bit and agreed to have it finished it the same gun-blue gloss color as the Taurus.
A few days later I got a call. Seeing the gunsmith's name on my caller ID. I thought whoa this guy is fast, done already. No such luck!! He told me the barrel must have installed on a kitchen table. The cylinder's mouth and barrel gap was to tight and the forcing cone looked like the profane word we can't use here.
Got it back, put on a set of re-pro target grips and it really looks sharp. The double action trigger pull, though not smooth and slick as a couple I've had trigger jobs on. It now has the feel one expects of 1950's Smith and Wesson quality. The single action release is really nice and crisp. Best of all it now prints my home cast and loaded 148gr wadcutters into nice clusters on paper.
I'm really looking forward after Phoenix's temperatures drop enough that a trip to the range is recreation and doesn't feel like a bad day at work. I only have apx 75 rds through it since I got it back from the gunsmith. Only time and use will tell if the spray/baked on finish holds up.
I'm not much of a digital camera photographer but the spray on finish really looks good. I took pics with and without the flash. Time permitting I'll practice my photography skills and try to post some better pictures.
Hopefully these pictures below taken in bright sunlight show up a bit better
The light colored spots or what may appear as a streak toward the end of barrel and in front of the thumb piece is due to poor photography, dirty lens I believe.
If I had the trade to do all over again, knowing what I found out later from the gunsmith and what I learned about the veracity of the trader. I never would have made the deal. Now that I have it looking good, it shoots as good as I expected and even if it not a real 38/44 Outdoorsman as it left the factory. I'm really happy about adding it to my small and frugal S&W collection of shooters.
I plan on doing some searching for older 38/44 loading data and using it Javalina hunting next year. I have to tweak the rear sight a bit as it clusters about 2 inches left at 25 yards but that will have to wait for the triple digit weather to end about mid Sept.
After getting an education from members here turned out what I got had been re-barreled. The finish was a bit on the rough side. Plenty of typical holster wear and signs of neglect. One of the previous owners obviously got his money's worth out of it. It appeared to have had plenty of use and a heavy drag line. The DA trigger pull was terrible but worse of all it didn't shoot worth a Tinker's darn.
Really wanting a 38/44 for many years but not willing to pay the price they fetch. I was willing to live with the rough appearance and unfortunately I opted to believe the guy I traded with was being honest. After hearing and seeing internet posts here and other groups about the spectacular shot size groups from the heavy N-frame 38/44's. I was way beyond disappointed after taking it to the range. I didn't bother to take it home and clean it. Left the range and headed straight to the gunsmith.
The gunsmith just like the members here immediately recognized the replacement barrel. First thing the smith asked if I was sure it is a 38 and not a 357 with a barrel marked 38 Special. I went back to my car and grabbed a few pieces of 38 and 357 brass. He tried the brass, looked in the cylinder with his flashlight "yheeep 38 all right don't see many of these nowadays".
After removing the brass he dry fired it double action, "not good ya been messing with it" he asked. After telling him I hadn't been inside of it or even removed the side plate. "yah boughta used Smith and Wesson and yah didn't bother to even take a look, bring it here first next time" he said. While I was standing at the counter the smith pulled the side plate to reveal the goo saturated innards. "Yeeep somebody been fixing it with a can or two of WD-40".
I asked the gunsmith if i could clean out the goo with brake clean. "Nope, detail strip and cleaning, cost ya 40-50 bucks, more if I have to replace any parts". After I agreed to the job the gunsmith asked if I'd be interested in re-finishing it. At first I declined saying I'd ruin the collector's value if I re-blued.
The gunsmith responded loudly "collector's value" then started laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall out of his stool. After he quit laughing he apologized for being rude and laughing. Speaking in an apologetic, fatherly manner. He told me there is no collector's value, not the original barrel, bluing on the barrel and frame don't match, sights look like they're from later model. He continued telling me the so-called pin barrels are still worth a nice chunk of change and preferred by many shooters.
I asked the gunsmith about the cost of re-bluing, bright polishing and if a couple of minor pits on the frame could be removed with out making the surface look uneven. He told me if I wanted it re-blued right. He couldn't do it but could farm it out to an out of state facility that specializes in bluing. He claimed the facility does an excellent job, could make it look better than brand new and their polishing rivals or exceeds top of the line Weatherbys. Then I heard the caveat "they ain't cheap though".
The gunsmith gave me a color brochure and told me about modern spray-on and bake finishes. He showed me a Taurus revolver he recently did in the color listed in the brochure as gun-blue gloss. He had several fender washers he did in different colors in both satin and gloss type surfaces. The Taurus really looked good, the price was right so I bit and agreed to have it finished it the same gun-blue gloss color as the Taurus.
A few days later I got a call. Seeing the gunsmith's name on my caller ID. I thought whoa this guy is fast, done already. No such luck!! He told me the barrel must have installed on a kitchen table. The cylinder's mouth and barrel gap was to tight and the forcing cone looked like the profane word we can't use here.
Got it back, put on a set of re-pro target grips and it really looks sharp. The double action trigger pull, though not smooth and slick as a couple I've had trigger jobs on. It now has the feel one expects of 1950's Smith and Wesson quality. The single action release is really nice and crisp. Best of all it now prints my home cast and loaded 148gr wadcutters into nice clusters on paper.
I'm really looking forward after Phoenix's temperatures drop enough that a trip to the range is recreation and doesn't feel like a bad day at work. I only have apx 75 rds through it since I got it back from the gunsmith. Only time and use will tell if the spray/baked on finish holds up.
I'm not much of a digital camera photographer but the spray on finish really looks good. I took pics with and without the flash. Time permitting I'll practice my photography skills and try to post some better pictures.
Hopefully these pictures below taken in bright sunlight show up a bit better
The light colored spots or what may appear as a streak toward the end of barrel and in front of the thumb piece is due to poor photography, dirty lens I believe.
If I had the trade to do all over again, knowing what I found out later from the gunsmith and what I learned about the veracity of the trader. I never would have made the deal. Now that I have it looking good, it shoots as good as I expected and even if it not a real 38/44 Outdoorsman as it left the factory. I'm really happy about adding it to my small and frugal S&W collection of shooters.
I plan on doing some searching for older 38/44 loading data and using it Javalina hunting next year. I have to tweak the rear sight a bit as it clusters about 2 inches left at 25 yards but that will have to wait for the triple digit weather to end about mid Sept.
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