New to me 38/44 She's home! ** updated photos added**

[mh51]

Congrats! No matter what you decide about refinishing, you found one that will last through several generations with a little care.

 

[RKmesa]

Erock:

What a beauty!!! Congrats - you now own one of the finest revolvers ever created. I love them and have a bunch. This is one of my more recent 38/44 OD acquisitions and I would never think of refinishing it - the wear on it is one of the very things that attracted me to it...













I look forward to you posting some more photos when you get it home.

All the best and thanks for sharing,

 

[Muley Gil]

Howdy,

Welp, you read it right—I get to pick her up Thursday, and I’m excited!

I’ve always been in love with the .357, so when my local shop asked me to ID a gun, I had to have it. My #1 gun bro said, “You need to get ahold of that gun.” I dusted off my 3rd edition S&W Bible and ran up to the shop. He thought it was an old Model 10 (he's a great friend, my #2 gun bro), but I had to tell him what it really was.

He got it on pawn—some feller traded it to him for a 19X plus some cash. Now, I love Glocks, but I love S&W six-guns just a little more. I tried to beat him up on the price after telling him what I thought it’d bring, but I couldn’t get this gun out of my head. Ended up trading a PSA upper and a Mossberg 590 for it.

She’s a solid shooter-grade gun that I think will clean up pretty decent. I’m thinking about a possible refinish—maybe hard chrome, or maybe that other finish I can’t remember the name of—the one that keeps the same dull bluing look. Either way, I want her to last.

Got my boy (he’s 7 now) handloading .38s, and I think this will be a revolver he can enjoy for years.

For a proper load, I’m thinking 158-grain pills over 12 grains of 2400 in .38 Special cases (she hasn’t been punched), and call it good.

There’s just something about these old girls that speaks class to me—from a time when a man had pride in what he built.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Anything I should know about this gun? She’s got that dull finish, but the timing and lock-up are spot-on. A little end-shake, but that’s expected with her age.

Thanks,
Erik

I hope you're the one running the powder measure!!!!!!!!!

 

[kmyers]

I agree that the non refinish is the move. With a firearm, especially one that is older a bit of honest use wear is more a character attribute to the finish.

 

[moosedog]

A gun can only be original once Erock. You have a nice example there. Congratulations.

 

[4BODIDDLEY]

I'm fortunate to have a couple of 38/44s also. Here's an outdoorsman that is only 25 numbers from yours! Yeah, I know my grips are wrong.

 

[stansdds]

Hahah alright fine no refinish!

What kind of holster should I be looking for did s&w make holster for this gun around the same era?

I am glad that you have come to your senses. It would be a travesty to refinish such a beautiful and original piece.

 

[Erocksmash]

Erock:

What a beauty!!! Congrats - you now own one of the finest revolvers ever created. I love them and have a bunch. This is one of my more recent 38/44 OD acquisitions and I would never think of refinishing it - the wear on it is one of the very things that attracted me to it...













I look forward to you posting some more photos when you get it home.

All the best and thanks for sharing,

That's a nice example and ported as well I was curious as to the box that went woth these guns but I guess I have that answer now.

 

[Erocksmash]

I hope you're the one running the powder measure!!!!!!!!!

Surprisingly I'm not... he was taught everything from start to finish, from picking them off the range to prep to set depths. I have a RCBS power drop with a lock ring so it gets set and locked, ever time we load it's all doubled checked.

 

[BillyMagg]

Good find. That gun looks way too nice to refinish to me. I’d just use it as is and try to wear it out. Which is exactly what I’ve been doing with its brother for over a decade now.

A 158 over 6gr of Power Pistol makes a nice 38/44 load.

Ah! those high dollar white pizza boxes make the best groups!

 

[Erocksmash]

Best i can recall from memory he's has rust spots about the size of a pea on the cylinder, some around the trigger guard, internally i have no clue... I was thinking a KROIL oil soak and some 0000 steel wool to take it off.... thoughts?

 

[Erocksmash]

I'm fortunate to have a couple of 38/44s also. Here's an outdoorsman that is only 25 numbers from yours! Yeah, I know my grips are wrong.

Wow that's pretty close, funny where things end up, if only these guns could tell their stories.

 

[Gun Relics]

Honestly it's the picture ill get some better ones once in hand some pitting/ decient rust spots throughout

So it's from about 1953. When you get these old guns, it's important to understand their history. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with cleaning them up but these finshes would quickly turn a $1200 collectible into a $600 shooter overnight.

So it's a satin finish for a duty or field gun if the finish is original. The original finish is tough and durable. As you know, these old guns rust because of improper storage and neglect. Yes, you should be able to (gently) work most of that out with some #0000 steel wool and oil. With satin finishes, touch up, if necessary, is relatively easy.

Here's a page from a 1950's catalog and a photo I liberated from a website that sold the Outdoorsman plus a box (expensive and hard to find) for over $2000. Here's a link to some history from Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson .38/44 - Wikipedia

Welcome to what may become an addiction!

 

[Erocksmash]

So it's from about 1953. When you get these old guns, it's important to understand their history. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with cleaning them up but these finshes would quickly turn a $1200 collectible into a $600 shooter overnight.

So it's a satin finish for a duty or field gun if the finish is original. The original finish is tough and durable. As you know, these old guns rust because of improper storage and neglect. Yes, you should be able to (gently) work most of that out with some #0000 steel wool and oil. With satin finishes, touch up, if necessary, is relatively easy.

Here's a page from a 1950's catalog and a photo I liberated from a website that sold the Outdoorsman plus a box (expensive and hard to find) for over $2000. Here's a link to some history from Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson .38/44 - Wikipedia

Welcome to what may become an addiction!

Wow 90$ new if we knew then what we do now....

 

[mtgianni]

If you must consider a refinish there are plenty of old RG pistols for you to refinish. That is just beautiful they way it is. If you want to spend $400-$500 to reduce the guns value 40% please find another project.

 

[Gun Relics]

Wow 90$ new if we knew then what we do now....

Well, it did better than inflation. $90 in 1955 is worth about $900 today. We can thank Nvidia for that info because I really don't feel like like doing a 70 year speadsheet on CPI, even if I could.

 

[A10]

Best i can recall from memory he's has rust spots about the size of a pea on the cylinder, some around the trigger guard, internally i have no clue... I was thinking a KROIL oil soak and some 0000 steel wool to take it off.... thoughts?

Kroil works wonders but stay away from steel wool. Copper wool used gently with get rid of the rust, steel wool will destroy the bluing. Be gentle and patient.

And keep in mind that every ding, dent, and scratch has a story to it that is part of the history of that fine firearm. It makes the gun unique.

 

[Erocksmash]

SHES HOME! Some updated better photos for the gents.

KROIL oil and bronze wool on the way

Grips are beautiful IMO have some great grain.

 

[Erocksmash]

Last one for updated photos

 

[Erocksmash]

Grips are numbered by the way, I count that as a win!