Outdoorsman question

[The Kid]

I bought a pretty nice 38/44 OD a while back, short action serial #78925 and I was wondering a couple things about it I've noticed recently.

When did they stop numbering the cylinder and barrel? And did they ever ship guns that the finish didn't match between the different parts?
I know it's not a reblue, i have a prety good eye for signs as I reblue guns as a part of my occupation and this one has no signs. Sideplate line is sharp and tight, all roll stamps are sharp and slightly puckered from the stamping process. Nothing is washed or rolled over, absolutely no signs of a reblue.
But, the barrel and cylinder are not stamped with the serial number and while the frame is the satin or dull blue, the barrel and cylinder are the gloss black like you would expect on a M27 or M29.
It isn't chambered for 357 and the barrel is definitely a OD barrel as its roll marked 38 special and only has a grooved rib on top.

It is a really nice gun and mechanically perfect, just looks rather odd. Any ideas?

 

[DWalt]

Looks like a pre-Model 23 .38/44 Outdoorsman, and that SN would date shipment to about mid to late 1950. At that time, the SN should be in all of the normal places - butt, inside barrel shroud, on rear face of cylinder, on cylinder yoke, and inside the extractor star, plus inside the right grip panel of the original grips (which this one does not have). The practice of SNs on the barrel, cylinder, etc., was stopped about the time model numbering started in the late 1950s. At that time, the standard finish would have been the satin blue, and all components should have a like appearance. Bright (glossy) blue was an option, except for the M27 and pre-M27 which always had the bright blue finish as standard. Something is indeed strange about this one, could be a parts gun.

 

[Big Cholla]

I think that your suspicions are correct. I too think that the barrel and the cylinder are swap-outs from another handgun. That is a great looking gun, but probably not an original to make it collectible as one. .....

 

[clang444]

Interesting. Maybe the original barrel and cylinder were donors for another project and someone ordered replacement parts from S&W? Who knows, maybe this gun started out as a .44 special or .45 and someone used the parts for another gun, or maybe a bulged barrel and they went .38 Special as a replacement?

 

[k22fan]

The number of places serial numbers were stamped on .38 Masterpieces was reduced during 1956. Bright blue became the standard .22 Masterpiece finish in 1955.

I hate to ask because it makes me appear more skeptical of the revolver's originality than I am but have you looked for factory rework stamps on the left side of the grip frame and inside the ejector rod shroud?

 

[The Kid]

The only mark aside from the serial number on the butt, which starts with an S by the way, forgot that in my original post, is an 8 on the left side of the gripframe and the assembly number inside the yoke.

I didn't even notice the difference in finish when I bought it, it was in such good shape mechanically and the price was too cheap to be bothered. It is a fantastic shooter and I'm not really worried about any collector value as it isn't in that nice of shape. It had Sile thumbrest stocks on it when I bought it and I found the stags at a gunshow for $100.

 

[mikepriwer]

Numbering the barrel and cylinder, at that time, was part of the manufacturing process.
The parts have been fitted previous to finishing, and the numbering scheme facilitated
them all coming back together correctly. If the barrel and cylinder, from a gun of
that period, do not have a serial number on them, then they are replacements.

Mike Priwer

 

[k22fan]

I have a hunch it is the way S&W built it. At this point you are not being asked to gamble big money on that so just enjoy your revolver. I'd love to own it.