S&W 38/44 Heavy duty question/help (BCP / MP)

[BadAimer]

New to the forum!

I just picked up a S&W 38/44 Heavy Duty for 750$ Canadian in good condition, light wear, advertised as a shooter. It has a lanyard ring, and "BCP 175", with the serial being in the 50XXX range. Everything matches up, except for the grips, the inside of the wooden grips is a 62XXX serial, but I noticed on the frame there was "MP" stamped over the serial. Also my Heavy duty is Double Action Only. It cannot be cocked as a single action.

I did a bit of research before making this thread, the serial is within range of it being made in 1938, the BCP is the British Columbia police, and the MP is apparently RCMP markings. The BCP was amalgamated in 1950 into the RCMP E-Division, and the RCMP inherited BCP duty firearms.



My questions are;

Was the BCP issued heavy duties Double action only? Or was this modified later on by a previous owner?

What would be a estimated value of my heavy duty?

 

[handejector]

The BCP Heavy Duty's were not DA only. They were the normal DA/SA.

 

[mojave30cal]

Can you post some pictures of your 38/44? We love pictures
here.

 

[BadAimer]

Thanks for the replies! Also a update; after playing around with my 38/44 it is indeed double action AND single action, the single action is just worn down so its a hair trigger. Feel a bit stupid for the first question! I'm still curious on the BCP and MP markings.



Here is some pictures

 

[Truckman]

Oohh, what a great looking HD......Ben

 

[StrawHat]

Thanks for the replies! Also a update; after playing around with my 38/44 it is indeed double action AND single action, the single action is just worn down so its a hair trigger. Feel a bit stupid for the first question! I'm still curious on the BCP and MP markings.



Here is some pictures

Nice revolver!

A thought about the Single Action, it may not be worn. It may just need a good internal cleaning to get rid of dried grease and such. If you are comfortable working on the internals, take them out and give them a good soak in ATF and acetone. Followed by a good stiff brushing and a blast of compressed air. If not comfortable doing that, just remove the stocks and give the whole revolver or at least the action a good soak in the same solution followed by the compressed air. Eye protection is suggested when use the air nozzle.

Kevin

 

[SS336]

Wow! That is a beauty. Hope all it needs is a cleaning. In great shape for a police rack revolver.

 

[Targets Guy]

I had a K-38 that did the same thing regarding SA/DA. I tightened the strain screw and no issue after.

 

[kennethg]

What a piece of history. Great revolver, Well done.

 

[BadAimer]

Nice revolver!

A thought about the Single Action, it may not be worn. It may just need a good internal cleaning to get rid of dried grease and such. If you are comfortable working on the internals, take them out and give them a good soak in ATF and acetone. Followed by a good stiff brushing and a blast of compressed air. If not comfortable doing that, just remove the stocks and give the whole revolver or at least the action a good soak in the same solution followed by the compressed air. Eye protection is suggested when use the air nozzle.

Kevin

I had a K-38 that did the same thing regarding SA/DA. I tightened the strain screw and no issue after.

Thanks for the info, ill certainly give it a look over before shooting at the range.

 

[mojave30cal]

See, I told you. We love pictures of Smith & Wesson revolvers.

 

[Glashaus]

That is a nice HD, I really like the lanyard ring!

 

[BadAimer]

See, I told you. We love pictures of Smith & Wesson revolvers.

Here is a few more! I'm not sure what this number means, its on the left side when you push the cylinder out "7815".

 

[StrawHat]

Here is a few more! I'm not sure what this number means, its on the left side when you push the cylinder out "7815".

That is an assembly number applied by the factory to make sure the fitted parts get reassembled to the correct revolver.

Kevin

 

[1Aspenhill]

Your HD was shipped in 1937.

 

[BadAimer]

That is an assembly number applied by the factory to make sure the fitted parts get reassembled to the correct revolver.

Kevin

Thanks for the info!

Your HD was shipped in 1937.

Looks like I was off by 1 year for my own research for when it was manufactured, thank you very much for the delivery year Bill ! I plan on sending an email off to the rcmp heritage centre in Saskatchewan Regina to dig into the MP markings.

 

[19leben]

Wow that Heavy Duty is in superb condition. I agree with others regarding the single action trigger. Judging from your pics, it doesn't appear to have been shot enough to wear anything down, esp. the sear/trigger. Probably gunked up by old oil/grease that's hardened.

 

[BadAimer]

Wow that Heavy Duty is in superb condition. I agree with others regarding the single action trigger. Judging from your pics, it doesn't appear to have been shot enough to wear anything down, esp. the sear/trigger. Probably gunked up by old oil/grease that's hardened.

I gave it a good cleaning as others suggested recently, and adjusted the strain screw. The single action is working properly now Waiting for a reply from the RCMP heritage centre about the MP markings as well.

 

[JP@AK]

A very nice piece.

As you noted, the stocks are not original to that revolver and are later than the gun. But they are good looking early postwar Magna stocks and carry some value of their own.

 

[1Aspenhill]

The grips are prewar magnas and are correct for the gun.

 

[JP@AK]

The grips are prewar magnas and are correct for the gun.

Thanks. I see that now from the 2d picture in Post #13. When I saw the first set of pictures, the peaks of the checking at the top were not clear and appeared to be rounded like the postwar style. The later picture makes it clear that you are correct.

 

[dingomann]

As to the value, I think you made a great buy. You gave $600 US and I would think it would bring $900 US or more; they are pretty desirable. That would be around $1150 Canadian.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

The grips alone are worth over $500 in the US.

 

[Toyman]

Page 55 ARMS AND ACCOUTREMONTS OF THE MOUNTED POLICE shows RCMP took over several agencies including S&W 38/44 revolvers from British Columbia.
Photos from page 57

 

[BadAimer]

Page 55 ARMS AND ACCOUTREMONTS OF THE MOUTED POLICE shows RCMP took over several agencies including S&W 38/44 revolvers from British Columbia.
Photos from page 57

The grips alone are worth over $500 in the US.

As to the value, I think you made a great buy. You gave $600 US and I would think it would bring $900 US or more; they are pretty desirable. That would be around $1150 Canadian.

Thanks. I see that now from the 2d picture in Post #13. When I saw the first set of pictures, the peaks of the checking at the top were not clear and appeared to be rounded like the postwar style. The later picture makes it clear that you are correct.

The grips are prewar magnas and are correct for the gun.

Thanks for the replies and info again! Not gonna lie, I think this is my personal best find, im certainly getting very attached to this revolver I just got in touch with Bill, and sent him the serial of the prewar magnas as mentioned at my first post. The number is 62176, and the heavy duty with that serial was part of a BCP shipment in october 1940, so i'm assuming a gunsmith took the grips off for maintenance for the BCP heavy duties, and put them back on with a bit of mismatching.


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