S&W Model 1950 .44 3 1/2"
- Thread starter 1869
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SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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My father was an officer for the MPD from 1954 until his passing in 1980.
His department issued revolver was Model 10, (4" as I recall). However, MPD did allow officers to purchase and carry their own revolvers.
His final carry gun was a 4" Model 28-2 Highway Patrolman. While it was obviously a 357 Magnum, he was required to only fire and carry lead round nose .38 specials. As far as I know, that was the standard revolver issued by the MPD.
BTW, I still have and fire the HP. It will pass to my son when I am gone.
Bill
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jw mathews
Member
Re Bill's post on 8-11: Does the quantity of six 3.5" bbl 1950 Model 44s include my consecutively-numbered pair ordered in mid-1955 & received 13 months later ca August 1956?
I was in the US Army in the Panama Canal Zone and learned I could order handguns thru the PX. Having read Elmer Keith at a tender age, my first purchase was a standard 6.5" with target hammer & grips that I waited for 5 months & 20 days. I wanted to get a pair of carry guns but the shortest bbl that could be had on the fixed-sight gun was 4 inches. The shortest bbl the factory would provide on an N-frame Target Model was 3.5" at that time. BTW, I still have the original boxes for these treasures.
My guess is that the reason Lew Horton was able to get 3" barrels during the early 80-s is that they ordered a large enough quantity to cover the factory's tooling costs.
I was in the US Army in the Panama Canal Zone and learned I could order handguns thru the PX. Having read Elmer Keith at a tender age, my first purchase was a standard 6.5" with target hammer & grips that I waited for 5 months & 20 days. I wanted to get a pair of carry guns but the shortest bbl that could be had on the fixed-sight gun was 4 inches. The shortest bbl the factory would provide on an N-frame Target Model was 3.5" at that time. BTW, I still have the original boxes for these treasures.
My guess is that the reason Lew Horton was able to get 3" barrels during the early 80-s is that they ordered a large enough quantity to cover the factory's tooling costs.
Magnificent ! Your post also helps put to rest a long running controversy of barrel markings. In another thread a member posted post war .44 Special, (not a target version) that did not have "dingbats" (yes, that is the official word) or "Maltese Cross" emblems fore and aft the ".44 S&W SPECIAL CTG." barrel markings.
That 1954 ship date and condition of the piece is just amazing.
I have a 4" Target, special ordered for Emerson Axe, major S&W stockholder and member of S&W Board of Directors, shipped in 1950.
That 1954 ship date and condition of the piece is just amazing.
I have a 4" Target, special ordered for Emerson Axe, major S&W stockholder and member of S&W Board of Directors, shipped in 1950.
j w matthews...My number of six does not include your pair. I covered the period, 1950-June 1956 when orders for the 44 Special dropped off in favor of the 44 Magnum. With your two, the number shipped is eight.
Bill
Bill
jw mathews
Member
It is not my intention in any way to "hijack" Member 1869's original post on his new purchase. I do appreciate knowing that my pair brings the total number of 3.5" bbl 1950 Model .44's to eight. Since this forum is for sharing & a post above requested photos, here are a couple shots of my two revolvers.
It may not be easy to see in the photos, but the barrel markings lack the Maltese Crosses. (An earlier post mentioned those stamps that used to appear at the beginning & end of the barrel lettering.)
The serials are in the S145,000 range. The lower-numbered gun has a plain black ramp front sight (standard rear sight) & the hammer spur was removed for a faster draw at short distance. The other gun has a red ramp front sight (no white-outline rear) & hammer spur intact for easier single-cocking at longer distance. My initials are on the bottom of the trigger guards. The only work not done by the factory was degrooving the triggers. (I had not thought to ask for that when placing my order.) That work was done by the man in charge of the Army Ordnance small arms repair shop in Balboa, CZ. I met him through the Balboa Gun Club where I spent most of my weekends while stationed in Panama.
One mistake I made was requesting the bright blue finish, because holster wear appears more quickly on a highly-polished gun. I have not carried or shot these guns in many years as they are now difficult to conceal because of my expanded waistline, but I prize them highly, knowing they are among a very few 1950 Target .44's made with 3.5" barrels.
My inventory shows that I received the guns in April of 1956. (Does that bring the total number back down to six?) The original price each was $86.77, but apply the inflation calculator to determine the equivalent amount today before getting too envious. Also, as a PFC I was paid something like $120/mo and a third of that was sent home for savings with another third going for deposits on guns; had my own special rack in the company arms room!
It may not be easy to see in the photos, but the barrel markings lack the Maltese Crosses. (An earlier post mentioned those stamps that used to appear at the beginning & end of the barrel lettering.)
The serials are in the S145,000 range. The lower-numbered gun has a plain black ramp front sight (standard rear sight) & the hammer spur was removed for a faster draw at short distance. The other gun has a red ramp front sight (no white-outline rear) & hammer spur intact for easier single-cocking at longer distance. My initials are on the bottom of the trigger guards. The only work not done by the factory was degrooving the triggers. (I had not thought to ask for that when placing my order.) That work was done by the man in charge of the Army Ordnance small arms repair shop in Balboa, CZ. I met him through the Balboa Gun Club where I spent most of my weekends while stationed in Panama.
One mistake I made was requesting the bright blue finish, because holster wear appears more quickly on a highly-polished gun. I have not carried or shot these guns in many years as they are now difficult to conceal because of my expanded waistline, but I prize them highly, knowing they are among a very few 1950 Target .44's made with 3.5" barrels.
My inventory shows that I received the guns in April of 1956. (Does that bring the total number back down to six?) The original price each was $86.77, but apply the inflation calculator to determine the equivalent amount today before getting too envious. Also, as a PFC I was paid something like $120/mo and a third of that was sent home for savings with another third going for deposits on guns; had my own special rack in the company arms room!
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The total should be six as I included April 1956 in my initial search.
Bill
Bill
Those are two really beautiful revolvers you have jw! I'm glad I posted my gun. I've owned this gun since about 1975, and never saw any others. I had no idea of their rarity. Luckily even thou I'm a shooter/collector, I've never fired mine. The Maltese crosses don't appear on the barrel markings on my gun either. Funny being a more compact .44, that it was ordered with target stocks, instead of the standard stocks like yours. Most N frame guns I've seen that have 3 1/2" barrels came with the standard stocks. It was also ordered with the target hammer, features normally found on longer barreled target guns. It's neat that back then, a person could special order just about any option they wanted that was within reason. It's made our collecting much more interesting!
jw mathews
Member
One might wonder where are the other three 44s with 3.5" barrels? Three of the six total examples are included in this thread, leaving three more to be found by an astute collector sometime in future (we hope).
As I said above ,a very neat thread. Don't we all wish we could go back to a time that we could contact the factory and order what we wanted? I was able to enjoy that for a short while with the single actions from US Firearms before they closed but that also is now a thing of the past. All my best, Joe.
I also special ordered from U.S Firearms, a consecutive numbered pair of Nettleton SA.s. One a 7 1/2" the other 5 1/2". I wanted to order more SA's but before I knew it they were gone. Sad.
I was only able to obtain one USFA single action. Mine is a 4 3/4" blue/case hardened .44 Special. The action as good as or better than a friend's 2nd Generation Colt SAA.
I got four in 44 online new unfired w/boxes and docs:
a pair of consecutively #d 44 Spl/Russian dual cartridge marking on barrel, CCH hammers with bordered checkering, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH, checkered walnut grips.
another pair of consecutively #d 44 Spl/44-40 convertibles, CCH hammers, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH.
And one used/like new in box 45 BP, CCH hammers with bordered checkering, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH, 1 pc walnut grips.
They're actions are all so much the same as well as the accuracy, fit, and finish.
a pair of consecutively #d 44 Spl/Russian dual cartridge marking on barrel, CCH hammers with bordered checkering, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH, checkered walnut grips.
another pair of consecutively #d 44 Spl/44-40 convertibles, CCH hammers, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH.
And one used/like new in box 45 BP, CCH hammers with bordered checkering, 4 3/4", Blue/CCH, 1 pc walnut grips.
They're actions are all so much the same as well as the accuracy, fit, and finish.
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