Smith grip adapter on 38/44 outdoorsman

[jwh32]

Over 50 years of collecting, the adapter on this outdoorsman is the only one for which I have ever been able to become the temporary custodian. (actually, have never even seen another one.) Revolver is serial 40600. front sight is a red bead marked "King pat pend" have two other outdoosman, one 22, and another 38/44 all three have differnt "King" sights. will try to photo all three toghter and post. Comments and input appreciated on adapter, sight, etc

 

[jwh32]

Over 50 years of collecting, the adapter on this outdoorsman is the only one for which I have ever been able to become the temporary custodian. (actually, have never even seen another one.) Revolver is serial 40600. front sight is a red bead marked "King pat pend" have two other outdoosman, one 22, and another 38/44 all three have differnt "King" sights. will try to photo all three toghter and post. Comments and input appreciated on adapter, sight, etc

 

[j38]

Beautiful old Outdoorsman! I'm primarily an avid admirer of fine old S&W's. The experts will be along soon, I'm sure. Do post pictures of the other guns you mention. It sounds like you've also got a good start on King sight variations and I'll look forward to seeing them. Thanks for posting.

Best Regards, Jerry

 

[jwh32]

front king sight on above pic. Red bead, what material? were the king sights sometimes factory, or always after market? once had a 22 outdoorsman with King "red bad reflector" sight and cockeyed hammer, about certain it was after-market.

 

[GLL]

Exceptionally nice looking Outdoorsman! I would love to see any other photos you might have available.

Thank you for the photo and serial number. I look forward to seeing your second Outdoorsman.

Jerry

[email protected]

 

[Kobold_27]

Beautiful Outdoorsman!

The grip adapters are hard to come by for sure. The last one for an N frame I saw for sale was on ebay and sold for around $1100 if I remember correctly.

How did you come to find your grip adapter?

Best,

Michael

 

[jwh32]

Michael, the above image is from the 1932 issue of "Burning Powder" About 30 years ago or so, at a local show, I spotted the grip adapter on a N frame. Never having seen one, I went home and found the adapter and description in the 1932 brochure shown above. Went back to the show and bought it for $5.00. The rubber was/is still good, and included the longer grip screw required when the adapter is installed.

 

[Kobold_27]

You picked that up for $5.00!!!!

Yowza!!! You might consider buying a Lotto ticket, because you scored BIG-TIME my friend!!!

Congratulations!

Have you considered getting a Smith & Wesson Historical letter to find out how your Outdoorsman was configured when it shipped?

Thanks for posting the excerpt from Burning Powder, I did not know that the adapters were available as early as 1932.

Best,

Michael

 

[opoefc]

As Michael says, you might consider getting a factory letter on your Outdoorsman, to see how it was configured when shipped. Some of it's features may be after market. Since you found the Grip Adapter later on and added it to the gun, it may or may not be right, insofar as how the gun was when first shipped.

 

[jwh32]

Jerry, here's my other 38/44 outdoosman Ser 46145 Gold bead front sight, flat faced (not king marked) I belive this type sight was named "Call Gold Bead". this raises the question if the non-marked bead sights were S&W factory, or some unknown mfg. I will try to make a close-up photo if you wish. thanx for the interest in this. John

 

[moosedog]

Nice Outdoorsman. For some reason these have been hard to find for me until Suprica let me put one on layaway. Now I can be a member of the club too.
A pre war grip adapter for $5.00! You are my HERO! Now thats why we go to gun shows.

 

[GLL]

John:

Another VERY NICE Outdoorsman !

Thank for the additional information and photo of your second Outdoorsman. I very much appreciate it for my files.

Jerry

 

[j38]

Another Beauty! Now we know who else is hoarding all the Outdosman models.

Thanks, Jerry

 

[jwh32]

Well, I guess this answers one of my own questions --- bottom left on this pic shows a factory "Call Gold Bead" front sight option. info is from the "75th anniversary S&W catalog, page 12

 

[Kobold_27]

Very cool!

I love history like that!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[merlindrb]

John

The "Call" bead was named after a long term S&W employee who was credited with it's developement. It was offered by the factory, as your brochure shows. Later offerings included the McGivern gold bead, a similar idea but the bead is proud of the sight instead of flush with it.

The factory offered a variety of King sights on the pre-war Magnums, including the read bead you picture. I don't know if they offered them on other revolvers but see no reason to doubt it. As someone said above, a factory letter will tell you if they left the factory in that configuration or were adapted later.

Regardless, they are really nice examples and you should be very proud of them.

 

[jwh32]

For Michael, Here's the only info I have that indicates S&W actually made this type grip adapter for The K frame. This a photo of a photo from the 1938 issue of "Burning Powder".

 

[merlindrb]

I've got a few examples of the pre-war K frame grip adapter - see the K-32 pictured below. They are much harder to find than the N frame, presumably because so few guns were sold with them fitted.

In response to the silly prices being paid on Ebay for N frame grip adapters Jerry Rodgers and I manufactured some last year. We've been selling them to people who need a set but can't /won't pay the high prices for originals. Sales have been steady but slow. We anticipate even less demand for a K frame version and thus we've decided not to bother making them at this time.

 

[JayCeeNC]

I've posted this K-frame grip adapter before, but at the risk of being redundant I'll post it again.
This grip adapter was not original to this gun as the M&P on which it rides was shipped in 1920, waaay before S&W made the grip adapters. It was, however, on the gun when I bought it and I didn't complain!