WAshington State Patrol 38/44 Heavy Duty Model of 1955, Pre model 20

[olypenn222]

Picked up a nice 38/44 Heavy duty model of 1950 today at the gunshow, 5 screw, matching 6 1/2 barrel, matching magna grips, matching cylinder, a second stamp on the barrel is .357, cylinder has been bored out to .357. Serial number S 109XXX indicates a 1954-55 revolver. Seller told me the revolver belonged to her Grandfather and was his WSP duty revolver. No WSP markings on the revolver, had one once before with no stamping that lettered to the hardware store in Tacoma, WA that sold 38/44's to the WSP.

Any ideas? Have been told before these where stamped on the backstrap WSP. Revolver either is 98+ plus condition or has the best reblue I have seen in 30 years of collecting smiths.
Don't have my camera today but will try to post pictures this week.
thanks for looking, olypenn22

 

[A10]

I own one. No WSP stamping on the gun. Mine is in 95+ condition and was carried daily. Mine is a later gun, 1955-56, and was shipped with target grips. The overbore was definitely not done by the Patrol. They went to the 6"Highway Patrolman with target grips after the Heavy Duty. The overbore might be an indicator of a re-blue. If you don't mind my asking, what did you have to give?

 

[olypenn222]

She was asking $200, I gave her $300 because, 1) I have a soft spot for old cops and their family. 2) I have a soft spot for old Smiths, she was floored.

My last 38/44 was a 1952 cut down to 4 inch barrel, had a a very professional new front sight done that looked like a king. It was bored out to .357 with no barrel mark, was told it was common for retired WSP troopers to have their revolvers cut for consealed carry and rebored for .357.

This one has the best trigger job I has seen on a N frame, about 1-2 lbs single action, 4-5 lbs double. Nice tight lockup. Will have to shoot it to see how it works.

thanks, olypenn222

 

[1Aspenhill]

I have the serial number of another WSP HD in that serial number range. Usually the back strap is grey because of the name being ground off.
Bill

 

[j38]

I have one from 1956 that still shows a couple of very faint letters on the back strap where they incompletely polished off the Washington State Patrol stamp. Mine is not chambered for .357.

Congrats & Enjoy,

Jerry

 

[olypenn222]

Thanks for the info, picked up a S&W 28-2 Washington State Patrol marked revolver today, 95+%, my 3th WSP marked revolver in 10 years, it is a 1967-68 revolver with diamond target grips. What do you think market value on one of these is now? thanks again, olypenn222

 

[olypenn222]

Find a picture of the WSP 38-44 and the WSP 28-2 below

Thanks, olypenn222

 

[Dave T]

There was a deputy on my department who moved to Arizona from Washington in the early 1970s. He was the only member of my department to carry a 6" revolver, a Model 28. Everyone else went with the handier 4" guns. Wonder what it is about the Pacific NW that makes the cops up there like 6" revolvers? (smile)

Dave

 

[handejector]

Interesting.
I thought WSP stamped all their fixed sight guns on the backstrap. I have seen several HD's and 1926's that were so marked- or actually ground where they had been marked.

 

[olypenn222]

All of the 28-2 WSP revolvers I have seen and owned and seen have had " WASH STATE PATROL" engraved on the right side of the frame on the sideplate below the cylinder like the picture below. Have spoken to three retired WSP troopers who have confirmed their issue S&W 28-2's are all marked the same. Have spoken to a retired WSP armorer who has confired that every WSP 28-2 he had ever seen was also marked the same.

The confusion comes from the fact the all WSP issued revolvers prior were most likely WSP engraved marked on the backstrap. All of the model 1950 HD's (including the pictured one above) I have seen for some reason have had the WSP stamp removed when the trooper retired, leaving a polished or matt spot on the backstrap, next time I speak to the retired WSP armorer I will ask him about this.

Has anyone ever seen a S&W Chief special with a WSP stamp?, I know they were issured to the Washington state governors protection detail manned by the WSP, as well as ranking WSP officers.

Also see the Remington 870's from time to time that were WSP marked.

thanks again, olypenn222

 

[handejector]

............................Seller told me the revolver belonged to her Grandfather and was his WSP duty revolver. No WSP markings on the revolver, had one once before with no stamping that lettered to the hardware store in Tacoma, WA that sold 38/44's to the WSP.

oly,
I was commenting about this when I said-

Interesting.
I thought WSP stamped all their fixed sight guns on the backstrap. I have seen several HD's and 1926's that were so marked- or actually ground where they had been marked.

__________________________________________

The confusion comes from the fact the all WSP issued revolvers prior were most likely WSP engraved marked on the backstrap. All of the model 1950 HD's (including the pictured one above) I have seen for some reason have had the WSP stamp removed when the trooper retired, leaving a polished or matt spot on the backstrap, next time I speak to the retired WSP armorer I will ask him about this.

Not really any confusion- the 28's could not be marked on the backstrap because they are grooved.

At the annual meeting, I sold a 6.5" Transition Mod 1926-44 Spec that had the ground backstrap. It lettered to the hardware store you speak of. It had a swivel drilled thru the # and the ser number was restamped under left grip.
I have examined two others like it that had ground backstraps, but traces of lettering remained- enough to confirm that they were stamped "Washington State Patrol" or "Wash. State Patrol". As I recall, Washington was completely spelled out.
I currently have a 6.5 post-war HD, S154XXX that shows moderate honest holster wear with a ground backstrap. All numbers match, including grips.
So, what I really wonder-
Does anyone know WHO marked the guns? Were they marked at the factory, by the dealer (in-house or subbed), or by the WSP???
If they marked some, why aren't they all marked??

We gots to know these things.
I may not sleep again till we find out......

 

[1Aspenhill]

Oh Great Chief from Georgia!!!!! Those troopers that wanted their HDs could get them with the markings on them. All others were ground off. Here is a picture of the backstrap with markings.

From looking at this one and the APD guns, I believe, they were done at the factory. They look too good to be stamped by the armorer. Lyle had a consectutive pair of them.

Hope this helps,
Bill

 

[handejector]

Aha- so some exist still marked cause Troopers bought them.

Were they ALL marked?

ALSO- was Lyle's pair still marked, or ground?
Thanks, Bill.

 

[1Aspenhill]

Oh Great One,
If memory serves me, a Forum member years ago had 2 of them, one from an armorer that was never marked, so I would have to say no to that one. Lyle's pair were ground off. I have more pics of the guns in holsters etc.
The hula girls were asking me if I had seen you lately!!!
Bill

 

[BUFF]

Doesn't the factory mark department guns letters all the same size?

 

[olypenn222]

Spoke to the Retired WSP Armorer today, first chance since the last WAC Puyullup gunshow here in Western Washington State.

As to my questions to him on WSP Revolver markings, his answer was each model series varied but as a rule of thumb the revolvers where ordered from Smith with the Washington State Patrol engraved on the back strap by Smith on all the 38/44's, and 20's (note the engraved WSP with the larger first letters where correct per the pictures above) the tell tail was that the guns where blued by Smith after the engravings were cut and the thus the grooves in the cuts where blued.

But the WSP had their own engraving equipment and could engrave the guns themselves as needed, the tell tail, the grooves of the engravings would be unblued and silver because the engraving happened after the guns where blued by Smith.

As to removing the WSP engravings when a revolver was removed from service, that predated his time with the WSP, but he did understand that was standard, when he was there there was no requirement to remove the WSP markings on the 28-2 series WSP revolvers or later issue guns.

Will be seeing him again tomorrow, can ask him any other questions then if you have them.

Did run across a very nice S&W WSP 44 special 1946 Trans revolver at the show today, had the prewar one line made in USA trademark, a scrubbed WSP stampings, and lanyard ring, and original magna diamond grips. Think its owner was askng $2100 for it.

Thanks again, olypenn222

 

[bushmaster1313]

1957 WSP Model 12

 

[bmg60]

lee
I have one (post war HD) that is unmarked and has not been ground off
the story is it was owned by one of the training officers.
thats the story and I am sticking to it.
serial number S-154968
Jim Fisher

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Oh Great Chief from Georgia!!!!! Those troopers that wanted their HDs could get them with the markings on them. All others were ground off. Here is a picture of the backstrap with markings.

From looking at this one and the APD guns, I believe, they were done at the factory. They look too good to be stamped by the armorer. Lyle had a consectutive pair of them.

Hope this helps,
Bill

I just purchased the WSP 38/44 HD that you have pictured at the top of your post......That photo came out of a past issue of the SWCA Journal and was included in an article by David Damkaer who was the editor at the time. I feel very fortunate to have acquired this piece.......truly a scarce find to have the backstrap markings intact!!

 

[A10]

I hadn't been back to this thread for six years....thanks for reviving it! I learned a lot about these fine revolvers in reading through....for instance that the WSP didn't do most of the engraving. I recall being down at Fleet & Supply in the late 70s and seeing the engraving equipment. One of the armorers showed me the rack of Thompsons back there. I can't recall if these were marked, I think I was too awestruck by seeing a dozen or so in one place!