CMYSIX
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SN S123178 .38 special
. Does this use moon clips?
. Does this use moon clips?
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What is it?
- Thread starter CMYSIX
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dsf
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Just a bit of a guess, but an Outdoorsman - 38/44 type?
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- upper corner lower alabam
Also known as pre-model 23. No moon clips unless it was modified. Nice revolver with non-relieved diamond target grips. Circa 1954
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DWalt
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It is an N-frame 38/44 Outdoorsman revolver. The barrel caliber stamping will be .38 S&W Special, but it was designed to use a somewhat more powerful loading than the factory standard .38 Special cartridge. That cartridge is often called the .38-44. It is no longer made by the larger ammunition companies, but some small boutique manufacturers such as Buffalo Bore and Underwood still make similar loadings. To illustrate, the standard .38 Special load produces a muzzle velocity which is around 800 to 850 ft/sec. The .38-44 load is usually 1100 to 1150 ft/sec. Of course any .38 Special cartridge can be fired in yours without problems. No moon clip is required. Those are generally used only in revolvers chambered for rimless cartridges such as the 9mm or .45 ACP.
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Model19man
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Might check to see if the cylinder holes have been bored deeper to accommodate 357 magnums; quite a few HDs and Outdoorsmans were. The stocks are from the same period as the gun I think, maybe a bit earlier although I don't know if any Outdoorsmans shipped with non-relieved diamond targets. Maybe as a special order; you can check the left panel to see if there is an SN but very few were stamped with SNs. SW ucla noted these are also called pre-model 23s although that "pre-model" terminology makes some here wince a bit. There's a 25-50% premium for one in bright blue finish. Can't tell from the pictures, most were the more dull standard blue. Nice gun, don't see them very often. Enjoy.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
Jeff
SWCA #1457
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DWalt
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The reason why the 38/44 revolver is heavy is that the recoil energy of the .38-44 cartridge is substantially greater than the standard .38 Special load, and that extra gun weight helps to control it. You can safely fire .38-44 ammunition in any .38 Special revolver, but the recoil will be excessive.
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The story of the development of the 38-44 cartridge (and your revolver and its fixed sight kin) is nothing if not somewhat entertaining----and perhaps incomplete. It seems the law enforcement community was expressing concerns about the inability of their .38 Specials to penetrate the bad guy's car bodies and windshields. I suspect the fact that the bad guys had access to Colt's .38 Supers, which could pretty well shred their adversaries car bodies and windshields might have had something to do with it as well-----lest the law enforcement community forsake S&W's products for Colt's.
At any rate, work began apace to develop a new and improved .38 Special cartridge (which not incidentally has become known as the forerunner of the 357 Magnum)---in keeping with the old saying about "Some's good, more's better, and too much is just right." The resulting 38-44 loads put the garden variety .38 Specials to shame----and law enforcement's continuing use of S&W products continued right along.
Ralph Tremaine
At any rate, work began apace to develop a new and improved .38 Special cartridge (which not incidentally has become known as the forerunner of the 357 Magnum)---in keeping with the old saying about "Some's good, more's better, and too much is just right." The resulting 38-44 loads put the garden variety .38 Specials to shame----and law enforcement's continuing use of S&W products continued right along.
Ralph Tremaine
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Not only that, but what might appear to be a truly mind boggling depth of knowledge will be surpassed in the next post---and again in the next one---and so on------tends to keep you humble----not that you'd admit it.
Ralph Tremaine
