Who here has a 38/44 heavyduty and loves it :)

[chevyguy76]

Hey guys,
Newbie here, great board

Was just wondering if anyone else had a 38/44 heavy duty smith and loves it as much as I do:)  1946 model here with 4 inch bbl.  Full hose 38 special rounds and at reasonable distances puts all six where you point it



Chevyguy

[ButlerFord45]

Never heard of it.  What is it? 

[Graybeard]

Never heard of it.  What is it? 

It's the .38 Special case loaded to pressures as high as or in most cases higher pressures than the .357 Magnum. Both S&W and Colt chambered for it in the days before the .357 Magnum came out. All guns so chambered were originally chambered to .44 or .45 cartridges so they have plenty of strength in the smaller diameter.

[Hammerdown]

Hello
To elaborate a little more on what Gray beard said. The 38-44 is just what it's called a .38 special on a.44 frame. The frame was a beffy frame which later was called the-N-frame. They had fixed sights and could take a hand load as potent as the later .357 Magnums. Regards, Hanmmerdown

[ButlerFord45]

Then my mental image of a short chambered 27 or 28 wouldn't be far off?

[Graybeard]

Not far off at all BUT it was before either of those really. Picture an older S&W .44 Special with a .357" barrel and chambered to .38 Special or a Colt SAA chambered to .38 Special but marked .38-44.

[shotgunner]

I have a 4" heavy duty that is in 99% condition. I also have 2 38-44 outdoorsman revolvers. Great guns, shoot very well. My heavy duty is a little too nice to shoot a lot, I would like to find a shooter that I wouldn't mind putting in a holster. I'll post a picture later. Shotgunner

[Kywoodwrkr]

Early models sported a S prefix on serial number didn't they?
Similar to the K prefix.
I had one many years ago and it was indeed a very nice sidearm.
Talked a friend into buying it because I knew he'd keep it.
One of many I guess.
FWIW
DaveP     kywoodwrkr

[jphendren]

"Early models sported a S prefix on serial number didn't they?"

Actually the Heavy Duty appeared in April 1930 and the Outdoorsman in November 1931.  The S prefix Heavy Duty guns appeared in June 1946 and the Outdoorsmans August 1946.

Jared

[ATCDoktor]

Here's a Pic of mine SN 502XX Dates from 1936-37 Factory refinish in October of '46. I belive that's were the "non period"/incorrect grips came from. It shoots ok if I do my part. The target thats posted is at 20 yards off hand 6 O'clock hold.

It should be dead on with heavier loads/Bullets that were intended for this gun.

[poules'deau]

This 5" HD sees a lot of range duty and general packing when I'm woods bumming.  It can handle the heavy Keith loads at magnum level with ease.

Jim

[cetme]

just had a 6" fixed sight model rebuilt. Started out as a 3.5" nickeled state troopers gun. Along the way 75% of the nickel peeled off and the barrel was pitted beyond usefullness. enter a 6" NOS barrel from numerich arms and a little gunsmith work and it'sort of in shape. It then took 4 different gunsmiths untill I found one that could retime the gun. Now it's in tip top shape waiting for a nice spring day to poke holes in paper and a few soup cans.

[shotgunner]

Poules

That is a beautiful 38-44, I love the stag grips. I got a new Nikon digital SLR, I will post a picture of the one I have. I keep a 1917 in a Bianchi 111 holster for bumming around the farm. The 45 AR is a great revolver round also. I need to find another Heavy Duty, one that I feel I can put some wear on. Shotgunner

[jdinil]

I've got a early prewar Outdoorsman. 6 1/2 inch barrel. I really like that revolver. It would be one of the last ones I'd ever get rid of. The Outdoormen's had adjustable rear sights. The Heavy Duty was a fixed sighted gun. I don't know if that is a hard and fast rule, but I think it's generally true.