Help Identify S&W .38 Revolver

[Racinfan83]

I'm in process of cleaning and cataloging a family members guns. I've researched this one to the point that I know what the manufacture date is (late '53- early '54). There is no model number, as it was made before they did that. What I want to know is what is the actual name of it, and is it an N frame as I suspect, or a K frame? Serial # is an S 95***... Also assuming these grips aren't original. Anywhere to get originals or lookalikes?

 

[Pete D.]

When I read the subject line, I thought that the pistol was older and chambered in .38 S&W. Wrong on my part. The gun in question resembles my .38 pencil barrel....a model 10.
The underlug throws me off. If not for that, I'd have said model 13 or one of the other K frames. S&W did put an under lug/shrouded ejector on its Model 24.....maybe that is it.

 

[Racinfan83]

Yeah I probably shoulda put .38 Special on title... It's a heavy sucker. I have a model 66 K frame and this one is beefier than it is..

 

[OFT]

1953 or so S&W Heavy Duty for the old 38/44 round which is just a souped up 38 Special.

 

[Coyote3855]

I believe you have a .38/44 Heavy Duty Model of 1950 - "Pre Model 20." The serial number indicates it was shipped circa 1953-54. The serial number range for those years is S95000 to S102999 so your's is probably dated to 1953. As you suggest, it is an "N" frame. The original grips would have been checkered Magna with a diamond pattern around the grip screws. Correct original grips are available but expensive. Google will help. They show up on Ebay occasionally. I don't think the grips you have are actual stag. I suspect a plastic reproduction. If they are actually stag, they are valuable. You can check by heating a pin and touching it to the back side. Plastic will melt, real stag will smell like burning hair.

 

[Racinfan83]

Says .38 Special on the barrel? Not sure what .38-44 is?

 

[Racinfan83]

Thank you! I think they're plastic - there was some rust on the frame under the grips and on the inside of the grips. I sanded the insides flat to better align with frame and remove the rust from them. Seemed like plastic. There is only one grip screw on these.
When searching for correct grips - what model would I search for? Would regular N frame grips fit - I have a set of those (but I'm at work)

 

[Jim Watson]

Says .38 Special on the barrel? Not sure what .38-44 is?

.38-44 means .38 caliber on a .44 frame. The ammunition is a high velocity loading of .38 Special, we would call it .38 +P or even +P+, a predecessor to .357 Magnum. Different brands were labeled .38-44, .38 Special High Velocity, High Speed, Super Speed.
It will, of course shoot any current .38 Special on the market.

Would regular N frame grips fit

They should. Maybe not perfectly, there may have been a little drift in dimensions over the past 70 years.

The revolver has been reblued, the indicator being the blue trigger; it was originally case hardened like the hammer.
Might have gotten the plastic "stag" handles then.

 

[Racinfan83]

Ok cool. I will try my N frame grips just to see. I wouldn't think this would have been re-blued - unless there was a factory issue. Has very little wear, and most of the guns I'm working with have done nothing but sit for 4-5 decades until I started digging them out...

 

[Bwana John]

Ok cool. I will try my N frame grips just to see. I wouldn't think this would have been re-blued - unless there was a factory issue. Has very little wear, and most of the guns I'm working with have done nothing but sit for 4-5 decades until I started digging them out...

Looks refinished to me.

 

[Jeff olson]

Definitely refinished. Front sight looks funny. This one is from '54. Serial 105xxx.

 

[Monac]

Definitely refinished. Front sight looks funny. This one is from '54. Serial 105xxx.

Does the trigger looked blued instead of case hardened? And the plain steel ejector rod seems odd to me too. Why reblue everything but that? Are they tough to reblue because of the internal spring?

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know why the extractor rod was left white. I have seen revolvers that have been shot a lot with the rod worn down to bare steel, but not that evenly.

 

[Racinfan83]

Yeah this is strange. IDK the history of this one - many of the ones I'm working with were purchased in early 70's. This was either purchased used at that time or was passed on from family. Doesn't look like it has a lot of use...

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

These do have a significant collector desireability. A perfect example like Jeffs is worth well over $2K. Even with the refinish, grips and ground down front sight, I would still expect a local seller to ask $1100-1300.

 

[eastbank]

my 1950 S&W .38 spl K masterpiece in original gold box, i don,t shoot it. but if i owned that .38-.44 i would put it to work putting little biddy holes in paper. second picture is of the K-.38 with my K-.22 also made in 1950, i wish i had the original gold box with the K-.22

 

[Racinfan83]

Well I found out a little bit more about this gun - it was purchased from a Washington DC police officer in early 70's. So I still don't know about the possible refinish? But it's now cleaned and back in the hands of the owner...