[Peter M. Eick]

I have decided that I need to try and save 38/44's from senseless slaughter and conversion to other calibers. Yes I know folks can do what they want with their property and I accept that, but I on the other hand can try to buy every nice 38/44 and store them away for another generation to cherish.

I know someday someone will appreciate that I saved these from conversion to something else. Just I thank the folks that saved them from conversion and slaughter so I could be their stewards for another generation or so.

I guess my stated goal will be to buy every 38/44 I can afford and drive the price up so the conversion folks will go after pre-27's and pre-28's instead of 38/44.

It is a dirty job but someone has to do it. ;)

The first one I saved today is a nice bright blued 38/44 Outdoorsman Target.
http://eickpm.com/picts/3844_target_left.jpg
http://eickpm.com/picts/3844_target_right.jpg

This was a nice gun, possibly refinished but if someone did it they did a nice job. This brings my post war 38/44 Outdoorsman collection to 4. One is unfired and another has just barely been touched. I will letter this one and get it back to original condition. I believe it should have factory magna's for grips but the hammer and trigger are possibly factory.

http://eickpm.com/picts/4_postwar_ods.jpg

The blueing is quite nice. Look at the comparison of the bright blue to the standard 38/44 Outdoorsman look:

http://eickpm.com/picts/3844_bright_frame.jpg

The second save today was a really nice 38/44 Heavy Duty Post-war 4" that appears to be just barely used. Probably the nicest 38/44 4" post-war I have now.

http://eickpm.com/picts/3844hd_4_post_left.jpg
http://eickpm.com/picts/3844hd_4_post_right.jpg

This brings me to 3 postwar 4" 38/44's.

http://eickpm.com/picts/3_postwar_hd_4s.jpg

So it was a good week. 3 Nice 38/44's have been saved from possible conversion and changing from the way they were made.

I have now saved 0.1% of the total production. Time to start working on the my second 0.1% of the total production.

It was a good week. 3 nice ones saved!

[CSA 357]

your a good man, but leave the 27s alone!

[Baba Louie]

your a good man, but leave the 27s alone! I think Peter Eick has that base well covered already. :p

ETA, beautiful Eick. Just lovely. Both (or should I say ALL?) of them.

[CraigC]

I guess I need to start squirrelling away a few for future conversions. :D

[Peter M. Eick]

EEEAAAKKKKK!!!!!!

A 38/44 converter is in the house!!!!!!!


CALL OUT THE DOGS.........................

Just kidding by the way. I don't like folks converted 38/44's but its your guns so do as you see fit. I just will try and protect as many as I can!


:):):):):):):):):)

[Radagast]

Peter, there is only one solution, smuggle them out of the country to a safer home. I'm willing to grant them asylum here in Austra.. wait, my givernment would love to crush them. :( I implore you to build a priest hole and keep them well hidden from fanatics like CraigC. :)

[Radagast]

On a more serious note, congratulations on several excellent finds in as many days. Thank you for the excellent photos, its the next best thing to seeing them in the steel.

[MagnumDweeb]

I haven't been able to find any .38/44s round this way cheap enough to convert. When you break the $400 mark, it's time to just bite the leather and spring the extra $400 (because after the spare barrel and cylinder you aren't far off). Besides I thought S&W wasn't real liberal with their heat treating process, so wouldn't putting .44 special through a .38/44 just be asking for trouble (unless you are going to stay inside cowboy shooting levels).