new to me 38/44

[saltyyn1]

I've been trying to buy this from an old fellow for about a year. Sorry I can't upload a picture, but I think it is a pre-war Heavy Duty sn 57XXX. It is a fixed sight N-frame in 38spl. I would give it 80%, has some scratches on the butt by sn, and a little discoloration in 3 cylinders but otherwise looks new. Standard 5 inch bbl & grips are in great shape.

He has had it in a sock since the early 60's.

Just had to tell somebody!!

 

[Iggy]

I reckon you do deserve some braggin' rights. Sounds like you got a real winner.
That was the work horse for LEO in the late 30 and 40's.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

.38/44s were once like bunnys and you could get them cheap to turn them into .44 special and .45 ACP N Frame shooters. Now their rare as hen's teeth, and if you want one..... you have to pay a price that makes it not worth it most of the time unless it is in collectible condition unless your really really have to have it.

 

[SaxonPig]

A 5" pre-war HD will go for $500-$700. Add $300 if it has pre-war Magna stocks.

 

[BossHogg]

Nice find, I can't seem to find any around here. It's on my wish list and checked for when I'm out running the local stores.

 

[Frank V]

Great find, congratulations. That's a nice six-gun. Depending on humidity where you live, I'd take it out of the sock for storage.
Frank

 

[saltyyn1]

I let him keep the sock. It doesn't even show holster wear & only has a faint turn line. Standard square butt grips. Looks like someone had used the butt to drive tacks, or shot it off a steel post a few times. All the dings are in the metal.

I have a policy, no gun goes into the house without first being shot. Since I live in the country, shot it 18 times before going inside.

I was prepared to start with a $400 offer, but asked what he would take. He said "Would you give $325?" So I didn't argue with him. For the past year or so, he wouldn't price it.

 

[Iggy]

I would say you owe him a steak dinner.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I'll say you owe him a steak dinner. You practically stole that. They usually go for a lot more.

 

[aHFo3]

Sounds great, but I'd like to see a picture!

 

[Walkalong]

Outstanding. Pics are a must.

 

[jad0110]

I'll say you owe him a steak dinner. You practically stole that. They usually go for a lot more.

Several steak dinners, $325 is unheard of for a 38/44 these days. I normally see them sell on Gunbroker for a minimum of $800. And that would be a good deal. I saw a couple break $1,000 recently.

 

[Frank V]

Wow, at $325 you got a steal. If he's happy & you are happy, it's a good sale.
I wish I lived where I could shoot at the house. I drive 10 miles to the range, but I do see Antelope almost every time I go to the range.
Frank

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Sounds like a nice pre-war 38/44 HD.



It probably looks like one of these 5" versions. These are all my pre-war HD's.

 

[Iggy]

I wondered when we would get to see those.
Is the one with the adjustable sights considered an Outdoorsman or a HD Target?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The above picture are all HD's. The adjustable sight ones are "McGivern" style conversions that were done in the day. They have pre-war sights (Kings) on them and rear sights that look like they were off a Registered Magnum.

If you want the current collection.....




By the way Iggy, we have been successful on that project I worked on out your way. It has turned out to be the finest quality dataset we have ever collected and it is arguably one of the best quality datasets ever collected in the world. We are using it as a test bed to test new techniques from research and interpretation on it. Basically we can see things in the dataset that prior to that survey and that design, we never knew it was even possible to image before. I also heard that the drilling was not too bad either!

Take care of yourself and I still owe you another lunch in Cheyenne next summer. I promise I will make it up there at some point so we can catch up!


(Besides, I know you have a really nice 38/44 OD that looks really lonely. I know where it could be with a bunch of its friends if you are interested.)

 

[Radagast]

I await the photo when you have possession of the complete production run.

Are the location of the actual McGivern guns known? I had his book at one point, a completely different style of communication compared to today.

 

[Iggy]

Peter,
Glad the project worked out well.

As far as that OD bein' lonely. It's havin a little fling with a K22 OD and it's gittin' along just fine!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

gumble, grumble, grumble.

(Just kidding by the way).

That is a beautiful set. I have one just like it. I really like those skinny barrel outdoorsman's. I am surprised they were not as popular.

Regarding the McGivern guns. Yes a bunch are known, but I certainly do not have any. I am a McGivern gun wanna be.

 

[Old Fuff]

Are the location of the actual McGivern guns known?

The best-known ones are in the NRA Museum in Virginia. Others are scattered in various private collections. At one time (likely during the late 1930’s/early 1940’s a short movie was made showing the master “in action.” It included a picture of what must have his entire collection laid out on what appeared to be a bed sheet. The number of pieces was… ah… “Impressive.”

 

[Radagast]

Neat. The National Firearms Museum have a Youtube video on Ed and a few short clips on his guns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u97RJQYuiBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOKHO-U-QTM