I visit Jack aka Arch this morning and came home with this today, a 4" S-numbered .38/44 Heavy Duty (pre-Model 20) with a 4" barrel. The grips are factory numbered to the gun and the letter from Jinks indicates it was delivered to Padgett Brothers Co of Dallas in 1950.

It appears that this revolver has been handled and dry-fired more than it's been shot, if it's been shot at all. I plan to shoot it a lot!

Does anyone recall reading the account of Skeeter Skelton being jumped by two men and lost control of his M27 and had to kick it under his patrol care so his two assailants could not get it. After that he had essentially Fitz'd a 38/44, as a backup pocket gun, but soon switched to a more conventional Detective Special or Chiefs Special

Another account has Skeeter, on the eve of being shipped out to the Pacific during the war, taking taking a couple 38/44 HD's, lopping the barrels to 3", removing the hammer spurs and cutting the trigger guards, ala Fitz. He was going to carry these in a double Berns Martin upside down shoulder holster, but his CO nixed the idea