The accompanying factory letter indicates this revolver was part of a special order for 2 units with several special features when shipped to T.K. Lee, a competition shooter and founder of T.K. Lee Co. of Birmingham, Alabama, the maker of Lee Dot Scopes. Other documents (photocopies) pertaining to this special order .38/44 Outdoorsman include S&W invoice listing a 6 1/2 inch barrel, Sheard bead sight, minimum trigger pull, special dummy thumb latch, T.K. Lee as the recipient and special notation to charge for labor only per his friend Douglas Wesson, Western Union telegram from Lee to S&W requesting two Outdoorsman with Sheard sights and minimum trigger, Douglas Wesson's response to Lee's telegram that mentions a dummy latch on the right side and other correspondence between Wesson and Lee discussing the special features found on this revolver. Lee "wanted this gun principally for exhibition shooting" and desired a dummy thumb latch on the right side of the frame because the revolver was to be shot in the left hand. The dummy latch would provide a place for Lee's thumb to rest against when firing the revolver in his left hand. Besides being a master target shooter, T. K. "Tackhole" Lee was the inventor and long time manufacturer of the Lee Dot telescopic sight system used for over forty years by rifle shooters all over the world. Totally unique in their design, Lee Dot Scopes utilized genuine black widow spider webs in which the "dot" was suspended within the optics. Lee served during World War II as a marksmanship instructor assigned to Camp Perry, Ohio. He died in 1957 at the age of 69. The Roper dual white-line front sight and checkered right hand thumb rest Sanderson grips were added by Lee himself during the period of this revolver's use. Matching serial numbers are found on the butt, cylinder and ejector shroud.

Excellent, retaining 98% original blue finish showing slight loss at the sides of the muzzle, a cylinder drag line and minor handling and shooting marks. Nearly all original case colors remain on the hammer and trigger. The grips are excellent showing limited handling evidence and crisp checkering overall. A well documented pre-WWII special order Outdoorsman with unusual dummy thumb latch that will be perfect addition to any S&W collection. A must have for the S&W collector who seems to have it all!