[ssteven1]

Can anyone give me info on this revolver. I bought this today at a local gun shop. It is a S&W 38 special nickel plated with a five inch barrell. the serial number is S 8741xx. I paid 115$ for it plus tax. I would like to know the model and the year of manufacture. Also the general price range. thank you

[ssteven1]

this is a picture of inside the crane area.

[Dr.Rob]

That's a SW model 10 nickeled. It's worth more than you paid for it.

Good deal.

[Robert inOregon]

Its a pre model 10 revolver, manufactured between Sept 1945 and 1948.

Assuming that the bore and timing are good, the gun is worth about $150 to $175.

[Mike Irwin]

"Value" is affected DRAMATICALLY by your local.

What Robert says it's work may well hold for his part of the country, but it would be an incredible buy in my part of the country (Northern Virginia).

[FPrice]

I don't have my Standard Catalog here at work but what you said was what I was thinking (minus pinpointing the years). It looks a lot like my 1949 M&P. I agree that it is a good deal if in good shape internally.

What throws me is the serial number. I have a M27 numbered S200,xxx which was made in the (mid? late?) 1950's. Seems like the serial number is later OR he had too many digits there.

[Hutch]

FPrice, if I understand correctly (big if), the S-prefix N-frame serial numbers are not related to the S-prefix K-frame numbers. Hope that helps...

[C.R.Sam]

Agree....post WWII, pre Model 10.

Good price if sound.

Sam

[Old Fuff]

I recently paid much more then you did for a blue-4" that wasn't in as good condition as the one pictured, and it had replacement grips.

Why?

These were the last of the 1905 Hand Ejector/Military & Police revolvers that that the old "long action." At the same time they had a much better internal mechanical safety then pre-war guns. The later hammer block was developed at the end of World War Two and is still used today.

The "S" in the serial number denotes the use of the new safety.

The smoothness of the double-action in "long action" guns is legendary, and there aren't a lot of these so-called transitional guns around. The 5 inch barrel length is scarce, as is the nickel finish - if it's original.

You have truely lucked out. Take good care of it.

[Gunhamr]

I'll give you back your money for it and no questions asked.:rolleyes:

[FPrice]

"FPrice, if I understand correctly (big if), the S-prefix N-frame serial numbers are not related to the S-prefix K-frame numbers. Hope that helps..."

Yup. Finally got to my Stabdard Catalog and saw that. Thanks for the help.

[ssteven1]

I finally got to shoot it the other day. Very sweet shooter, love that 5 inch barrell. :) Around here revolvers are fairly high, there is one gun store that had a lot a revolvers very cheap (it is mostly a police supply store and I guess the police just don't buy revolvers anymore). I also got a used rossi snub for 105$ to have as my truck gun. Don't want to beat up my smith. He also had a model 64 for 150$ and a worn model 15 for 139$. Thank you for all your help everyone. By the way, what holster would fit this gun? And Old Fluff is there an easy way to tell if the nickel is original?

[Brian Williams]

Original nickle is normally stamped with an N on the grip frame under grips and sometimes on the rear face of the cylinder and the extractor star is blued. Look for a star next to the serial number on the grip frame sometimes denotes a factory rebuild or refinish with the oldies


OBTW nice find.

I am green with envy

[Old Fuff]

The only way I know of telling about the nickel finish (other then examining the gun) is to get a factory letter from Smith & Wesson's historian, Roy Jinks. Given what this particular gun is I think it would be well worth getting a letter which costs $30.00 Details and instructions with be found on S&W's web site at www.smith-wesson.com

When you can confirm (if indeed this is true) that the finish and barrel length are original the increased value of the gun will be more then the cost of the letter. Of course all of this is a gamble to some degree. The letter might say the original finish was blue. But they did nickel these guns and I have a gut hunch your's is O.K. One thing you can look for is evidence of the various markings being buffed out or sharp edges (like around the front sight) being rounded. At this time S&W polishing was "crisp."

I think you will find it to be an excellent revolver - well worth what you paid and then some.

[Old Fuff]

Forgot to mention. Finding a holster for a 5" gun is not easy these days, short of getting something custom made. However any holster made for a K-frame/6" should work.

If you attend guns shows you often find boxes of "junk" that have old holsters that are still in reasonably good shape. I have found a number of them for 5" revolvers that often sell for under $25.00 or less (sometimes much less). Just keep your eyes open and have the gun with you so you can check the fit. Tip: Establish the price before you check the fit. If you do this after checking the fit, and it does, the price sometimes goes up.