[rtcell]

[cross post here and on smith-wessonforum.com (http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/183739-newbie-question-about-s-w-38-spl-us-service-ctgs.html#post135879180)]

I have this "S&W .38 special & US Service CTG's" revolver ... tried to find out more info on the web, but the serial seems all wrong. The barrel and butt and cylinder all marked 1169xx. Pictures are below. The bluing is worn but not as bad as on the picture , flash makes it look much worse.


looks like it was made in 1908 per helpful folks on smith-wessonforum
Roy Jinks' "History of Smith & Wesson" says that the .38 Military & Police serial numbers ran from 73,251 and got to 120,000 during 1906-1908, thus averaging about 15,000/16,000 guns a year. Your gun is a .38 Military & Police Target Model of 1905, First Change. Yours is most likely from early 1908.


Any other hints as to the year/value/anything else, like history? would it be really stupid to re-finish this? I am not a collector, bought it for plinking (with correspondent price) so I will either refinish or trade

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad257/rtcell/toys/SW_CTG/IMG_2241.jpg

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad257/rtcell/toys/SW_CTG/IMG_2238.jpg

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad257/rtcell/toys/SW_CTG/IMG_2237.jpg

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad257/rtcell/toys/SW_CTG/IMG_2236.jpg
million thanks for the info. So, would it be really stupid to refinish this one?

Here is a couple more pictures
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad257/rtcell/toys/SW_CTG/IMG_2243.jpg

[Jim K]

I am not sure of the question. If you wonder about the dual marking so late, S&W did not drop it completely until the Model 1905 Second Change c. 1909. I am not sure if it was changed earlier and S&W simply used up barrels already marked, but it would have been changed in 1909 since the .38 Long Colt was no longer the U.S. Service cartridge, the .45 caliber M1909 was.

Needless to say, all S&W M&P .38's (up to WWII) were chambered for the .38 Special and would also fire the .38 Long Colt, regardless of markings.

As to refinishing, I think I would leave it alone. It is a target model and those are worth a bit more than the standard gun, maybe $400+ even in that condition.

Jim

[rtcell]

Thanks, thats it - caliber/marking and the opinion on re-finishing

[OFT]

If you refinish that revolver you will have put another $300 into a $700 gun in order to transform it into a $200 shooter. It's just too nice an old piece to do that to in my opinion, but it is yours.