A Different Old S&W .38

Love it!

Now that is a cool little revolver. I like it.

Howdy

Very nice 38 Single Action, 2nd Model.

Here is a photo comparing the 38 Single Action 1st Model, at the top and a 38 Single Action 2nd Model at the bottom.

The extractor mechanism was reworked for the 2nd Model. Notice how much shorter the housing for the extractor mechanism is. The 1st Model is often known as the Baby Russian, because the extractor housing resembled the extractor housing of the #3 Russian Model.

Is that a factory model or a custom? In any case, I like it.

Did you shorten the barrel or was it that way when you got it? The front sight is not a S&W sight.
I really like it, it is way cool!

I'd tote it.

That is nice, what a handy little gun! I would like to see a modern version of that!

Very cool as usual. I need to find a new candidate for a small .38S&W to turn into a snub now that my Iver Johnson is living with my sister. I can’t bring myself to chop any of the examples I have so I guess I’ll be scouting gunbroker for a ratty looking candidate.

Any plans to do some velocity testing with that one? I would be really interested to know how much is lost with a snub barrel, and especially with black powder ammo.

Super cool. Pretty close to the centerfire NAA I’d like to see. May I ask what it’s OAL and height are?

I know I have a couple of these (maybe 3) around yet. I am not sure if both are .32's or one may be a .38. They are a nice little gun and have a simple mechanism. I much prefer them over the DA model. Mine are nickel plate as I think most were.

Tinker

What's not to like: a S&W Top Break .38 with a snubnose barrel, custom made front sight, beautiful stag grips, and a new finish on it!

Beautiful way to bring a vintage revolver back to life!

mnrivrat said:

I know I have a couple of these (maybe 3) around yet. I am not sure if both are .32's or one may be a .38. They are a nice little gun and have a simple mechanism. I much prefer them over the DA model. Mine are nickel plate as I think most were.

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Howdy Again

The 38 Single Action Top Breaks with the spur triggers were a little bit larger than the 32 Single Action Top Breaks with the spur triggers.

This photo should explain pretty much everything about the comparative sizes of various antique Smith and Wesson Revolvers.

Starting from the left, top to bottom is a #2 Old Army, #1 1/2 1st Model, #1 1st Issue. These are the three sizes of Tip Up S&W revolvers. To load them the barrel was rotated up, and the cylinder removed for unloading and loading. The top two were chambered for 32 Rimfire, the little #1 was chambered for what we would call today 22 Short. The middle column shows the three sizes of single action Top Breaks. At the top is the #3 Schofield model, in the middle is the (#2 )38 Single Action (Baby Russian), and at the bottom is a (#1 1/2) 32 Single Action 1st Model. Chamberings are, top to bottom, 45 Schofield, 38 S&W, 32 S&W. At the right are some double action Top Breaks. At the top a #3 Double Action 44, in the middle a (#2) 38 Double Action, at the bottom a (#1 1/2) 32 Double Action. Chamberings for this group are 44 Russian, 38 S&W, 32 S&W. Notice there were no #3 sized Tip Ups, S&W experimented with a 44 caliber Tip Up but the mechanism was not robust enough for a 44 caliber cartridge. Notice too there are no #1 sized Top Breaks. Only #3, #2, and#1 1/2.

Notice the comparatively different sized cylinders, which account for the different sized frames.






Regarding blued vs nickel plated, yes S&W finished more of the small Top Breaks with nickel plate rather than blue. I have no figures on the large (#3) Top Breaks, but I have seen more with a blued finish than with a nickel plated finish.

Hello Driftwood.
Here again my failing health has kept me from getting done all the projects I built up over the years until my world crashed. I have at least a couple hundred pre WWII Tootsietoy's to finish restoring, Perhaps around 8 to 10 top breaks mixed IJ and H&R's to rebuild. In early S&W's I sold my Model 1 and my 1&1/2 tip ups. I have at least 2 of the SA's done ,as well as a 1886 HE , and an 1899 HE as well as a couple 1903 HE's ,a .38 DA top break. I also have a Japanese captured #2 Army in good working order. I have the factory letter indicating it went to a distributer in France in 1872 , bound for Japan. It was captured still in use from a Japanese soldier and returned to the US in WWII it is pretty clean with a mirror bore and full but worn rifling. Bluing is pretty much gone (it is my Avatar but I have found an original ejection rod and installed since that photo). I have a few S&W's to work on yet if I get the chance (unlikely). A couple 1903 HE's, 1 or 2 top break DA's. A Model 3 in poor shape that may be a Belgium copy. Perhaps 1 or 2 I don't recall at the moment.
PS: Nice bunch you have pictured.

As usual thats really nice. Now you have me thinking about one to do the same thing to but I probably never will. But just curious how did you remove the old nickle plating?

wcwhitey said:

That is nice, what a handy little gun! I would like to see a modern version of that!

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You ain't the only one. MTP, that's a fine gun.

commygun said:

Super cool. Pretty close to the centerfire NAA I’d like to see. May I ask what it’s OAL and height are?

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Apparently I'm not the only one who wants NAA to step their game up to "Just under J frame sized top break .38 Spl or .32 H &R.)

Tinker

I found Hoppe's No. 9 to also be effective in removing nickel and chrome plating from guns. If there's copper plating underneath the nickel or chrome plating the Hoppe's will remove the copper plating taking the other plating off with it.

Michael Tinker Pearce said:

S&W Model 2 Single Action in .38 S&W

View attachment 1008993

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Add that to the list of coolest guns ever.

Tinker

I have seen that from several different sources that supposedly S&W was one gun manufacturer that didn't use/need copper plating before doing nickel plating. I don't know how they did it but it would explain why you didn't encounter any copper plating when refinishing your gun.

Mr. Mosin said:

Apparently I'm not the only one who wants NAA to step their game up to "Just under J frame sized top break .38 Spl or .32 H &R.)

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Careful there, Mos’. Last time I suggested a modern I-Frame Smith or Pocket frame Colts, the 9mm Pocket Rocket Committee lectured me ad nauseum about the constant threat of being set upon by roving bands of heavily armed Ninjatsu warriors. But I agree and will add that even a .32Long top break tucked into the top of a boot could be a lifesaver if you accidentally disturb a cottonmouth and don’t have a sharp stick handy. Heck, I’d buy one just for pesky vermin’s.

GeoDudeFlorida said:

Careful there, Mos’. Last time I suggested a modern I-Frame Smith or Pocket frame Colts, the 9mm Pocket Rocket Committee lectured me ad nauseum about the constant threat of being set upon by roving bands of heavily armed Ninjatsu warriors. But I agree and will add that even a .32Long top break tucked into the top of a boot could be a lifesaver if you accidentally disturb a cottonmouth and don’t have a sharp stick handy. Heck, I’d buy one just for pesky vermin’s.

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What most either dont, won't, or can't grasp is that the *average* American citizen will be absolutely hard-pressed in dealing with one armed threat- let alone multiple. That's why I've no issue in the slightest recommending a Centennial S&W to anyone as a concealed defensive piece, because odds are extraordinarily high if a civilian gets into a "moment of truth" scenario, it'll most likely be at bad breath distance with one adversary. Any further distance or more targets, your outta luck unless you have a battalion of Marines behind you and an M60 stashed in your back pocket. Most do not practice, and allow themselves to be the lowest common denominator... therefore, arm them as such.


And regarding the 9mm Pocket Rocket Committee swarming *me* ??? Bring it on sonny boy, but if you step into these boots; you best lace em up tight.