Is this something to restore, re-blue, or just put in a case and enjoy? Can someone tell me what it is specifically? Are these old revolvers worth anything to collectors?
Great, thank you for the info.Smith & Wesson Double Action .38.
I’d have to go get the book to tell which of four or five generally similar sub-models.
They made rather a lot of them, resale value is not high and restoration not much worth it.
I don't think they made that model in anything other than 38 S&W. That is a shorter cartridge than 38 S&W Special, and the two are not interchangeable. I think the old standard 38 S&W load with a bullet of about 148 grains at about 700 ft/sec has about 150 ft/lbs of kinetic energy as the muzzle, which would be about 3/4 of the kinetic energy of the old standard 158 grain 38 Special load. If I am remembering things correctly today, anyway.those are great and if I had that you could not get me to sell it. What cartridge does it say stamped on it?
38 SWthose are great and if I had that you could not get me to sell it. What cartridge does it say stamped on it?
At one time you could buy one of those for $12 bucks! Money was worth a lot more than
I do not believe that these there 38 Special revolvers. The 38 S&W cartridge was different.
Now the thing is, these 1900 period revolvers were made from plain carbon steels, that had a lot of residuals in the steel. So today's equivalent steels (which would be the stuff used now for lawn mower blades and rail road spikes) are likely to be stronger because modern smelting technology removes the stuff that could not be removed with Bessemer or Open Hearth furnaces. And, this is a big one, those pistols were not heat treated. The steels were dead soft.
So, whatever you put in the cylinder, you want the lowest pressure you can find. Nothing remotely near a +P round. You will find that if you put hot loads in a vintage top strap revolver, you will stretch the top strap
Looks like 510434 is the serial number Jim.
Yes it's a 6" barrel.That makes it a 4th Model made between 1895 and 1909, probably late in that period.
Is that a 6" barrel? If so, listed as "scarce."
Happy happy, joy, joy!Yes it's a 6" barrel.