Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

Great forum! I just traded a bicycle for a smith and wesson revolver and wanted to find out a little about it.

a .32 cal
b 3 1/4" bbl
c round checkered wood grips silver S&W logo on top of each grip.
d 6 shot
e half moon sights
F s/n 184xxx
32 long ctg on left side of barrel
last patent date sept 14 08
S&W trade mark logo on right side of frame behind cylinder.

Here is a recent one that I`m not sure of the manufacture date. I`m guessing about 10 years old. There were 2 or 3 versions of the 627-5

S&W model 627-5 Performance Center
8 shot .357 Mag
N Frame Stainless
5" barrel
Has gold bead front sight
Round butt
Perfornce Center case.
Serial # BCF0388

Pics below

Oleblue:
You have a .32 Hand Ejector model of 1903 5th Change manufactured between 1910 & 1917 in the serial range 102501 to 263000.
This gun predates heat treatment of cylinders and should only be fired with factory lead ammo or similar equivalents. No hot hand loads and no jacketed ammo.
It also predates the internal hammer block safety introduced during World War II and should be treated as a five shooter with the chamber under the hammer left empty. If dropped it could potentially fire.

Mike1957:
Your Model 627-5 Eight Times was manufactured in 2003 or 2004.

Model 36 Serial Number 1800XX

Geezer Glide:
Your Model 36 Chiefs Special was manufactured between 1957 (serial number 125000) & 1962 (serial number 295000). The Standard catalog of S&W does not give a year by year breakdown for that model.

a) M&P, nickel, 5 screw .38 Special
b) 4" tapered
c) round, checkered wood grips silver S&W logo on top of each grip.
d) 6 shots
e) fixed sights
f) No Letter - 158608

wlewisiii:
You have a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 3rd Change manufactured between 1909 & 1915 in the serial range 146900 to 241703. So 1909 seems likely.

Your gun predates the positive internal hammer block found in current guns. If dropped it could fire, so treat it as a 5 shooter and leave the chamber under the hammer empty.

It also predates heat treatment of cylinders. So stick to standard pressure lead loads, no PlusP, +P+, jacketed or semi-jacketed ammo.

Wow. Even older than I thought when I put it on layaway. Basic police style 158 gr. LRN for that old gal; still, I'll bet it still can shoot them well. It passed all the checks on the Revolver check list before I put the money down.

Thank you.

S&W .38 Special Revolver

I have no idea when this revolver was made. It was my father's.

a. .38 special
b. 6.5" barrel
c. Round grips
d. 6 shots
e. fixed sights
f. S# either 46(upsidedown 5) 90* or *0659(upsidedown4)
g. don't know model

Thanks,

Jerry

With a 6.5 inch barrel it sounds like you have a .38/44 Heavy Duty, a .38 special gun built on the .44 sized 'N' frame and designed to shoot a high velocity round that was the precursor to the .357 Magnum. The problem is that the serial number did not reach six digits until the 1950s, when it had an S prefix.

Does the serial number have an S stamped in front of it?
Does the gun have a four line S&W address on the right side, or does it just say made in the USA? Could you post a pic?

Looking for info on the following revolver:

-S&W M&P Long Action
-2" thin barrel (approx., not actually measured), pinned
-Half-moon front sight, fixed rear
-6 shots, original nickel finish
-Square butt
-Generic hard rubber checkered grips
-"Made in USA" is the only marking on rt. side of frame
-All parts appear to match (finish, condition, etc.), all lettering sharp and intact
-S/N was 4-5 digits in length, IIRC, and definately had no model number


This gun is in good condition, but has an UNSUPPORTED ejector rod, with a cutout torward the front of the barrel to clear the large tip of the ejector rod. This cutout resembles a dovetail in nature and was done before the finish was applied. The ejector rod is pretty much flush with the muzzle, and appears long enough to fully eject spent cases.

Gun is not mine, and dealer is selling at a "shooter" price, but I have concerns that this gun may have been rebarreled. If so, it was done early on and replaced with a factory barrel rather than cut down as the front sight is on straight and there are no barrel stampings cut in half. The few S&W snubs I have seen from this era all have short, supported ejector rods. Older S&Ws I have seen with unsupported ejector rods have all been with longer barrels.

Is this a rare find, or just a long-action S&W someone did a good job of rebarreling? What's a conservative estimate of what it's worth?

If it's been rebarreled, what date was the original frame made?

Thanks for any info.

S&W .38 Special Revolver DOB

Better info this time. The serial number was easier to read in the photos.

I have no idea when this revolver was made. It was my father's.

a. .38 special
b. 6" barrel to frame. 6.5" to cylinder.
c. Round grips
d. 6 shots
e. fixed sights
f. S# either 46290
g. don't know model

Pictures this time.

Thanks,

Jerry

Hi Radagast.

Today's acquisition:

a) .357 Magnum
b) 6 Inch
c) square butt
d) 6 shot
e) Adjustable
f) BHE771x
g) 686-3

It's odd (to me) that the rear sight has no white box outline. My 6" 686 no dash, and 4" 686-4, do have it. This 686-3 I bought today at the local pawn shop is as new, not even a nick on the grips, with original box and all original accoutrements, looks barely fired, I take it for owned by a non-shooter, so I seriously doubt the original owner changed it. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Hi,
I am trying to find the age of my revolver. Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

A) .357
B) 2" (approx)
C) square?
D) 6 shot
E) Adjustable
F) 1K89660
G) model 19-3

Richie

Just purchased this revolver & need help identifying model & year.
a. 38 special
b. 6" barrel
c. square grip
d. 6 shot cylinder
e. fixed sights
f. #7758 on crane
g. #2802xx on barrel, cylinder & frame

In family purchase:

a) .38 Spl
b) 4 inch "pencil" bbl pinned
c) Square butt
d) 6 shot
e) Fixed
f) D315xxx
g) Model 10-5

Trying to be fair to my brother in law.

ECS

Elm Creek Smith:
That Model 10-5 .38 Miltary & Police tapered barrels dates to 1970. Value is dependent upon condition. Probably $250 to $350 from very good to near new. Check on Gunbroker to get a better feel for current prices.

wapsiwillie:
You have a .38 Miltary & Police Model of 1905 4th Change manufactured between 1915 & 1919. This gun predates heart treatment of cylinders, so stick to standard pressure lead loads only. No jacketed, semi jacketed, PlusP or +P+ ammo. It also predates the positive hammer block safety introduced during World War II. If dropped it could fire, so treat it as a 5 shooter and leave the chamber under the hammer empty.

Rmax80:
Your Model 19-3 Combat Magnum was manufactured in 1971. Barrel length is 2.5 inches.

wrs840:
Your Model 686-3 was manufactured in early 1991, guns in the BHExxxx range shipped in March of that year. S&W did produce some variants with a black rear sight blade.
Product code 104223 was produced between 1987 & 1993 with Red ramp, target stocks, black blade and a six inch barrel. Product code 104224 was the same spec, but a white outline rear blade.

jgunn:
Thanks for that. You have a .38 Miltary & Police Model of 1902 1st Change manufactured between 1903 & 1904 in the serial range 33804 to 62449.
The serial number on your gun is 46290. The star stamp indicates the gun has been back to S&W for a repair or refurbishment. The 6.5 inch barrel was an option on that model.
Stick to standard pressure lead loads only. No PlusP, +P+, jacketed or semi-jacketed ammo. Your gun predates heat treatment of cylinders and use of such ammo may result in a bulged cylinder.
It also predates the internal hammer block safety and must be treated as a five shooter. Leave the chamber under the hammer empty. Otherwise if dropped it could fire.

John Wayne:
Serial numbers between 1 & 20975 lack an ejector rod lug. It wasn't until July 1938 that S&W came out with a two inch factory snub on the K frame, and the serial number should be higher than 600,000.
Personally I wouldn't think it is worth more than $150-$200. Its an old gun predating heat treatment and the internal hammer block, so it has limited value as a carry piece. At the same time the modification means its collectors value as an early gun is gone.
If there is a factory rework star (see jgunn's photos above) then its a completely different matter and if confirmed by a factory letter it would be of interest to a collector.

.38 special
2 inch
Square butt
5 shot
Serial 42,4XX
Model 36

Weighed:
That serial number should date your gun to 1954. But the Model 36 designation was not used until 1957. If there is no model number stamped under the cylinder yoke cut out then your gun is a Chiefs Special, predating the Model 36 designation.
If there is a Model number stamped there then the number you have given is not the serial number or not the full serial number. The serial number is always found on the bottom of the grip frame and may include a letter J or three consecutive letters. Numbers stamped under the cylinder yoke may include the serial number, but are usually assembly numbers, used to track parts in the factory.

a) 38 Special
b) 3"
c) Square
e) Fixed
f) D5716xx
g) 10-5

a) caliber .38 but not sure what specific round
b) unsure, see in pictures
c) round
d) 5
e) standard
f) 4675 was the number provided
g) n/a

http://imageshack.us/g/687/dsc01352fo.jpg/

FIVETWOSEVEN:
You are looking at a .38 Double Action Second Model manufactured between 1880 & 1884 in the serial range 4001 to 119000, so 1880 seems certain. Caliber is .38 S&W. This is a blackpowder gun, use of modern smokeless ammo will stress it as the pressure in the case peaks much faster than blackpowder.


GunTotinAmerican:
Your Model 10-5 .38 Miltary & Police Tapered Barrel was manufactured in 1973 or 1974. Serial range for those years was D510001 to D659901.

a) .38 Special
b) 2 inches
c) Round
d) 6
e) simple notch and post, no target sights
f) C538998
g) Mod - 10

It's marked N.H.S.P. for New Hampshire State Police

a) .38 Special
b) 2 inches
c) Round
d) 5
e) simple notch and post, no target sights
f) AFD3814
g) Mod - 60

If you know what these guns are worth in 90% condition, I'll appreciate you telling me their worth.

A. .22
B. 6" full underlug
C. Square
D. 6 shot
E. Adjustable
F. BDT05XX
G. Model 17-6

Thanks Radagast!

I have what I think to be an early S&W .38, and need your help with specifics please.
Here is what I have:
a) caliber - .38
b) bbl length - 1-7/8"
c) grips shape - Round
d) number of shots/cylinder bores - 5
e) type of sights - Fixed
f) serial number - 64743
g) Model number - None?

Any idea on value? Condition is great (I think); there is bluing wear from the leather holster it has lived in for a long time.

Here is a bad cell phone pic......lol

Thank you so very much for your help!