Help ID a J Frame 38 S&W

[hdeanhall]

I have a S&W 38 SPL J frame with a round butt. Ser.# stamped on the butt and cylinder. Hammer is shrouded. There is no model # on the crane or yolk. The barrel is stamped airweight 38 SPL CTG the frame has the S&W logo. I would like to find out the model and approximate date of mfg. and if it will take +P ammo.
Hopefully someone can help. HDH

 

[Guillermo]

does it look like this?



if so it is a variant of the "Bodyguard", possibly a model 38.

Open the cylinder and look on the frame, generally the model number is there. (if not remove the stocks and it is there)

As far as +P ammo goes, Smith will tell you "no" but they are just doing a CYA. The regular 38spl rounds that your gun was designed to fire were HOTTER than the current +P rounds.

That said, avoid +P+ as their is no industry standard and they might be hotter than allowed

 

[hdeanhall]

Thank you Guillermo

That is exactly what it looks like. the only numbers on the yolk are 2104. I looked under the stocks and the re are no stamps

 

[rcmodel]

S&W never stamped model numbers under the grips.

It is either inside the crane cut, or it was made before they had model numbers, only names.

That is the case with yours.

Without you posting at least a partial serial number off the butt (55xxx) there is no way to tell you when it was made. The 2104 number inside the crane cut is most likely an assembly number that means nothing as far as dating the gun.

rc

 

[Guillermo]

RC is one of the best sources for information on THR. If he says the model number is never under the grips, believe him.

Sorry about the misinformation

A few years back I was having a Smith repaired that I had bought "locked up". I had thought it was early enough to be a "combat magnum". When I went to pick it up I was chatting with the gunsmith and he said offhand "then I took the grips off I saw that it was a Model 19"

I just took that gun apart and saw that there is no model number under the grips. Either he misspoke or I misheard.

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW "under the crane" means you pop the cylinder open, and look on the frame at the very bottom in front, where it is covered up by the crane when the cylinder is locked in place. The "crane" is the pivoting part attached to the front of the frame at the bottom, that holds the cylinder pin.

 

[Guillermo]

if your's does not have a model number under the yoke it was, as RC said, before they started the system.

If I am correct (RC will correct me if I am not) the "Airweight Bodyguard" was introduced in 1955 and then when Smith started the numbering system in 1957. This would make your's, as their is no model number, a 55 or 56.

One thing that I seem to remember my Dad talking about was how the steel version came out after the alloy version which was kind of "bass-akwards"

The all steel "Bodyguard" hit the streets in 1959 or1960 as a model 49

 

[Hutch]

An Airweight Bodyguard in blue alloy later became the Model 38. I fine bit of kit, imnsho. Congrats!