Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

another .38 - Should i buy it??

Just found this today - needed more info before i decide to buy -

A) .38 Special / blued
B) Don't have a measuring tape but think its about a 2-incher
C) flat grip/square has wood grips with round S&W insert at top of grip - not
sure of the original color of the insert - might have been gold
D) 5 shots
E) Fixed Sights
F) 637320
G) MOD.36 (says MOD. over the number 36)

only two screws on right side of frame

Gun appears to be in decent shape but it has visible circles(shapes from rounds in cylander) on the back of the frame(around the firing pin hole - the imprints are around the firing pin hole and also two circles undernieth it showing where the other rounds in the cylander left marks during firing) - I have been told to shy away from guns that have these marks as it means the gun has been fired alot and might not be safe anymore . I am not a revolver expert so I need to know if it is safe to use the gun. Cylander seems tight enough and timing seems ok. The possible age and marks from the rounds concearn me.

Also - it does not have square cylander latch.

Should i buy this?? Is $300 too much??

Thank you in advance for any help,


copper
 
Those marks will show up with as few as a dozen standard pressure rounds. It doesn't mean anything and the source of your advice doesn't sound very, well, "sound." $300 is a fair price if the gun is in good mechanical and cosmetic condition. See the sticky below this one from Jim March about evaluating a used revolver.

I don't have my book handy for ID but will get back later or Radagast will.
 
thanks- good to know - im not much of a revolver expert and just dont want to get a bad sqeeze -
will look forward to learning more about this one -

thanks again!
 
copper4262:
The gun was made between 1962 & 1969. Serial range for those years was 295000 to 786544.
If the cylinder release is concave then it was made in 1966 or later.
If there is an uncheckered diamond around the grip screws then its from 1968 or earlier. If the checkering runs right up to the grip screws it is from 1968 or later.
The barrel length is two inches.

As long as the gun passes Jim March's check out it is safe to shoot. It will be fine with any standard pressure .38 Special load and should be OK with limited use of PlusP loads. Plus P will accelerate wear of the gun, but you should see timing issues long before the frame becomes stretched in any way.

The model 36 Chief's Special is a steel framed gun with a steel cylinder and a one piece steel barrel. They are quite durable.
 
Oyeboten:
Nice find! .38 Military & Police Model of 1902 1st change. Manufactured 1903 to 1904 in the serial range 33804 to 62449. Standard barrel lengths were 4, 5 & 6.5 inches. Both hard rubber and checkered walnut grips were standard.
 
Thanks for taking all this time

I have 3 of them. The 2 .357s I think should be 1958 or so. The third I can only guess. Grips are aftermarket on all 3. The .357s had target grips, the .22 had the service grips (Coke bottle grips).


mod 19-3.jpg
.357
4"
Square but
6 Rounds
Adjustable sights
K890114
Mod 19-3



Mod 28-2.jpg
.357
4"
Square but
Adjustable sights
6 Rounds
N593591
Mod 28-2 'Highway patrolman' is engraved on the barrel


Mod 48-4.jpg

.22WRM/.22LR
6"
Square but
6 rounds
Adjustable sights
86K6835
Mod 48-4
The firing pin is mounted on the frame

Thanks again for taking the time to look all these up. BWS
 
bwsmith2850:
Your Model 19-3 Combat Magnum was made in 1969.

Your Model 28-2 Highway Patrolman was made in the period 1978 to 1980.

Your Model 48-4 was made in 1980. The grips on the model 48 are an aftermarket variant of the style used on square butt K frame revolvers from around 1910 to 1941. Coke bottle grips are a variant from the 1950s of the large target grip with a palm swell added so when viewed from the rear it appeared similar to the curve of a traditional Coca Cola bottle. There is a picture here: http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/01/coke-grips-on-ebay.html
 
Thanks

Thanks Radagast! I guess those .357s weren't sitting around in the armory nearly as long as I thought. They look older. Years of hard use, I suppose.
 
38 spl.
2"
Square
5-shot
fixed sights
serial 64112
no model #

Date of manufacture?
Safe to shoot +P ?

Thanks, Andy
 
AWKIII: You have either an early Chiefs Special or an early Chiefs Special Airweight, respectively these later became the model 36 & model 37.

If it is an Airweight it will be marked so on the barrel. The Model 36 should be safe to shoot occasionally with PlusP, the Airweight may suffer from frame stretching.
S&W does not recommend use of Plus P ammo in guns made prior to 1957. Yours was manufactured in 1955.
 
Can you help me out???? I recently acquired my Dads guns right before he passed away. He is retired law enforcement,and I havent found too much through web searches....

S&W .38 special mod 15-3 ser #5k99029
 
DOB for model 27

Looking for DOB for:

a) caliber = .357
b) bbl length = 4"
c) grips shape = square
d) number of shots/cylinder bores = 6
e) type of sights = target
f) serial number = AUS66??
g) Model number = 27-3

Thanks, 4D5
 
DOB for S&W .38

I could use some help determining what model / year this .38 is...From what I have found on here no +P ammo in this one, but regular .38 special ammo OK?

Any info on Value or Original Issue would be great...Thanks!!

S# 2665**
.38
6"
Square Butt?? Not sure
Fixed Sights
Doesn't appear to say "Made in USA"
"Patented Oct.8.01, Dec.17.01, Feb.6.06, Sep.14.09, Dec.29.14
 
4d5:
The 27-3 was produced from 1982 to 1988, with 14 guns made in 1999. If the serial numberon your gun is AUSxxxx (4 numerals, not three) then it was manufactured between January 1986 & July 1987.

EliPoppin:
You have a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 4th change, manufactured between 1915 & 1920. Your gun dates from before heat treating of cylinders (starting at serial number 316648) so it would be best to stick to standard velocity lead ammunition only. Your gun was probably privately owned, these were a common police and civilian firearm, but not a common military firearm until WWII when it became the Victory Model. Value is highly dependent upon condition. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $1200 for as new in box, $335 in excellent condition, $250 in very good condition, $200 in Good and $135 in fair condition. If you start a new thread and post some decent resolution photos of the more experienced members may be able to give you a better idea of value.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
S&W 38 special identification help
Replies
5
Views
374
DPris
D
B
  • Locked
S&W Model 29-3 markings
Replies
3
Views
1K
belercous
B
Dudemeister
  • Locked
S&W Model 57
2
Replies
48
Views
3K
vmr357
vmr357
T
  • Locked
Questions about S&W Model 10-6
Replies
9
Views
729
GaryP
G
S
  • Locked
S&W Model 36 Manufacture Date:
Replies
4
Views
447
Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Back
Top