Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

[Radagast]

bob9125:

Serial no 144673 makes your gun a S&W .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 2nd change manufactured between 1905 and 1909 in the serial number range 73251 to 146899. The star indicates a factory rework at some point. Per the standard catalog of S&W the Model of 1905 2nd change was not made with a two inch barrel, so potentially the rework involves cutting down the existing barrel or fitting a new one.
Your gun was made before heat treating of cylinders was introduced, so it should only be fired with standard velocity lead ammunition. It also lacks the internal hammer block safety introduced during WWII, so it could discharge if dropped on the hammer. It would be prudent to carry it with the hammer down on an empty chamber.
Value in the condition you describe is not great, the Standard Catalog of S&W in 2006 gave a value of $225 in good condition & $285 in very good condition. if the pearl grips are real pearl and have the S&W medallion and are in good condition this may add to the collectors value.

 

[bob9125]

Thank you Radagast.

 

[Carbon_15]

A friend of mine has a 4" (I think) nickle Regulation Police in .38S&W S# 2050x
What can you guys tell me about this gun.
Thanks
Jason

 

[WARDO88]

Would appreciate DOB information of the following:
a) .38 Chief's Special
b) 3"
c) Round Butt
d) 5 rounds
e) Front fixed, Rear adjustable
f) BFV4xxx
g) 60-4

Page 223 of SCSW shows Model 60-4 (1990) to be a Limited Edition Target Model with full underlug and new yoke extension system.

Page 224 of SCSW shows a listing of product Codes and Features by year:

#102298 has the following product (feature) codes:

3" S TH TT FL AS SG AND RB

I would appreciate some help with the meaning of the various product (feature) codes.
I could not find the definitions in SCSW (but they may be there)

Thanks for the help.

 

[Radagast]

This being my thousandth post, I would like to thank everyone who has thanked me. It's nice to be appreciated, I don't respond to each individual because it would increase the thread length by about 30%. I'd also like to thank the other members who help out with advice on a regular basis, Oro, Old Fuff and RCModel come to mind and there are others.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Carbon_15:
The .38 Regulation Police was manufactured from 1917 to 1949 in the serial range 1 to 54,474. It shared this serial range with the .38/32 Terrier, effectively the two inch round butt version of the Regulation Police. The Terrier was introduced in 1936 at serial number 38976, so your friend's Regulation Police predates that. 1917 to 1936 is a long span, but to get a precise date of shipping a S&W factory letter would be required.

The .38 Regulation Police is a four inch barrel, 5 shot .38 S&W revolver built on a variant of the .32 Hand Ejector I frame. the grip is a round butt with timber grips that adapt it to provide a square butt profile. "Pat June 5 1917 should be stamped on the bottom of the left grip.

WARDO88:
SCSW shows the BFV prefix being used in September 1992. Revolver feature codes are on Pages 170 & 171.
S = Stainless
TH= Target Hammer
TT = Target Trigger
FL = Full Length barrel underlug
AS = Adjustable Sights
SG = Synthetic Grips
RB = Round Butt frame

 

[WARDO88]

Radagast, Thanks much!!

 

[Carbon_15]

Thanks so much for the info.
This place is a goldmine of information

 

[ssmickey.32]

DOB of Smith & Wesson model 31-1 Please...

Kindly share the DOB information of the following:

a) .32
b) 3 inch
c) grip shape - square
d) 6
e) Front fixed, groove at rear
f) serial number on the bottom of the grip - ADBXXXX
g) 31-1

Thank you so much

ssmickey.32

 

[rcmodel]

.32 Regulation Police.

Made in 1983.

rc

 

[billaroo]

Just how old is this?

A. .38
B. 4"
C. Round
D. 5
E. 512345
F. .38 Special CTG


According to the Patents stamped onto the top of the barrel, just behind the sight: May 11 1880 - Jan 3 1882 - Apr 9 1883 (?)

 

[gunjammer]

Brian,I have just purchased an s&w model 29-4 8 3/8" barrel-round butt
serial# BEC-18xx When would this have been made? Thanks, Gunjammer
Also, this has the smooth cylinder,and full lug barrel.

 

[loose cannon]

i have a freshly acquired s&w m60

a,38spl
b,2"
c,round butt
d,5rd
e,fixed front and grove rear
f,serial numb botto of grip frame R1633xx
g,60 no dash

thanks and have a gr8 thanksgiving

 

[Alimony Bob]

S&W Catalog

Brian, it sure is nice of you to help these guys with info re their guns but it makes me wonder why they don't refer to the catalog - maybe they don't know about it. You know how it sorta' skips around... but I've had a lot of fun researching my own revolvers in it and have usually found what I wanted to know. It's added a different component to being a gun afficiando and also usually some addl info for inventory purposes. Happy Thanksgiving. Bob

 

[gunjammer]

s&w catalog

Alimony Bob; What catalog are you refering to? I've searched the web and can't find anything on them. Thanks, Gunjammer

 

[exdetsgt]

Possibly he's referring to the 3rd edition of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas. It's hardbound, in great color, and retails for $39.99, but can probably be had for a bit less. However, at 432 pages and about 5 lbs., it's worth every penny.

 

[gunjammer]

Thanks!! Have a great Thanksgiving all.

 

[Radagast]

billaroo:
You have a .38 Double Action 4th Model manufactured between 1895 & 1909, yours falls in the serial range for 1898 to 1907. Caliber is .38 S&W, not .38 S&W Special, this is a shorter case and lower powered. Your gun was most likely intended to be shot with black powder loads. Modern .38 S&W is a low pressure load, but it will still wear the gun faster than black powder would.

Gunjammer:
August 1989. It sounds like you have a Classic Hunter. Model 29-4, 8&3/8 inch full lug barrel, unfluted cylinder, red ramp front sight, white outline rear, target trigger, target hammer. The only thing that doesn't match up is it should be a square butt with hogue grips. Product code 101254, 2500 manufactured in 1989. Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $650 for as new in box in 2006. In 1990 a round butt 29-5 with 7.5 inch barrel was made as the Classic Magnum II, so your may have been transitional.

loose cannon:
1974 to 1977. Serial range for those years was R100000 to R190000.

 

[Radagast]

billaroo: The grips on your gun are the grips for a Third Model .22 single shot from around 1909 - basically target grips. At least one .38 DA 4th model was made with a matching single shot target barrel, so it's possible yours are original to the gun. They may add some value in the eyes of a collector.

 

[gunjammer]

Thanks Radagast!!! Do you know of any issues with this model and year of the 29?
Gunjammer

 

[billaroo]

Thank you, Radagast.

Thank you, Radagast. It belonged to my grandfather, who was a New York City Policeman from 1918 to 1947. My late father, also NYPD kept it all these years and it became mine when he died 12 years ago. I have fired a few standard 146 grain S & W .38 rounds, but will change to black powder loads as per your advice. Thanks, again. I also inherited my dad's .38 S & W special, probably manufactured in the late 1940's, and not in as good condition as grandfather's gun.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

thanks radagast, much appreciated!

 

[Radagast]

gunjammer:
The 29-4 incorporates the endurance package introduced on the 29-3 to prevent the gun going out of time, as occurred with some of the earlier models. I would expect no major issues when using standard factory .44 magnum loads or equivalent handloads.

 

[Radagast]

billaroo:
Smokeless loads were introduced in 1896, IIRC, S&W began heat treating cylinders in 1917-1920. Hence the recommendation for black powder or black powder substitute loads. I'd suggest asking for advice in the blackpowder subforum.

 

[HPShooter]

Hello,

I have what I believe is a S & W Model 31. Here are the particulars:

a. 3 1/4 inch tapered barrel with half moon sight.

b. Rear sight groove.

c. Beautiful square grips marked June 5, 1917. Checkered with diamond at the screw hole point. These grips enclose a shorter, more rounded frame grip. Wood is rounded off at the top of the grip but has no S&W medallion.

d. caliber shown on barrel as "32 LONG CTG".

e. Serial number is shown own visible inner grip above stocks, very hard to read the first and third numbers. It is either 5954XX or 3934XX.

f. Top of barrel is inscribed immediately behind foresight "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS.U.S.A. FEB.8,08, SEPT.14,09, DEC 29, 14" on two lines.

Thanks in advance for providing this service.

HPShooter

 

[Wild Dog]

I am new to this sight and new to the gun world, but I have a gun that I have no idea how to determine the age or value of. Can you help me? I have someone who wants to buy it and I have no idea what to charge.

It is a Smith & Wesson
5 shot
AIRWEIGHT
38 Special CTG
Model 38.
Serial #AWY58XX.

Thanks for your help!