Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

The Silver Bullet 1719:
Your .38 Military & Police / Model 10-5 was manufactured in 1960 or 1970. Serial range for those years was D90001 to D330000, so early 1960 seems likely.
 
jpmurf:
Assuming your gun has a tapered barrel and a ramped front sight, then you have a K38 Combat Masterpiece manufactured in 1954. In 1957 the Combat Masterpiece was designated the Model 15, continuing in production until 1999.

A small number of K38 Target Masterpieces (Model 14) were manufactured with a heavy (straight) barrel and a square cut Patridge front sight. These shared the same serial range as the Combat Masterpiece.
 
Natty Bumpo:

Per the serial number lists in the Standard Catalog of S&W your Model 66-2 Stainless Combat Magnums serial number dates it to between July 1988 (BBFxxxx) & October 1988 (BBTxxxx).
But, the 66-2 was replaced by the 66-3 in 1986. I'm inclined to believe you have a misstamped gun and it is actually a 66-3.
A factory letter from S&W would clear up the confusion, but at $50 it probably isn't worth it for an otherwise common gun.
 
Radagast :

You were dead on. I had the weapon at a gunsmith and he basicly repeated what you had stated. I found a case of 38 S & W rounds at a local gun shop which told me they recieved them in error. (Magtech 146 gr.) The weapon fires great , as much fun as my Glock 26.

I just wanted to thank you !
 
The Silver Bullet 1719:
I screwed up. Your gun was manufactured in 1969 or 1970, with 1969 being likely, _not_ 1960 as stated above.

jgstang67:
You are welcome.
 
a) .38 S&W Ctg.
b) 5" Bbl
c) Square butt.
d) 6-shot
e) Fixed sights.
f) 908XXX
g) No model number on crane.

Thanks

EDIT: This one did have a cylinder that some knucklehead had modified years ago... common practice. I bought a .38 S&W cylinder from Numrich to convert it back to its former glory. Cylinder dropped in and required no fitting / timing... I was pleased. By my guess, I figured it should be around 1938 - 1940. Butt swivel had been removed and a 1/4" bolt jammed and ground off in its place. I removed this "plug" and installed a butt swivel. It is an accurate, excellent shooter. I'm shooting reloads (145gr MO Bullet, 3gr Unique, 732fps).

P4250234a.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks Radagast

I was thinking it would probably be later than 1960 because it has a pinned barrel, but the cylinder is not recessed.
 
The Silver Bullet 1719:
The pinned barrel was deleted in 1982. Recessed chambers for the cartridge rim were deleted from the magnum caliber guns around the same time period. .22lr guns continued to be recessed. The Model 10 and the other .38 special revolvers were never recessed. The mistake was mine, whacking away at the keyboard without my contact lenses in. :p
 
juniustaylor:
You have a .38/200 British Service Revolver. The Magna grips aren't correct per the Standard Catalog of S&W, but at that point in time I'm pretty sure Britain was willing to take anything, having lost much of their armies equipment at the evacuation of Dunkirk, so they may be original to the gun. If you remove the grips there may be a serial number on the underside.

The British purchased just over 110,000 guns from S&W starting around serial number 760,000 in 1940. By 1942 the serial range had hit 1000000 and started over again at V1. with the USA providing some 568,000 guns under lend lease.

So your gun dates to the period 1940 to 1942.

It's nice to see an old gun restored to working order, instead of being treated as bubbaed junk.
 
Thanks for the info Radagast. The grips that had come on this gun were some artificial stag antler grips. I thought they were ugly. I bought a set of grips for the K-frame revolvers, but they were a tad too small on the forward side, the frame stuck out. So, I found this set at a gunshow. I like this style much better than the ugly ones that came on the Victory revolvers, the plain walnut ones. Again, thanks for the information. I really figured it was one of the .38/200's. This one just didn't have any British proof marks nor anything that said US Property.
 
Mod 67-1

I have a Mod 67-1. Can anyone give me approximate year it was made? Thanks in advance.
 
24 carat Gold Plated 30-1

Caliber -- .32 S&W Long
BBL -- 2 inch
Grips -- Round
Six Shot
Fixed sights
Serial No. -- H 463XX
Model No. -- 30-1

IMAG0328.gif
IMAG0350.gif

Thank you ,

The Doc
 
Nomad:
The Model 67-1 .38 Combat Masterpiece Stainless was manufactured from 1977 to 1988. If there is a pin at the junction of barrel and frame then your gun is from 1982 or earlier. If there isn't then it is from 1982 or later. I will need the serial number if you want a year of manufacture.

The Doc:
Your Model 30-1 Hand Ejector dates to the period 1971 to 1972, serial range was H30000 to H60000 for those years, so yours could be either or. The -1 denotes the gun was made on the J frame (earlier guns used the smaller I frame). Aftermarket grips for a round butt J frame should fit.

Rob1109:
Your Model 36 Chiefs Special dates 1971-1972.
 
Thank you Radagast. Did S&W gold plate their revolvers as custom jobs ? It is mentioned 24 ct gold plated on the box , so I assume that there may be several similarly gold plated revolvers , or is my assumption wrong?

Another interesting point is that there is a German proof mark of "Federal Eagle " or 'Bundesadler' with alphabet "N" under it on the barrel as well as on the frame on the left side. So may be this revolver was commercially imported into Germany, proof tested marked/stamped etc accordingly before finding its way to India. Any views regarding that ?

thanks,
The Doc
 
Thanks much for your help Radagast. Actually that puts me close enough on the year. Thanks again.
 
old .38 special

I have this old gun that has been in the family for along time.

a) Smith & Wesson .38 Special, chrome with fold plate accents on hammer, trigger, and inside grooves on cylinder
b) bbl length (2 in)
c) round (wood)
d) 6 shot
e) fixed
f) C 166137
g) Model number? unk. there is a "E" and "5" stamped there, along with #94670 stamped on frame and swivel arm holding cylinder.

Do you know when it was made? what is the model? what about an approximate value if I sold it?

Thanks
 
foma:
You have a post war .38 Military & Police revolver manufactured in the period 1948 to 1951. Serial range for those years was C1 to C223998. Model numbers were assigned in 1957, which is why yours lacks a model number. In 1957 the .38 Military & Police became the Model 10.
The E, 5 & 94670 are assembly numbers, used to track parts in the factory. They are irrelevant once the gun is completed.
Value is heavily dependent on condition, a standard gun in very good condition is probably worth around $350 in a private sale, less to a dealer who will price to make a profit on the resale.
I'm not sure what you mean by fold accents, if you mean gold inlay, then pics will be required to identify and value it, factory engraving may add to the value. If you mean there is a light colored finish to the hammer and trigger then this is color case hardening, common on all S&W revolvers of that period, but this is not found in the flutes of the cylinder. Again, pics will help.
 
Daniel1120:
Your Model 66-3 Combat Magnum Stainless was manufactured in 1989/1990. The Standard Catalog of S&W notes serial numbers in the BEPxxxx range in December 1989 and BFNxxxx range in January 1990.
 
The Doc:
Gold plating was (and I think still is) an option from S&W on special order. It may have been a commercial import into Germany for the civilian market, or for sale through an American base Rod & Gun club, as its age places it during the cold war. Or it may have been sold to a German corporation for later re export to India to get around import or export restrictions.
I won't speculate more than that, if you wish to find out for certain then for a fee of $50 USD S&W factory historian Mr Roy Jinks will look up the original shipping records and send you a factory letter stating the specification of the gun, including any custom finish, the shipping date and the customer it shipped to.

'Lettering' an unusual gun can add to its value to a collector in the USA. I doubt it will add to the value in India, but it will help satisfy your curiosity. Either Email S&W or PM member Old Fuff for how to contact Mr Jinks if you want to do this.
 
bought a s&w 38 special ctg. When the cylinder is open should you be able to see or slightly feel the firing pin in the cylinder housing.
 
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