Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

smithscott:
You have a .38 Military & Police Postwar, manufactured in the period 1948 to 1951. Serial range for those years was C1 to C223998, so 1948 or early 1949 seems likely.
The grips are almost certainly aftermarket and are probably plastic, there was a brand of fake mother of pearl grips, Franzite, that was very popular in the 1950s. '
Detroit Police xxxxx was a marking used on guns in the sixties and seventies, I would not be surprised if it dates back earlier and the stampings are correct.
 
Identify this please

Here are the facts

1. .38 special
2. bbl length - 1 7/8"
3. round grips
4. 5 rounds ... not recessed
5. permanent sights
6. 31683 found below hinge and on left bottom of frame (see pics)
images 3 and six respectively. images not clear sorry. # at hinge
is accompanied by an "A" mark below it. Image six the number is accompanied by the marks "A6" to the left and "FQ2' to the right
7. Model number unknown, although there is another set of numbers and marks on the right hand side of the frames butt.
Those marks are an "N" inside a circle and an "E" inside a triangle with the number "4790" at the bottom of the right side of the frame.

Can you tell me date of manufacture, model, and anything the other marks can tell me please?

Thanks
 

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csmithsr90:
Only two of your pics are visible.
Assuming the gun has an external hammer and the barrel is not marked Airweight, then it is a Model 36 Chiefs Special, or, if pre-1957, a Chiefs Special.

All of the markings you have described are known as assembly numbers or process numbers, they are used to track parts in the factory and are not recorded after the gun is completed.
The serial number (which is recorded) will be found on the bottom edge of the grip frame, not the flats.
Give me that number and I should be able to give you a close approximation of the year it was made.
 
Just picked it up from a LGS in Chesapeake, VA

Info:

a) .38 Special
b) 4" barrel
c) Square butt, wood grips
d) 6 shots
e) Adjustable rear site, ramp front
f) 1K4425X
g) Mod 15-3

Thanks!
 
DOB Request

a) caliber
b) bbl length (from cylinder to muzzle)
c) grips shape (round or square)
d) number of shots/cylinder bores
e) type of sights.
f) serial number, and if there is a letter in front of or anywhere near the s/n on the bottom of the grip
g) Model number if it is under the crane.
That number, if it is the s/n, should come from the butt of the grip (or under the barrel or face of the cylinder).

a) 38 spl
b) 5"
c) square butt
d) 6
e) fixed
f) D1364xx
g) 10-5

Thank you!

pix450719787.gif
 
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csmithsr90:
Your Model 36 Chiefs Special was manufactured in 1983.

skoro:
Your Model 10-5 .38 Military & Police tapered barrel was manufactured in 1969.

TitanMZ3:
Your Model 15-3 Combat masterpiece was manufactured in 1971.
 
Ziggidy:
Your Model 19-6 .357 Combat Magnum was manufactured between 1988 & 1994.
The serial number should fall in the range AYW9023 to CAA0001. The number you are quoting is probably an assembly number, used to track parts in the manufacturing process. The serial number will be found on the bottom edge of the grip frame, not the flats. It may also be duplicated on the frame under the cylinder yoke.
Give me the serial number and I'll give you a year.
 
sBrice:
Assuming you have taken the number from bottom edge of the grip and not from under the cylinder yoke cut out, then you have a very early gun, a .38 Military & Police Model of 1902, manufactured in the serial range 20976 to 33803 in 1902 or 1903.
Note this gun predates heat treatment of cylinders, so stick to lead only standard pressure loads, no Plus P +P+, jacketed or semi jacketed ammo.
It also lacks a positive internal firing pin block and there is a small chance of it firing if dropped, so leave the chamber under the hammer empty.

If you have taken the number from under the cylinder yoke then its probably an assembly number used to track parts in the factory. Check the bottom edge of the grip frame and get back to me.
 
Radagast,
Thanks for the info. I had no idea it was that old. The number I give you is from the bottom of the grip not the cylinder yoke. It is my fathers, and he had me looking at it when he couldn't get it to cock. Unfortunatly it has broken peice in the trigger mech. Is there any hope in getting parts for it? Or would it be worth fixing? Is it a common gun?
 
sBrice:
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/ are the junkyard / wreckers of the gun industry. Check with them for parts.
That particular gun is not that common, but the actual Military & Police line is still in existence after multiple design changes and well over three million guns manufactured. Value in good working order is probably around $300, assuming normal wear.
 
Model 317-1 Titanium

Appreciate your work. Revolver in question is:

S&W Model 317-1 Titanium
8 shot 22
3 inch barrel
SN# CDB5691
Square butt
Fixed sights
 
Bkeys:
Your S&W Model 317-1 .22 Airlite should have adjustable sights, per the Standard catalog of S&W. BUT! There is a thread referring to a .317 Airlite Ti. It appears you have a short run gun that was not listed by the factory.
That serial number should date to 1999.
 
I have a s&w 38 top break 5shot revolver that nobody seems to be able to tell me a model or how old it is the serial # is 531346 can anyone please help me out I'm new to this site and old guns
 
Bkeys:
That should have read "There is a thread at www.smith-wessonforum.com referring to a .317 Airlite Ti."

96Superglide:
You have a .38 Double Action 4th Model manufactured between 1895 & 1909 in the serial range 322701 to 539000. Guns in the 535000 range shipped in 1908, so I'm fairly confident yours is from the period 1906 to 1908.
I would consider this a blackpowder only firearm, use of modern smokless ammo will lead to more rapid wear due to a different pressure curve. Modern ammo is loaded to the old blackpowder maximum pressure, so I would not expect it to blow up, just wear out faster.
 
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