need help identifying revolver

[gunmanmike]

I have a smith and wesson revolver that i just bought and need help identifying the model number. on the right side of the barrel it says "38 s&w special ctg" and the serial is: k771176. its a six shot with a four inch barrel or 5 1/2inch if you go to the back of the cylinder. on right side below cylinder it says: made in usa marcas registradas smith and wesson springfield, mass.
really need help so i can order a cylinder pin to stop it from free spinning since the old one was worn down too much. it also has a flat head adjustment for the rear sight if that helps.

 

[Ron James]

It was made in 1967, open the cylinder and see if there is a model number stamped on the yoke frame . The K-series serial numbers covers 12 different models, some of them can be rule out because of the barrel lenght and caliber but even then there are several it could fit. I'm guessing just off the top of my head, because you said it had adjustable sights, that it is a model 14. but need pictures to be sure.

 

[David E]

It would be highly unlikely that the cylinder BOLT, (not pin) that keeps it from "free spinning" is worn down too much thru use.

I suspect that it was oiled a long time ago, and the oil dried out, keeping the bolt from coming up into the cylinder window. Or perhaps it's just very dirty and causing the same thing, or maybe the spring that powers it is broken, lost or not installed correctly.

A picture would really help.

 

[Oro]

Good advice above. Sounds like you have a model 15 (adjustable sight, K model, 4" .38 Special). Doesn't matter too much, all the parts you need are the same whether a model 10, 15, 19, etc.

Most likely your cylinder bolt spring is compressed or more likely twisted in the housing - I have seen this a few times. Like David E said, it is pretty impossible to wear that piece down. Someone opening it, cleaning it, and then not aligning the spring carefully can result in this problem.

If you are not familiar with opening up S&W revolvers, I recommend that you spend some time getting detailed instructions, and even then not attempting it unless you are fairly mechanically experienced. Do you have a buddy who knows it, or a gunsmith can ID (and probably fix) the problem in under 10 minutes barring a more catastrophic cause.

 

[gunmanmike]

if i flip the cylinder open, on the yoke frame is the serial number and below it is mod 15-2 i believe its really faded. it also has new grips on it in the pic.

 

[Gryffydd]

Nevermind, you got it

 

[XavierBreath]

if i flip the cylinder on the yoke frame is the serial number and below it is mod 15-2

Sounds like a Model 15-2 to me....

 

[Iggy]

It may just be your terminology, but don't "flip open the cylinder" and don't "flip it shut!!"

This can cause some damage to the crane and loosen the lock up of the gun.

You may already know this, but it is a gentle reminder to all revolver owners new and old.

 

[gunmanmike]

It would be highly unlikely that the cylinder BOLT, (not pin) that keeps it from "free spinning" is worn down too much thru use.

I suspect that it was oiled a long time ago, and the oil dried out, keeping the bolt from coming up into the cylinder window. Or perhaps it's just very dirty and causing the same thing, or maybe the spring that powers it is broken, lost or not installed correctly.

i just shot it for the first time since getting it last week and it started freespinning after shooting it. any idea where i can get a manual on it or a parts diagram so i can find that "spring". i've only opened the side up once and cant see anything messed up without disassembly. and thanks everyone for helping me identify the revolver.

 

[gunmanmike]

got it fixed took it apart and greased it. also i pulled the hand off and re-installed it with the hand torsion spring. i think that was it but ordered a locking bolt w/ spring and a new hand with its spring just in case.

thanks for all the help guys and i hope this helps anyone else that has this problem.

 

[Oro]

Hey Mike,

Good you are on the road. Just to be clear:

The "Locking bolt" is the piece in the lug under the barrel and completely not your culprit if it was spinning. Make sure you ordered the right piece that you want - Numrich's (egunparts.com) has schematics and parts to help ID these.

The "hand" is usually a part that needs fitment on installation - dropping a different one in may or may not let the gun function. Unless there is pretty obviously damage on the ejector star and hand face, it's also not likely got anything to do with the problem.

You should see a spring in front of the cylinder bolt that rests against the curve of the housing in front of the trigger. If it's missing or bound up, that's your problem. I'll see if I can find a photo and come back and add it. Member Sylvan_Forge has a sticky at the top of the forum with a model 10 tear down/rebuild. Look there for photos; I think I have some photos of a Victory model disassembly I did a while back, let me see if i can find another photo.

Edit: OK, focus on this:

Look where the crude arrow is. That's the cylinder bolt, the top rounded part that should protrude into the frame window and lock the cylinder in place. Where I circled, there is a spring that makes this happen (as well as the trigger). It may not be apparent in my photo but it is there and needs to be straight and square against the housing wall and then the cylinder bolt, else it will bind and fail to force teh cylinder bolt to return and lock the cylinder.

The cylinder bolt is not usually a "wear" item so it's most likely a spring bind or, as David E said right up front, an old, dried over-lubrication issue. That was actually the problem with this gun and why I tore it down - someone had packed it solid with valvoline axle grease at some point decades ago and the gun was non-functional until I stripped it out and re-lubed it.

There will be a minor difference in the cylinder bolt spring between the 1942 model pictured and your actual gun, but the concept and location are the same.