Old Smith & Wesson 38 Spcl

[DKA]

Has some patent dates on top of the barrel and on the bottom of the Frame at bottom of grips the Serial # 252648 and on the side of the barrel" 38 S&W Special Ctg. Can anyone tell me anything about when it was made and if it has a model other than 38 Special Ctg?

 

[Oro]

Assuming it's a six-shot, fixed-sight model, you probably have a pre-war "Military & Police" model. It also got the name "Model 10" in 1957 so it is known by both names. This assumes there are no other letters on the grip bottom besides the numbers you gave.

That s/n would date to the early '20s I think - like '23 or '24 but that is based on my memory of when heat-treatment of the cylinders started and not a reference book, which I don't have to hand right now. If you can post a picture we can be much more precise, and also verify there are no other letters on a) the grip bottom, b) in front of the s/n under the barrel (above the ejector rod) or c) on the cylinder face.

 

[Oro]

OK, did a check. I was off a bit. Very likely your gun dates to 1915 or 1916 if it is an M&P. It is hard to be exact with the published data from then, but since that s/n falls early in the 1905/4th change run that would be a good guess. That would make it before they heat-treated the cylinders, so you should use caution and, in my opinion, not shoot any heavy loads in it.

 

[DKA]

Thanks Guys, checked again just to make sure that there are no other numbers or letters in the serial number and there are not. solid old gun, locks up tight and shoots very good.

 

[Oyeboten]

These were beatuifully made, very high quality Revolvers...typically smooth as Butter, and very reliable.


But yes, stay with old Sandard Loadings, or 'Cowboy' ammo...no +P or Silvertips and so on...stay with plain Lead...SWC, HBW or RNL...