s&w 38

[David Carroll]

sn# 8035xx, 6inch barrel, square butt, blued 6 shot, pat date dec 29 14. When was this gun made. s&w

 

[Driswalds]

There is a thread for S&W manufacture information.
Please post it in this thread.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

 

[Deaf Smith]

Is there a 'C' in front of the serial number?

More info is needed.

Deaf

 

[ArchAngelCD]

sn# 8035xx, 6inch barrel, square butt, blued 6 shot, pat date dec 29 14. When was this gun made.

David, welcome to the forum.

Like said above, you should post this in the Sticky Thread for revolver ID and date thread at the top of the Revolver section we are in.
If it's a S&W revolver:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

If it's a Colt revolver:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=655459

Also, it's much safer to post serial numbers like I did in the quote of your post. You should change it right a way.

 

[Radagast]

Serial number 803xxx = 1941.
If a V prefix or SV (may be separated from the number by a swivel) then V803xxx or SV803xxx = 1945.
If the caliber markings on the barrel are ".38 S&W CTG" the its a .38/200 British Service Revolver made for the British Govt.
If the caliber markings are ".38 S&W Special CTG" then its a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 4th Change.

If there is a C prefix, serial number C803xxx = 1965, there should be a model number under the cylinder yoke cut out, Model 10 or Model 11 being most likely.

If a D prefix then 1976, with model number as above.

 

[Old Fuff]

I doubt that it's a "C" prefix serial number because by 1965 they were no longer stamping patent numbers on the top of the barrel. Why? Because by then the subject patents had expired. The latest one dated from 1914.

 

[David Carroll]

s&w 38 special revolver

thanks guys. there is no letter prefix before the sn#. I got this gun 25 years ago when a security company went out of buisness they sold all their handguns for $50 apiece. I had one like it when I was in Viet Nam. I thought I got a good deal. Thanks for the help.

 

[Radagast]

Cool. Even if its marked .38 S&W CTG, check to see if it will chamber a .38 special round. A lot of the war surplus guns had their cylinders bored out to accept .38 special. If its been bored out the chambers will be oversize near the case rim, as the .38 S&W case head is wider than the ,38 special case head.
If your gun has been bored out then value is around $150, if not then possibly close to $300-$350 if in excellent shape.
If your gun has been bored out then stick to standard pressure lead loads to reduce the chance of bulged or split cases.
Either way it predates the positive internal hammer block safety introduced during WWII after a fatality with a dropped gun (hence the SV prefix for Safety Victory). One known accident in nearly two million guns is not a bad rate, but personally I would treat it as a five shooter and leave the hammer under the chamber empty. It does have a hammer block, but obviously was not up to the job on that one occasion.