S & W

[alabama1]

any information re 38 s & w special u s service ctg serial # B5074 made in springfield, mass.

 

[waidmann]

Check the serials on the cylinder and barrel for clarification, no B's. The U.S. Service Cartridge until 1909 was the .38 Long Colt (the parent of the .38 Special, a tad shorter).
My guess is that you are in the 1906-1909 period.

Note a tiny B will be found underneath the barrel (only) of some blued guns (N for nickel).

 

[Ron James]

38 Special and Service Cartridge. The Long Colt could be fired in a S&W 38 Special chamber but not vice versa. S&W wanted to let people know it would also fire the US Service cartridge ( 38 Colt Long ) but no way were they going to put a competitors name on their gun. In fact when Colt brought out their version of the 38 Special in 1909 they called it the .38 Colt Special, same cartridge, with a flat tip. Pictures would be nice ( along with the correct serial number )

 

[Jim K]

S&W was also hoping (in vain) for adoption by the military so they wanted everyone to know their revolver could also fire the military cartridge. That marking was dropped in 1909 when the .45 caliber M1909 cartridge became the "U.S. Service Cartridge."

Jim

 

[Radagast]

As mentioned above, if the number B5074 was taken from under the barrel, then the actual serial number, which will be on the bottom edge of the frame between the grips, should be 5074, which will make it a .38 Military & Police 1st Model and one of 5000 ordered by the United States Navy in 1900.
If the number on the bottom of the grip frame is different then the above does not apply. A number taken from under the cylinder yoke may or may not be the serial number, depending on the age of the gun. With a B prefix it would not be.