Smith and Wesson .38 special ctg

[Tim1979ta]

Hi,
I wanted to know if anyone could tell me any info about my grandpas gun i hope to be getting from my grandmother. Its a smith and wesson .38 special ctg serial number is 3k35056, im mostly looking for mfr. date? and any other info possible. thanks.

 

[DPris]

With the recent proliferation of "Tell Me About My CTG" posts, it's almost like we're being messed with.

Assuming you're legitimate, CTG is an abbreviation for cartridge.
You've said you have a .38 Special-calibered gun with that serial number.

Photos or more info.
Large frame, small frame, etc.
Model number on the frame at the front of the cylinder with the cylinder open?
Denis

 

[Tim1979ta]

Denis,
I (maybe obviously) do not know a lot about guns. I do not have this gun at the moment, it still belongs to my grandmother. When i looked at the gun, on the side of the barrel it said .38 special CTG. the serial number was on the bottom of the grip, well im guessing this is the serial number??

The gun look almost exactly like the new s&w model 10, here is the link. except this gun is silver, not dark like the new style. not sure if any of this will tell you anything or not, sorry for the lack of knowledge of guns..http://http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_766346_-1_757779_757751_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

 

[DPris]

Tim,
There's another .38 Special CTG thread with its last entry at 2:54 AM today, mentioning the bit about about what CTG really means.
Not just on this board, and there's a recent long thread on the S&W forum spoofing the number of "I Just Got A CTG, Tell Me About It!" threads that seem to be increasing lately.

If you genuinely didn't know that .38 Special CTG is just the caliber stamped on literally thousands of guns, now you do.

You can't be held responsible for one of the most common bits of lack of knowledge in the gun world, but as I said- it's almost getting to the point where it looks like people are doing it deliberately.

I can't get your link to work.
The serial should be stamped on the bottom of the gripframe.
Did you open the cylinder & look for a model number on the frame where it's normally covered when the cylinder's closed?
Denis

 

[ugaarguy]

Tim, first, welcome to THR.

Yes, the butt, or bottom of the grip is the correct location for the serial number. The serial number you've posted tells us the revolver was made approx 1971. The K (or 3K in this case) prefix tells us this should be a target frame, meaning it should have an adjustable rear sight. Being chambered in .38 Special narrows it to the models 14 and 15. The 14 is the "Target Masterpiece" and will have a flat front sight that is squared at the back, and rounds quickly toward the muzzle (the front of the barrel). The 15 is the "Combat Masterpiece" and will have a ramped front sight. If you open the cylinder and look under the crane (the crane is the arm that holds the cylinder as it swings out) the model should be stamped in the frame under the crane. This should be a model 14-3, or 15-3 based on the SN. You may also see other numbers stamped under the model number: These may be factory assembly numbers used to keep track of parts while the revolver was being built, or it may be a repeat of the serial number. There may be no numbers but the model number as well. The silver coloring you note is typically nickel plating, and would have been a fairly common factory option for the time period. Let us know if you need more info.

 

[Tim1979ta]

Thanks Denis,

I think i need to get my hands on the gun again and look for some more exact info, good reason to make a visit to see grandma ha..

Thanks alot for the info though. Have a good one!

 

[DPris]

Good luck with it.
Denis

 

[toivo]

With the recent proliferation of "Tell Me About My CTG" posts, it's almost like we're being messed with.

I was thinking the same thing at first. This is the third or fourth one I've seen in a month. Two possibilities: either it's an elaborate prank, or generational demographics are putting a whole bunch of "grandpa's guns" in the hands of heirs who aren't all that firearm-savvy. Makes sense that these guns would be .38 Specials. We'll probably see the same thing with 9mm Glocks in about 30 years.

 

[DPris]

"I Just Inherited A Black 9x19, Tell Me All About It"?
Denis

 

[toivo]

Something like that, yeah.

 

[DPris]

Yeah.

 

[Radagast]

It probably is demographics. People who bought guns in the 1950s are dropping off the tree at rate of a million or so a year. The last long lived members of the generation born in the 20s & 30s are also leaving.
The generation that became adults in the antigun 70s and 80s are being handed their granparents' guns. Some of them have no idea what they are receiving, many of them don't care, but a few get curious and get on the Net. Those are the ones that we see.

I've noticed an increase in the number of requests on the S&W DOB thread to ID inherited guns, we'll probably see this trend running for a while. And yes, 30 plus years from now my nephew may be posting how old is this Glock 9x19mm on a similar thread. I'll expect him to know the S&Ws. If he doesn't then I'll have my toys buried with me in case there is a Valhalla!

 

[Stophel]

Go to the S&W board. There's usually a new "I have a 38 Special CTG" post nearly every day...

I wish they hadn't put "CTG" on them... people seem to think it's a model number. BUT, if people don't know, they don't know, so you can't fuss at them.

Open the cylinder, and if the gun is made post 1955 (I think) it will have a model number stamped on the frame, saying something like Model 10-5, or model 15-3, etc.