I have an old revolver that was handed down from my grandfather. Not sure if he carryed it when he was in WW2 or when he was a state trooper. It has the Smith & Wesson trade mark logo behind the cylinder on the right side. The length of the barrel is 5" and says "smith & wesson" on the left side of the barrel, the top says " smith & wesson springfield Mass USA patented oct 8. 01, dec 7 01, feb 6 06, sept 14 09, dec. 29 14 ", the right side says " 38 S&W Special CTG ". Blue finish, the grips are what look to be fake bone but when taken off there was real wood on the underside. The sights are fixed. And the number on the butt, underside of barrel, and back of cylinder is 37369 but on the butt of the handle there is a star after this number. On the yoke the number 7180. I would just like to get as much info on this gun.

Thanks,

Scott

Hi, and welcome! You have a .38 Military & Police K frame, later named the model 10. The serial number (on the butt and elsewhere) indicates 1903-1904 production, so if the barrel has a matching number with the 1914 patent date, you may have left off a digit? If it is in the 373,000
range, probably 1920s production.

The star indicates a factory rework of some type, most often but not always a refinish.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thanks for the info Murphydog,
I'll check on the number and see what I find. Any idea if the grips on it are original or something that was added later?

I am a little confused, the star does usually mean a factory refinish/rework job, on the grip frame would appear a four/five digit date group under the left grip not on the yoke. Thats usually an assembly number. Have a look and let us know. If done after the mid fifties a date alone or date with an R-B in a triangle will be on the frame under the left grip.

Ballarat,
I checked under the grip and there is the number 32 on the upper part of the frame ( close to the triger ) then at the bottom it is marked 6.18 or could be 6.I8 kind of hard to tell and then there is the B inside a trangle at the back of the frame it also apears under the barrel oh and the serial number was right. So what does all this mean.

Thanks,

Scott

I think it has been reworked, but the numbers dont make real sense to me as such, it could be june 18 but no year info, if the 32 meant the year, it would not have the B in a triangle. You may have to wait until someone with more knowledge and info arrives on the scene, failing that get it factory lettered from Roy Jinks and tell him about the various markings and their location on the gun. Will watch this post for developements, I am still learning too.

I was thinking of getting on of thoes letters but didn't want to shell out the $50 if this gun is worth that much.

Possible explanation: The rework was in June 1918 (6.18) and involved a rebarrel. IIRC S&W used to stamp replacement barrels with the SN during that time frame. So the replacement barrel (circa 1918) on a 1903-04 production revolver would have a 1914 patent date.

Oh, and by the way, whatever the age, it's a Hand Ejector, so you would probably get more responses if you posted your question in the 1896-1961 section where the real HE experts hang out. Pictures would help, too, especially of both sides (in & out) of the grips and of the underside of the barrel and the butt.

__________________
I need ammo, not a ride.

Presuming imgettingcloser did leave off a digit at the end of the serial number and it's acutally something more like 37369x, that would make his gun a .38 M&P Model of 1905, 4th Change the last of the pre-war .38 K frames. Since this model ran from 1915 until the start of the war that would match the barrel date of 1914. Of course the re-work star does throw issue into doubt. On the other hand, if the SN is in fact only 5 digits that would make his gun a .38 M&P 2nd Model which starts getting into some scarce examples. This would also help explain the rework star and the 1914 barrel date.

Thats a good idea. I'm going to start this thread over there and I will post some pics.

Thanks everybody for all the help, I really didn't think it was going to be this hard to find the info on this gun. I think I may shell out the $50 for a letter from S&W.