Just picked up a smith and wesson break open and was wondering about the manufacture date. The number is 93435. Pretty sure it a 38 s&w Caliber but it is not marked on the barrel, black plastic grips, virtually not finish left but looks like it may have been nickle plated. I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

Thanks

Hi, and welcome! Photos will be helpful, but these came in two models, with an exposed hammer (the Double Action) or concealed hammer (the Safety Hammerless). Obviously, the year it was built will depend on the model, but both would have been made in the 1880s.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Sounds like a winner, how are the mechanical aspects? Looking
forward to your pics, TACC1.

Hammered model.

Mechanically it seems to be pretty decent except the saftey notch and the cock notch on the hammer are wore out and won't hold. Found some pitting in the barrel when I cleanded it last night but it could be worse

Flintlock,
Based on the serial number and the two sets of cylinder stop notches, it looks like you have a .38 Double Action, 2nd Model. These were made between 1880 and 1884. You are correct in presuming it to be .38 S&W caliber. A gun made in it's time period would definitely be a black powder firearm. I would strongly suggest not shooting it with modern production .38 S&W ammo unless you have the gun completely and thoroughly checked by a gunsmith familiar with these old guns. Even then I'd have second thoughts about shooting it. It's just very, very old and not knowing it's condition should give one pause.

And by the way, if your pics are accurate, it doesn't really look like it was a nickel finish but blue. If it was nickel, I think you'd see more traces of bright metal than is apparent.

Thanks for the pics, pretty good ones at that. That gun looks like it's got character. TACC1

Sorry it took me so long to answer back, only got access to internet at work and they been keeping me busy.

Thanks for the replies.

The reason I thought it was nickle is I don't see how the bright metal around the top latch and the screw would have been there on a blued gun. It also occured to me that perhaps sometime in the guns history somebody decided to refinish it but never got past the stripping.

I hadn't planned on fireing smokeless loads but I had considered loading some black powder shells.

That was a nickel gun at one time. If you remove the grips, you may also find some evidences of nickel plating on the grip frame. Don't jump to the conclusion that the hammer or sear are too worn to hold a cock. In most cases, older guns like yours have a 120 yrs of old grease, powder, dirt and othe assorted critters inside the works, which causes the problems you are experiencing. A really thorough disassembly and cleaning of the interior will often make the gun function like new. You can buy modern made black powder ammo in .38S&W caliber. It's made for the Cowboy Shooting matches that are black powder only matches. Ed.