Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Revolvers > S&W Antiques
o

Notices

S&W Antiques S&W Lever Action Pistols, Tip-Up Revolvers, ALL Top-Break Revolvers, and ALL Single Shots


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:17 PM
Schmidty102 Schmidty102 is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Question .38 Special CTG Question?

Hi all,

My grandfather inherited this .38 special CTG about 55 years ago and he has handed it on to me.

We are trying to find out the manufacture date and a possible value on it.

Are you able to find any of this information based off of the model number found on the butt of the gun?

the model number is a 21xxxx number. There are no letters, so I know it is a pre-war era gun, but can't find any years from my research.

Any help you could give me would be great!

Edit:

It is a blue finish, 6 shot, to load it swings out, the last patent stamped on the barrel is in December of 09 (If I remember correctly, I don't have the gun on me right now)

Last edited by Schmidty102; 11-20-2011 at 06:19 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:26 PM
DWalt's Avatar
DWalt DWalt is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,483
Likes: 236
Liked 28,948 Times in 14,015 Posts
Default

You are probably correct about it being pre-WWII. One or several good pictures would elicit a better response. I suspect it is an M&P model. Condition would be the main determinant of value. Many of these were rode hard and put away wet, and if so have minimal value. Keep in mind value is a relative term - typically the values seen are for guns on the retail market, i.e., what a gun shop would attempt to sell it for. However, many gun shops would offer maybe half the retail value if you sold it to them.

Last edited by DWalt; 11-20-2011 at 06:28 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:29 PM
Schmidty102 Schmidty102 is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

It isn't in pristine condition, but it is in pretty good shape from what I can tell. It was my great great uncles when he was a railroad conductor. I am going to try to get a picture sent over to me.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-20-2011, 07:08 PM
DCWilson's Avatar
DCWilson DCWilson is offline
SWCA Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 13,993
Likes: 4,998
Liked 7,681 Times in 2,618 Posts
Default

With that patent date and that serial number, it is pretty certainly a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905, Third Change, and it would have shipped around 1911-1912.
__________________
David Wilson
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-20-2011, 07:12 PM
Schmidty102 Schmidty102 is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Here are some images of the gun.






(She needs to be cleaned up, we just had her out at the cabin this weekend.)

Would also like to point out that she is a double action.

Last edited by Schmidty102; 11-20-2011 at 07:30 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-20-2011, 07:35 PM
DCWilson's Avatar
DCWilson DCWilson is offline
SWCA Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 13,993
Likes: 4,998
Liked 7,681 Times in 2,618 Posts
Default

Yup, .38 M&P 1905/Third change. The four inch barrel was the shortest length available on these guns at the time.

Most 1905s had square butts; yours is a round butt variety, and less commonly encountered. But that doesn't make it rare -- just less commonly seen.

Did your grandfather ever have that gun reblued? There is evidence off a secondary polish in the slightly rounded edges and corners that would have been just a little sharper when shipped from the factory.

You should see the serial number on the butt of the gun, the rear face of the cylinder, and on the flat underside of the barrel. It's also in a couple of harder-to-see places -- the underside of the ejector star and the rear-oriented face of the yoke arm. Sometimes you can see that last one through a charge hole, but it takes a strong side light to bring it out. It's easier to see if you take the yoke and cylinder off the gun (not that I am encouraging you to do that).

Just because of its age you should never shoot +P ammo in that revolver. Straight .38 Special ammo is probably OK. I mostly shoot 148 gr wadcutter match ammo in my .38s of this vintage.
__________________
David Wilson
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-20-2011, 07:46 PM
Schmidty102 Schmidty102 is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

We took it out a few weeks ago to the range so I could get a feel for it. We shot 158 grain .38 special bullets. (Can't think of the brand of bullets right now that we used) Bulls eye from 25 yards

As to re-bluing, I don't believe it has ever been done. This gun was carried for YEARS every day by my great great uncle. It definitely had its share of use.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-20-2011, 11:21 PM
opoefc opoefc is offline
Absent Comrade
US Veteran
SWCA Founding Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Diego, CA. USA
Posts: 10,536
Likes: 3,529
Liked 6,883 Times in 2,796 Posts
Default

The gun has definitely been refinished at some time in it's past, however it is what it is, a nice heirloom with family history. Enjoy! Ed.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-21-2011, 03:56 PM
DWalt's Avatar
DWalt DWalt is offline
Member
.38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question? .38 Special CTG Question?  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,483
Likes: 236
Liked 28,948 Times in 14,015 Posts
Default

It does appear from your pictures to have been refinished at one time. However, in its current condition, that would not affect value greatly. Just a good shooter and something to hang onto as an heirloom. About any standard .38 Special ammo is OK in it, but as previously stated, +P loads should be avoided.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
1911, ejector, military, round butt, wadcutter, wwii

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
.38 Special +P Question Ranger514 S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 5 02-14-2016 12:19 AM
Another 38 S&W Special CTG question andy686 S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3 07-31-2013 04:53 PM
.38 Special Question unknownskies S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 6 04-05-2013 08:34 AM
Another 38 Special Question ancient-one Reloading 13 09-18-2009 11:03 PM
Another .38 special question golfrj Reloading 10 05-18-2009 03:46 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:31 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)