I have had this gun for years. I bought it because the price was right and in best condition. Refinished date 1975 marked R-S under the left grip. Doesn't appear to have been fired since. May have been a police gun in that it has a 4 digit number stamped on the butt in figures almost wuarter inch high. Bore, grips and function are perfect. Any comments, opinions, whatever appreciated.

Get a factory letter to see if it was a Police purchase. Ed.

I like those revolvers! They don't come up for sale too often. I had asked Roy Jinks about that fact and he informed me that they were very popular with foreign markets, so not so many sold in the US. Yours has a nice refinish, but it has been fired some after the new skin was applied as evidenced by the ring around the cylinder.

Nice gun and great fun to shoot, but I still try to open them up by just lifting the barrel latch. Never remember the frame latch.

Here are a couple pages from an early 1900s S&W Catalog that might be of interest.

Attached Images

	38 Perfected 1.jpg (95.8 KB, 97 views)
	38 Perfected Grips1.jpg (79.8 KB, 76 views)

Interesting that there is no recoil shield mark around the firing pin.

That's a nice blued version, regardless of the refinish. They are neat guns. I bought one on the cheap this past spring that has it's trigger guard flattened out a bit. I like to imagine that it was used to vigorously "crown" a few miscreants over the head long ago. But it works great and is surprisingly accurate. The Perfected is a true transition gun, halfway between the old top break DA and the newer I frame 38. I like the old ads too, glowe. I'll have to keep an eye out for some to frame up.
John

Very nice gun, even if it is a refinish. I have a nickel version, but would love to find a blue to match. Mine also has a PD rack number stamped above the factory number, probably about the same size as yours. When found, this gun did not have the original hard rubber grips, but I happened to have this beautiful set of walnut grips for it.

Attached Images

	perfected 3.jpg (72.5 KB, 95 views)
	perfected 4.jpg (56.8 KB, 84 views)

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Peter #2091

The rack numbers on mine are half as wide as the butt metal, maybe 3x as wide as the s/n. Thinking about getting a letter on it but wonder what with that do for value, collectibility, etc.

I'm a Perfected fan, also. I have a 3-1/4" blue Perfected, S/N 40353 (barrel, cylinder, latch, & ejector star). The finish is at about 90% and looks to be original, except for the MOP grips.

It has what would appear to be a rack number (5880) on the butt, very similar to Dosgatos' and as described by RHMC24 (0.15"h x 0.70"w). On mine the original s/n appears to have been filed off the butt (blue finish missing) and the "rack number" (only) stamped in larger characters where the s/n should be. The four digit number is much larger than the normal frame/butt s/n on other Perfected examples. This always seemed odd to me. Would a police dept obliterate a frame s/n to stamp a rack number?

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Mitch
SWCA 2438

rcmh24:
Does your Perfected have the rack number AND the serial number on the butt, or just the rack number?

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Mitch
SWCA 2438

It has the s/n undisturbed but for the rack number stamped over it. Still can read the s/n.

Interesting the rack number in 4 digits may mean a big city PD or from a small town that started with nbr 1 on a Paterson.

rhmc - I have a nickel finish Perfected Model that, like yours, has the s/n with a four digit rack number stamped over it. In the "letter" from Roy Jinks he reports the gun was delivered to Randolph Bates Co. and that they bought in lots that indicate they were being purchased for a police agency. It is a four digit rack number and I also wished it was a large department that would buy direct from S&W. That way I would have more interesting provenance for the gun. Anyway - these are great guns that are fun to shoot.

Stan

hello i´m from Uruguay forgive my english, y need help y have a sw cal 38 special o spring i cant reed good, douw said July 11 65 AUG 04, recive this for my grandfather, my answer is it have valor, and wath is the model of the gun thanks

Welcome again fer01uy. I posted this same reply in your other query. Could you tell us the serial number as found on the bottom of the grip frame? Also, what is the barrel length from front of cylinder to muzzle? Is the gun a solid frame/swing-out cylinder or top-break? Did you read 38 Special stamped on the barrel? Lastly, any pictures would be very helpful.