Hello to All,
I have an antique top break revolver that An old friend gave me he says it's the 1900s, I need your help to Identify if is a real S&W, model , year , etc if is possible.

I attach images with serial, and other details

All the Bests
Angel.

Attached Files

S&W_TopBreak_43115.pdf (1.52 MB, 168 views)

What you have is a pretty scarce .38 Double Action Perfected Model without the normal thumb latch. These are normally worth double to triple to a standard one.
It appears to be in not very good condition but still would be a decent addition to someone's collection to fill a hole.
The Perfected's were made from 1909 to 1920 in a serial range of 1-59,400.

Check this post **Update** .38 Double Action Perfected without the thumb latch.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

abello, Welcome to the Forum. Dean has identified your S&W revolver correctly. It is a hard gun to find as very few were made, especially with the long barrel. It has been refinished in the past, which destroys it attraction to most collectors as they want guns in original condition, however it can fit a hole in a collection, as Dean says, until something better can be found. Good luck, Ed.

Many Thanks deadin/opoefc for your clear answers.

I will abuse and make more questions:

As opoefc says, has been refinished , you think that grip was replaced?

Is possible to know was means the numbers and letters in the top of barrel?

The Hammer can´t lock back "sorry for my ignorance" this means that is a single action?

And a question that every one ask, this guns, from 1900s can shoot today?

Thank you again

Angel.

>It appears that the grips are not original.
>The numbers and letters on the barrel are patent dates for various parts included in the gun.
>If the hammer won't "lock back" it means there is something broken or out of adjustment internally.
>As this gun was made well after the introduction of smokeless powder it should be safe to shoot with the proper modern ammunition. (.38 S&W, NOT ,38 Special.) (As long as everything else is locking up satisfactorily.)

Note: By US standards this gun is not an "Antique" as it was made after 1898, but rather considered a Curio & Relic but still a :Modern" gun.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

The strain screw is backed out it is most likely causing the single action problem. It is the screw that is located on the front of the grip frame the head should be flush with the frame or just about flush

How are you seeing the details of this revolver?? I can only see the serial number on the butt??

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I clicked on the thumbnail you can see -serial number - and it opened an album of other pictures. Took a minute or two.

thank you all for your answers and information, very useful and interesting


thanks to your answers in detail I am more interested in the world of weapons and history of S & W , spend all night looking and reading literature on this

Is possible to find the original or like original grip?

That explains it, thanks. I guess I did not wait long enough for the .pdf to open and just gave up too quickly.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

The correct black hard rubber stocks come up quite often on ebay. The 38 Double Action, 38 Single Action, 38 Hammerless, 32 Hand Ejector Model 1903, and of course the 38 Perfected have the same size stocks.

The other possibility is that the stocks were walnut target stocks. They were an option and could be ordered with the Perfected revolver. I see quite a few targets on 38 Perfecteds, but would think they are unlikely to be found on a bulk order export gun.

Here is a late 1919 ship date 6" Perfected with both the original walnut target stocks and the standard hard rubber stocks for comparison.

If you are doing a lot of reading on the Perfected revolver, you might be interested in a Commentary on that model. http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=109

Attached Images

	1.jpg (178.2 KB, 28 views)
	3.jpg (168.4 KB, 20 views)

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Gary
SWCA 2515