I have inherited a Smith and Wesson 38 caliber pistol. There is no model number. It is a top break. The number on the but of the gun is 154xxx. Markings say 38 S &W OTG. It does not say CTG, but OTG. It is a six inch barrel. The sights are fixed.
There is a strain screw. No Butt swivel or Lanyard ring. There are five flathead screws through the metal around the chamber. None on the front of the trigger. There is an additional screw in the handle grip, but that doesn't seem to count in your guide.

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From your photo, it appears you have a S&W .38 Safety Hammerless revolver with a blue finish that may be a reblue. It is a 4th model, made about 1902, or so. The longer 6 inch barrel is uncommon, as most had 3 1/4 or 4 inch long barrels. If it is in good mechanical condition, current value is about $350 -$425 range at most gun shows, however if it has a family connection it could be priceless as an heirloom. Ed.

Great heirloom piece. Would love to hear the history on this firearm. I think the fact it is hammerless is very interesting for a 6 inch barrel. I am not an expert on the antique firearms but I find that very unusual. It is worth some research. Very interesting piece.

Welcome to the forum.

That is a neat looking old gun especially with the longer barrel. Do you have a close up photo of the barrel marking? The caliber is definitely .38 S&W and the company label to identify this cartridge would be .38 S&W CTG. It could be an error with the roll die or some other anomaly but without seeing the marking up close it is hard to tell.

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James Redfield
LM #497

..."five flat head screws..." Kinda curious, pls post a pic. Best.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

From your picture it has the appearance of having been re-blued. Fresh from the factory, it would have been much glossier. And if, as I suspect, it has been reblued, it diminishes its value significantly. Better closeup pictures would aid in determining if the finish is original, and might reveal other important details. As you might have figured out, the "Safety Hammerless" name means it was designed to prevent accidental discharge from any of several possible causes, such as dropping it on the floor. That was done by completely enclosing the hammer (it does have one, despite the name) inside the frame, and by also adding a safety bar on the rear of the grip frame, so that it cannot be fired without firmly grasping the grip (these revolvers are sometimes given the nickname of "Lemon Squeezer" due to the presence of the grip safety bar). It's about as safe a revolver design as it's possible to get. It's also sometimes called the S&W "New Departure." It probably still shoots as well as it ever did, except .38 S&W (not .38 S&W Special) ammunition is somewhat difficult to find as there is not much demand. Therefore many retailers do not stock it, even though it is still manufactured.