Hey! New here.
Working on identifying a top break S&W revolver for a buddy.

Serial: 228709 - on butt and cylinder
Caliber: .38 S&W
Barrel: 2"
Sights: Fixed

Appears to maybe be nickel finished(?). Wood and plastic grips appear to be after-market, but unsure.

Stamp on top of the barrel near the front sight appears to read "88 USA".

Thanks in advance for the help!

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5th Model Safety Hammerless revolver by the looks. Stocks would appear to be Aftermarket Replacements.
Front Sight looks Integral to the Barrel so might just be an uncut 'Bicycle Gun' - quite scarce.
All major Components will be Numbered and should match up.
Would be worth getting a letter from S&W I'd reckon. These are somewhat sought after if Original (and even if they're cut - just not so valuable)

Probably made around 1908-9ish.

Nice little gun.

someone will have an idea of value, but see if the numbers all match and maybe a good pic of the muzzle and front sight area and a close side view of the barrel (writing side and top view)

Looks like a real one at a glance anyway.....

Thanks, sw44russ! Numbers do match on butt and cylinder. Can you tell me what you mean by "cut" and uncut"? And I'll see what I can do about pics suggested.

The "88 U.S.A." stamp could be capital "S"s or a combination. A bit worn and just enough scratching there even looking at it through a jeweler's loop. Also, left side of barrel is stamped with .38 S & W CTG, but no other markings on the barrel. The number on the underside of the barrel latch (boy, that was hard to find) is 14463. This does not match with the butt & cylinder numbers. Will get my son to use his fancy camera to try to get some real close-up pics.

The Barrels on these Guns came in 2'', 3 1/4'', 4'', 5'' and 6'' with a few reportedly made with a 1 1/2'' (Super Rare) Barrel.
These 2'' barreled Models were only made in limited Numbers and in good order are valuable. So, over the years, people have cut the barrel of a Standard 3 1/4'' or 4'' Barrelled Gun and moved the Sight back to imitate an Original. Sometimes they are passed off as Original when they are 'cut' so as to get more $$ for the Gun than it's worth. There are clues that will give up the game, but a good Gunsmith can do a good job that may be harder to pick. A factory Letter will clear up any doubt. These Models can have a Pinned Front Sight or an integral one like yours. The Integral Sight to me would point to it being original.

The ''88 USA'' stamp is a mystery to me - yours should have a 'Barrel Address' - ''Smith & Wesson Springfield Mass. USA'' on the Top Rib.
More pics will help here.

SNs will be also on the Barrel Latch and just near it on the Barrel.

BTW, Welcome to the Forum!! you've come to the right place!

This is a tough call from three pics. I have stumbled across several in the last fifty tears. I kept the examples that were not over buffed and refinished. There are several good Posts on this subject. Do a Search.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

The "88 USA" is likely a shortened patent rollmark, strongly suggesting a non-factory cut barrel. The original shorter barrels generally had all the information stamped on the right barrel side. It sounds to be a cool shooter.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Your barrel has the remnants of the address:

Smith & Wesson Springfield, Ma("ss. USA").

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Mike Maher #283

Hello Alan and Mike, you guys are spot on, thanks.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Thanks, gents! The cut off Springfield, Ma"ss. U.S.A." makes a whole lot of sense with the number on the latch not matching.

Hello 2" 38 SH guys. Help me out. From my research , I have found they were listed in the fifth model era, 1907-1940, 220,000-261,493.
Barrel was stamped on the right and left side. Am I close? Best

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Anybody willing to take a stab at a value?

If it's mechanically tight, functions well and has a good bore - it's in the ball park at about $175-$225 as a shooter, perhaps. The factory made the first two inch barrels, starting with the .32 Safeties, as special orders, in 1893. The S&W markings were stamped across the top of the barrels and on to the top strap for those guns, as no shorter die had been made, as yet, for the S&W stamping seen later on the side of the barrels. The first 2 in. barrel .32 safety, ser. # 53252, was shipped June 14, 1893, to Dale, Gale, & Schoverling, NYC. as a blue gun. 2 in. barrels for the .38s soon followed and were catalog items as "Bicycle" guns by the turn of the century. Ed.