Just picked this up. A 38 Safety Hammerless 5th model with
walnut grips, serial #251578. Would this have been made
in the 1930's based on the serial number? The serial number
is penciled on the top part of the right grip panel. Would this
be correct? Bore is perfect as well as the cylinder chambers.
There is really no way to estimate late serial numbered 38 Safety revolvers. Your Fifth Model could have shipped anywhere from the 1920s to the late 1930s. The last serial number issued for this model is reported to be 261,493. As you probably know, S&W did not send out guns in serial number order. After WWI, there were many solid frame models out there and the top-break revolvers became slow sellers, with large inventories. One in your range could well have languished for a decade or more before being sold. A factory letter would be the only way to get an accurate ship date.
Also, I think Peter dropped a number in his post, since a gun in the 24,000 range would have shipped in the 1880s.
Hard rubber stocks often come up for sale on ebay and on the standard online gun sites like Gunbroker, GunsAmerica, Gunsinternational, etc. Make sure you get the right size stocks, since S&W made several different frame sizes. The stocks that fit a 38 Safety, if that is the model you have, are the same size as any of the pre-war I frame (32 Hand Ejector) round-butt stocks. You can also post a WTB add on this Forum.
S&W 38 Safety Hammerless 5th. model
Linear Mode
