|
|
05-21-2017, 10:52 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: N. Muskegon, MI
Posts: 153
Likes: 21
Liked 41 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
.38 Safety Hammerless
I recently purchased a .38 Safety Hammerless, which I believe is the third model. The exterior is in pristine condition. The serial number on the butt is in the 72,000 series and is followed by a star. The seller thought the star indicated a return to S&W for reconditioning. (The original owner resided near the S&W factory.) Can anyone verify this?
|
05-21-2017, 11:31 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Southern Utah
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 4,217
Liked 2,791 Times in 895 Posts
|
|
The star indicates the revolver in question was returned to
the S&W factory for some kind of work.
|
05-21-2017, 11:35 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,630
Likes: 241
Liked 29,143 Times in 14,091 Posts
|
|
No way to tell what work was performed on it from the star alone, just that something was done at the factory. Are there any other stampings on the grip frame?
|
05-22-2017, 12:05 AM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: N. Muskegon, MI
Posts: 153
Likes: 21
Liked 41 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
No, only the star.
It surely was not for trigger work. I found the trigger pull to be far heavier that any other DA revolver I have ever shot. Or, is/was this normal for these models?
|
05-22-2017, 08:37 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Michigan Western UP
Posts: 12,975
Likes: 3,048
Liked 14,363 Times in 5,476 Posts
|
|
You need to remove the left stock to find the return date, which is almost always stamped with three or four numbers signifying the month and year of return. If any diamond stamps can be found, it would signify that part was replaced. Your revolver left the factory around 1893 and that is early for return stampings, so there may or may not be a date or diamond associated with the return.
__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515
|
05-22-2017, 10:39 AM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: N. Muskegon, MI
Posts: 153
Likes: 21
Liked 41 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
Nothing on the left stock, but "40 83" was stamped on the right stock.
|
05-22-2017, 12:40 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: AL Wiregrass
Posts: 7,224
Likes: 34,841
Liked 10,790 Times in 3,676 Posts
|
|
Gary means a service department stamp on the metal grip frame on the left front side. Would be a date in the form MM.YY.
__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629
|
05-22-2017, 01:49 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: N. Muskegon, MI
Posts: 153
Likes: 21
Liked 41 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
There is a "K". Below that "7-12" and below that "1.46".
|
05-22-2017, 02:21 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: AL Wiregrass
Posts: 7,224
Likes: 34,841
Liked 10,790 Times in 3,676 Posts
|
|
Can you post a picture? The 7-12 could be July 1912 and 1.46 is probably January 1946. I wonder about the earlier date. Someone that knows when S&W began stamping the service dates might comment? That 1912 date may be before they began that practice.
__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629
|
05-22-2017, 03:33 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: N. Muskegon, MI
Posts: 153
Likes: 21
Liked 41 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
I'm afraid my camera is older than dirt.
|
05-22-2017, 04:19 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Michigan Western UP
Posts: 12,975
Likes: 3,048
Liked 14,363 Times in 5,476 Posts
|
|
That would mean two trips back to the factory. Not too many found with two dates stamped. I have seen dates as early as the late-1890s where the date stamping was found, so your revolver has a valid 1912 return date.
__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|