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S&W Antiques S&W Lever Action Pistols, Tip-Up Revolvers, ALL Top-Break Revolvers, and ALL Single Shots


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Old 07-31-2017, 01:19 PM
LoneStarJR LoneStarJR is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Default 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540

The gun pictured is one that I recently inherited from my Dad; his notes simply say "S&W .38 1894"
Obviously the grips are incorrect as they go beyond the frame line. The Serial # is 298540
If anyone has any information as to the actual model #, date of manufacture, etc. I would appreciate it. I have not looked for further markings yet.
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File Type: jpg Smith&Wesson.38Top-BreakRevolver1894Reverse.jpg (192.5 KB, 96 views)
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Old 07-31-2017, 01:26 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Your gun is a 38 double action, third model. 1894 is a good date for it.

Guy
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Old 07-31-2017, 01:40 PM
LoneStarJR LoneStarJR is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Thanks, Wiregrass !! I was thinking possibly that a Third Model but not sure. Any idea what gun those grips may have originally come from ?
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:12 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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I'm not sure. They are post-WWII grips and probably for an I frame or Baby Chief. Someone with more expertise like Glowe or Hondo44 might be able to tell you.
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Old 07-31-2017, 04:28 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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I dont know, but I like that front sight.
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Old 07-31-2017, 05:19 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Welcome to the Forum. Model as stated is most likely correct. About the only way to tell the difference between a 3rd & 4th Model is to compare hammers from both models. The 4th Model will show a different location for the full cock notch and a different sear will be in place. The 3rd Model is reported to be in the range of serial numbers from 119,001 to 322,700.

The stocks were made to look like Magna S&W stocks that were introduced in the late 1930s. Are they Ivory? You can take a pin, heat it red hot and touch it to the inside of one of the stocks. A burning hair small will be ivory, while imitation ivory would smell like burning plastic. They were not original to the gun.

The big question is when are you going to cut that wire tie off and go shoot it? Ammo is available today and they are perfectly safe to shoot with current Remington and Winchester ammo, plus are great fun at the range.
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Last edited by glowe; 07-31-2017 at 05:20 PM.
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Old 07-31-2017, 05:22 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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OK, maybe its an optical collusion, but when I look at photo 1, it appears a a normal half round front sight. When I look at photo 2, there appears to be a missing section at the rear top. Is it just some corrosion on the left side or am I missing something?
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:58 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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The front sight is original half round and pinned. Looks like someone may have painted the sight white a long time ago??
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Old 08-01-2017, 07:34 PM
mmaher94087 mmaher94087 is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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I painted front sights and barrel ribs on shotguns for visibility for use at the Wednesday night shoots. This was before Tritium sights came on the market. By today's standard, they were crude but effective.
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Old 08-01-2017, 08:14 PM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glowe View Post
The front sight is original half round and pinned. Looks like someone may have painted the sight white a long time ago??
If I were you I would pull that front sight and go to a coin shop and buy a worn dime, maybe even a Barber dime dating from 1894; you will have a non original front site, but it is attractive. Just like my .44 DA First Model.
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Old 08-01-2017, 10:22 PM
LoneStarJR LoneStarJR is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Thanks Gary and guys for your information and input. Not sure if it helps with identification but the left side of the frame has a removable plate to see the internal parts. Apparently my Dad had taken the gun to a gun show at some point, hence the red strap. The front sight is original with no paint. The original blurring has mostly flaked off revealing the original steel. I hope to shoot the gun eventually now that I have possession of it. Thanks again.
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Old 08-01-2017, 10:27 PM
LoneStarJR LoneStarJR is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Bluing not blurring
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Old 08-02-2017, 04:31 AM
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoneStarJR View Post
The front sight is original with no paint.
If that's the case, then I would leave the sight alone, other than just removing the paint.
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Old 08-02-2017, 09:13 AM
S&WsRsweet S&WsRsweet is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Thanks for posting ,when you take it out to shoot how about coming back with a range report as many of us would be interested in how it handles and shoots .Also thanks to the expert guys for information that helps all of us new collector/ shooters .
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Old 08-02-2017, 02:49 PM
LoneStarJR LoneStarJR is offline
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1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540 1894 Top-Break .38 S/N 298540  
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Ok; thanks. Sounds like a plan. Will do soon I hope.
Thanks again, everyone !!
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