Likely a rookie question as I don't dabble in the antiques - much, but here goes: I have 2 .38DA's and a recently acquired single-shot barrel. My nickel .38 6" has patent dates stamped on the top rib, my blued 5" .38DA and the single-shot barrels do not. My question is, why would some have pat. dates and some not?

Any insight and associated education is, as always, appreciated.

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"You're messin' up my Zen"

As far as I know, the only way that a 38 DA revolver barrel would have no visible address/patent dates is that the gun was refinished and the top of the rib stamping was eliminated in the process. The separate single shot barrel could have suffered the same fate, but there could be another reason. There were large numbers of unfinished single-shot barrels sold off as surplus. All that I have seen were in-the-white with barrel rib stampings, but maybe some were not stamped??

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I think what the Op might be looking at is a later barrel?

Patent dates are related to "Patented" features that are contained within the gun in question. As more patents are added the later the gun was manufactured. However, there is a point in time where the Patents run out (7 years normally) and they are either no longer applicable? Or they are no longer used in the features of the gun.

So basically the earlier the patent stamps(dates) the earlier the gun. Once the patents ran out likely Post 1900? The patents are no longer seen on the barrel address.

It's much more accurate to use serial number though to actually date the gun in question.


Murph

Thanks Gary. For clarity, the .38DA barrel and SS barrel have clear address and caliber markings, just no patent date(s).

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"You're messin' up my Zen"

Thanks Murph! It was more of a matter of my curiosity than needing to date the gun. Much appreciated!

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"You're messin' up my Zen"

Serial number(s) would help. I suspect that the blue, 5" revolver is a late .38 DA, 5th Issue. These only had "Smith & Wesson Springfield, Mass." on the barrel. I agree with Gary on the SS barrel. It probably was sold 'in-the-white' and finished later. I'd also suspect that it doesn't have a serial number.

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Mike Maher #283

Correct x2 Mike!

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"You're messin' up my Zen"

Thanks for the clarification. Most 2nd Model Single-shot barrels did not have patent dates. Also as already stated, the last model 38 DA only had the single line address only on the barrel rib. Earlier models has various patent dates, depending on whether it was a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.

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Gary
SWCA 2515