I was given a revolver with serial number 162840 and am trying to figure out what it is. It has a 5 1/2 inch barrel and has no caliber markings on it although I was told it is a .45
It also has S24 stamped on the cylinder and S34 stamped on the underside of the barrel after the serial number.The wooden grips extend past the grip frame and cover the serial number and a hole that looks like it was for a strap at one point. This threw me until I removed the grips. The gun is in great shape other than needing a good cleaning. Any help is much appreciated.

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Looks like a .45 Hand Ejector Army, or Model of 1917. The serial number would put the gun in 1919. Those stocks are WAY too late for the gun. They date to 1968 or later.

Others around here know a lot more than I do about 1917s. They'll be along to talk about things like lack of caliber marking, what the S24 might mean, and so on.

That's a pretty handsome revolver for something that old. Do you have any idea if it has been refinished?

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David Wilson

I know very little about it as my father had it for many years and I got it recently after he passed away. I do know that the stocks were replaced just before he got it and thats about it.
Because of the lack of wear or dents/scratches, I had no idea that it was that old.

It appears to be a commercial version of the Model of 1917, that has had the lanyard swivel removed, front sight modified and post 1968 stocks added. It is caliber .45 acp, and judging from some of the rounded edges in the photos, it has probably been refinished in the past. It should be a great shooter. The S stamps with a small number under them are the stamps of the military inspector when the parts were made. The parts were left over after WW1 and S&W used these parts for years to build post WW1 guns for civilian sales. Ed

Bottom line, is that it is a good looking piece. You can get the correct style grips if you are so inclined. I have a 1905 M&P 4th. change from 1919, and have 3 sets of grips for it. (original, target, and laser grips)
Enjoy shooting it. I know that I would like to have one like it!! Bob

From the angle it's hard to tell, but it appears to be a flat top, rather than a round top frame. Does by chance it have a star shaped crest on the right side (Side Plate)? That would designate it as a Brazilian model. Basically the same gun just made up for the Brazilian government in 1937.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I need some education here. I thought this was probably NOT a commercial model because I did not see the S&W logo on the frame under the thumb release. Maybe my understanding of the rule of thumb is too rigid, but I thought military guns did not have the logo and commercial models did.

Second, status as a Brazilian. I though the Brazilian 1917s all had serial numbers up in or near the 200,000 range. This gun should be a lot earlier than that. Or am I wrong about the serial numbers?

What's that little irregular shape on the back of the cylinder near the S-marking?

The more I look at the photos, the more I think in terms of a probable refinish. I can't tell from the well-lighted photo whether the ratchet surfaces on the back of the cylinder have been blued or are in the white. Also, is the front surface of the ejector rod blued or in the white? Unrefinished guns usually have an unblued surface in these small areas.

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David Wilson

The top is rounded but has a sight groove all the way through and I did not see a crest of any sort on the side.The S & W logo is on the left side but is hidden by the oversize stock. It is bareley visible in the picture at the edge of the wood but is fully there when I remove the grips.Does anyone know where I might aquire original or original repro grips?

The irregular shape near the S marking on the back of the cylinder is an eagle's head stamp, a federal inspector's mark. The gun (or at least the cylinder) was accepted by the inspector at the S&W factory.

The lack of US Army markings on the butt suggests that this is a very early 1917 Commercial.

Is the underside of the barrel serial numbered to the frame? The marking will be in the ejector rod cut out.

A pair of Repop stocks can be found here:

Gun Grip - S&W US ARMY 1917

Drew

Yes the serial number is also in the cutout followed by a S34 stamp

Yes the underside of barrel in ejector rod cutout has serial number followed by the stamp S34