can someone date this little terrier SN#70XXX, and share some info on value

it is a 5 screw in a honest 95%+ condition, would be better but one side of matching # grips is a little scuffed and a slight drag ring

i got a old partial box of 30 rounds of old 1940s remington ammo that was said to have been bought with the gun and only what was gone was what had been through the gun, (20rds)







ijumpped and quick at $350 how did i do?

For $350 I wouldn't be able to get my wallet out fast enough.
Great price on a very nice pistol.

ETA: I think it's a 1955.

That is a steal at $350. Nice find.

Mike

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Yup, deal. I'd have gone $500 on it without a second thought.

1953, probably. No strain screw, so it is an early improved I-frame (coil spring).

Corrected: Changed date to 1953 from 1951; I had misremembered the date of a .38 RP with a nearby serial number.

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David Wilson

Great deal for a geat gun. Your serial # is a new milestone as the highest known Terrier with the round sight at #70XXX [#68,XXX was shipped 2/53], lowest known ramp site with barrel rib is #701XX. If you wouldn't mind sending the full serial # in a PM, I can further accurize the database.
Thank you,

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I really like them old j-frame snubbies! Esp with the half-moon front sight. I have only 38 spl's, do you guys with the 38 S&W's shoot them much? What do you do about ammo-- store-bought or handloaded? Maybe it's available mail-order but I don't think I've ever seen a box of 38 S&W cartridges on a shelf anywhere. For those that handload, esp if you carry the gun for self-defense purposes, what's your load? I'm more interested in bullet type & weight and velocity than in the powder charge.

A round sighted Terrier sold on GB yesterday in the neighborhood of $1600... nutso price, two guys going after it. My own (71983) letters a bit later, Jan. 12, 1954. I personally prefer the ramp sight.
Absolutely one of my fav Smiths.

"...do you guys with the 38 S&W's shoot them much? What do you do about ammo-- store-bought or handloaded?"

.38 S&W ammunition is available and can be found, but is usually expensive when you find it. It can be bought over the internet, but shipping is costly for a small order, so you don't gain much except availability. Some gun shops may special order it for you, and it is not too uncommon to find it at gun shows. Most fanciers of .38 S&W guns load their own if they plan to shoot much, as empty cases are available. In the old top breaks, very light lead bullet loads are all that should ever be used, and current factory loads are light. For a later, stronger revolver, the .38 S&W cartridge can be handloaded to much higher performance levels than factory loads which are purposely kept light. In general, better accuracy results from using bullets of .360-.361 diameter rather than using the standard .357-.358 diameter used in the .38 S&W Special.

By the way, Terriers are not my thing, and other than being able to recognize one, I know very little about them. Anyway at the local gun show yesterday, I saw one that the seller said was from 1929, in .38 S&W, and nickel plated. At least the hammer and trigger were not plated, but it did not look to me to be original factory plating. Plus it had a pair of cheap white plastic grips on it that did not fit right. He was hard over on $495 for it and would not budge. Were Terriers plated?

I don't at the moment recall seeing a nickel terrier, but there is no reason they couldn't exist.

There were no Terriers in 1928. They didn't come along until the mid-1930s.

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David Wilson

Just FYI, there are no J frame Terriers, there were I frame, Improved I frame, Model of 1953 I frame, and Model 32 I frame Terriers. They became J frames in 1961 when they became Model 32-1s.

I find 38 S&W for under $20/box at gun shows and swap meets and also reload for it. A 200 gr bullet at 750 fps or so is your best manstopper; basically the old factory police load made for these guns.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

must be very close to the last pm sent

I know the Terrier is an i-frame, I just brain-farted. A 200 grn bullet at 750 fps is pretty darn good. I load my 2" 38 spls with a 158 gr lead HP at 800-850 or so. Gonna try a new load tomorrow that should produce close to an honest 900 fps (I hope). I gotta get the old Chrony working...... then again, as they say, ignorance is bliss.

I knew you knew that....

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,
FYI,
Not too long ago, Gun Broker had a 1/2 Round sight Terrier on auction. I sent an inquiry to the seller for the serial number and he responded s/n 71918. Your entry above got me curious so I went back and looked it up in my records.

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Del

>>>S&W 'TERRIER' .38 S&W CALIBER - MODERN LOAD CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM BUFFALO BORE AMMUNITION CO.

BELATED REPLY / UPDATE ; Regarding currently available, modern ammunition for an S&W 'TERRIER' .38 S&W Caliber. Be advised that BUFFALO BORE AMMUNITION CO. currently produces just a single load in this caliber. However, it appears to be much more useful for all purposes than the generic 146 gr. RNL @ 700 FPS. They state that they're totally safe in any Post-WW2 mfg'd S&W 'Steel Frame' Revolver.

B.B. ITEM # 20.5A / = 125 grain Lead Flat Point

@>>> Muzzle Velocities:

➤  1,030 fps -- S&W Regulation Police, 6" Bbl.
➤    977 fps -- S&W Regulation Police, 4" Bbl.
➤    926 fps -- S&W Regulation Police, 4" Bbl.
➤    874 fps -- S&W Terrier, 2" Bbl.

IMHO, I feel that this B.B. Load # 20.5A offers a new lease on life for all those beautiful little Terriers that are just sitting in a drawer somewhere, waiting to be called back to duty. Hope this helps someone, somewhere !

Best, dpast32

FWIW as far as nickel guns I have #77xxx ramp sight nickel plated so there was at least one.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6