My great grandfather's sidearm (C 153299)
Any help identifying year?

Hello,
Some members here unlike myself can probably identify your Grandads revolver without any more information other than what you provided. I would suggest you read the thread at the top of this forum section on how to identify your gun and post the information in a new thread. S&W made dozens of models with many sharing the same serial# range.

C153299 would be a Military & Police Model from around 1951 give or take a year. In 1957 S&W designates this model the Model 10.

This is brilliant! Let's corral all of these CTG posts in one location.

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No life story has happy end.

Welcome to the S&W Forum . . . and thank you for your service to our great country.

The information you've provided is pretty limited but the serial number points to a Military & Police model (also known as a model 10 after 1957) that likely shipped in early 1951. The M&P is the signature model for Smith & Wesson and many millions have been produced.

I assume it is chambered in 38 S&W Special CTG . . . the caliber will be marked on the right side of the barrel. Barrel lengths could be 2", 4", 5" or 6", measured from the tip of the muzzle to the front face of the cylinder.

Best wishes and, if we can help further, give us a little more information . . . preferably pictures.

To the moderators. Could you please delete the sticky explaining all this. Obviously no one is reading it, or if they are they are dis-regarding everything it says.

Also, could we petition S&W to alter all their records and edit the many reference books to reflect the new name of all pre-1957 revolvers chambered for the 38 Special cartridge? The new name will be "38 S&W Special CTG".

Just sayin',
Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Just change the title on the sticky to "ID my 38 Special CTG."

BTW- This thread supports my #15 FAQ on gun discussion forums.

...............................................................

What is this S&W revolver?

15. About 9 times out of 10 when someone asks “What is this S&W revolver my granddad left me?” it turns out to be a pre-war Military and Police or a Victory Model made during the war. The other 1 time it's a post-war Military & Police.

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No life story has happy end.

I appreciate the help
I uploaded photos here: http://s1350.photobucket.com/user/so...library/38Spec
My great grandfather passed away in 1953, so it would have to be prior to then, logically? He was sheriff from about 1915-1930's then worked security for the Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad. There is also a true story about him in the book 'Red River'. It's interesting reading...I'll find the google book excerpt link and post it.
I apologize for missing the sticky details. I have some brain fog issues related to my disability. Thank you for the warm welcome...I'm glad to be here

Book excerpt: http://books.google.com/books?id=VCe...linton&f=false

Additional info about him here: http://www.fold3.com/page/93585422_l...linton/photos/

Your pictures are excellent and are totally consistent with the C153299 serial number, its identity as a Military and Police (pre-model 10), and an estimated 1951 ship date. The pictures also show it to have a 4" barrel length and chambered in .38 S&W Special caliber. An excellent revolver and one a seasoned lawman like your great-grandfather would be proud to own.

I just briefly looked at your great-grandfathers history but will enjoy it more as soon as I can get to a better/faster computer.

Thank you and . . . again . . . welcome aboard!

Russ

Thanks so much

Welcome to the Forum.

Don't worry about the brain fog. It seems to be common here, especially me! And I ddon't have an excuse.

Once again, thank you for your service. I spent three years in Afghanistan as a police advisor and it is NOT one of the garden spots of the world. And I didn't have to experience 1% of the miseries endured by our service men and women.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I think if any deletions are made, they should be the constant rants about the 38 SPECIAL CTG designation. For many of the posters, this may be the first revolver they have ever held or owned and, after all, it is a stamping on the barrel. I am just happy that they seek information and advice to become more knowledgeable.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thank you, Gary. I completely agree!
Yes, calling a revolver a cartridge is goofy and perhaps irritates us old hands. But being courteous to newbies is much more important than the temporary relief we might get by venting our frustration about their lack of knowledge. Much better to keep them around and educate them, I'd say.
So sure, correct the error. But do it nicely.
No need to rant, at the risk of making a potential friend feel stupid.
My 2 yen . . .
Jack

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

It`s a good thing to be interested in your heritage. I hope someday one of my great grand kids wants to know about me but I fear I wont be that lucky or given that compliment. Looks like he bought that one in his final years. I hope somehow his old working guns show up for you.

If new members received a more gracious response to their first questions or posts, more of them might become Gold Contributors, even the Gorilla would smile then.

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S&WHF 366

Sound like your Great Grandfather had a very interesting professional life as Sheriff and RR Special Agent. It is great that you have his duty weapon and realize the importance of your family heirloom.

Gather any other items you can of his that are associated with his service as a law enforcement Officer, such as badges, holsters, handcuffs, saps or images, and documents, and keep them with the revolver as they add to the interest. Future generations of family members will appreciate it.

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LEX ET ORDO

I see nothing in your post that would give him gas

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

SoldierGirl,

Welcome!

You honor both yourself and your Grandfather with your interest in the heirloom that carries his spirit and energy. The info you receive from the regular folks here looks good.

As for the lesser evolved responding to your honest query, as a forum member, for now, I apologize for the ridicule of the porcine elitists who chose to attempt to belittle your efforts with their default antagonistic response.

Most here are better than those examples. I hope you hang around and "raise the bar" for those who can use the example.

Mike

The sidearm is a great artifact, an enduring item from an honorable life that you so graciously shared with us. Happy New Year. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Thank you for the gracious and kind responses

Please continue to grace our Forum with your presence and know that we as a group had to learn what ever we know. There are some folks who respond to most questions about age, worth etc. each and every time there is a question and they do get weary from the same questions. As your knowledge increases you will hopefully understand their position, in the meantime please feel welcome form an old North Carolina boy and thank you for your service, we all appreciate it!

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

Welcome Soldiergirl!

A big thank you for your service for one and second for your interest in history....your own family.

You have a real treasure in the revolver and all that surrounds it!

Randy

Thank you for your service.

Unfortunately, my Grandfather didn't keep his sidearm, unlike a few of his buddies.....

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your service. As to the members who get tired of some new members asking the same old question it is really easy, you don't have to respond. If we don't get new membership because we run off people who ask questions then when all of you old farts pass over the bridge there won't be any members left.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Please forgive me Soldiergirl for not welcoming you to the Forum. What a great heirloom. My grandfather gave me a broken hammer double and a single shot Zulu 12 ga hammer gun. Neither are worth anything, but I would not trade them for a NIB Registered Magnum!

. . . now the guns from my great grandfather's family is another story . . .

Attached Images

Parker Deer hunting Photo.jpg (147.9 KB, 157 views)

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Great photo. Where is that?

That is the back porch of my great Aunt's Boarding House in Freeland Michigan. As best I can tell from the original picture, there are 2 Model 1873s, 3 Model 1892s and a double barrel shotgun in the picture. I do not know where any of them are today. My grandfather was the boy in the picture and he was born in 1890, so mid-1890s picture, most likely just around the time when the legendary Model 1894 was introduced.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Soldier girl: Welcome to the forum, and thank you for your
service. That is a fantastic revolver. Looks like it was well taken
care of. Terrific heirloom.

I wonder what rock DaveT crawled under.

Soldiergirl, welcome to the forum from Oklahoma and thank you for your service.

A tip of the old Stetson to ya, thank you for your service and welcome to the forum.
It's an honor to make your acquaintence. Visit often.

Welcome soldiergirl and stick around for a while. Great to have a sister-in-arms aboard. I have learned so much from the fine folks here you wouldn't believe it. They're enablers though, so be careful. You can't have just one Smith & Wesson (how do I know this?). You won't believe how quick they give advice in two words, "buy it". If you ask them which of two, you should buy, they say "buy them both". If you ask about selling one and buying another they say keep the one have and buy the other one, now you have two, it's never ending. You have been warned

De Oppresso Liber

Soldiergirl, Welcome to the Forum! Thank you for your service and I wish you well. You are in a beautiful spot there in the Shenadoah. If I ever returned to Va to live I would be somewhere there in the Valley Do you plan to shoot this Smith? Have you shot it yet? I think you will enjoy to do so and perhaps it will become a new sport. As members we all start somewhere with some knowledge or lack thereof. It is good you have landed here as there are a great many of really good folks here who are very eager to help you to learn of S&W's and other guns as well. It is up to members to encourage others, newer or younger members of our interest in firearms. This is to our advantage to promote our sport and investments, true but there is much more to firearm ownership and the responsibilities it entails. Hang on to your hat as you will want to get deeper into our addictions of S&W ownership Happy New Year to you! Kyle

I've been told by the board's administrators that my earlier post to this thread was a rant and violated the forums rules of conduct. Although I meant it completely in just, i.e. as a joke, I seem to have not handled that very well and no one saw the humor that was intended.

To the OP and any others who thought I was being a jerk I sincerely apologize. I would like to blame it on being tired, or maybe pre-occupied with other matters but to be completely honest I simply screwed up. It seemed obviously funny to me when I typed it but not to anyone else once it was posted. The fault was and is mine.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

May sound a little redundant at this point, but I would also like to welcome you to the forum and thank you for serving. Not a lot of ladies around here and us curmudgeonly old guys sometimes fail pretty miserably at humor.

Sure wish I had any one of my grandfather's - or even my father's - old guns (evil stepmother - but that's a whole different kettle of fish). Treasure the heirloom you've been given, and keep coming around. There is a WEALTH of knowledge to be gleaned from the experienced members here.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the forum from California and thank you for your service. The revolver you have is special because of who you got it from. When you shoot it it hope you feel a connection to your great grandfather.


Wheel guns are still real guns too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Wheel guns are real guns too.

Soldiergirl, welcome and thank you for sharing your family's history. Despite our culture's fascination with recording everything current, so much pre-1960's history is ignored unless it involved a national level event. It takes individuals who have a love of history or their family that keep our country's stories alive. Too many heirlooms are lost or destroyed by family members that don't understand their significance or just want to make a quick buck at the estate sale.
Like others have said, I have firearms and other heirlooms given to me by family members that will never be for sale. I've collected papers & pictures to go with them that reflect who they were.
I've bought certain S&Ws specifically because I knew the owner or they had historical papers with them (ie., PD records, military documentation, family pictures, etc).
To me, the gun's history is as important the gun itself!
Thank you for sharing your family's history with us, and thank you for your & your father's sacrifices to our country!

Sent from somewhere between the Ohio territory and the neutral zone.

I have Dad's officers saber (M 1902) he recieved when he was comissioned 2 Lt in 1932. His military carreer was cut short... when his unit was called up... 2 days later he was detatched to continue the Top Secret electronics work he was doing. I know he designed & built (and installed in fighter planes) Radio Direction Finding equipment. When he passed away, the only thng I found from those years was his carbon copy of the Official Secrets act.
He went on to work in Radar, Radio & Television... I have located a lot of his later work through Google.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

Soldiergirl
As not much more than a rookie here, I want to welcome you from central Michigan. Thank you for your service and very interesting family history...when it all boils down, old guns are little more than old iron and walnut unless there is a story and history attached. To me, that is the value and interest of the weapons...all the better if it involves a family member! Our grandson brought himself and a number of M16 magazines back from Iraq. He was going to yard sale them and I gave him what money he needed at the time and will keep them (and the Iraqi desert sand in them) in case he ever wants them back.
I have learned much about the subtle nuances to the S&W revolvers over the short time I have been here and hope your experience will be as rewarding.
Jim