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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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  #1  
Old 04-22-2014, 06:51 PM
bigragu bigragu is offline
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I have a Airweight with a J frame...checkered grips with diamond around screw. Number on bottom of grip C 237317. It is a 6 shot cylinder. Same number under barrel. What is it I have? Year? Value?

Last edited by bigragu; 04-22-2014 at 06:53 PM. Reason: correct serial #
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:11 PM
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If you have a 6 shot 38 special J frame, I'd say you hit the lottery.
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Old 04-22-2014, 07:25 PM
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Welcome to the forum. That's a K-frame .38 Military & Police Airweight from -- probably -- 1953. In 1958 this model was relabeled the Model 12. Non-model-marked guns from the early '50s like yours can be called Pre-12s for short.

Value is a matter of condition. Any functional .38 Special K-frame is probably at least a $300 gun, and the appeal of the lightweight variety coupled with top condition would move it close to $500, or even a little more for the most eager collectors.

Can you post photos?
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:05 PM
bigragu bigragu is offline
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How can u tell it is a K frame. It has a round butt, pretty small...isn't K medium?
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:16 PM
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J frames only hold 5 rounds. K frames s/n of that Vintage start with a Cxxxx
K frames airweights hold 6 rounds. Round or S butt is not relevelant. The M&P airweight you have could come in round or sq butt.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:28 PM
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Welcome to the Forum. As was said above, you have a Military & Police Airweight (Pre-12). Take a magnet and see if yours has an aluminum cylinder. If so, it would probably not be prudent to fire it. I used to own M&P AW # C237903, it shipped from the factory in October 1955 and had an alu. cylinder. When reports came back of cylinders cracking, the factory went to steel ones. The aluminum cylinder guns (Pre12, Pre37, Pre42) are for the most part considered non-firing collector guns.
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Last edited by OldDominion; 04-22-2014 at 08:33 PM.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:48 PM
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Wow! you guys are amazing...thanks for the replies...I will be selling the gun...I am new to this...need to figure out the pictures.
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Old 04-23-2014, 01:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldDominion View Post
if yours has an aluminum cylinder . . . it would probably not be prudent to fire it.
YES!
That is actually an understatement. Do not fire this revolver if the cylinder is aluminum. The chance of harming the gun is high and the possibility of injury, while not high perhaps, is real.
Some collectors look for these, so if it is in high condition, you may want to advertise it in a venue that collectors will see. Some will pay a premium for the all-alloy revolvers.

The serial number of your revolver makes it possible, perhaps probable, that the cylinder is, indeed, alloy. As I recall, your number would be near the high end for the alloy cylinders, but you should definitely check it out, using a magnet.
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Old 04-23-2014, 09:33 AM
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"I used to own M&P AW # C237903, it shipped from the factory in October 1955"

I guess that could be, but I have several nearby SNs on my list that are a couple of years earlier than that date.
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Old 04-23-2014, 10:15 AM
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D, that's the date I got from Roy. I never got around to lettering it. I still have C224203 that shipped in '53. According to the SCSW the Pre12s started up around C223999. That gun with it's box was auctioned by Rock Island last year. Who knows how long some of them sat in the vault. Lee
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Old 04-23-2014, 07:21 PM
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Checked with magnet...alloy frame and cylinder. I have shot 158 grain out of it a few times...less than 50 rounds...looking on Gunbroker there is a market. gun is in good condition, locks up tight. Grip matches number. Inside cylinder on frame are a number 1 over 3 16 6 over 7 ???
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Old 04-23-2014, 08:16 PM
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Numbers match on barrel cylinder grip and on bottom butt. 5 screws 4 on side and 1 in front of trigger guard. Some wear on bluing as result of age, does not detract from this vintage carry piece. So is it a Pre-Model 12, a civilian model of the M13, released in 1953, initially alloy frame and cyl', or a Airweight Model 37 released in 1951, w/ alloy frame and cyl'?? How do you sort it out, so as not to mislead?
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Old 04-24-2014, 04:28 AM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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A Model 37 is a J frame Airweight 5 shot.

Advertise as David said: It's a K-frame .38 Military & Police Airweight, rd butt, Pre Model 12 and you won't mislead.
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