Earlier threads have raised questions about the caliber roll marking, or lack thereof, on
early .38 K-frames. Here are the details on 21 such guns, ordered by serial number.
1254 1/11/1900 1899 6 1/2" Blue M&P no caliber marking
0XX 2/12/1900 1899 6 1/2" Nickel Tgt "38 Special"
1404 8/19/1999 1899 6" Nickel Tgt no caliber marking
1949 9/26/1900 1899 4" Nickel Tgt no caliber marking
3695 5/28/1900 1899 5" Blue Tgt no caliber marking
3865 9/5/1901 1899 6 1/2" Blue Tgt no caliber marking
10471 6/14/1901 1899 5" Nickel Tgt "38 Special"
12286 4/??/1901 1899 5" Blue M&P "38 Special" ------- (Linde)
14810 8/14/1901 1899 4" Blue Tgt "38 Special"
17085 9/10/1901 1899 6" Blue Tgt "38 Special"
18291 12/24/1901 1899 4" Blue M&P "38 Special"
20114 1/4/1902 1899 5" Blue M&P "38 Special"
All of the following revolvers are marked with the 2-line caliber marking:
38 Special &
US Service Cartridge
33267 11/13/1904 1902 6 1/2" Nickel M&P
37577 2/14/1904 1902 1st-chg 6 1/2" Blue Tgt
38787 circa 1904 1902 1st-chg 6 1/2" Blue Tgt
45225 6/8/1904 1902 1st-chg 4" Blue Tgt
47824 7/13/1904 1902 1st-chg 4" Blue M&P
50911 2/23/1905 1902 1st-chg 5" Blue Tgt
58652 6/9/1905 4-screw 1905 4" Blue M&P
59763 9/5/1906 4-screw 1905 5" Blue Tgt
61442 10/14/1905 4-screw 1905 6 1/2" Blue Tgt
62015 1/8/1906 4-screw 1905 6 1/2" Blue Tgt
0XX 4/12/1907 5-screw 1905 6 1/2" Blue Tgt
98929 7/??/1907 5-screw 1905 1st-chg 6 1/2" Blue Tgt --- (Linde)
100007 1907 5-screw 6 1/2" Blue 1902 1st Chg - (Glowe)
The following revolvers have the one-line caliber roll marking:
129245 1908 5-screw 5" Blue 1902 1st-chg ------(Glowe)
From this small sample of data, it would appear that there were no caliber markings
prior to the 2nd quarter of 1901. From there through the end of the 1899's, the caliber
roll marking was "38 Special". One or the other, or both, of the two military contracts
were 2-line markings.
The one exception ( in this data) is the zero gun shipped 2/12/1900. This was a special
gun, being sent to the 1900 Paris Exhibition. One its return in 1901, it was delivered
to D B Wesson. While not likely, its possible that the gun had no caliber marking
originally, and on its return was roll-marked with the caliber. Or, it was marked
originally.
The early 1902's, and the 1902 1st-changes were, from this sample, two-line markings.
The early 4-screw 1905's, made with some 1902 1st changes in the 58000 - 62450
serial number range, were also 2-line markings.
If there is a bottom line, one should not be alarmed or concerned about caliber roll
markings on 1899's.
Regards, Mike Priwer