I have a Smith and Wesson, 1905 4th? Generation/Change, K frame, 6 cylinder, .38 special, blue finish. I know the serial number is on butt (square butt), it is a 6 digit number. Pulling the chamber out (swing left), I find a new set of numbers that are 5 numbers long. On the barrel they have listed the patent dates:Feb 6 08, September 14 09 and Dec 28 or 29 14.

I took the revolver to Cabela’s and they confirmed that is was a Smith and Wesson, 1905 4th Generation/Change, K frame, 6 cylinder, .38 special, blue finish. If the patent dates on the barrel mean anything does this conflict with the 4th change? Last question, what do the 5 numbers inside the chamber housing represent?
Obviously I modified the picture on the right to try and make the patents easier to read and if you look real hard you can see number patterns of 11254 inside the cylinder support. Thanks for any help you can give.

Goldy

Attached Images

	800W_Blue 38 Special original walnut grips ser 675669.jpg (148.3 KB, 65 views)
	Barrel Patent Dates and inside cylinder numbers.jpg (226.0 KB, 56 views)

Welcome to the Forum.

The numbers on the frame and on the yoke are assembly numbers, used to keep parts together during the fitting.

Your revolver is called a .38 Military & Police. It was built in the 1930s or so. We need the serial number to pin the date down better.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Hi Goldy!



The patent dates do not conflict with the fourth change designation.

The five numbers inside the chamber housing are (as noted above) assembly numbers used before the serial numbers were assigned (or so I've been told---I wasn't there).

Your revolver is an example of S&W's most popular product----one of several million---and essentially the same as furnished to some of our armed forces and several of our allies during WWII----and yours looks like a really nice one.

As an aside, the chamber is more commonly known as the cylinder-----the piece it swings out on is known as a yoke (unless the gun says Colt on it. Then it's a crane----like the big birds. The piece with the chamber housing (and including the handle) is known as the frame. You will likely find the serial number also stamped on several other pieces of the gun---including the wooden grips (on the inside of the right side panel).

That's probably enough for now. If you find you have more questions, we have more answers.

Ralph Tremaine

Just to expand a little on Ralph's post - December 29, 1914, is the patent date for the so-called "Fourth Change." So not only does the date not "conflict" with the Fourth Change identification, it confirms it. It was, in fact, the last patent date added to the barrel stamp, and remained there until c. 1950.

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Nice revolver thanks for posting here and also thanks to the guys who give up the great info ,this helps us young kids a lot well I ain't young in tne traditional sense but I'm a kid just ask my wife .Oh yea if you shoot it come back with a range report for us .

You have a beauty. Based on your serial number I can give you a bracket in which serial numbers shipped but not too tight of one.

s/n 671xxx shipped in Aug 1938
s/n 6957xx shipped in Aug 1940.

__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065

Definitely 1930s (possibly as late as 1940-41) from the grip style and extractor rod knob style. S&W did not call them a "Model of 1905, 4th Change" at that time. That's purely collector terminology. S&W would have called it the "Military and Police" (M&P) Model.