I am trying to find out the age and value of my grandfather's or great grandfather's 38 Special S&W. I know very little about guns. This one has the number 452278 on the butt and 97134 inside. It has a 5 inch barrel and that has written; SMITH WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS, USA PATENTED OCT 8,01 DEC 17,01 FEB 8,08 DEC 29,14. The handle looks like pearl or ivory with a carving of bull on one side and the gun is a silver color. I tried to attach a picture but it didn't work.

The number on the butt should be the actual serial number. This is very little information to go on but the serial number, assuming this is a Military and Police revolver (which is likely) would likely land production in the 1930s more or less. I am sure somebody with much more info than I will jump in with a more accurate placement. Photos would be very helpful indeed.

Welcome to the forum.

If the butt serial has no other letters in front, your family gun is almost certainly from 1923; I have one with 450xxx that shipped in May. Interestingly, this is the second time in a few days I've used this as a reference for a close-by gun someone asked about.

The silver color is most likely a nickel finish, which could be original or a refinish. The grips are most certainly a later addition. It is impossible to comment in more detail about the condition without, as already said, seeing some pictures.

PS: If you have pictures on your desktop or phone, "Go Advanced" below the reply window, then "Manage Attachments", and follow the prompts; you should be able to add up to 5 photos.

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Your .38 Military & Police revolver was made around 1924. The grips that are on it are aftermarket and could be either mother-of-pearl or ivory. MOP sparkles and ivory is milky white or yellow. Often the bull's eyes were small precious stones. Red seemed to be preferred. The finish on the gun is likely plated nickel. If it is dull, you can polish it up with Mother's Mag or other metal polish.

Pictures (5) can be attached to each post. Make sure they are no larger than 1920x1280 pixels, then click on Go Advanced, scroll down and click Manage Attachments then browse and upload your pictures before posting.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

20171015_121355 (1).jpg

20171015_121355.jpg

20171015_121340.jpg

20171015_121326.jpg

Well, those grips are MOP. What I'm not certain of is the finish. Looks almost like it was painted on.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I’m with Guy. The overall finish texture looks quite odd, although the butt close-up looks like intact original nickel with wear.

Old nickel can translate into weird photos if those are taken in less than perfect artificial light or with direct flash, so I’m reserving judgment. The hammer and trigger do seem to be original case-color, which is encouraging.

Any chance you could take the gun outside or next to a window and get some pictures in natural light?

It could be the nickel is frosted. If so, a nickel polish should brighten it up. Flitz, Mother's Mag, Semi-chrome, etc.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

sunnyland, take a picture of the flat underneath the barrel and post it, please. Also, carefully <do not pry> remove the grips and take pictures of both sides of the grip frame and post them.

To remove the panels properly, loosen the grip screw all the way but leave it inside the grips. Then, push on the head of the screw to pop off the right panel. You can push the left panel off through the grip frame.

If that technique doesn't work (sometimes the frame is rusted to the panels), remove the screw and hold the gun over a padded surface by the barrel and cylinder. Then, rap the frame at the knuckle behind the hammer with a wooden or plastic mallet or handle of a tool. The grip panels should loosen and fall off.

I want to see what might be stamped in those locations because it could tell us if your gun was originally a different finish.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I will see if I can get some better pictures tomorrow. This gun just went thru a flood (Hurricane Irma) and the case it was in was soaking wet. It was a few days before I could get into my house and get it out of a safe that was supposed to be waterproof. I have another gun that was in the safe and I have no idea what kind it is, maybe a 22. It says made in Germany.

That's a nice old 38.

If you haven't already flush the internals with a spray cleaner cleaner/preservative before it rusts up. The nickel finish certainly protected the outside.

It looks like the original factory nickel finish. If there's an N or no letter before the serial # under the barrel, nickel is the original. If there's a B, it was originally blued from the factory.

But it's completely tarnished. Do as wiregrassguy suggested, it'll look like new.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Definitely a 1923 ship date, probably around July or Aug. That finish is a very dull nickel plating and as others have said, if done properly it will come back amazingly well with proper polishing. Most use Mothers mag polish, Simichrome or Flitz. Whatever you use, go slow and take your time. You will be very pleased with the results. Also, others here will know better, but I believe those pearl stocks have quite a bit of value of their own. I've always thought they looked "cheesy" with that carving on the right stock, but they are collectible. Now I would never separate them from the gun since they've obviously been together for a very long time. By the way, 97134 is an assembly number, which will usually also be found on the inside of the side plate.

452278 very likely shipped around mid-1923. I list four others with nearby SNs, all of which did. I agree the grips look like MOP. Value of them? I have no idea.

Since that gun was immersed, it really needs some protection. My preference is Strike Hold. It is a hydrophobic dry CLP that sprays on wet but bonds with the metal as it evaporates. It is so good at expelling water that you can run electric tools under water after treating them. Before using it, I would either clean the gun with acetone or spray it with brake/parts/carb aerosol cleaner. Flush out the action completely, then apply the Strike Hold. You should be able to buy it at a local gun store, but it is also available online.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Thank you all for your information. I don't know much about guns. I just know that that one old one meant a lot to my Daddy. I will see about getting it cleaned correctly. Thanks again, Kathy