Confused...

mc3781 · #1 03-30-2018, 11:45 AM

So it never dawned on me when I was first looming over the gun but, the serial number on the butt and under the barrel have the same numbers but....only the serial number under the barrel has a prefix letter 'B' before it. It does not appear the serial number on the butt had a prefix letter...I also can't seem to find a hand ejector revolver that had a prefix letter B that was chambered in .38S&W....anyone have any ideas?

S&W ucla · #2 03-30-2018, 11:48 AM

"B" means blued. That early a gun should also have sn on rear of cylinder. If it could only talk!

Shark Bait · #3 03-30-2018, 11:49 AM

It means it left the factory with a blued finish. It is not part of the serial number.

mc3781 · #4 03-30-2018, 11:50 AM

I kind of thought that but just wasn't sure. Thanks for the info.

S&W ucla · #5 03-30-2018, 03:31 PM

Just as a proximity, sn 456159 shipped August 1923. The only way to know for sure is to get a letter on it giving ship date, configuration, and where it shipped. ($75 S&WHF) I would stick to target loads and no +Ps in that early a gun. I think it was sometime in the 20's when S&W began heat treating the cylinders. Not sure about yours. Good luck!

quinn · #6 03-30-2018, 03:42 PM

The grips also appear contemporary to the gun. There should be a penciled serial number on the right grip panel but may be hard to see.

ImprovedModel56Fan · #7 03-30-2018, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S&W ucla

Just as a proximity, sn 456159 shipped August 1923. The only way to know for sure is to get a letter on it giving ship date, configuration, and where it shipped. ($75 S&WHF) I would stick to target loads and no +Ps in that early a gun. I think it was sometime in the 20's when S&W began heat treating the cylinders. Not sure about yours. Good luck!

IIRC, 316648 is either the first heat-treated one or the last untreated. Don't know the date.

JP@AK · #8 03-30-2018, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model520Fan

316648 is either the first heat-treated one or the last untreated. Don't know the date.

First one to get the heat treated cylinder, in September, 1919.

Hondo44 · #9 03-30-2018, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model520Fan

IIRC, 316648 is either the first heat-treated one or the last untreated. Don't know the date.

All Hand Ejectors had heat treated cylinders by ~1920. If grips have a matching #, clearly produced in the 1920s before 1927.

• If it has " REG.U.S.PAT.OFF.” stamp ordered in June 1926 on Hammer and trigger, (not a patent notice on mechanical design, but for the color case hardening process), that will help date it.

It'll also have a B on:
Finish originality indicated by a 'B' or 'N' stamped indicates an original Blue finish or an original Nickel finish respectively, based upon the corresponding letter. The absence (more prevalent after 1930) of either the 'B' or 'N' can also indicate that it left the factory nickeled.

Look in these locations for pre war and post war (inconsistent) models if serial # is stamped on the barrel flat (or in barrel shroud):

Under barrel in front of serial #,
rear face of yoke looking thru a chamber with a flashlight,
on rear face of cyl separated from serial #,
behind the extractor star,
and by itself on right side grip frame on pre war commercial guns and some post war guns (on left side grip frame).

To confirm all parts are original, one can check for the 6 (or 7, on Triple Locks only) matching serial # locations for fixed sight pre war Hand Ejectors and all post war Hand Ejectors thru ~1956 (and a few as much as 3 years later).
NOTE: Observing serial #s for accuracy or even existence, especially on penciled stocks, requires magnification, bright light, cleaning, and an attitude that it is there!

1. Gun butt – (or fore strap on I frames/single shots with grips that cover the butt)

2. Barrel - bottom of barrel or in extractor shroud

3. Yoke - on rear face only visible thru a chamber with a flashlight

4. Extractor star – backside facing cyl

5. Cylinder - rear face

6. Right stock only - on back, (except most post war target stocks because individual fitting not required); stamped, scratched or penciled depending on vintage and stock material.

7. Triple Locks only: rear side of middle lock cam plate

Toyman · #10 03-30-2018, 11:09 PM

Are you sure that the gun is chambered in 38 S&W of is it 38 special ?

rct269 · #11 03-31-2018, 11:19 PM

To pick a nit, all the comments concerning the meaning of the letter B are correct, but perhaps less than informative. The B means all those things---now. At the time it was applied, it was simply an instruction to the Finishing Department---right?

Ralph Tremaine

Hondo44 · #12 03-31-2018, 11:46 PM

Yes and no. Originally for finishing dept but still useful to us now as in this thread.

Like the assembly #s: originally for assemblers. but not useless to us today. If all three locations don't match we know the gun is not original; used even to this day on frame, yoke and side plate.