Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Revolvers > S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961
o

Notices

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


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-08-2018, 06:06 PM
Geezer7's Avatar
Geezer7 Geezer7 is offline
US Veteran
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 296
Likes: 20
Liked 80 Times in 38 Posts
Default Mystery...

My Model of 1905 4th change has none of the usual markings on the barrel top--Pat'd dates, S&W address. And it looks newer than the reat of the gun. Replacement bbl? Yet the SN stamped on the bottom of the barrel under the extractor rod matches the SNs on the handle bottom and cylinder, except for a "B" stamped before the bbl SN. I see and feel a slight radius decrease of the bbl diameter starting just behind the front sight blade. Since the revolver seems to have been reblued LONG ago, might the usual markings on the barrel top have been sanded down and off by S&W?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-08-2018, 06:12 PM
Bakebfr480 Bakebfr480 is offline
Banned
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 271
Liked 1,207 Times in 659 Posts
Default

Some pics would help!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-08-2018, 06:48 PM
DWalt's Avatar
DWalt DWalt is offline
Member
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,479
Likes: 236
Liked 28,938 Times in 14,012 Posts
Default

It's been stated that the use of the patent stampings on the barrel continued until around mid-1948. But you haven't provided much information about your revolver nor any pictures, so no one really knows exactly what you have.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-08-2018, 07:06 PM
Geezer7's Avatar
Geezer7 Geezer7 is offline
US Veteran
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 296
Likes: 20
Liked 80 Times in 38 Posts
Default

SN: 294976 (mfr approx. 1918). My camera won't focus close enough to give the needed detail. But in trying to take the shot I noticed the bbl top is slightly flattened and several stamped letter fragents are barely visible. Mystery solved. Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-08-2018, 07:06 PM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
SWCA Member

Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: California
Posts: 19,208
Likes: 11,814
Liked 20,510 Times in 8,548 Posts
Default

Likely replaced with a post war barrel at the factory, they have no patent dates. The factory would not polish of the patent dates.

Look for a rework date on the bottom left side of the grip frame after removing the grip.

Is there a star following the serial # on the bottom (butt) of the grip frame?
__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-08-2018, 07:48 PM
Geezer7's Avatar
Geezer7 Geezer7 is offline
US Veteran
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 296
Likes: 20
Liked 80 Times in 38 Posts
Default

no star, no date, and only very small "B" and "F" letters stamped on the right grip frame at the bottom between the mainspring seat and the grip positioning pin. But the faint remnants of stamped letters on the flattened bbl top would indicate someone ground it down, likely prepping for re-bluing. Don't think I'll buy another gun online--seller never disclosed the re-bluing, or the non-matching grip serial #'s. I should have asked--my bad. And the posted photos are never detailed enough.

Last edited by Geezer7; 07-08-2018 at 07:50 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-08-2018, 09:49 PM
JP@AK's Avatar
JP@AK JP@AK is offline
US Veteran
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 14,477
Likes: 5,111
Liked 18,981 Times in 6,862 Posts
Default

Probably NOT a postwar barrel. The B (for blue) wasn't used after WWII. Besides a gun that early (SN 294976) would need relief under the barrel for the extractor rod knob, unless that also was changed. My guess is this was a non-factory barrel swap and the patent dates were polished off.
__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-08-2018, 11:18 PM
Absalom's Avatar
Absalom Absalom is offline
SWCA Member
Absent Comrade
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,834
Likes: 10,103
Liked 27,995 Times in 8,452 Posts
Default

If the underbarrel serial matches, with the B present, we may not even need the assumption of the swapped barrel.

Sounds like the patent info was just mostly buffed off for the refinish. Maybe there was rust on the top of the barrel due to storage issues, and someone removed and refinished the barrel, which would explain everything just as well.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #9  
Old 07-09-2018, 10:27 AM
Targets Guy's Avatar
Targets Guy Targets Guy is offline
US Veteran
Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery... Mystery...  
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Southwest Iowa
Posts: 10,867
Likes: 2,688
Liked 18,968 Times in 5,588 Posts
Default

A picture is worth a 1,000 words.
__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Md 14-2 Mystery Help mscook S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 14 03-23-2018 10:42 AM
Not a Mystery Airplane, but a Mystery Rifle THE PILGRIM Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 12 09-04-2015 05:25 PM
mystery S&W uronchu S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 4 01-02-2014 07:36 PM
HELP: Mystery 39 DCW Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols 34 01-02-2014 10:05 AM
629-4 Mystery. **final update-mystery solved** dotdsd334 S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 15 10-12-2013 09:12 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:31 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)