HAVE A 38 S & W SPECIAL CTG THAT BELONGED TO MY DAUGHTER IN LAW'S GRANDFATHER. 4" BARREL. SERIAL # 559965, WITH NO LETTERS. MODEL NUMBER 53382 WITH NO LETTERS. BOTH SETS OF NUMBERS ARE VISIBLE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. PATENTED DATES FEB 6, 06; SEPT 14, 09; DEC 29, 14, ALL ON TOP OF BARREL.
LOOKING FOR HELP ON THE APPROXIMATE MANUFACTURED DATE AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL. THANKS!!
Welcome to the Forum.
This a .38 Military & Police from the late 1920s, IF the number 559965 is stamped on the butt. The 53382 number, if stamped on the frame behind the yoke (the swing arm that holds the cylinder) is an assembly number that was used within the factory to keep parts together. Model numbers were not assigned by S&W until 1957.
Thanks for the welcome. 559965 is on the butt as well as the back face of the cylinder and the bottom of the barrel.
The gun was not heavily used; not much wear. But it's got light rust in spots from laying in a drawer in a rag from many years. Some holster wear on the barrel. Action still pretty tight.
Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! What what is the shape of the knob on the ejector rod? If mushroom, it was made in 1928 or before. If it's barrel-shaped, it was made in 1928 29 or 30. If you can post some pictures we can tell you more.
If there is no letter prefix to the SN on the butt, 559965 would date it as a Military and Police (the correct name as used by S&W) revolver probably shipping in 1927. The same SN will be found on the rear face of the cylinder and on a flat at the bottom of the barrel (plus several other locations).
38 S & W SPECIAL CTG
Linear Mode
