Hey everyone I inherited a gun awhile back from my grandpa and completely forgot about it until now. And as I was moving I found it. But I was interested in seeing if I could find a year range it was manafactured. My uncle tells me stories about it being from a long line of family members but I figure we could get down to it. I've done research with no luck because of the serial number. Which reads. 3421xx. It's a .38 special ctg.

Attached Images

	IMG_20180816_160148.jpg (56.5 KB, 190 views)
	IMG_20180816_160116.jpg (50.4 KB, 240 views)

Model of 1905, 4th Change, 1920's. Looks to be in nice shape! Thanks for the photos. Someone will be along to pin down the year a bit more closely.

Thanks sir I'll be patiently waiting.

Well, nobody popped in, so I checked the database-- there's one with serial 345719 that shipped 05/1920, so I'm figuring yours must be earlier in 1920. I'd expect one from the 1910s to have grips with large gold medallions, though of course yours might not be the original grips. Might want to take them off sometime and see if there's a matching serial number on the inside of one; that would tell you for sure that they're original.

Edit to add: If it seems to be functioning okay, it'd be safe to shoot standard .38 Special loads in it-- so go have some fun!

330003 has the teen's grips but shipped in 1920 so I think a 1920 ship date would be spot on for your revolver.

I'm thinking its after 1922 (small S&W emblem on left side and stocks from 1920s) and before 1928 (LERK; see today's post on LERK/SERK/MERK). I have one about 20,000 numbers earlier which I listed as "later 1920s" but without a definite date. Someone will be along to correct my errors. Nice inheritance, enjoy.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

My Fourth Change with 357xxx serial number letters as a May 31, 1921 shipment date. Smith & Wesson has certainly shipped MANY guns out of order, so you'd need to order a letter from the historian to truly be sure, but my revolver suggests that yours is early 1921 or earlier.

Jeff:
You'll need to correct that. By 1923 they were shipping guns in the mid-450xxx range. So there's no way one in the low 300-range could ship in the "later 1920s" unless it got forgotten in the back of the warehouse shelf for some years

Attached Images

C3D89E12-188E-4AB6-AB9E-BF1FD0907717.jpg (81.9 KB, 21 views)

I knew someone would be along to fix my errors; and I've updated my notes on my gun. Thanks much.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

.38 M&P ser# 338008 shipped in May, 1920.

__________________
John

CMONTY , you are a lucky guy. Your revolver is not particularly rare , but it is quite desirable , and seems to be in pretty good condition too. It should be a joy to shoot.

Enjoy.

Wow. What a nice family heirloom.

Well, I have a commercial 1917 that shipped in 1936, about 6 years after most of the ones in the 180xxx ranged shipped. It happens.

Forgive my manners. Welcome to the Forum.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Thanks fellas. I appreciate all the help and that sounds about right from the stories from families and it does shoot. Surprisingly accurately I think it was at 20 yards. I shot it when I first got it. But I haven't touched it since.thanks again guys.