Identify 38special

wildfire7844 · #1 02-25-2020, 12:05 PM

I inherited a 38 s&w 38 special from my dad who passed away a few years ago. I would like to find more info on this revolver.

Absalom · #2 02-25-2020, 12:22 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Your gun is from approx. April 1941.

You need to clarify the caliber stamping on the barrel, as your description leaves both open: Does it say 38 S&W CTG or 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG?

The answer determines any further guesses about the gun.

wildfire7844 · #3 02-25-2020, 12:49 PM

38 S&W special CTG

Absalom · #4 02-25-2020, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildfire7844

38 S&W special CTG

By that time S&W was producing revolvers mostly for the British in .38 S&W. That’s why I asked.

Guns like yours in .38 Special were by the time largely produced for official contracts, like US government agencies or police departments. The lanyard swivel indicates that this may have been the case with yours too. In that serial range 3000 guns identical to yours went to the US Navy, but there would be a marking on the backstrap.

If the gun has enough heirloom value to you, you might invest $100 in a history letter from the SW Historical Foundation. It will tell you exactly when and where the gun was shipped.

Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation - Home Page - Insuring that the rich history of Smith & Wesson will continue for generations to come

handejector · #5 02-25-2020, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Absalom

Guns like yours in .38 Special were by the time largely produced for official contracts, like US government agencies or police departments. The lanyard swivel indicates that this may have been the case with yours too.

Just my opinion, But I think ALL M&Ps produced in this time frame had swivels. Probably just a simple matter of ALL frames being produced were drilled for swivels. I say that because I've never seen one in the low to mid 700,000s and higher without a swivel. Anybody got one?

Absalom · #6 02-25-2020, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handejector

Just my opinion, But I think ALL M&Ps produced in this time frame had swivels. Probably just a simple matter of ALL frames being produced were drilled for swivels.

Entirely possible.

I actually think the only reason the US variant of the Victory had a swivel was that the British Service variant, which came first and in larger numbers, had one; the Brits have always required and universally used lanyards. So S&W just put swivels on all and produced a single frame configuration to simplify things.

The most convincing evidence for that is that the Colts, Official Police and then Commando, that the US military acquired at the same time, were never ordered with swivels, even though available (Colt only put them on the OP .38-200 for the BPC).

chiefdave · #7 02-25-2020, 02:10 PM

755066 shipped 4/18/1941 and went to the US Dept of Interior.

DWalt · #8 02-25-2020, 02:41 PM

The grips on yours are probably original. By early 1942, grips were plain uncheckered wood without medallions. You might look to see if the same SN is stamped on the rear surface of the right grip panel. As earlier said, by that time, ordinary civilians would have difficulty walking into a gun or hardware store and buying one, as most S&W production was going to the British (in .38 S&W) or to cops/gov. agencies (in .38 Special). .38 Special M&Ps from the period immediately preceding Pearl Harbor are not that common. Yours might be worth getting lettered if you feel lucky and have $100 to spare.

wildfire7844 · #9 02-25-2020, 07:28 PM

Thanks to all that replied. I may see about doing a little more digging into it. Thanks again.