I know there are a few of you here on the S&W Forum who had bid and were watching this S&W 1899 Serial #310 on Gunbroker. I wound up with the winning bid and thank “dadio202” for not bidding me up too high.

Anyway, I received the pistol at my FFL and took it home. I began taking it apart for cleaning. BOY it needed it. Not as bad as a couple of them I have purchased, but pretty gunky anyway. I examined all the serial #'s and they all match except the grips. I can only post 5 pictures with the post, so decided to post the pictures of the gun as I received it. Here soon I will post pictures of the revolver after cleaning up.

With the help of Mike Priwer, I got it cleaned up and put back together. I even got a pair of original grips from Mike to finish it with. It had some grips on it that were not factory S&W ones. I took them off and had them examined by a friend who works with real ivory in his knife and sword hand forging. He was 100% confident that they are real ivory. Now I’m just trying to decide whether to keep them or what. Anyway, I am posting pictures of #310 here so you can all enjoy how it turned out. It isn’t a beauty and is what it is. But to me, I’m glad to have one with a serial # that low. Just received a 1899 trigger return spring and will get around to changing that at a later date.

Attached Images

	Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 3.11.15 PM.jpg (27.8 KB, 238 views)
	310 Internal works dirty.jpg (97.8 KB, 221 views)
	310 crane dirty.jpg (81.3 KB, 184 views)
	Grips Outside.jpg (36.6 KB, 193 views)
	Grips inside.jpg (53.9 KB, 185 views)

All the Serial #'s match except the grips.

Attached Images

	310 butt frame number.jpg (48.3 KB, 89 views)
	310 barrel number.jpg (38.4 KB, 365 views)
	310 cylinder number.jpg (65.2 KB, 90 views)
	310 ejector star number.jpg (39.6 KB, 89 views)
	Sideplate 310 number.jpg (92.2 KB, 85 views)

Looks good, waiting to see after pictures. Of course, I am a sucker for ivory!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Very nice. Mike Priwer also led me through the differences of disassembly and reassembly of the 1899. I have a 4 digit from 1901, and yes I do shoot it from time to time with light loads.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Nice catch. It's interesting that the sideplate is stamped with the s/n instead of an assembly #. What's the assembly # on the yoke and on the frame in the yoke cutout?

This reversed photo makes it look like the rare left hand model.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim, it is 355.

Attached Images

	310 Crane Assembly number.jpg (81.6 KB, 81 views)
	310 frame assembly number.jpg (71.1 KB, 71 views)

Below is what we most commonly find but often very early low # guns have variation:

SERIAL # LOCATIONS: To confirm all parts are original, one can check for the 6 or 7 (Triple Lock models 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, and an attitude that it is there!

1. Grip frame butt (prefixed by a letter(s) following WWII) - or fore strap on I frame Regulation Police models and 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 (except the .32 Model 1896 and no doubt a few others)

4. Extractor star - backside
5. Cylinder - rear face
6. Right stock only - on back, scratched or penciled depending on vintage and stock material, stamped after 1929, (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required.)

7. .44 TL models only: rear side of middle lock cam plate

Pre war serial #s on the butt read with barrel to the right and are centered, or offset if produced with a lanyard swivel (factory installed swivels are drilled with a jig and always 1/10” forward of center). Post war #s read with barrel to the left and are all offset to the rear.

ASSEMBLY (factory work) #s: These multi-digit numbers of 3 to 5 digits, are on the yoke at the hinge, in the ‘yoke cut’ on frame opposite the yoke near the hinge (usually accompanied with the inspector’s letter or # code stamp of approval, but not always), and inside of the sideplate, for the pre war and early post war period thru ~early 1958.

After 1957 Model #s were assigned and stamped on the frame in the yoke cut. The serial # was soon after added in the ‘yoke cut’ as well and the assembly # moved to the left side of the grip frame parallel to the butt. More currently beginning in the 1980s we see non-matching multi-digit numbers parallel to the butt left or right side, and inside the side plate. Once the gun is shipped, the only use for the assembly # is to confirm the three parts it's stamped on, are original to the gun. These are still in use to this day.

And I see the little plunger for holding the cyl in the open position is still there in the yoke hinge. Often missing.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I know what I would do with the ivory grips - leave them on that gun. I'm a sucker for ivory and those are old and have probably been on that gun a lonnnnnnnnnng time.
MHO

Beautiful 1899 leave them grips on that gun. Even if you find correct grips they won't be original those ivory grips look great and likely were put on it when it was new.

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Randy

Well, I finally got pictures of #310 after cleaning it up. I also installed the original grips I received from Mike Priwer which were from an 1899 32-20 #691. They fit perfectly. Guess I may keep the ivory ones for a while and see what I want to do with them later. Thanks again to Mike for helping me with this project!

Attached Images

	S&W 1899 #310 Right Web.jpg (164.7 KB, 69 views)
	S&W 1899 #310 Left web.jpg (165.3 KB, 60 views)
	310 Internals Clean web.jpg (80.3 KB, 61 views)

Looks MUCH better on the inside now.

I am so happy that gun cleaned up so nicely for being over 120 years old The inside as already mentioned, is really nice now, good job. Are you going to letter the gun? Could have a very interesting history going there.

Though it looks very nice with correct grips, I also would leave the ivories on it since they are part of its provenance. At the very least, keep them with gun. Very nice!