Helllo,

I am new to this forum and was hoping someone might be able to give me some information. I have a S&W 38 special that has beenn in my family for a long time. I am trying to determine the approx. date (age) of the revolver.

The serial number on the frame has a "B" far away from the other numbers, which are 230456.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Welcome to the Forum; lots of good information here. We'll need a little more I think to better identify your revolver. Pictures would be very helpful. Barrel length? Blue/Nickel? Six shot? Adjustable sights? Would expect a V, or C, or D, or K as part of the serial number but not a B. Give us a little more info and someone here will be able to help.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.

The "B" likely means your revolver with a blue finish.

Follow this thread as give us more info, please:
To IDENTIFY your Gun >

Photos would tell a huge part of the story.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Welcome to the S&W Forum.

If that B is on the underside of the barrel, rather than the frame, It simply means the gun left the factory with a blue finish. If that is the case and the serial number is 230456, then this is almost certainly a .38 Military & Police revolver that shipped before the First World War. When letter prefixes were added to serial numbers in 1942, the B was no longer stamped on the barrel flat. They didn't return after WWII.

The serial number should be the same on the butt and the rear face of the cylinder, as well as a few other places that aren't as easy to see.

Post a picture or two if you are able.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Welcome to the forum from Illinois!...22hipower is right , we need a little more info...if the B you refer to is under the barrel in front of the serial, that likely means she left S&W as a blue finish gun....pics' would solve a lot...could well be a .38M&P 1905....from around early teens, but I'm not going there yet!

Thank you all for the quick and valuable responses. I have attached some pictures (I hope) of the revolver. It has a 4" barrel. The grips on it were put on by me about 25 years ago, I included a picture of the original grips that were on it. Also, the "B" is only in front of the serial # that is on the barrel.

If pictures of any other areas of the revolver would help with finding out more information, just let me know and I can post them.

Thanks again for all of the information you have shared!

Attached Images

	38 1.jpg (169.4 KB, 127 views)
	38 4.jpg (62.6 KB, 116 views)
	38 grips.jpg (57.6 KB, 113 views)
	38 2.jpg (55.4 KB, 97 views)

Helpful pictures. Thanks.

This is what I suspected it would be - a .38 Hand Ejector from sometime before the Great War. It has the round butt, so at that time it would have been advertised as a Model of 1902. Many collectors today would call it a Model of 1905 Third Change. I'm not going to enter that debate here, since it doesn't make a hoot of difference.

The stocks you show are almost without doubt original to the gun. If you look closely under a bright light, you might see the serial number written on the inside of the right panel with a pencil.

Also, the stocks you put on it are from after about 1967.

The revolver shows signs of having been refinished at some point.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Welcome from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
You have a special family heirloom.

Thank you all very much for the information, it is good to at last have some knowledge of the background of this revolver!

So the 1902 vs 1905 debate doesn't make a hoot of difference, huh? I certainly am glad to hear that, because I've been thinking it was vitally important for the longest time---------seems like going on forever---and I'm looking forward to finally getting a good night's sleep.

My thanks to you and yours!!

Ralph Tremaine

Wait a minute. I thought only I was supposed to get sarcastic comments.

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No life story has happy end.