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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 03-04-2008, 09:35 AM
robt8255 robt8255 is offline
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I have an older Smith and Wesson that I "think" is a Model 3102. It is a 6 shot, double action, ejector model in .38 S&W (not a .38 Spl). The hammer and trigger are nickel or stainless, there is a screw on the inner bottom of the grip strap and the number 15100 on the bottom of the grip strap (round butt). There are 4 screws on the side with none on the front of trigger guard.....It is a fixed sight with half moon front sight. It is in very good shape for its age, the only problem is finding ammo for it.....Can anyone confirm model # and perhaps help with appx.manufacturing date.....Thank you
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Old 03-04-2008, 09:35 AM
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I have an older Smith and Wesson that I "think" is a Model 3102. It is a 6 shot, double action, ejector model in .38 S&W (not a .38 Spl). The hammer and trigger are nickel or stainless, there is a screw on the inner bottom of the grip strap and the number 15100 on the bottom of the grip strap (round butt). There are 4 screws on the side with none on the front of trigger guard.....It is a fixed sight with half moon front sight. It is in very good shape for its age, the only problem is finding ammo for it.....Can anyone confirm model # and perhaps help with appx.manufacturing date.....Thank you
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Old 03-04-2008, 09:51 AM
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Welcome.

I think more info is required for a positive ID.

The hammer and trigger make it sound refinished as these parts are usually case-hardened and not plated by the factory.

3102 doesn't sound like a S&W model that I recognize. The round front sight suggests it's older than 1952 and model numbers weren't used until 1957.

It might be a small frame gun like a Regulation Police. The lack of the 5th screw in front keeps it from being an early Military & Police, I think.

Maybe soneone with more experience than I will come along with better info.
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Old 03-04-2008, 11:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by SaxonPig:
.It might be a small frame gun like a Regulation Police. The lack of the 5th screw in front keeps it from being an early Military & Police, I think.

Maybe soneone with more experience than I will come along with better info.
The original M&Ps (model of 1899) had four sideplate screws but none on the trigger guard. They are frequently refered to as a pre-five screw four screw. But a photo(s) would tell all.
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Old 03-04-2008, 12:18 PM
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I added some pictures (I think). Do they help?
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Old 03-04-2008, 12:22 PM
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[IMG]
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Old 03-04-2008, 12:27 PM
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Now I think I have all pictures....
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Old 03-04-2008, 12:43 PM
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This gun has the early levering lockwork, but at serial number 15100, with the
barrel that has a shoulder, the frame must be a 32/20 1902 1st change. The gun has
been refinished, and it looks like the barrel and cylinder have been changed, so
that the gun is now a .38 something or other !

If it chambers 38 special, then that is what it is. If it only chambers 38 S&W,
then that is what it is.

If that is the serial number that is on the butt, my guess is that the barrel and
cylinder are not serial numbered.

The only difference between a 32/20 and a 38 is the barrel and cylinder. They can
be interchanged, switching the gun from a 32/20 to a .38, and that is what I think
has happened here - IF the serial number is 15100 .

Confusing gun.

Later, Mike Priwer
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Old 03-04-2008, 01:03 PM
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I agree with Mike on the 1902, 1st change 32-20. The serial number is in the right range(9812-18125). The grips are identical to the ones pictured on page 130 of SCSW #3. It looks like someone replaced the original 32-20 barrel and cylinder with parts from a 38-200 WW11 British revolver. As far as I can see in SCSW, the only k frames ever built in 38 S&W were for British issue. That's my guess. BTW, MidwayUSA lists 6 different loads in 38 S&W, five are in stock. Bob
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Old 03-04-2008, 04:10 PM
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Everyone seems to agree the serial number would be on the bottom of the grip, but I found the number 30362 in two more spots. Both on the swing arm for the cylinder and on the frame itself where the cylinder arm swings up....Could that possibly be the serial number?

Thanks for all your help....
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Old 03-04-2008, 04:34 PM
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No - that is the asssembly number, and that is exactly where it should be.

The serial number in on the bottom of the butt. If the barrel and cylinder
were original , each would be serial-numbered to the gun. The barrel would
have the serial number on flat area on the bottom , and the cylinder would
have a number on its rear face.

There is two other places to check for serial numbers. What you are calling
the cylinder arm is the yoke, or crane. If you swing it open, and line up
a charge hole so that it looks onto the cross-arm of yoke, there should be
a number there. Sometimes that is very dirty, and needs to be cleaned up.

Then, with the cylinder open, fully depress the extractor. On the inside of
the extactor star (that portion that pushes out the enpty shell cases ) will also
have a number.

Later, Mike Priwer
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Old 03-04-2008, 05:14 PM
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Mike...
I found the 15100 number (same as the bottom of the grip) on the cross arm of the yoke..I found the flat area under the barrel but no number...also no number on the underside of the (star) extractor...I looked good, nothing there...does that mean the serial number is 15100 with a different barrel?

(I would never have thought to look through a charge hole at the yoke arm) Bob
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Old 03-04-2008, 05:26 PM
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Mike....I also found what looks like a stamped number on the yoke arm "W1" or "Wl", if that should help at all......Bob
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Old 03-04-2008, 05:29 PM
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Bob

Yes - the serial number is 15100. There is a pin showing on the left side of
the frame, about an inch below the cylinder release thumbpiece, which is the
pivot for the levering rebound mechanism. With that mechanism, and serial 15100,
the frame is a 32/20 1902 1st change ( also because the barrel has a shoulder on it,
where it meeets the frame )

So - the barrel has been changed, as has the cylinder, which would probably have
included the extractor rod and extactor star. The yoke was fitted to that frame
at the time of manufacture, which is why it is serial-numbered to it. Additionally,
they stamped the work-order , or assembly , number on the yoke, frame, and also
on the inside of the sideplate.

The gun is about 1903/1904, but the barrel and cylinder are much later, possibly
as much as late 1930's ! This is a rather untypical configuration, to say the least.

If you like the gun, and plan to keep it, you might want to consider spending $30
on a letter. I know this sounds a bit silly, but there is a tiny tiny chance that
the factory made the gun this way. The probability is, maybe, .0001, which is next to
zero (!) - but the frame may have been overlooked, or lost, in the factory for
30 or so years, found , and made up in the late 1930's . If you do request a letter,
be sure to descibe the gun as a 32/20 1902 1st change, and also note that it has
a 38 S&W barrel and a 38 cylinder, but the original crane !

Later, Mike Priwer
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Old 03-04-2008, 06:20 PM
robt8255 robt8255 is offline
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Thank you very much Mike......what is the benefit of the letter.....is there any value to the gun....other than $150 or so...Bob
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Old 03-04-2008, 07:01 PM
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Bob

IF there is a question, it is - did the factory make the gun this way ? IF they did,
then the gun is worth a lot more than $150. If they did not, which is probably the case,
then the letter would not be worth the effort.

Roy does answer questiions about shipped dates on the S&WCA forum , so I can post that
kind of question. I would expect the gun to be shipped in 1903 or 1904 , in which case
I would not request a letter. If it was shipped in the late 1930's, for example, then
I would request a letter. IF that were what happened, then I would have expected that
the barrel and cylinder would have been serial-numbered to the gun, which they are
not. So , chances are the gun was modified at some later date.

I do not recognize the WI or W1 .

Later, Mike Priwer
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Old 03-04-2008, 07:22 PM
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Is that a closed forum or can I check on the ship date?
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Old 03-04-2008, 08:33 PM
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Its a closed forum - you have to be a member of the Smith & Wesson Collectors
Association.

Later, Mike Priwer
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Old 03-05-2008, 03:56 PM
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Mike....I talked to Roy and after checking the serial number he said the gun was shipped in 1904 and had to have been modified after that date.....

Thank you very much for your help.....Bob
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Old 03-08-2008, 09:49 PM
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I am new to the forum and I to have a revolvor that I would like onfo on it is A S/W Model 37 ser # 589xx with F4 stamped under it I was told that if the model number was stamped on the yoke it would be rated for plus P I think this gun is older than I was told it was it is stamped 38 spc cal airweight can anyone help me out with this.

Thanks Pat
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airweight, ejector, extractor, military, model 37, round butt, scsw, sideplate, smith and wesson, thumbpiece

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