Hello Fellows,

I recently acquired a Model 1905 that is a bit different than what the limited reference that I have (Flayderman's) shows. I am hoping someone can help me to pin it down. The following is the descriptive information for it;

It is a 6-shot DA, with a 6-1/2-inch round tapered barrel. The left side of the barrel is marked "32 WINCHESTER CTG" (with funny looking marks on each end). I know that it is chambered for the Winchester 32 W.C.F. (a.k.a. 32-20) cartridge.

The top of the barrel has two lines as follows (with an odd looking marking splitting the lines at each end) ;

top line: SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS.U.S.A. PATD APR.9.89 MAR.27.94

second line: MAY 21.95 JULY 16.95. AUG. 4.96. DEC.22.96. OCT. 4.98. OCT. 8.01. DEC. 17.01

The serial number is 24969 (I presume an early 1906 manufacture date), and it is located on the bottom of the butt, on the breech end of the cylinder, on the bottom of the barrel (under the cylinder pin), and on the inside surface of the left grip (in pencil?). There is a "B" preceding the serial umber on the bottom of the barrel, which I presume indicates a blued gun.

It has a different number "573" in three places; (1) on the cylinder crane, (2) on the frame under where the cylinder crane rests, and on the under side of the side plate.

It has checkered wood grips (presumably walnut) with a squared butt.

Finally, the front sight has what appears to be an integral ramp (lug) with the sight blade being part of the whole.

Based on what I can tell, it is in the 1st change serial range, and the squared butt with checkered wood grips, but the patent dates on the barrel appear to be those of the basic Model 1905.









If any additional pictures would be of help, please let me know what you need to see.

Thanks in advance for any information provided.

Regards,
Bert H.

Hello Fellows,

I recently acquired a Model 1905 that is a bit different than what the limited reference that I have (Flayderman's) shows. I am hoping someone can help me to pin it down. The following is the descriptive information for it;

It is a 6-shot DA, with a 6-1/2-inch round tapered barrel. The left side of the barrel is marked "32 WINCHESTER CTG" (with funny looking marks on each end). I know that it is chambered for the Winchester 32 W.C.F. (a.k.a. 32-20) cartridge.

The top of the barrel has two lines as follows (with an odd looking marking splitting the lines at each end) ;

top line: SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS.U.S.A. PATD APR.9.89 MAR.27.94

second line: MAY 21.95 JULY 16.95. AUG. 4.96. DEC.22.96. OCT. 4.98. OCT. 8.01. DEC. 17.01

The serial number is 24969 (I presume an early 1906 manufacture date), and it is located on the bottom of the butt, on the breech end of the cylinder, on the bottom of the barrel (under the cylinder pin), and on the inside surface of the left grip (in pencil?). There is a "B" preceding the serial umber on the bottom of the barrel, which I presume indicates a blued gun.

It has a different number "573" in three places; (1) on the cylinder crane, (2) on the frame under where the cylinder crane rests, and on the under side of the side plate.

It has checkered wood grips (presumably walnut) with a squared butt.

Finally, the front sight has what appears to be an integral ramp (lug) with the sight blade being part of the whole.

Based on what I can tell, it is in the 1st change serial range, and the squared butt with checkered wood grips, but the patent dates on the barrel appear to be those of the basic Model 1905.









If any additional pictures would be of help, please let me know what you need to see.

Thanks in advance for any information provided.

Regards,
Bert H.

1905- 1st Change.
Don't count on patent dates and other marks and features to have SHARP cutoff points with S&W. They never threw anything away.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Hi Bert

Welcome to the forum. Nice old gun to start with.

Mr Jarrett is correct. Leftovers were used, not thrown out, so you have lots of different variations. Thats what makes it fun.

The 573 number is an assembly number used to keep the parts together thru the manufacturing process.

__________________
Pace

This gun looks to be perfectly normal, and correct, in all apsects. Its
probably a 1907 shipment, judging by the serial number. Those are the
correct style for the grips, and indeed, are numbered to the gun. Its a
service-sighted gun, with the forged integral front sight.

The barrel does not have the later patent dates, but that means nothing.
Since 1899, there were only 24,000 or so, of these 32-20's, so it not
surprising that there may have been a lot of earlier barrels still lying
around, when this gun was made up.

It has seen a lot of use, but it appears to be all original.

Later, Mike Priwer

Hello fellows,

Thanks a bunch for the information, it is much appreciated.

Having lettered many Winchesters, I know what to expect on a Cody factory letter, but I have never seen a letter for a S & W... what can I expect to see for information, and what is the normal time to research an old S & W handgun?

Thanks once again,
Bert H.

Hi Bert

The first couple paragraphs of a factory letter tell the history of the model. The last paragraph tells specific info about the gun requested. Check out handejector's FBI Reg Mag post. It shows the type of info included. Letters are running 16 to 20 weeks last I heard.

__________________
Pace

Those 1905's are some of my favorites - here is a 1st change in 38 special shipped 10/1906 - most of the bluing is gone, leaving only the character and some very nice concave stocks that appear to have been molded with the frame:

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

The neat thing about the 05-1st is that it is the first HE with a rebound slide- in essence, what we saw from then on mechanically.
Damn, what a design!

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

RK

Yes - the grips were sanded to fit the frame - before final finishing,
so they were molded to it !

And indeed - the notion of 1st change is what designates the appearance
of the new rebound slide.

What I like about it is the patent-date roll markings on the side of
the barrel, instead of on top. It is, at the same time, not very
attractive, but a statement about the frugalness of the factory.
When the introduced the slightly heavier barrel, they added a
shoulder, and so there was not enough space , on the top of the barrel,
to roll the patent dates. Rather than have a new die made up, they
simply moved the roll markings to the side of the barrel, where there
was enough room.

Roy Jinks has a short-barrel something-or-other, in which the barrel
is too short for the roll-markings. So, they started them right on top
of the frame, running over onto the barrel !

Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike:

Thanks for all the info that you take the time to share. I know that they sanded the stocks to the frame prior to final finishing, but I was wondering if they checkered the stocks before or after they fit the stocks to the frame? I was guessing that they checkered after fitting?

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

What is the rebound slide?

Would you mind to explain it to me in simple words? What is its task when operating the gun?

__________________
Regards from Germany
Stephan

Thats a nice old gun. Just found one couple weeks back with the 3 1/4 bbl. It was from around 1915. Actually shot mine, loved the low recoil. I'm looking for brass now to reload for it. Enjoy it, Larry

RK

I don't know the answer to the question. It could be either way. Sometimes I
see early stocks that are not symetrical, with respect to the amount of wood
on either side of the checkering. That would lead me to think that they were
checkered first, but I dunno.

Later, Mike Priwer

According to the Factory Roy Jinks is currently on a Well Deserved Vacation and will return some time in early August. He works 7 days a week on Letters and he can put out about 25 on a good day, if he doesn't have to take time to go to the Factory to research one of the newer guns for a Letter. It seems that when he left he was running 16 to 20 weeks to return a Letter. I'm sure that time frame has been extended by now.