When my father died 5 years ago, I acquired his pistol.
The only number I can find on it, including looking at both sides of the yoke, is on the bottom of the butt of the pistol.
That number is 340xxx.

On the barrel is the following:
38% S.c(some symbol I cant make out) W.SPECIAL CTG.

Any idea what this might be worth? I have someone interested in buying it, but I have no idea what to ask for it.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Fixed sights or adjustable. Now long is the barrel. Is there a letter on the butt before the number.

Are you sure you want to sell something your father passed on to you?

Add pictures and the folks on here will be more than willing to help you identify your gun.

Five or six shots? In addition to what steelslaver asked, if you want a realistic value estimate besides an identification, we'd have to see some pictures. If that serial number (and you DID find the correct one) does not have a letter in front of it, the gun could be quite old and the condition would have a big impact on its worth.

Small, nitpicky comment -- a revolver is not a pistol. A pistol is a handgun whose chamber is integral to the barrel (e.g., semi-autos and old fashioned dueling pistols). A revolver's chambers are all set apart from the barrel. Just call it a revolver or handgun.

Edited: Changed my mind. And it's just as well.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Welcome to the forum SmokeyJoe.
Why don't we make him feel like a part of the family and try to answer his question with out calling him out on trite items like grips/stocks, magazine/clip, pistol/revolver, typos or misspelled words. Gee whiz, this is his first post. This would not set well with me if I was called out on my first post.I don't blame him if he never frequented this site again.

Ain't it the truth. How dang petty can you get? Geez, some people.

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Retired Dep Sheriff & Armorer

Hey sandspur6!

Now I'll get nitpicky. You're quoting archaic definitions. If you look up current definitions you will see that a revolver is a pistol. Language is dynamic, and definitions will change to reflect common usage. And yes, it can happen in one's lifetime. Just as we no longer use the Middle English "wepen" or the Old English "waepen".

In short, if everybody is using it "wrong" it becomes "right".

re·volv·er
rəˈvälvər/
noun
noun: revolver; plural noun: revolvers

a pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.

pis·tol
ˈpistl/
noun
noun: pistol; plural noun: pistols

1.
a small firearm designed to be held in one hand.
synonyms: revolver, gun, handgun, sidearm; More

The cavalry had horse pistols. Wonder where they got automatics during that time period. Lots of old time gun figters were pistolerros, not revolverleros. The word pistol was around way long time before semi autos.

Yes, to those technical minded a pistol now means semi auto.
grips/stocks thumb/piece cylinder/latch

The idea of manners and courtesy is acting and speaking in such a manner that those around you are comfortable. Eating your food correctly with the proper tool is polite for a formal dinner,, but not at a BBQ

Sorry people,
I was in a hurry last night, and did take the time to go through all the questions, and I'm sorry I still have not had to time to get some pics.
However, I do have some answers...
It is a model 15, hand-ejector, S/N K340xxx, 38 special, 4"barrel, adjustable sight, 3-screw REVOLVER ;-), and the symbol I couldn't make out last night was an ampersand "&".

We look forward to the pictures. Those were a popular upgrade for law enforcement in the 1960s and 70s. While not rare, many saw had use and a well-kept sample could bring more than you might expect.

I gave one to my son when he got married and made him promise to give it back if he ever got tired of it.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

What you have is very nice revolver, my favorite of all the Smith and Wessons. Yours was shipped in 1958, the first year that the Model number was stamped on the gun. Prior to 1958, it was known as the Combat Masterpiece and some including me still refer to it by that name. .38 S&W SPECIAL CTG is the caliber, a popular and readily available cartridge.

As other posters have noted, it is impossible to give you an estimate of the value with knowing the condition and whether or not you have the original box, manual, papers, etc. Good pictures are essential to making a determination. Could range from a couple hundred dollars for a beater without original grips, pitted exterior, damaged bore etc. to perhaps $1000 for one in pristine unfired condition with original box and papers.

As others have implied, I would never sell a gun that belonged to my dad, but other people have different priorities.

This is my 1st attempt to provide pics, and I'm not a photographer, so even if I get these posted, I doubt they'll be enough to satisfy. However, I would describe the condition as pristine, and like new.

Attached Images

	IMG_20160920_175633.jpg (61.5 KB, 158 views)
	IMG_20160920_175741.jpg (37.5 KB, 129 views)
	IMG_20160920_175824.jpg (54.9 KB, 124 views)

Sorry again,
No original box nor paperwork.

Kevin

And Sam Colt referred to all of his revolvers as "Pistols" (sometimes "Revolving Pistols") in his advertising. Very logical at the time, as before Sam Colt, all guns which could be held in one hand were "Pistols" and I am sure Sam wouldn't want to confuse possible customers by using another term for a one-hand firearm. There are simply different types of pistols - automatics, revolvers, and single shot.

SN S/N K340xxx: K317,823 – K350,547...1958 (manufacture). Yours likely shipped in 1959. It looks to be in very good condition, a typical gun show price tag would probably be $600-$700.

Your dad left you a nice one, hope you keep it.

Nevada duke.

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old bird

Sorry for your loss. I lost my father 25 years ago and I still miss him every day. As others have stated, think long and hard about selling a family gun. You can own many S&W's but very few belonged to your father. Once sold you can never get them back.

I would say welcome to the forum but you have been a member for 5 years so I will say welcome to posting.

All that said, I would suggest that you look on sites like Gun Broker and Gun Auction to see what similar guns are selling for. A private sale will typically be somewhat less and if you sell to a dealer or LGS, you can expect somewhere between 50% to 75% of that figure to cover profit and carrying costs.

Good luck.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Sorry, but you are wrong! If this were correct then explain why Sam Colt's revolver patent was for a REVOLVING PISTOL.

A revolver is always a pistol, but a pistol is not always a revolver. It could be a semi-automatic (self-loader) or a single shot.m Similar to the argument in Geometry where a "Square is a rectangle" but a "Rectangle is not a square".

Seems we have had this conversation before!

SmokeyJoe, you have a very nice early Model 15, one of the best revolvers S&W made. It's not especially rare, worth maybe $500 in good condition with no box or papers. Shipped in 1958. The "no-dash" Model 15 was only built 1957 - 1959 and was replaced by the Model 15-1. Yours should be a "4-screw" model, with the 4th screw in front of the trigger guard. Looks like you have the original diamond magna grips. They are probably numbered to the gun on the inside surface.

Again I'm sorry for taking so long to reply.

So many other things to do.

I wanted to thank all who responded, and especially thank those who offered me sorrow for my father. That really touched me.

You people are great. an I appreciate you and this forum.

Kevin

Sorry Lobster_Picnic, but this is indeed a 3-screw revolver, with the third in front of the trigger guard.

There is another screw under the grips.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Smokey
If it has a screw in the front of the trigger guard, it is a four screw frame. What you are not seeing is the third sideplate screw because it is hidden under the top of the right panel of the Magna stocks. All model 15 revolvers (without the dash number) made in the 1957-59 period were four screw guns. The trigger guard screw (the cylinder stop plunger retaining screw) was the last to go, in 1961 with the introduction of the Model 15-2. The three screw guns all have three in the sideplate and none in the front of the trigger guard.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318