Model of 1905.. 1st or 2nd change?

26betsam · Sunday at 4:38 PM

Won this poor thing out of a Texas auction. Poor as that was the condition when it arrived. Pictures looked good,and the serial # put in the early 2nd change range. Now I don't want to say that AI upgraded the photos but the condition received defiantly wasn't as discribed as "good".
90 % of the bluing missing. Opened her up and 120 years of no maintenance are displayed. Grim. Pitting in the chambers and bore.
Big regret is that I didn't do "before" photos as I had no Idea that the results would turn out the way they did.
I started with a 3 day soak in Ed's Red, followed by a complete disassembly and a 2 hour turn in the ultrasonic cleaner. Polished with 00 bronze wool and Brownells Oxpho-Blue. Stocks it came with were miss matched non-period so I put the Altmont's on.
Whether it's a 2nd (which I wanted) or a 1st I'm happy with the results as I didn't have 4" round butt.
All the best,
Kevin

bpd303 · Sunday at 5:34 PM

I would say the pictures you posted look good, from the description it must have been a real challenge to get it to what turned out. I can't read the caliber so what is it. The cylinder chambers look like 38S&W or 38-200.

Alk8944 · Sunday at 5:49 PM

bpd303 said:
I would say the pictures you posted look good, from the description it must have been a real challenge to get it to what turned out. I can't read the caliber so what is it. The cylinder chambers look like 38S&W or 38-200.

A 1905 of any flavor cannot be a .38 S&W. Those didn't exist until WWII.

26betsam · Sunday at 6:16 PM

".38 S&W Special"
"U.S. Service CTG'S"
Left side of the barrel

bpd303 · Sunday at 6:40 PM

Alk8944 said:
A 1905 of any flavor cannot be a .38 S&W. Those didn't exist until WWII.

You are absolutely correct, don't know what I was thinking. A 1905 in 38 S&W Special & 5 screw & star extractor with 2 pins should make it a M&P .

glowe · 2026-08-03T11:31:46-0400

Interesting 38 Model 1905, 1st Change revolver with a nice finish, but refinished as you note and Magna stocks added much later. Originals would have walnut concave top-round walnut service stocks or hard rubber stocks. There is no S&W logo left on the sideplate. That did not happen until 1917 with the advent of WWI and your revolver most likely left the factory in 1906.

Let me add that this model was when the rebound slide was introduces,, but yours appears to have a flat trigger return spring like below.

cgt4570 · 2026-08-03T12:50:41-0400

Excellent 'truck gun' as is or a blank canvas for a custom project with zero guilt. My truck gun is a neglected 10 fitted with an overrun 2.5" heavy barrel from a MI SP order. I sandblasted it and rubbed Renwax on it. It's a pewter gray now.

26betsam · 2026-08-03T16:46:58-0400

glowe said:
Interesting 38 Model 1905, 1st Change revolver with a nice finish, but refinished as you note and Magna stocks added much later. Originals would have walnut concave top-round walnut service stocks or hard rubber stocks. There is no S&W logo left on the sideplate. That did not happen until 1917 with the advent of WWI and your revolver most likely left the factory in 1906.

Let me add that this model was when the rebound slide was introduces,, but yours appears to have a flat trigger return spring like below.

View attachment 902609

The 1905 I have has the rebound slide.

Model of 1905.. 1st or 2nd change?

26betsam

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