Mourning everyone,

While helping my new girlfriend move into her new place I found out that she has a collection of old firearms. She has given me the Beretta M1934 (manufactured in 1942) because she is physically unable to pull the slide back on the pistol (yea me!)

But the one pistol that she asked me to clean so that she can shoot again is an S&W revolver. I have a model 65-2 but unlike mine there is no model number on the frame when the cylinder is opened. There is just a number: 72449 (which is also on the cylinder and the barrel). On the bottom of the frame is a number: C. 2400XX . I am assuming that this is the serial number. It also has: 38 S.& W. SPECAL CTG. On the side of the barrel

Could some one please help me with two questions:
1) around when was this revolver manufactured? I am assuming that the Beretta and the revolver might be from the same era since they came from the same person in her family (before their passing)
2) what ammunition is safe for use in this pistol? She wants to use it for target (practice) shooting and also for personal protection in her new apartment. The barrel and cylinders are bright and clean with no pitting what so ever. There is some chipping of the (nickel) plating? On the crown of the barrel but other than that the weapon is in remarkable condition when compared to my .357

Thanks in advance for any help that could be given.

Scott

The C prefix serial number is from the very late 1940s or early 1950s. That would be known as a Military & Police, M&P, or a pre Model 10. Any .38 Special ammo should be safe to shoot in that revolver. .38 wadcutters are my favorite with minimum recoil and maximum accuracy.
Good score on the new girlfriend!

Welcome to the Forum! Pictures of the gun would of course help a lot, but I did some poking around in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, 3rd edition and came up with the following:

S/N C226004 -C277554 was used in 1954. Being made before 1957, it will not have the model # stamped on it. It is usually referred to as a "pre-model" such and such. Sounds like a good match per your description.

The C prefix in .38 caliber was used on Models 10 M&P and 12 M&P, Aircrewman, and their pre-model variations. I think that you have one of these. They were offered with a nickel finish, but it may have been refinished from the original blue. Value-wise, an original nickel finish will bring a slight premium.

Shoot modern .38 special rounds through it and enjoy! Not sure about the higher powered +P rounds - anyone have advice on that?

Again, welcome. I hope that helps. Sounds like a keeper (the gun, too!)

Todd

Almost everyone has advice on that, and it's not all the same. S&W, as a matter of company policy whose origin can only be guessed at, recommends using +P ammo only in guns with model numbers on them. Most folks note that guns made a few years before model numbers were started (1957) were made the same as guns made a few years later. This would include the original poster's gun. Still others question whether +P produces any higher pressure than older standard .38 Special ammo, or flat out deny it. Myself, I would not hesitate to use +P as carry ammo in that gun, but I wouldn't pay extra for it for more than occasional use.

+P is not dangerous to shoot in this gun, in the sense that it might blow up. Occasional firing of +P, and using it for self defense, should be fine. There is, however, some concern that heavy use of +P might accelerate parts wear and lead to the gun getting loose and out of time befoe it normally would. For that reason, the most conservative course is to use standard-pressure ammo for practice and limit the +P to defensive use.

Practically speaking, it might take, say, 15,000 rounds of standard ammo to wear out the gun, but "only" 10,000 +P loads.

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Pisgah

It is a .38 Military & Police, which came with a 2, 4, 5 or 6" barrel. Try 148 gr wadcutters or 130 gr FMJ for practice, then either a non-+P or +P "defense" load for occasional use. The Speer Gold Dot 135 gr (either version) seems to come highly recommended but there are several others. Please let us know how this works out.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Shoot 10,000 +Ps if you like. They are loaded 3,000 PSI below max and in no way constitute anything resembling a hot load. Actually very mild.

The C prefix was used on Military & Police Models made 1948-1957 and on Model 10s from 1957 to 1967.

Thanks on the quick replies. I'm going to try to get her to bring the weapon over so that I can get some good pics of it for all to see. The finish on it appears to be factory since every detail on it is clear and crisp. I'm also going to talk to her about getting the letter from Smith.

She told me earlier that this is the first "gun" that she learned to shoot with so it will definitely be a weapon that will stay in her family for many years to come.

Now I just need to figure out a good defense round. She has a .25 auto that she Carries in her purse when traveling and this will be used for protection in her apartment. I've always used SJHP's in my .357 (department issued) but even the ones that i have used in .38 do a really good job of penetration. With her living in an apartment I'm a little concerned about over-penetration and endangering a neighbor. I guess this question would be better posted in another area of this forum

ok after doing some more reading I have another important question. does this revolver have a hammer block like my mod 65-2? I'd hate for her to drop this thing and have an accidental discharge.

I believe all post ww2 S&W K frames have the hammer block.

Yep. The hammer block was added by S&W about ten years before that gun was made.