This pic is from a local sale of a variety guns. These are the only Smith revolvers listed. According to the list the 5 Smiths are: 13-2 .357 (SER#45894) ; unknown .32L (SER#350691); unknown .38Spl (SER#478J12); unknown .38Spl (SER#C85955); Airweight .380 (SER#J943801). I'm pretty sure the Airweight caliber is wrong. It should also be the last one in the pic. Top one is the 13-2. Second one down is .32L. Don't know which is which for the other 2 .38s.

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The serial number doesn't sound right for the M13-2.

The second from the top is a .32 Hand Ejector 3rd model, probably from the 1920s.

I belive the serial numbers are reversed on # 3 and # 4.

# 3 is a .38 special Military & Police from 1948-1951.

# 4 is a Chief's Special, M36

# 5 is a M38. Should be a .38 special.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

OK, I'll take a stab at it. The top is probably the 13-2, a 4" nickel plated gun. Next is what appears to be a fairly late pre-War .32 Hand Ejector, the old I-frame. The one in the middle is probably the unk .38 Spl (SN C85955) and is a pre-Model 10. That would make the 4th one down be the third one on your list... it's a Chief's Special (probably a pre-Model 36) based on its size. That leaves the bottom one to be an Airweight in .38 Spl, as you surmise, a typo on the caliber. That's what I can surmise from the one picture and your description... let me know whether I came close.

Froggie

PS Darn, MG... You type faster than me!

Maybe its my eyes or maybe its the photo, but the barrel lengths on the 2" .38 M&P and the 2" Chief Special seem different. Am I seeing things?

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James Redfield
LM #497

James, think it looks like that because of the difference in the frame size.

James & PR, I think the pre-Model 10 snubbie may indeed have an even shorter barrel... didn't they make an inch and 3/8s or some such?

I don't know whether it is an artifact of the enlargement and pixilation on my computer, but it looks like the .32 may have a bulged barrel... may just be an optical delusion. The pre-10 snubbie is at least a 4 screw and perhaps a 5 screw, but the grips are a later (S&W) replacement. I can''t tell much about the finish condition... looks like there may be some patina (not to be confused with rust ) issues on a couple of them too. The pre-36, if that is indeed what it is, is just a standard issue, but the vintage examples of these are pretty popular in this day of MIM parts, etc.

BTW, are these going to be sold at auction or do they have fixed prices on them?

Froggie

They are part of an auction of confiscated firearms to be held here on the Jan. 13-14. Haven't had the opportunity to see them first hand. Don't get to check em out til the morning of the 13th. The 2 I'm most interested in are the M&P & the Chief.

You might get lucky on the Chief, since there are a lot of them out there and a lot of the folks wanting a "modern" Chief are looking for a stainless Model 60 version. The .32 I-frame may well be a sleeper, as they still haven't taken off price-wise in our part of the country like they have further North or West. I'm guessing the Airweight and the Model 10 snubbie will draw the most interest. That Model 13 could be a surprise in either direction, and it wouldn't be a bad gun to own, IMHO... YMMV!

Froggie