Help Identifying

[dylan_b]

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1. Serial Number - 111xxx
2. Caliber - .38 special
3. Barrel Length - 6.5 in.
4. Sights - Fixed

I have tried to include all the information mentioned in the IDENTIFY your Gun sticky. Any info on this gun is highly appreciated.

[GunarSailors]

1906-1909?

[DWalt]

Very likely, it shipped in 1908. It would have been called by S&W a .38 Hand Ejector, Model of 1905 Military Revolver. The grips are correct for that time period. It appears to be in unusually good condition.

[JP@AK]

I think DWalt is right on. I have a target model, also sporting a 6 1/2" barrel, with a slightly lower serial number that letters to March, 1908.
Nice piece!

[DCWilson]

Somewhere in my safe is 102653, very much like your specimen, which shipped in May 1907.

The only thing I would add to the comments above is that collectors would call this gun the Model of 1905, first change. This model has the new trigger return slide mechanism that is much simpler than the previous rocking system that was driven by a separate flat mainspring anchored in the grip frame. The new trigger return system used a sliding block with an internal coil spring; it was introduced to all hand ejectors in 1906, and is still used, with some minor modifications that drifted in over the last 109 years, in S&W revolvers today.

[DWalt]

Just to provide additional information about what came later, the .38 Hand Ejector revolvers went through a series of engineering changes until about 1948. However, the external appearance of all remained remarkably similar. Just prior to WWI, S&W started calling these revolvers the "Military and Police" (M&P) model. In 1957, S&W adopted a new model number nomenclature system, and the M&P then became the "Model 10."

[dylan_b]

Thanks for the information guys, it shoots great for being that old.