I would appreciate any assistance helping learn more about my great grandfathers .38 special revolver. I am not sure what model it is or the year it was manufactured.
I hope list all the info needed.

It is a .38 special US Service CTG'8
Left swing open Hand ejector
Serial # 599xx
Barrel Length: 3in
Hand Ejector fixed Sights
It does have a strain screw on the front hand grip
4 screws

I just got the gun last night although it has been in my family for years and being a gun enthusiast and a Marine Vet I am very excited to learn more about it.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Semper FI

Matt

An oldie - A S&W Model of 1902, probably dating from around mid-1905 assuming it has a rounded butt. If square, it would be a Model of 1905. The U. S. Service CTG refers to the .38 Long Colt, although it is chambered for the .38 Special. The .38 LC is just a little shorter than the .38 Special, and is essentially an obsolete cartridge today. It was an official U. S. military revolver cartridge at the time. Why don't you post a few pix?

Thanks DWalt, it does have the rounded butt. Very interesting! So, it will shoot a .38 special round?
I will get a couple pics posted.
I really appreciate the help!!!

Yes it will. I'd recommend using only lead bullet standard velocity loads. Target wadcutter loads would be even better. Are you sure the barrel isn't 4" (Front face of cylinder to muzzle)?

Welcome to the Forum and Semper Fi!

As DWalt stated, barrels are measured from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It is close to 4 measuring it from the front of the cylinder...
What is the difference between the model 1899 and the 1902?

Semper FI Muley Gil
RTR

The Model of 1902 has a front locking lug at the forward end of the extractor rod. The Model of 1899 did not. That is the main and most obvious difference.

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

What do you think?

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A couple more.
What do you think a 1899 or a 1902?

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The pictures confirm DWalt's identification in post #2, a Model 1902 with a regular 4" barrel.

That's a 1902-1st Change. It has a larger barrel diameter at the frame that tapers. The first 1902 had a straight barrel.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the information. It has been very insightful. Is this a fairly common revolver, any idea how many were manufactured or where they were manufactured?

Not as easily answered as you might think. The S&W K-frame hand ejector revolvers have undergone a long and extensive series of evolutionary changes from 1899 to the present, so throwing them all together, probably close to eight million have been made. Others might have a more precise number. All were made in Springfield MA. The first million were made from 1899 to 1942, and all were, both mechanically and by appearance, quite similar to yours.

Welcome. Nice old heater!

Made in Springfield, Massachusetts.

While made in fairly large numbers, their survival rate from over 100 years ago isn't high. In the shape yours appears to be in, especially with intact plastic or hard rubber grips, it is fairly uncommon.

The revolver pictured is very different inside from later guns, as it was made before the rebound slide was introduced around 1906. The early guns had a rebound lever and several other differently designed parts that make repairs difficult if something breaks.

__________________
Tom
1560

This gun is what collectors call a 1902 1st change. The important characteristics
of this variant is the 4-screw frame (which implies the early lockwork), the lug under the barrel to secure the front end of the extractor rod, and the shoulder on the barrel
where it meets the frame.

The model of 1902 (no-change) has a serial number range of about 21000 to 33000.
Its primary difference from the model of 1899 is the front locking lug under the barrel.
Around 33000, the threaded portion of the barrel, and the frame nose, were made
heavier. This resulted in the shoulder on the barrel, where it meets the frame.
As a result of this, the patent date roll markings would not fit on the top of the barrel,
so there were moved to the right side. This was only necessary for the 4" barrel.
They remained on the right side until about 1916, when a new roll-marking die was
made that would fit the space on the top of the barrel.

This heavier barrel thread and frame nose was the 1st engineering change to the
model of 1902, and so it is called a 1902 1st change.

At serial number 62450, the cylinder stop was redesigned. This engineering change
resulted in a 5th frame screw, placed in front of the trigger guard. This is the
introduction of the 5-screw frame, and this gun should (but is commonly not) known as
a 1902 2nd change. This recognition was delayed until about serial 76000 or so,
when the lockwork was redesigned by incorporating the new trigger rebound mechanism.

At serial number 58000, a new model - with a square butt- was introduced. This model
is known as the model of 1905. Except for the butt configuration, the gun is identical
to the round-butt model. For collectors, the model of 1905 causes lots of confusion,
because while being engineering-wise identical to the model of 1902, it is a new model.
Thus, it has no notion of engineering change associated with its name.

That is, a comparable round-butt model, like yours, carries the 1st-change designation.
An indentical square-butt model, perhaps only a few serial numbers away from yours,
does not carry such a designation. These two models were made in the same serial
number series all the way to the beginning of WW2.

Mike Priwer

A lot of good information! Were these guns mainly produced for the Military during the early 1900's, then sold in surplus to individuals, or Law Enforcement Agencies? I do know, my Great Grandfather used this revolver as his duty pistol as a LEO. I am curious on everyone's thoughts if paying S&W to research this revolver would be beneficial or if more than likely it was made for the Military. I do know, during this time period gun manufactures like Winchester would take orders and make guns for individuals. Or if they would know what the original finish was? Any thoughts?

No - they were not made for the military. Their name was Military & Police, but that
was a marketing gimmick. They did not know who would be interested. The Army ordered 1000 1899's, as did the Navy. The Navy ordered another 1000 1902's. LEO's
bought some, but the general public bought a lot, as well. Generally they were not sold
as surplus, although at some point, probably after completing their testing, they did
dispose of them. one way or another.

A factory letter will tell you where, and when, the gun was shipped. If it went to a
distributor, or to a hardware store, that will be the end of the trail. If it went to an
individual, and a good number of them did, then it begins to get interesting.

A 4" M&P (fixed sights) probably went to a distributor - probably. On the other hand,
the reason collectors pay for letters to to find out, for sure, where it went.

Mike Priwer

It wasn't until WWII that the M&P was used in quantity by any military forces. Around a million were made during WWII, principally for the British Commonwealth military and the U. S. Navy. The majority of those WWII-manufactured revolvers will have a "V" prefix to the serial number, and are called "Victory" models. Prior to WWII, M&Ps were sold to anyone having the money to buy one, although many American law enforcement agencies did use them, along with a somewhat similar revolver made by Colt. Many of the S&W revolvers used by the British during WWII were sold off into the U. S. market as surplus during the 1950s and 1960s.

A factory letter will tell you where and when the factory shipped it, and what the original configuration was, as in barrel length, stocks and finish, plus any special features, if any, such as optional sights. On a gun as old as yours, with the family history yours has, I would spend the $50.00.