First S&W revolver Need Help

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MUGWAMPBRO

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Hello everyone !!!!
I just purchased my first revolver...and need some help identifying it. I hope I am in the right forum as.....from my own research i think it is a 1983 year. But sticky sez......
"For most post-1980 revolvers the serial number will be in an ABC1234 format"...That is my serial # format so I am confused, anyway....here is my serial # and info.


AED1148 (1983 ???)

other #'s ...(on frame behind cylinder (spool ??) arm=3656)

(on spool arm itself=A19)

It is a recessed hammer .38 SPL airweight-CTG
My receipt sez Model 38.

(I do not have the revolver in my hot little hand yet.... still waiting for federal gun check and at last count had 12000 people ahead of me. I don't expect any problems as I am not a convicted felon but with this ZOMBIE virus...who knows?


thanks for looking and (hopefully) helping !!!!

Also...please excuse any wrong..... parts terminology (spool,etc)

 
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What are you confused about? You have a Model 38 previously known as an airweight Body Guard. The other numbers you reference are meaningless to the end user - they are assembly and inspection numbers.

It is a J-frame .38 Special with a shrouded hammer. That allows non snag carry but still allows the gun to be used in the single action mode. It has an alloy frame with a carbon steel 5-shot cylinder and weighs in the neighborhood of 15 oz. empty.

Congratulations on your first!

Adios,

Pizza Bob
 
Pizza Bob has just about covered it. I'll just add that if you do decide to pocket carry you'll need to from time to time clean the lint out of the area behind the hammer. It can build up over time and could cause an issue with the hammer traveling far enough to lock back and fire.

Also those pre-90s light weights are NOT certified for +P ammo so you'll need to stick to standard pressure 38s.
 
Am I correct on the year????


In reply to Pizza Bob......

"For most post-1980 revolvers the serial number will be in an ABC1234 format"...That is my serial # format so I am confused.....I am not confused about what I have.....just the "sticky" at start of form, as stated above in quotes....Sorry my bad..I read "pre-1980" instead of "POST-1980" I'm gettin' old


Revolver shows VERY little use and I paid $285.00..........what do you think????
 
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"1983 – AAM, AAP, AAS, AAW, ABC, ABD, ABL, ABM, ABT, ABV, ABY, ABZ, ACC, ACE, ACH, ACK, ACL, ACP, ACZ, ADB, ADC, ADE, ADT, ALV

1984 – AAU, ABV, ABZ, ACZ, ADE, ADM, ADR, ADT, ADW, AEA, AEB, AEC, AEF, AEL, AEM, AEV, AEZ, AFA, AFJ, AFK, AFM

1985 – AAV, ACC, ACJ, ADA, ADP, ADZ, AEF, AEH, AEM, AER, AEW, AFB, AFK, AFL, AFN, AFR, AFS, AHA, AHB, AHC, AHJ, AHP, AHS, AHT, AHV, AJB, AJD, AJJ, AJH, ALA, ALB, ALC, ALU, ALV, ALW

1986 – ACE, ACV, AJC, AJD, AJN, AJS, AJT, AJW, AHC, AHU, AJS, ALW, ANA, ANB, ANF, ANK, ANN, ANP, AUB, AUC, AUH, AUM, AUU, AVC, AVT "

Supica, Jim,Nahas, Richard. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (Kindle Locations 17042-17047). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.

I didn't see "AED" prefixed serial numbers listed in my SCSW book. '84 or '85 might be a better estimate as to when the subject Model 38 was made.
 
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The exact year can be problematic. S&W makes frames in batches and stamps them when they are produced. Later on they take some frames out of stock and releases them for sale. As a result a run of serial number can be spread out over several years. If the book says 1983 consider your revolver to date sometime around 1983, might be 83, or 84, or even 85 or later. It all depends on how quickly that stock of frames sells out to the point where they set up for that frame and run some more.
 
Just read this on another forum...opinions anyone?????


"Don't listen to the nay sayers about this pistol and +P ammo. Any S&W revolver made after the 1960's can handle +P ammo.
+P is a spec that's basically the same as the original .38 Special loading was for pressure and velocity. The ammo manufacturers have reduced the pressures and velocities of the original loads to protect themselves from lawsuits due to people shooting higher pressure loads thru sub-standard guns. Cheaply made junk guns are the reason +P loads exist to this day. The cheap guns have disclaimers telling the shooters that they (the gun makers) won't warrant or be liable for damage to their junk if they (the shooter) use anything other than regular loads, and "+P ammo" will void the warranty.

Your Model 38 can handle it with out any troubles. Reducing the amount of +P ammo you shoot thru the pistol will reduce some of the wear, but you're certainly not going to hurt it with +P ammo."
 
MUGWAMPBRO said:
Revolver shows VERY little use and I paid $285.00..........what do you think????
Click to expand...

I think you did very well. I'm not a big J-frame person, but one that I do have is a 638 (the stainless version of your gun).

Adios,

Pizza Bob
 
Concerning my post about +p ammo...I think the below link sez it all.

****tried to post informative link but was denied****




Are we not allowed to post links??????
 
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Pizza Bob said:
I think you did very well. I'm not a big J-frame person, but one that I do have is a 638 (the stainless version of your gun).

Adios,

Pizza Bob
Click to expand...


Yeah....me too. Especially since most all gun dealer shelves are empty due to run on handguns caused by Zombie Virus.
I bought my revolver at a local pawn shop.



If anyone would care to read the link I TRIED to post earlier, just pm me...otherwise "case closed" on +P
 
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