38 Special CTG??
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gordonrick
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Some quick advice to anyone just learning about your old revolver:
1) Old Smiths are addictive and tend to multiply. They seem to last forever and are wonderful shooters (usually). Enjoy!
2) Make sure your gun is is good working order before firing. Search the forum for how to inspect a revolver or take it to a competent gunsmith if you're not sure.
3) These old guns were not made to shoot modern +P ammo, so don't.
4) If you plan to butcher it up, ...er, "enhance" it, please trade it or sell it to someone who will appreciate the old girl and buy yourself a new Taurus or something.
1) Old Smiths are addictive and tend to multiply. They seem to last forever and are wonderful shooters (usually). Enjoy!
2) Make sure your gun is is good working order before firing. Search the forum for how to inspect a revolver or take it to a competent gunsmith if you're not sure.
3) These old guns were not made to shoot modern +P ammo, so don't.
4) If you plan to butcher it up, ...er, "enhance" it, please trade it or sell it to someone who will appreciate the old girl and buy yourself a new Taurus or something.
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I just received my great grandfathers 38 special ctg. He passed in the late 1960's and carried this gun for years. The serial number is 4085XX. There aren't any letters before the sn which is on the bottom of the butt. Can anyone tell me age of this gun? He fought in WWI and I was trying to figure out if he brought this gun home from the war.
S&W 38 Special CTG with an S Prefix
I inherited from my father a Blue 38 Special S&W CTG with a 4" barrel, 6 shot, serial number S 8493**. Trying to do some research on the age approximate date of manufacture but I am stumped by the "S" prefix. It has what appear to be original walnut grips and when I roll out the cylinder, I can see the letter K stamped and the numbers 18035 stamped underneath. The serial number on the cylinder and the butt match.
I also inherited a Nickle 38 S&W CTG, 6 shot with a 4" barrel serial number C 3586**. When I roll out the cylinder on that one, it has a P stamped with the numbers 44380 underneath and underneath those numbers is stamped a 0.
Tried to attach a picture of each. Can anyone help with approximate Date of manufacture of these?
I inherited from my father a Blue 38 Special S&W CTG with a 4" barrel, 6 shot, serial number S 8493**. Trying to do some research on the age approximate date of manufacture but I am stumped by the "S" prefix. It has what appear to be original walnut grips and when I roll out the cylinder, I can see the letter K stamped and the numbers 18035 stamped underneath. The serial number on the cylinder and the butt match.
I also inherited a Nickle 38 S&W CTG, 6 shot with a 4" barrel serial number C 3586**. When I roll out the cylinder on that one, it has a P stamped with the numbers 44380 underneath and underneath those numbers is stamped a 0.
Tried to attach a picture of each. Can anyone help with approximate Date of manufacture of these?
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gordonrick
Member
CTG = "Cartridge" in reference to the caliber of the gun not the model. The ".38 Special" cartridge is just one of a number of .38 caliber rounds and by far the most common. Some early models used the ".38 S&W" cartridge which is shorter and very slightly larger in diameter. If it says ".38 S&W Ctg." on the barrel without the "Special" it was chambered for that shorter round (which are still made but not real common).
There is a sticky somewhere on the forum with a listing of date ranges by serial number/prefix which should help get you in the ballpark.
There is a sticky somewhere on the forum with a listing of date ranges by serial number/prefix which should help get you in the ballpark.
Welcome to the forum. The S prefix on your .38 revolver is found only on M&P guns from the late 1945-early 1948 period. That serial number points to late 1946.
The other gun would have probably shipped in 1956. A couple of years later, guns of this pattern were referred to as the Model 10, after S&W went to numerical model designations for its entire product line.
Don't worry about the numbers you see on the hidden frame surfaces that become visibie only when you swing the cylinder out. At the time your guns were produced, numbers found there are merely temporary process control numbers that have no utility or meaning when the serial number is stamped on the gun and its parts. In subsequent years, serial numbers were stamped in this area, as well as model numbers, but that wasn't happening in the 1940s and 1950s.
The other gun would have probably shipped in 1956. A couple of years later, guns of this pattern were referred to as the Model 10, after S&W went to numerical model designations for its entire product line.
Don't worry about the numbers you see on the hidden frame surfaces that become visibie only when you swing the cylinder out. At the time your guns were produced, numbers found there are merely temporary process control numbers that have no utility or meaning when the serial number is stamped on the gun and its parts. In subsequent years, serial numbers were stamped in this area, as well as model numbers, but that wasn't happening in the 1940s and 1950s.
Great grandfathers gun
I recently found my great grandfathers gun and was curious if anyone had any information on it, date, etc. Any help would be appreciated:
Smith&Wessen, Springfield MA USA patented
Oct, 8, 01; Dec 17, 01; Feb 6, 06; Sept 14, 09; Dec 29, 14
38 S&W special CTG
Serial: 2769**
Thanks in advance!
I recently found my great grandfathers gun and was curious if anyone had any information on it, date, etc. Any help would be appreciated:
Smith&Wessen, Springfield MA USA patented
Oct, 8, 01; Dec 17, 01; Feb 6, 06; Sept 14, 09; Dec 29, 14
38 S&W special CTG
Serial: 2769**
Thanks in advance!
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As advice to all the members adding requests for information on their individual gun it would be much better if you each started new threads about your particular gun. Your requests tend to get buried when added to previous threads. Start a new thread and your requests will receive proper attention.
Too bad this thread ended, it made some of the best reading I've had in any forum. Entertaining yet informative!
A sticky, no, a law. My grand fathers uncle had a....
Sorry. Could not resist. Welcome.
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Hi i have the same gun c 203836 it has a 4 inch barel and its a 6 shooter do you know what year it was produced
Welcome to the Forum, LickyBubba.
S&W kept track of shipping dates, not build dates. Your revolver was probably shipped in 1951.
S&W kept track of shipping dates, not build dates. Your revolver was probably shipped in 1951.
Trying to determine age of 38 S&W Special CTG
I inherited a 38 S&W Special CTG nickel with mixture of light and dark plastic(?) grip. 4" barrel, 6 slot revolver chamber. Serial # inside by ejector is 51656 with a "Q" above and to the right of it. The serial # on the base of the handle has been filed or chiseled off. My father was in WWII, but he may have inherited it from my uncle who was also in WWII, Korea and head of Procurement for Pentagon around late '60's to '70's. my grandfather was in WWI. Don't know who owned it. Any help on the age and the type of 38 ammo I should use would be appreciated.
I inherited a 38 S&W Special CTG nickel with mixture of light and dark plastic(?) grip. 4" barrel, 6 slot revolver chamber. Serial # inside by ejector is 51656 with a "Q" above and to the right of it. The serial # on the base of the handle has been filed or chiseled off. My father was in WWII, but he may have inherited it from my uncle who was also in WWII, Korea and head of Procurement for Pentagon around late '60's to '70's. my grandfather was in WWI. Don't know who owned it. Any help on the age and the type of 38 ammo I should use would be appreciated.
Wow! A five year old thread. Ever notice the button at the top left "New Thread"? It all becomes kind of funny. This forum has got to be the best of its type on the internet and its members are the most tolerant. The Administrators, Moderators and members are great. I plead guilty, as this should be in "The Lounge". But my grandfather did leave me a CTG.
Sorry, I could not resist. Now, should I hit the Submit Reply button or not? Oh what the heck.
Sorry, I could not resist. Now, should I hit the Submit Reply button or not? Oh what the heck.I'm getting quite a charge out of someone hijacking a thread and then someone says they ought to start a new thread but then goes ahead and answers the question. Seems to me that's like trying to train a dog to do his business outside, but when he doesn't gives it a treat and says "Good Dog!"
Pete
Pete
It's an old thread. So what? I enjoyed it. Actually I found it a lot more interesting than a half dozen individual "I've got a Smith & Wesson 38 CTG...what's it worth?" treads.
Shoot, I've got a 38 CTG on layaway myself. Plan to get it out in a couple of weeks. S/N 678XXX...no prefix.
Shoot, I've got a 38 CTG on layaway myself. Plan to get it out in a couple of weeks. S/N 678XXX...no prefix.
I just noticed a few CTGs lying on my work bench. I wonder if any of them are collectible? And whether any are rare? How much are they worth? 
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