.38 Special Identification

[RL Duke]

Hello, I inherited my father's .38 Special that was a gift to him.
I am looking for information on the weapon and approx. age.
Serial #926244

Thanks in advance for any info to help me out

 

[bobsguns]

It's not correct, but I call those a pre-Model 10. Cops carried those for decades, along with various Colt models that looked a lot alike yours.

Your gun is badly in need of a good cleaning AND oiling. Please have this done ASAP by someone whom will treat the gun with the reverence it deserves.

Someone will be along shortly to correct my shortcomings.

 

[JP@AK]

It is a .38 Military & Police model from the first quarter of 1942 (before mid-April).

The stocks are much later, not before the mid-1960s.

 

[DWalt]

It is a .38 Military & Police model from the first quarter of 1942 (before mid-April).

The stocks are much later, not before the mid-1960s.

Exactly. Are there any other stampings on it?

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

My condolences on the lost of your father.

Its a .38 Military & Police Model in the classic .38 Special. A good cleaning and proper lubrication and that 82 year old revolver will give you and your family another 80 years of service. Thank you for sharing.

 

[RM Vivas]

Nobody noticed the British military stamping above the trigger bow?

1942 vintage Lend-Lease gun I think. Lanyard loop has been filled in (nice nails BTW).

Check the side of the barrel to see if it is chambered in .38 S&W or .38 S&W Special; it makes a difference.

Best,
RM Vivas

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome to the Forum! You inherited a nice .38 Military and Police revolver from about 1942...WWII era. As RM Divas noted, it does have a British import stamp so it was exported from the USA to Britain during the war, and returned to the States sometime after the war. There were millions of .38 M&P revolvers manufactured over many decades, so your revolver is not particularly rare or valuable, but there are S&W collectors that specialize in the wartime models. The wood stocks (grips) are not original to the gun, but you could find the period correct stocks if you were interested in doing so. You could probably advertise here on the Forum and find some for a fair price. Your revolver needs a good cleaning, and after you verify the caliber, it should be a fine shooter. Not sure if you intend to keep this revolver as a family heirloom or not, but it will be a dependable shooter for many years to come. Enjoy!

 

[handejector]

Your gun was originally built in 38 Special caliber.
It has a pretty fair reblue job.