I would like to determine the date of my S&W top break .38S&W 5 shot revolver with a 5" barrel. It has the grip safety and the last patent date is June 5 1890. It has S&W black plastic looking grips, the s/n on the butt is 1461xx.
.38S&W Top Break age?
- Thread starter fourb20
- Start date
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With that serial number, you have a 38 Double Action (incorrect - see post # 4), Third Model that would have shipped from the factory in the mid-1880s. There are not enough 38 DAs in the SWCA database to give a more accurate date, plus there is always a chance it would have sat in inventory for some time before being shipped out. Anything earlier than Jan 1 1899 is considered an antique.
The stocks are actually made of hard rubber and get very brittle with age, so be careful when removing them.
The stocks are actually made of hard rubber and get very brittle with age, so be careful when removing them.
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The presence of the grip safety makes your gun a Safety Hammerless model (Lemonsqueezer). The serial number would make it a Fourth Model, manufactured from 1898-1907.
Good catch - I missed the grip safety. The Safety Hammerless would have shipped in 1901, so a modern firearm by BATF regulations.
