Can I get help identifying?

[taylorcali25]

Inherited a Smith and Wesson .38 special revolver. It’s a manual ejector, cylinder releases on the side. The Yoke is marked with 3846 instead of a model number. I have the serial number starting with 903***on the back of the cylinder I can give and it matches the butt of the gun. Other potential identifiers is there is a 9 B on the side of the butt and a 1 on the other side. Pictures included thank you so much in advance!

#smithandwesson #.38special

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! This is a .38 Military & Police with a 5" barrel.

If the serial number does not have a letter S in front of it, a 1941 production date is likely.

The number on the yoke cutout is a factory internal code that has no meaning, except you will see it elsewhere on the gun if the parts are all original to it.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Please post a picture of the serial on the butt of the gun. Your gun appears to have a mushroom shaped extractor rod knob. Those were discontinued in 1928. Fonts on the serials were hard to read back then. Also, what do the grips look like...pictures will help.

 

[murphydog]

Also, the serial number will be read from the bottom of the grip frame with the barrel pointing to the right.

 

[taylorcali25]

Thanks for getting back with me so quick! I’ve attached the photos of the serial number on the butt. The grips seem very much added later but I’m not 100% sure.

 

[Mikebiker]

You added an extra X in the first post. That'll make a big difference.

 

[murphydog]

Yes, this serial number makes it a .38 M & P model of 1905, 1st change from about 1906.

 

[taylorcali25]

You added an extra X in the first post. That'll make a big difference.

Can you explain? You mean when I put the serial number originally I added another * ? What difference would that have made?

 

[taylorcali25]

Yes, this serial number makes it a .38 M & P model of 1905, 1st change from about 1906.

That is really cool thank you for replying!

 

[JP@AK]

You mean when I put the serial number originally I added another * ? What difference would that have made?

The difference is between a 900,000 serial number and a 90,000 serial number. There are more than 30 years between those two serial number ranges.

 

[Truckman]

You added an extra X in the first post. That'll make a big difference.

Just another reason to post the complete S/N instead of a partial...Just my opinion......Ben

 

[taylorcali25]

Just another reason to post the complete S/N instead of a partial...Just my opinion......Ben

I understand that! I’m brand new to the firearm world so I’ll blame it on being a rookie lol

 

[taylorcali25]

Yes, this serial number makes it a .38 M & P model of 1905, 1st change from about 1906.

I’m brand new to all this, can you explain what you mean by “first change from about 1906?”

 

[Cities n Dust]

If you have the funds buy the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 5th Edition. Loads of information of all things Smith.
Especially if you plan to collect or purchase more Smith's.

I caught the bug and haven't stopped; heck I even told my wife for a New Year's resolution I wouldn't buy a new to me Smith for 3 months lasted about 3 weeks!

Good Luck

Cities

 

[Birdhunter6]

Welcome from Northern IL.

"First Change" just means that your revolver incorporates the first engineering change (product impovement) after S&Ws original Hand Ejector (swing out cylinder) design dating from the late 1800s.

I believe that change included adding the cylinder latch. Others with more knowledge will either confirm that or otherwise. My primary focus is later models.

In revolvers after 1957, when model numbers were introduced, engineering changes were identified by "dash numbers" following the model identifier, such as 27-2 or 10-6.

 

[murphydog]

A major revision of the mechanism of the model started in 1905. This was the first variation. The vast majority of the model 1905 was the 4th change, which was produced for over 30 years.

The factory made these modifications but the “change” classification is more a collector’s effort.

 

[taylorcali25]

I’ll have to look into the standard catalog thanks! So if I understand correctly overall. The gun was made 1905 and incorporates the first engineering change S&W made to the swing out ejector is that correct? That’s the mushroom rod knob someone mentioned before?

 

[murphydog]

There were various internal changes between the preceding version, the model of 1902, and the 1905. The style of extractor rod end did not change between the two.

As noted above, this one was probably made in 1906.

 

[JP@AK]

The mushroom shaped extractor knob didn't go away until 1927. It started in 1902, when they added the front locking lug.

 

[taylorcali25]

There were various internal changes between the preceding version, the model of 1902, and the 1905. The style of extractor rod end did not change between the two.

As noted above, this one was probably made in 1906.

Oh ok so 1905 is the model and this is a first change of that model which puts it aprox at 1906? Was this before they started designating frames like K-frame and J-frame?