early 1905 with 38 special and us service cartridges marking

[greenwellg]

Serial 90643. square butt with lanyard oval shaped fixture and additional serial added. 5 screw frame. this is one of the three recently purchased at auction. Bid was $400 with 10 percent fee and no other charges. Patent dates beginning in 89 and ending in 01, total of 9 dates. Bore is perfect. Cylinder lockup is as new. Finish shows its age but appears to be original with no carry wear. 6.5 inch barrel. No medallion in grips. 6.5 inch barrel fixed sights.

Anyone going to the Hampton Va show this weekend?

 

[glowe]

Any questions about the gun?

 

[greenwellg]

Which model was the low serial number of the first one?

With the help of this forum I was well informed about the gun. It's condition and cylinder lockup (radial play) with trigger and hammer in the fired position was exceptional. I saw another thread going back to 2011 about the early ones and there was an extensive discussion on the 02 models and frames (square and round butt) today but I think the last post was in 2018.

I did not know if there were patents added after this model that covered the years between 1901 and the February 6,1906 date on the target model I got from the same auction serial # 474995 circa 1922-3 date of production. It's got factory target sights and ribbed frame and trigger.

 

[glowe]

90,000 era serial numbers would indicate that you have either a Model 1902 (round-butt) or a Model 1905 (square-butt), 1st Change revolver made from 1906 to around 1908. There were around 50,000 made in this change. The "no change" 38s had 1901, while most 1st Change and 2nd Changer revolvers should have the 1906 patent date. 3rd Model from 1909 to 1915 should have either 1906 or 1909 dates. 4th Change guns from 1915 through WWII would have had had a 1914 patent date. There were several changes made during this period of time, so overlaps in barrels containing earlier dates would have been common. 474.995 would have been a 4th Change.

 

[Muley Gil]

Please post pictures. We love pictures!