Great Grandfather's S&W Service Revoler

[dfblick]

I am wondering if anyone can help me out. I've recently been given my G-Grandfather's police service revolver. It appears to be .38 caliber, although the box notes "38/44 Heavy Duty Revolver". It holds 5 shots in the cylinder and the barrel is 3 1/4" when measuring from the end of the barrel to the cylinder. The rear site does not appear to be adjustable.

I did note some markings on the top, two lines:
"SMITH&WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS U.S.A. PAT'D Feb.20.DEC.18.77
MAY 11.80.SEP.11.OCT.2.85.2.AUG.4.86.FEB.14.88.APR.9.89.JUN.5.90"

From what research I have been able to do on-line I am wondering if it is a "Model 1(?) .38 S&W center fire caliber, Safety Hammerless Revolver (aka Lemmon Squeezer)" third issue. The seriel number is
68xxx. (i'm told I should 'x' the last three digits.)

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

 

[opoefc]

The book " Smith & Wesson 1857-1945" by Neal & Jiks gives most of the patent dates that appear on the top of the barrel rib on S&W revolvers. They do not list the exact dates you have posted, however that does not mean you gun isn't a S&W. Close dates are shown as being for the .38 Safety hammerless ( New Departure) 2nd model. Your serial number place the gun in the 3rd model era, so I think the correct classification is that you have a 3rd model and the barrel stamping was applied to a batch of barrels that were used to assemble both 2nd and 3rd models. New patents were coming along all the time at S&W and new die stamps were following the patents. There's only so much room on the barrel rib, so as new patents required new die stamps, the older dates fell off the stampings. Ed.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Can we get a picture?