Model 1899 Nickel Plate

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Have not been around for a while.

I just picked up this nickel plated Model 1899 yesterday. Six and One Half inch barrel. Grips are in very nice shape and scratch lettered to the gun. Serial number is very low, 17X. Nice colors on the hammer and trigger. Screw slots are nice and un-buggered. Locks up perfectly, amazingly tight for such an old gun. Did not break the bank either. The plating is in very good shape, a little bit of flaking and pin pricks, but not much. The unusual thing is there is no caliber marking on the barrel as there should be. The dealer felt it was a replating job, if so it was a very good job, no dishing of the holes, no blending over of sharp edges. Except for the lack of caliber marking on the barrel. I do not see any signs of over polishing where the caliber markings should be. 38 Special ammo chambers correctly.

So, did any of these leave the factory without caliber markings, or am I just kidding myself?

Won't be upset either way, a got it for a good price and it is a handsome old piece.

Thanks.

Sorry, the lighting for these photos was not ideal, but the logo on the side plate is well defined and does not show any signs of being over polished.

 

[model3sw]

Check the bottom of the barrel (with the cylinder open).

Is the serial number and the letter " N " there ?

The caliber would have been "S&W .38 Military" on that early of a 1899.

AMENDED / CORRECTION: See Mike Prewar research notes. EARLY BARRELS WERE NOT MARKED FOR CALIBER.


Would not have been .38 S&W Special at that time.

Also check the face of the cylinder and the reverse side of the grips for the same serial number. is it there ?

On the frame flats ( under the grips ) on the left side, what is stamped on the frame ?

 

[Muley Gil]

As stated above, check the underside of the barrel. A revolver that left the factory with a blued finish will have a "B" stamped ahead of the SN. The lack of a "B" or "N" means it was originally nickel.

As to the lack of caliber markings, never say never when it comes to S&W!

 

[murphydog]

The Forum's 1899 expert, Mike Priwer, tracked these by chambering stamp. Many early ones did not have it and later ones did:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/477150-model-1899-serial-numbers.html

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy Again

Thanks for all the advice.

No point beating about the bush about the exact Serial Number. The SN is 179.

There is no letter by the SN on the underside of the barrel.

SN on the rear of the cylinder is also 179. I did not get a good photo of it but the SN on the underside of the extractor star is also 179.

There is a letter A stamped on the left side of the grip frame by the locating pin for the grips.

I don't have a photo of it, but the right hand grip is hand scratched 179 on the underside.

Actually more important to me than whether or not the Nickel plating is original is the chambering.

I measured the depth of the chambers, and they are running around 1.110 deep, plenty deep for a 38 Special cartridge. 38 Special factory ammunition chambers fine, and I can see the mouth of an empty cartridge is right up near the chamber throat where it should be. If the gun was originally chambered for 38 Long Colt (I believe that is the same as the 38 S&W Military) then somebody has done a very professional job of boring out the chambers for 38 Special.

I probably will not shoot this revolver, even though the lockup is perfect. But it is reassuring to know the chambers are the proper depth for the 38 Special round.

I just heard from Roy and this one shipped in October of 1899.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

A couple of more photos.

 

[bruce5781]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Bruce