my new 38
- Thread starter jmb1967
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Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Yes that's what it looks like it is to me. It's been replated in nickel at some point in its life.
Guy
Guy
Welcome to the Forum.
Yes, it has been refinished. S&W almost never nickeled the hammer and the trigger. Also, look at the seam around the side plate. The factory polished the side plate in place and you can hardly see the seam. Look at the serial number under the barrel. If the is a "B" present, it shipped from the factory with a blue finish.
Yes, it has been refinished. S&W almost never nickeled the hammer and the trigger. Also, look at the seam around the side plate. The factory polished the side plate in place and you can hardly see the seam. Look at the serial number under the barrel. If the is a "B" present, it shipped from the factory with a blue finish.
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daddio202
Member
Welcome to the forum. I am trying to tell by your pictures if the hammer and or the trigger have plating. The easiest way to tell of a refinish is the hammer and trigger. S&W heat treated those items and never put bluing or nickel on them. Not all refinishers blued or plated them but many did. If the trigger and hammer are dull and have a straw colr with streaks of blue its original. Not to be confused with later stainless guns which they did flash chrome the hammer and trigger on some models in 70's and 80's and even newer made guns have Metal injected Mold or MIM parts, but before WW2 they almost all were heat treated. We do not like words such as never or always when speaking about S&W though they did some crazy things in the over 150 years of gun making. Tell us how well your gun shoots when you get it out. Using lead bullets in cartridges should assure you of mild loads the gun can easily handle. Enjoy
It looks more like a Model of 1902 no change to me. (I have one of each, and the 1st change doesn't look anything like this one ("buttwise"), but that's what the letter says it is.) So----next step was to look in the book---to see about "serialnumberwise"---all the time fearing for my life should Mike Priwer come across this thread----'cause he will tell us there ain't no such thing as a 1st change (and he'll make a good case for that too----good enough he doesn't get hardly any arguments at all).
So take your pick----it's a no change 'cause the book says it is or because Mike says it is. I'll sit and wait in the meantime---to see if anybody who thinks it's a 1st change wants to make a case for that.
And never mind about what the lettering looks like or what one might think a re-plate looks like, because both look like who did the work---factory----or Bubba's Bumper. (Factory generally looks like original, and Bubba's generally doesn't.) And then you need to look at what Guy was looking at-----a nickel hammer and trigger. Then you need to do your damnedest to remember the last time you saw a factory plated hammer/trigger on a S&W revolver. You're going to have trouble with that one because they're were four Registered Magnums so treated---and this ain't one of them.
Ralph Tremaine
And I see there are some who type faster than I do. Actually, almost any/everybody types faster than I do.
So take your pick----it's a no change 'cause the book says it is or because Mike says it is. I'll sit and wait in the meantime---to see if anybody who thinks it's a 1st change wants to make a case for that.
And never mind about what the lettering looks like or what one might think a re-plate looks like, because both look like who did the work---factory----or Bubba's Bumper. (Factory generally looks like original, and Bubba's generally doesn't.) And then you need to look at what Guy was looking at-----a nickel hammer and trigger. Then you need to do your damnedest to remember the last time you saw a factory plated hammer/trigger on a S&W revolver. You're going to have trouble with that one because they're were four Registered Magnums so treated---and this ain't one of them.
Ralph Tremaine
And I see there are some who type faster than I do. Actually, almost any/everybody types faster than I do.
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It is clearly a plated outside the factory gun because the hammer and trigger are plated. Look under the barrel on the ejector rod flat and if there is a B there before the serial number, it was originally blued.
Does it have the guide pins under the extractor ? If not then it's probably original 1902.
Unkown S&W
If you have the serial # Smith and Wesson will tell you everything you want to know and more.
If you have the serial # Smith and Wesson will tell you everything you want to know and more.
Welcome to the Forum.
If you are speaking about having jmb167 call the factory in Springfield, I beg to differ with you. Most of the newer employees there have no clue about the older S&Ws, according to the members of this forum that have called, trying to get info on vintage Smiths.
The members here on the this forum, collectively, can provide more and better accurate info on just about any S&W built.
First of all thanks to all of you for your feed back, it is really good to have a question answered. The only other numbers or letters i see are in this image. I believe it is C609 and the gun shoots a less than 6 inch group at 15 yards, not super but it was standing without any props at an indoor range, she is an absolute dream to shoot but will refrain from to much wear and tear on it.
Attachments
That's an assembly number which has no relevance WRT ID.
ok thanks, I wasn't sure what it was and thought it might help, it sounds as though I probably have a really nice shooter ( at least I like it and enjoy it)I paid 200 for it so I don't think I got hurt. I did not get it as an investment or to sell but more because I like the gun. I will re-post some pictures when she is all cleaned up, thanks again for all the help and I will stay tuned in.
Sideplates, guide pins, and such will tell you nothing about "changes"----nor will S&W---because S&W had nothing to do with "changes". "Changes" are collector speak created to aid in recognizing myriad changes in a few models of revolvers----and to create a reason to justify the acquisition of yet another gun to your Boss Lady. The one constant "change" identifier is serial number. There will be a serial number range for each "change". The serial number range for the Model of 1902 (no change) is 20976-33803. If you choose to recognize the existence of the Model of 1902 First Change, the serial range is 33804-62449. Does that mean all the guns within the particular change grouping will manifest all the characteristics noted by those who created these "change" groupings? In a perfect world, yes. Take note of the fact this is not a perfect world.
Ralph Tremaine
Ralph Tremaine
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For $200, you did fine. Enjoy.
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