My Smith & Wesson .38 Double Action Perfected Model top-break revolver

[Legendarylawman]

Finally picked up my Perfected from the store today. Has some heavy pitting in the trigger guard and one spot on the side of the barrel. Has minor pitting on the sides, etc., some barrel tip side wear. Other than that I like it. Range tomorrow with some old rounds I picked up last year. Sent for the letter today. If it dosen't come back as a "mob gun" or unique history, it will make a great project gun. I always liked the look of top breaks, but they are usually of lesser quality and have lockups that are suspect. With the double locks on this one, it is super tight and at a different level. Hope I don't catch a fever. Enjoy.

 

[mmaher94087]

"...but they are usually of lesser quality and have lockups that are suspect.". I whole heartedly and respectfully disagree. These revolvers were made to the same quality as today's revolvers. Granted that there are more powerful cartridges today than when the Top Breaks were in service but the quality was there.

Each Model has it's Achille's heel but the Hand Ejectors of today have problems also. Otherwise, why is there a Repair Department at Smith & Wesson?

Your Perfected is very nice and they are fun to shoot even though the .38 S&W cartridge isn't considered a "man-stopper" by modern means.

Yes, you got my hackles up but I feel better now.

 

[Jerry in SC]

There was a great article on the .38 S&W and top breaks in the August 2003 edition of Handloader by Ross Seyfried "The Quieter, More Gentle Smith and Wessons". I threw my copy away by accident a few weeks ago, worth reading if you can find a copy.

Nice revolver by the way…

 

[Legendarylawman]

"...but they are usually of lesser quality and have lockups that are suspect.". I whole heartedly and respectfully disagree. These revolvers were made to the same quality as today's revolvers. Granted that there are more powerful cartridges today than when the Top Breaks were in service but the quality was there.

Each Model has it's Achille's heel but the Hand Ejectors of today have problems also. Otherwise, why is there a Repair Department at Smith & Wesson?

Your Perfected is very nice and they are fun to shoot even though the .38 S&W cartridge isn't considered a "man-stopper" by modern means.

Yes, you got my hackles up but I feel better now.

I realized after I wrote that I should have specified my contention was non-S&W top breaks, as I have little or no experience with S&W top breaks until now. I was refering to an H&R I had previous. Anyway, it wasn't meant to be offensive. With that said, my mentor wants me to pick up Smith & Wesson .38 Safety Hammerless 4th Model "next" so there is that..

 

[Legendarylawman]

Tonight I cleaned the bore and cylinder, etc.. Both excellent. I did take the side cover off and it looks like it has never been cleaned. I put it back together and after I shoot it tomorrow, it will get taken apart and given a good bath. This is the 3rd revolver I have take the side cover off in as many weeks and all of them looked like they have never been cleaned. I will take a picture of the workings without the cover when I get it cleaned up.