neighbors .38 Safety Hammerless, 5th mod (bought it and posted pics)

[rickjames629]

My neighbor invited me over to look at a .38 Lemon Squeezer he has had for a while. It looked to be in great condition, but while looking it over, I noticed one thing about it...It didn't have a S&W stamp on the right side of the frame or the "Made in USA" above the trigger guard as SCSW stated that it should.

It said Smith & Wesson on the left side of the barrel and 38 S&W CTG on the right side. Serial number 243XXX, I think.

Why was it missing the other two stamped markings? Anyone else seen one missing the stamps?

 

[rickjames629]

My neighbor invited me over to look at a .38 Lemon Squeezer he has had for a while. It looked to be in great condition, but while looking it over, I noticed one thing about it...It didn't have a S&W stamp on the right side of the frame or the "Made in USA" above the trigger guard as SCSW stated that it should.

It said Smith & Wesson on the left side of the barrel and 38 S&W CTG on the right side. Serial number 243XXX, I think.

Why was it missing the other two stamped markings? Anyone else seen one missing the stamps?

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Spanish copy?

 

[rickjames629]

I don't think it could be, everything is exactly as pictured in the SCSW. Grips are true. (haven't taken them off to see if they are numbered). Numbers match on butt and cylinder face. Interestingly, they ommitted the "2" from the 243XXX on the latch. Didn't find the serial on the barrel, but didn't look too hard either.

Luckily for now, I don't own the gun, so I don't have to worry if its a copy or not. Hopefully someone will explain a good reason for it, such as "Souvenirs" given to employees that Supica writes about on pg. 88 of SCSW (3rd ed)

 

[cflier]

There are numerous examples of Smiths of all models from about that era that end up with the S&W stamp missing from the frame. It is not normal but not all that unusual. I have seen it personally on a few hand ejectors. I can't recall ever seeing A 5th model Safety Hammerless with both stampings missing on the right side, but it doesn't surprise me. People who have been acquiring the old Smiths a lot longer than I have have stated that it all depends on who was doing the work that day. About the 2 being missing ffom the latch, I have several times had a hard time finding a number at the beginning or end of the sequence on the latches. If I used a magnifying glass I could usually find it or part of it. They are very small numbers put on a very small latch of uneven shape. Sometimes I suspect the numbers didn't get stamped evenly.
Another possibility is that the gun was refinished and that side of the gun was heavily damaged and the stampings were polished off. I suspect that the first explanation is the right one though.

 

[JimSupica]

What cflier says makes sense to me. Best of luck on the gun. - Jim

 

[rickjames629]

Would a spanish copy of such a gun be so exact that they would copy serial numbers of the gun from the correct time period, and stamp them in the numerous places as stated?

I have no experience with copies, so I really don't know.

 

[cflier]

Rick, I don't think it is a Spanish copy. I have never seen a European copy that just said Smith & Wesson on the left side with nothing else written. They usually say uses S&W cartridge or something like that on the top strap, but not just S&W. When I said I thought the first explanation was right I meant that the person doing the frame work that day just left the stampings off. From your description it sounds legitimate.
If you can, post some pictures. Then when it comes up again I can say I've seen one like that.
regards,
Mark

 

[rickjames629]

This thread was dead until yesterday. I purchased the 38 Safety Hammerless. It looks to be in great condition to me. I have "modern" guns with much worse finish on them. Mechanically, it appears to be perfectly sound. Haven't got my hands on any .38 S&W's to fire yet, though.

Back to a few points I made earlier...Notice that it doesn't have the S&W trademark on the right side or the "Made in USA" above the triggerguard. I assume cflier is correct by saying it was just an oversight on the part of an employee in the factory.

All numbers match, grips, cylinder, butt, and latch (can't make out first number on latch, but the rest of them are correct).

That makes two pre-war aquisitions in a row. (I had to abandon thoughts of a 57 or 657 in order to buy it).

 

[bmcgilvray]

Looks mighty fine, mighty find indeed! Thanks for the photo!

I've only owed a nickel topbreak but have always preferred the blued ones...when one can find a blued one in nice shape. Yours is great!

 

[rickjames629]

I haven't even cleaned it yet. After I do a touch up, I'll try to post pictures of it in its most pristine form.

 

[rickjames629]

Another picture, just for the fun of it.

 

[mmaher94087]

Yep, definately a very nice S&W, 5th Model, New Departure. Mike

 

[kleinkaliber]

Beautiful! I think blued top breaks look really good.

 

[NKJ nut]

That is a genuine Smith & Wesson revolver. Of that there is no doubt. The truth of the matter is that omissions like this happened more often than we think. Especially on lower priced revolvers like the Safety Hammerless. The flagship models like the Triple Lock, RM and others were the high end models that S&W was really promoting in the years that the 5 th model Safety were being made.

BTW I love the looks of a Safety Hammerless. Yours is in very nice condition. Be proud of it. Don't let those little omissions bug you much either.