Please help identify...

[ladysiouxkea]

I'm sorry, every single forum I have been to has been very rude and told me to go buy the Smith & Wesson guide to find out this information and since this is the only S&W I have, I really don't want to invest the money so I'm hoping that someone here will be kind enough to help me out...

My dad has advanced dementia and cannot tell me anything about this gun I inherited from my grandfather (his dad). It is a S&W, pearl handles, no hammer, forward tilt, serial number 78553. I think it's nickle... maybe not though.

Pretty good shape, I don't want to sell it, but I would like to know something more about it and probably invest in it to give it the once over and correct any problems.

I have a Ruger LCP .380, a Taurus .38 special, and a Glock 30, so a S&W is not my strong point.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer... except for telling me to go buy the book!

Peace...

Tammy

 

[Bruce51]

I'm not an expert on these guns but I do have the SCSW. More information would be helpful such as caliber and barrel length. How many chambers in the cylinder?

The serial number appears to fall within the .32 safety hammerless 1st Model. Made 1888-1902
Look for the barrel release in the back center of the top strap. It pushes down to open.
If you can provide more information the experts will give you the correct information.
Pictures would be very helpful.

Bruce

 

[H Richard]

As Bruce Lee M said, we need a little more information. A picture would make it much easier. If it is a .32 caliber it could be a .32 Safety Hammerless as Bruce described. If it is a .38 caliber, it could be a .38 Safety Hammerless 2nd Issue. Attached is a picture of a .32 safety hammerless in blue. Does it look like this (except in nickle)?

 

[cflier]

If it has a grip safety on the back strap and has the patent information on top of the barrel that is preceeded by Smith & Wesson then it is either a 1st model 32 or 3rd model 38 Safety Hammerless. They were both manufactured before 1898 and are legally antiques. If it is 38 caliber it fires a 38 S&W cartridge. Don't try to shoot a 38 sp bullet through it. You are very fortunate to have a family heritage firearm.
Looking forward to pictures
Mark

 

[ladysiouxkea]

Desperately trying...

to get the pictures to attach to this message... still trying as I write this, I think they're too big... trying another way... in the meantime, yes it looks like the one in the picture. Five chambers in the cylinder, 3 inch barrel, grip safety on the back strap, tilts forward to open, it has info on the top of the barrel, but it's so faded I didn't even notice it...

It says top line: "Smith & Wesson, Springfield, MASS USA PAT'D FEB 7_ ?????"

Bottom line: " 20 77 DEC 18 77 MAY 11 80 SEPT 11 8_ ?????"

Also on the top of the barrel before and after the above written info, there is a mark... maker's mark? stamped in.

And there isn't anything on the side of the barrel like the one in the picture...

After what I have for the top line and the bottom line, it becomes too faded to read the last part of both lines. The pearl handles come up to cover the S&W trademark that is right next to the grip so it only has the one S&W trademark showing. I would need a jeweler's thingy to read the rest of it, if it's even readable...

Thank you gentlemen for all of your help, I really appreciate it. Okay, it's still not letting me upload any photos. I even tried emailing them to myself hoping it would reduce the size, if that's even the problem. My email is [email protected]... I took five pictures and would be glad to forward them to you if you want to shoot me an email...

Again, thank you for your help and I'm so sorry I couldn't be of more help to you!

Peace...

Tammy

 

[ladysiouxkea]

One more thing...

Neither my .38 nor my .380 bullets will fit... too big...

Thanks again gentlemen!

 

[H Richard]

Then it is probably a .32.

 

[Bruce51]

pictures




.32 Safety Hammerless A.K.A. Safety, New Departure or Lemon Squeezer
Pearl grips are after market. Serial should also be on the barrel and cylinder. If I'm wrong the experts will give you better info. Bruce

 

[bobf]

I deleted mine, Bruce has them posted already
Bob

Sorry Bruce I was editing and didn't check before posting

 

[Bruce51]

No worries Bob. We're all just trying to help and see some interesting pictures.

I hope I've got the info correct. I'm working on my S&W education.

Bruce

 

[ladysiouxkea]

Yes...

the serial number is on the cylinder also. It may be what is at the end of the first line on top of the barrel, but I can't make it out. I know the pictures are crappy... sorry about that. I'll try to take some better ones, but thanks so much to Bruce and Bob for helping me get them posted.

Thank you again gentlemen for helping me with this. And yes, I wish my dad could tell me more about this gun, but like I said, the dementia has robbed him of everything, he doesn't even know what year it is - usually the late 80's or early 90's for him... don't know why...

He always told me that this gun belonged to his dad and his grandfather before him, but I can't verify anything of course. No one else in the family has any interest in guns and I always have so it's mine now and I just want to know more about it.

Thank you again in advance for any help and information!

Peace...

Tammy

 

[kennyb]

how nice to have inherited a family heirloom...the lemonsqueezers are neat little guns....at this point they don't being a lot of $$ but as an heirloom....priceless

 

[ladysiouxkea]

Yeah, I have no interest in selling it, although I'd like to know what it's worth! But yes, just knowing that my great-grandfather owned this gun is priceless, that's for sure. I wish the stuff on top of the barrel was more legible, but I've done the best I can with it!

I just want it cleaned by a good, knowledgeable gunsmith who won't damage anything, just clean it the correct way. I definitely want to hang on to it and would like it to look it's best!

Thank you gentlemen and anyone else who can offer any more information, I really do appreciate it!

Peace...

Tammy

 

[Oyeboteb]

If Barrel Texts are 'faded' beneath the Nickle, ( and or if Trigger and Guard are Nickle ) then probably a re-Nickle of an original Nickle Gun, or originally a Blue Gun, later Nickeled.