Please help Identify

[dowdy411]

Hi. I'm looking for any help I can get in identifying this old SW Hand Ejector .38 that was handed down through the family from my great grandfather.

The SN is on the bottom of the butt and there are no numbers under the grips on the frame.

The pat. dates on the barrel are Apr. 9, 89, March something, July 16, 96, Dec 22, 9?, Oct. 4 ??, Oct. 8, 01.

 

[DCWilson]

Welcome to the forum. That's a .38 M&P Model of 1902 that probably shipped in 1902 or 1903.

The gun was refinished at some point. It's a nickel gun now, but might have been either blue or nickel in its original incarnation. The refinish giveaway is that the hammer and trigger have been nickeled. Guns always left the factory with case coloring on those parts, and they stayed that way when the factory got a gun back for refinishing.

That's a great old family heirloom. Congratulations on having it in the family.

 

[dowdy411]

Thank you David! That's exactly the information I was looking for. With that being said, what is an educated guess as to the worth of the weapon? The pearl grip on the opposite side of profile pictured is cracked, but in tact.

 

[DCWilson]

I'd say market value is between $200 and $300, maybe a little more. It would be valued as a shooter, because collectors tend to pay no attention to refinished guns. The fact is that its value as a family heirloom greatly exceeds any commercial value it may have.