Please help with grandpas 38 Special

[CinSityBob]

I inherited my Grandpapi's 38 Special revolver and would love any info about it you guys can provide. I tried figuring it out myself with the search bar and couldn't pin point it.

Here's some info and I provided a bunch of pictures too.

1) Type: Hand Ejector
2) Serial #: 32478 On butt
3) CTG or Caliber: "38 S&W Special" followed by "US Service CTG's"
4) Barrel Length: 4" Barrel
5) Sights: Fixed

Other info: 4 screw with strain screw (no trigger guard screw); The yoke does not have a Model # and instead has "G2912". If any other info is needed or forgotten, please let me know so I can provide. Thanks for all the help

 

[armorer951]

Looks like a .38 Military & Police 2nd Model (Model of 1902) Serial number dates to 1903, according to the Catalog. (12,827 manufactured 1902-1903)

Someone will be along with some additional information (correct) soon.



Carter

 

[DWalt]

At that time, it would have been known as the .38 Military Model of 1902. The U.S. Service CTG is the.38 Long Colt, a shorter predecessor of the .38 Special. It was at that time indeed the U. S. Military's official revolver cartridge. The dual caliber barrel stamping was dropped shortly above SN 100000. Thereafter it became .38 S&W Special CTG.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome to the Forum! You've inherited a nice vintage .38 LC revolver from Grandpapi. I'm not sure how readily available .38 LC ammo is, but it should be a fun shooter. I'd give it a good cleaning with some CLP followed by some quality wax (Renaissance Wax or Johnson's Paste Wax). RenWax can be used on the stocks (grips) too. You should check out the mainspring strain screw...if I'm not mistaken it should be screwed all the way in and not protrude. That screw is not for spring tension adjustment, it's just for holding the mainspring in its proper position. Enjoy!

 

[glowe]

Welcome to the Forum. - little history to follow. S&Ws first 38 Special solid frame hand ejector was the first K frame made and called the Model 1899. 21,000 were made. The second model was the Model 1902 and 12,800 were made before and improved Model 1902 (1st Change) was made with some 28,500 made. These guns were followed by the Model 1905 and it's various changes easily totaled a million guns made before the US entered WWII. The least common model in this line-up was your model, so not too many are left out there today.

The easiest way to ID this model is to look for the barrel under-barrel lug, it has a straight tapered barrel, and no 5th screw. All early Model 1902s had these features which no other K frame models have all three features. Your revolver would have shipped from the factory most likely in 1902 or 1903.

That revolver was designed to use 38 Special ammunition, but it also fits the shorter 38 Colt (US Service Cartridge) which was the official military caliber in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is not common to find in stores today.

I wanted to add that the mainspring screw is either backed way out or has been changed from the original. Those screws were adjusted in length from the factory in order to provide a consistent trigger pull. It should be turned in all the way to tight unless it is a replacement screw???

 

[DWalt]

Just to emphasize, the only dimensional difference between the .38 LC and the .38 Special cartridges is that the .38 LC case is slightly shorter. Therefore the .38 LC will fit and fire properly in any .38 Special chamber. So your revolver will handle either cartridge. The .38 LC cartridge is more or less obsolete today, although ammunition is still available from some sources. There is an even shorter, but otherwise dimensionally similar, cartridge, the .38 Short Colt. It can also be used in any .38 Special revolver. It is still popular among some shooters, including me. Note that all three of those cartridges originated back in the time of Black Powder. And it is very possible your revolver may have fired numerous cartridges loaded with it. .38 Special Black Powder cartridges were still being factory loaded and sold into the mid-1930s.

 

[CinSityBob]

Just to emphasize, the only dimensional difference between the .38 LC and the .38 Special cartridges is that the .38 LC case is slightly shorter. Therefore the .38 LC will fit and fire properly in any .38 Special chamber. So your revolver will handle either cartridge. The .38 LC cartridge is more or less obsolete today, although ammunition is still available from some sources. There is an even shorter, but otherwise dimensionally similar, cartridge, the .38 Short Colt. It can also be used in any .38 Special revolver. It is still popular among some shooters, including me. Note that all three of those cartridges originated back in the time of Black Powder. And it is very possible your revolver may have fired numerous cartridges loaded with it. .38 Special Black Powder cartridges were still being factory loaded and sold into the mid-1930s.

I was just looking in to this. He had a couple boxes of .38 Special Cartridge ammo with the revolver. Which led me to believe he was using the wrong ammo followed by sourcing some LC. I appreciate the info.

 

[CinSityBob]

Welcome to the Forum! You've inherited a nice vintage .38 LC revolver from Grandpapi. I'm not sure how readily available .38 LC ammo is, but it should be a fun shooter. I'd give it a good cleaning with some CLP followed by some quality wax (Renaissance Wax or Johnson's Paste Wax). RenWax can be used on the stocks (grips) too. You should check out the mainspring strain screw...if I'm not mistaken it should be screwed all the way in and not protrude. That screw is not for spring tension adjustment, it's just for holding the mainspring in its proper position. Enjoy!

I'm going to do just that. I just placed my order for some Brake Free CLP and RenWax. Thanks for the information and help with long term maintenance of my Grandpapi's revolver considering I plan on passing it down and keeping it in the family. Thanks again

 

[CinSityBob]

Welcome to the Forum. - little history to follow. S&Ws first 38 Special solid frame hand ejector was the first K frame made and called the Model 1899. 21,000 were made. The second model was the Model 1902 and 12,800 were made before and improved Model 1902 (1st Change) was made with some 28,500 made. These guns were followed by the Model 1905 and it's various changes easily totaled a million guns made before the US entered WWII. The least common model in this line-up was your model, so not too many are left out there today.

The easiest way to ID this model is to look for the barrel under-barrel lug, it has a straight tapered barrel, and no 5th screw. All early Model 1902s had these features which no other K frame models have all three features. Your revolver would have shipped from the factory most likely in 1902 or 1903.

That revolver was designed to use 38 Special ammunition, but it also fits the shorter 38 Colt US Service Cartridge) which was the official military caliber in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is not common to find in stores today.

I wanted to add that the mainspring screw is either backed way out or has been changed from the original. Those screws were adjusted in length from the factory in order to provide a consistent trigger pull. It should be turned in all the way to tight unless it is a replacement screw???

I am blown away with the knowledge and willingness to share info here. This is the type of detailed information I was praying for expecting much less. Some forums are rough and members get tired of responding to the new guy asking the same question 100 others have that week. That leads to people not contributing or putting any effort in to responding. Like I mentioned, I tried using the search bar and just could not pin point what I had in front of me vs all the variants.
Thank you for sharing this information with me. Means a lot.

 

[Muley Gil]

I was just looking in to this. He had a couple boxes of .38 Special Cartridge ammo with the revolver. Which led me to believe he was using the wrong ammo followed by sourcing some LC. I appreciate the info.

No, this revolver is chambered for .38 special and can also fire .38 Long Colt ammo. In 1899, S&W took the .38 Long Colt cartridge, lengthened the case and added more powder to make it more powerful.

 

[janman]

You now have a family heirloom which you should keep until you can pass it on to your grandchild. I have a single shot 22 rifle that my great grandfather bought from the Sears Catalog in 1912. Every member of my family from my grandfather, dad, aunts, uncle, cousins first learned to shoot with that rifle. My son gets it next.

Those grips are in excellent conditions by the way. Congratulations and enjoy shooting.