S&W Model 36 Airweight

[Rancher Will]

I am a newby on this site but have lurked from time to time in the past.

For over 40 years I carried a S&W Model 29 on duty as LEO while also carrying a concealed backup S&W Model 36 Airweight. The little Model 36 was issued to me in 1953 in the USAF as my duty firearm while I was assigned in the 4th District OSI attached to the 814th Airbase group. It was one of the firearms that I (and others) were permitted to purchase upon discharge.

I don't remember reading anything about this little Mod 36 here so I wonder, is it a rareity?

 

[murphydog]

Welcome to the Forum. If you have a J frame .38 that was USAF issue, it is indeed a rare gun. At the time it would have been named a Chiefs Special Airweight and would have had an aluminum alloy (non-magnetic) cylinder. It would have been a model 37 after 1957; the steel frame gun is a model 36.

Many here would love to see a photo, if you can post one.

 

[Goony]

First off, welcome to the forum.

It sounds as if you may have what is known as a "Baby Aircrewman", most of which were destroyed by the USAF, and so are therefore quite rare and sesirable to S&W collectors. The serial numbers on these are distinctive, beginning with an "AF".

Posting a photo would be very helpful to the folks here who can definitively assess your revolver.

 

[NFrameFred]

Yes it would be rare and if it has the aluminum cylinder it is recommended that it not be fired.

 

[Rancher Will]

Mine is marked with "Smith & Wesson" on left side of the 2 inch barrel, "Airweight 38 Spl Ctg" on the right side of the barrel and on the bottom of the grip is "U S D#####" (Serial No.).

Mine is marked "U S" in front of the Serial Number but not "AF". It was issued to me when I graduated from training and assigned to the OSI. I was also issued a Remington, Colt .45 ACP, GI issue, that I carried when in uniform and while I was in Korea. I often worked in plain clothes in the Unites States as an OSI NCO and I always carried the little .38 Spl when in plain clothes.

I have fired it a lot more after I was discharged from the USAF than I ever did on duty in the military. I have always loaded it with commercial WW Wad Cutters as a civilian. I was issued GI ammo in the USAF.

It is still tight and accurate and fun to shoot. The bright, very black finish is still in excellent condition with only bright, silver color, holster wear marks along the edges of the top strap, the edges of the trigger guard and the edge of the frame just behind the hammer.

When I was discharged at Fairchild AFB in 1954 I was permited to purchase both the Airweight and my GI .45 plus my Service rifle. I have the purchase orders and government receipts for all three. I gave the .45 and my rifle to one of my sons who still has them.

I do not have a camera with ability to post a photo so I am sorry about that.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Great history on a great gun.
Air Force issued guns are instant collector's items as very, very few ever made it to civilian ownership.
And thanks for your service from another USAF badge carrier (SP).

 

[Rancher Will]

I forgot to mention that mine is a 6-shot cylinder and not a 5-shot cylinder as are many Chief Specials.

 

[NFrameFred]

I forgot to mention that mine is a 6-shot cylinder and not a 5-shot cylinder as are many Chief Specials.

Sounds like a model 12 . . .

 

[Pisgah]

I forgot to mention that mine is a 6-shot cylinder and not a 5-shot cylinder as are many Chief Specials.

Then it is not a Chief's Special. Model 12.

 

[Goony]

Mine is marked with "Smith & Wesson" on left side of the 2 inch barrel, "Airweight 38 Spl Ctg" on the right side of the barrel and on the bottom of the grip is "U S D#####" (Serial No.).

Mine is marked "U S" in front of the Serial Number but not "AF".

I'm having a hard time getting a handle on this. You say you were discharged in 1954. This would coincide with when the USAF was issuing the M13 Aircrewman, a six shot K-frame with an alloy cylinder and frame. But the serial numbers on those were normally had a "C" prefix, and it would be clearly marked on the topstrap as an M13. Does your "USD" prefixed serial number appear to be all factory stamped or does the "US" part look to have been added later?

A commercial "D" prefixed serial number + five digits would date an S&W revolver to around 1968. In that case, it would be late enough production that if you swing open the cylinder (which in this scenario would by then be made of steel) and look at the recess in the frame that is then exposed, there should be a model number stamped there. But again, this was purchased in 1954, right, so none of that can be possible....

Without photos, I'm pretty much lost as to what this one actually is.

 

[Rancher Will]

Goony, thank you. You are no doubt right. I was once told that it was a Model 36 but nowhere on it does it say a Model number. Now I will take your word for it. It is probably a Model 12. I am not up on knowledge as most of those that I read here on this site.

The serial number on the butt is not the number stamped inside the crane, visable when the cylinder is open. I do not see any other numbers on it, anywhere. In fact, I do not see any other identification on it anywhere. I have been told, also years ago, that the number inside the crane is only an inspector's number, or a part number, but I cannot verify this either.

Here is the way the butt number is stamped, and it looks to me like the stamping was done the same time.

U S D****

There is a space between the U and S and a slightly greater space between the S and the D. The four numerical digits are stamped in line without a space between the D and the numerals. The letters are all Caps.

I am not anywhere an expert on this but I do know that it was issued to me when I graduated from the 4th District OSI training at Bolling Field, TDY to Tyndall Field in Florida, then to Korea, and then to Fairchild, AFB at Spokane.

I bought the three weapons at my discharge in September, 1954. At that time any Airman was offered the opportunity to purchase his issued weapon(s) by filling out the paperwork in the Orderly Room at discharge.

I enlisted in 1949, completed 16 weeks basic at Lackland AFB, was assigned to Air Police Training at Tyndall Field in Florida, then when completed AP Training as a CPL, I was assigned to OSI Training at Bolling AFB before sent to Korea as a Sgt. In October, 1953 I was assigned to Fairchild AFB where I was stationed until September 1954 when I was discharged as a S/Sgt.

I am not concerned about the value of the little .38. I have carried it for years, in my left front pocket of my Uniform as an LEO, when on duty in uniform, (My service Model 28, and later my Mod 29, on my Sam Brown Belt Jordan Holster on my right) and also concealed when I was in plain clothes both on and off duty. I still carry it sometimes when I am wearing light or formal suits and don't want to carry the larger revolver. I have no desire to sell it.

Thank you again for your information.

 

[Rancher Will]

My little .38 is a Smith & Wesson since it is marked on the right side, between the grip and the cylinder, with the Smith Logo trademark and in front of the trigger guard is "Made in USA" "Smith and Wesson" "Springfield, Mass".

The very small numbers inside the crane, on the frame and not on the crane, that are covered when the cylinder is closed, are "7025" very even as if stamped together, and just below this number is another, a crude backward letter C and the numerals "51". The backward C and the 51 are not in level line with each other and appear to have been stamped individually and not together. The Backward C and the 51 are about three times larger than the 7025 numerals and appear as if they were stamped by hand individually in a crude way, not even on a level line. The backward C appears to have been stamped partly on top of, or at least touching the nummeral 5 of the 51 after the 5 was stamped.

This is all that I can tell about it. I do not have any way to post a photo but I thank all of you for the information you have given me. I have always been a little curious about it since I've had it so long.

 

[murphydog]

From your description, it would be called a .38 Airweight. The J frame version wasn't introduced until a few years later.

My apologies if these were previously answered, but:

Is is stamped "Revolver, Lightweight, M13" on the topstrap or "Property of U.S. Air Force" on the backstrap? The large number of similar USAF revolvers would have been so stamped. Perhaps yours was an early contract gun?
Does it have an aluminum cylinder? (Not magnetic).

 

[Texas Star]

Try a magnet on the frame and cylinder. If it isn't attracted, that part is not steel.

The USAF issued a number of .38 revolvers, some with steel frames. If the CYLINDER is light alloy, do not shoot it further. Those cylinders were deemed unsafe and the guns ordered destroyed. They should have just replaced the cylinders with steel ones.

Much later than your service, some Chief's Specials with heavy three-inch barrels were procured for OSI use. They fared badly with Plus P ammo and were withdrawn.

If this gun holds five shots and is on the small (J) frame, it's a Chief's Special, either steel framed (Model 36 after 1957) or Model 37 if light alloy framed. If a six-shot, it's a Military & Police, later Model 10 (steel) or M-12 (alloy frame). These use the medium (K) frame.

I'd think a former OSI agent could solve this case.

Note: I have seen some steel (M-36) guns with round butts and lanyard rings marked US. But I think they date from the 1960's or later. No idea who used them, maybe OSI or CID or aircrew.

I graduated from Air Police school in 1963, but never saw any snub .38's in my service other than hammer-shrouded Colt Cobras or Det. Specials. We were issued either the Victory model or the M-15 Combat Masterpiece in uniform. Some bases had other snub guns. This varied with the base inventory. M-15's had priority for Vietnam and SAC bases. When enough were on hand, I think they completely replaced the dull gray Victory models. For some of that decade, some bases reserved the M-15 for officers and senior NCO's. Junior airmen got Victory Models.

I knew some guys who had carried snub Combat Masterpieces at Fairchild AFB, and the SAC Elite Guard had nickled snubs with stag (prob. Franzite) grips. I think most were reworked Victory models. Some four-inch barrels were also issued, judging from photos that I've seen.

Try the magnet trick and get back to us.

BTW, by my service, I was told that to apply for OSI, one had to be an NCO or officer with more than four years' service, with a degree in law, foreign service, or accounting.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

If you got it in 54 or before, it is not a 12 or a 36 or any model number - they didn't have those until 1957. If it is a fixed-sight six-shot revolver with an aluminum frame, it is an Airweight Military and Police, sometimes called a "pre-12" around here. The serial number is the number stamped on the butt, on the very bottom horizontal surface when the gun is held in shooting position. None of the other numbers count, although you will often find the serial number or the numerical part thereof repeated elsewhere on older guns.

I share Goony's puzzlement about the serial number, which seems to be a 1968 number. Maybe S&W did a run just for the Air Force, or just for the federal government? It may not be worth your while to letter the thing, but maybe an SWCA member can get a quick and dirty reading from Roy Jinks on whether there was a serial number series for Uncle that we never heard of.

?

 

[kwill1911]

This is all very confusing. The most logical candidate at this point is a pre-Model 12 but then there is that D prefix to the serial number....

What it most certainly is NOT is an Aircrewman of either size/configuration. The OSI never used Aircrewman revolvers. They DID buy and issue Model 36 revolvers in both 2" and 3" barrel lengths but this would have been later than the mid-1950's.

BTW, the U.S. marked Model 36's with the round lanyard loop were Navy guns, not USAF. Texas Star, does yours really have "U.S." on the back strap or does it have "Made in U.S.A."?

Regards,
Kevin Williams

 

[DCWilson]

Based on the preponderance of the evidence, I would side with those who think this gun is probably a pre-Model 12.

But just to exclude some alternatives and clarify our understanding, please let me post a few questions:

Does the word AIRWEIGHT on the barrel appear on a line by itself above the .38 SPL CTG stamp? And is the second word abbreviated SPL or is it written out as SPECIAL? Is there an asterisk or any other symbol associated with this chambering stamp?

Is this a square butt gun, or round butt?

If you look at the flat underside of the barrel or the rear face of the cylinder, do you see any small numbers stamped there? If so, does the number match any other number found on the gun? There might also be a stamped number on the underside of the ejector star.

Is there a large screw at the top of the sideplate in front of the hammer? This would be just above the S&W logo you mentioned on the right side of the gun.

Does the MADE IN U.S.A. address block contain just the three lines you mentioned, or is there a fourth line MARCAS REGISTRADAS? (This would actually be the second line of four.)

Is there a strain screw toward the bottom of the grip frame behind the trigger guard?

I understand that it is not easy to provide pictures, but if you or a family member have a cell phone with a camera built in, you could use that to get a couple of snaps. If you want, you could email them to me ([email protected]) and I could get them posted in this thread for you.

 

[Goony]

My little .38 is a Smith & Wesson since it is marked on the right side, between the grip and the cylinder, with the Smith Logo trademark and in front of the trigger guard is "Made in USA" "Smith and Wesson" "Springfield, Mass".

There should also be a fourth line reading "Marcas Registradas".

The very small numbers inside the crane, on the frame and not on the crane, that are covered when the cylinder is closed, are "7025" very even as if stamped together, and just below this number is another, a crude backward letter C and the numerals "51".

These markings have significance only within the scope of the manufacturing process, and are irrelevant to identification of the gun.

However, for a gun dating back to the early 1950's, it is a valid question whether the rear face of the cylinder and the underside of the barrel both also bear the guns serial number (if original, they should).

Edit: I see David has just brought up these points ahead of me.

 

[BUFF]

Rancher Will:

It sounds like you had an interesting time in the Air Force. I have long thought that U.S. service men, when honorably discharged, should have the option of buying their service small arms. It is good for good people to be armed.

What sort of rifle were you issued?

One of my favorite .45 Automatics is a Remington-Rand 1911-A1. I bought it in 1993 from a fellow deputy who had no use for it but needed some cash to buy a new service weapon. It had been his father's gun while the father was serving as an Army colonel, head veternarian in the units taking care of pack mules in the Pacific. He went to the Philipines with Douglas MacArthur's return. I was surprised that it meant so little to him, having been his father's weapon, but to some folks, old guns are just things.

 

[O2Guy]

I am confused by a lot of this.