S&W Revolver ID

[krimmie]

I know very little about revolvers, and have recently acquired my dad's revolver. I can't seem to find a model number on it anywhere...any ideas? I do know the gun belonged to him at least as early as 1975...but don't have any other memory of it. I'd appreciate any help in identifying this gun.

 

[JP@AK]

This is a postwar .357 Magnum from sometime before 1958. If you give us the serial number from the bottom of the grip frame, we can date it more accurately. After 1957, it was called the Model 27, but yours is too early to be called that.
What is interesting about this one is that the frame is nickel plated, but the cylinder is not. These are often referred to as Pinto revolvers. What I don't know is whether the postwar .357 Magnum was offered as a Pinto. Does the serial number on the rear face of the cylinder match the number on the butt and on the bottom of the barrel?

 

[JP@AK]

Also, check to see if there is a star stamped on the butt, near the serial number. And, by the way, the serial number will start with the letter S.

I think I see a star on the left side of the grip frame and one on the yoke. In my experience, those are strange places for it to be. But I also think I see a date code on that same side of the grip frame. I think this gun made a trip to the service department at some point.

 

[krimmie]

Thanks for the quick reply, I read the sticky "after" I posted. It is a .357 magnum, barrel length just under 5", post war adjustable sights, serial number is S173xxx. Yes, the cylinder serial number matches the frame, minus the "S".

Edited to add, there is a star on the yoke area, as well on the side of the frame with the numbers 4468 stamped near it.

 

[murphydog]

It's a .357 Magnum, an N frame, often called a pre-model 27. If you can give the partial or complete number from the bottom flat of the grip frame after the letter S we can let you know how old it is. Among other places, this same number should be stamped on the rear cylinder face; if it is not there the blue cylinder is a replacement part on the nickel gun.

Also, can you let us know what the four digits are from the forward left lower side of the grip frame? This is often the place where a month/year date code is stamped when a gun was refinished or had major work done at the factory. Hope this is helpful.

Edit to add: Jack is a fast typist

 

[JP@AK]

As usual, Alan and I are on the same page . . .

S173xxx dates the gun to late 1956 or early 1957. But do tell us what the date code is on the side of the grip frame. It is probably written xx.xx

 

[krimmie]

The grip frame has a star and numbers 4468.

 

[JP@AK]

4468 is an odd date code, but it could mean April 4, 1968. Usually it is just the month and year. But there is no 44th month.

Since the serial number is on the cylinder and it matches the frame, I suspect the service department put a blued replacement cylinder on this plated gun. This would have been a customer request, I think. Conversely, the customer could have had a blued gun and requested that the frame be plated but the cylinder left in blue. Who knows?

 

[krimmie]

Thanks a lot for the info!

 

[Alk8944]

Actually it looks like the number is 4 4 68, which would indicate April 4, 1968 when t was at the factory for some work. The open star on the side of the grip frame looks the same as the one which would normally have been applied behind the SN on the butt, and, often, on the barrel flat and back of the cylinder. Yes, I realize this gun doesn't have a barrel flat!

What I do find odd is there is no refinish mark on the frame which would have been R-N, or the same letters contained in a cartouche or rectangle. There is also no "N" on the frame to indicate it was originally Nickel. Maybe Jack could shed some light on when that marking began on new guns, this could be before that date???

 

[JP@AK]

What I do find odd is there is no refinish mark on the frame which would have been R-N, or the same letters contained in a cartouche or rectangle. There is also no "N" on the frame to indicate it was originally Nickel. Maybe Jack could shed some light on when that marking began on new guns, this could be before that date???

I also find the absence of the R-N puzzling. That is why I tend to think the gun was originally nickel and had a blued cylinder installed. Maybe that is why there is a star on the yoke, as well as the frame. But that is a guess on my part. I also don't know why the frame star is on the side of the grip frame, instead of its normal location on the butt.
As for when they started stamping factory original nickel guns with an N, I really don't know. I've never owned a nickel plated gun made before model marking started. All my earlier guns came from the factory with a blued finish. Surely there must be someone around here who knows the answer to that question. I do know that revolvers made before WWII had a B on the barrel flat if they came blued. IIRC there was no N in place of the B on the nickel guns (the B just wasn't put there), but that matter lies outside my personal experience.

 

[krimmie]

S&W Revolver ID

There is an R on the grip frame...hope the picture shows it properly.

 

[murphydog]

Perhaps just the blued cylinder was installed in April 1968 and the nickel is original? That would explain the date stamp and star, as well as the absence of the R-N. Doesn't explain the lack of an original N stamp though.

 

[krimmie]

I guess this should be moved to S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961

 

[krimmie]

One on side of the grip frame the following is inscribed(not stamped), A140325-Q. And what looks like GM after that.

These don't look like original grips, what would this gun have come with from the factory? And of course, any idea of value?

 

[H Richard]

Since the frame isn't stamped "N" for original nickle, I'm going to guess it was a blued gun, sent back for a nickle finish, but the owner requesting the cylinder and front sight left blued.

The gun probably had diamond centered magna's on it, or non-relieved targets.

Magna's like on this Outdoorsman.


Targets like on this Pre-27.

 

[krimmie]

I like those Magnas thank you.

 

[DWalt]

S173xxx would date it from sometime in early 1957. If it had target stocks, they would have been of the small relief (small football) type, in use until about 1961. If originally fitted with service stocks, they would have been rounded-shoulder Magnas.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Interesting grips. Was the owner left-handed?

 

[krimmie]

My dad was right handed. He retired with over 30 years from the police force in 86, but I know this was not his service gun.