Tired Old Hand Ejector .38 Found

[rhm0351]

A friend's Aunt just located this in her late husband's belongings. I need to look through my SCSW after work, but I place it as a 1st or 2nd change 1905 HE (#438XX). I'll update as I can get more information from her. I'm betting it still functions just fine!

 

[DWalt]

It's a .38 Special Model of 1902 Military Revolver. A collector would call it a Model of 1902, First Change. SN 438XX would place shipment from the factory at around mid-1904.

 

[Alk8944]

Assuming the SN you posted is from the butt and not the yoke cutt (That would be an assembly number), the gun is a Model 1902 1st Change, built probably early 1903. Even without the SN this is apparent fro the barrel contour and the rebound stud position. The rebound stud is what looks like a pin right above the rear leg of the triggerguard. This indicates the original lever rebound. On later guns the rebound stud would be farther back for the slide type rebound. This began with the Model 1905 1st Change in February 1906.

 

[rhm0351]

I had forgotten about the 1902 being the round butt, which is the only way I can tell the two apart. Thanks! Here is a photo of the serial number on the butt.

 

[Iggy]

Looks like it's purty near broke in.

 

[DCWilson]

I have the nearby 1902/First number 43786, which shipped in May 1904. Yours may have shipped in that same general time frame, though there is no assurance because of the company's indifference to shipping in serial number order.

A lot of people here like those older K-frame .38s from the first 10-12 years of production. The ones made before 1906 have a different trigger return mechanism that you can see in this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/134380-inside-1902-a.html

 

[rhm0351]

Thanks for the link, DCWilson. I'm not sure what her plans are to do with it, but I told her to have a competent gunsmith clean up the insides, re-oil, and inspect it, and it's probably good for another 112 years or so.

 

[Hondo44]

That's a sweet ole gal and I would not have her waste her money with a gun smith.

Simply put, the only usual issue with these marvels of yesteryear is they are dry and dirty. Old oils of its time do not match the science of today or quality of those old guns and actually dry up and harden to the point of impeding operation and accelerating wear. The simple action to take does not need a gunsmith. Just one of the premium modern gun products from any sporting goods, gun store or hardware store.

Most are both cleaning and preserving agents; Breakfree, Kroil & M-pro7 are some of the best, but there are others. Disassembly is not necessary. With a spray can version of the product, flood and flush the revolver thru every opening and crevice until the black gunk stops flowing out, let it drain for an hour and wipe it down good.

Definitely with grips off: Loosen the grip screw completely and carefully push down on the screw head until the bottom grip separates, then remove. Now push the top side grip off with a finger or toothbrush from the backside thru the grip frame. Scrub barrel bore and cylinder chambers with a simple cleaning rod kit found at the same places as the cleaning agents above, and patches cut from rags is all you really need. And scrub any observed exterior and crevice crud with an old toothbrush with bristles cut off short for stiffness.

Then I'm sure you can tell if it's functioning correctly when you cycle it. Once cleaned and lubricated, with a few simple checks you can determine it's safe to use. Cock the hammer slowly and confirm the cylinder is locked in position for each of the 6 chambers. If satisfactory, now operate the gun by pulling the trigger slowly until the hammer drops. Again, confirm each time after cycling the action, that the cyl is still locked in position. Cock the hammer in single action mode. Gently push on the hammer to confirm that it will not drop w/o pulling the trigger.

She can shoot it to her hearts delight, and it will delight her with its fine accuracy, and comfortable recoil.

 

[glowe]

The biggest problem with these old war-horses is getting the screws to turn. Looking at the couple of screws on the left side of your 38, you may find they have either never or rarely been turned. My approach to these guns is to remove the stocks, flush the internals with a spray carburetor cleaner, cycle the gun and spray again. Blow out the excess spray with compressed air and soak it with a good quality penetrating oil, as Jim stated, and let set for a day. If the gun is in good condition, it should function properly now.

If the screws are going to turn, they should be ready after a day of soaking. Some people use heat, but it is tough to control. You can also try the transmission fluid/kerosene bath. There is no shortcut to a full cleaning without disassembly, but the issue is getting the gun apart in the first place. I also notice that the mainspring tension screw is backed out some. This screw should always be tightened flush with the frame. I have a 32-20 that was in worse condition and I gave it a rust bluing and now it looks almost as good as it shoots.

 

[rhm0351]

She shoots, but maintenance isn't her thing. Since I'm 1800 miles away, I'd rather she take it to a competent gunsmith than shoot it as is. It won't hurt to have the lacquered gunk stripped off and a re-oil before shooting, I figure. $20 for a professional cleaning is worth the peace of mind. If she isn't in a rush to shoot it, then I'll ask her to let me clean it up. I love bringing back old S&Ws to use. This is a thread on another ongoing restoration project of mine:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-an...oject-gun-32-safety-hammerless-2nd-model.html