What do I have?

[qmercer]

I have this topbreak S&W. Serial # 242xxx with the following markings on the top of the barrel:

SMITH&WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS USA PAT'D JAN24 65
JULY 11 65 AUG 24 69 REISSUE JULY 25 71 MAY 11 80 JAN 3 82

I cannot find a marking to indicate caliber (I believe it is .38 S&W

 

[qmercer]

I have this topbreak S&W. Serial # 242xxx with the following markings on the top of the barrel:

SMITH&WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS USA PAT'D JAN24 65
JULY 11 65 AUG 24 69 REISSUE JULY 25 71 MAY 11 80 JAN 3 82

I cannot find a marking to indicate caliber (I believe it is .38 S&W

 

[qmercer]

Still learning how to post photos

 

[qmercer]

Another photo

 

[opoefc]

You have a .38 Double Action, 3rd model , made about 1890.

 

[qmercer]

Thanks for the info. I found this pistol inside of a wall in a rental house of mine that I was doing some work on. It was down on the sill plate between the studs. Don't know how long it has been there - I have owned the house for 25 years and there was no indication that any hole in the wall had been patched.

 

[David Kachel]

Thanks for the info. I found this pistol inside of a wall in a rental house of mine that I was doing some work on. It was down on the sill plate between the studs. Don't know how long it has been there - I have owned the house for 25 years and there was no indication that any hole in the wall had been patched.

Then I would say there's a very strong likelihood that you found a murder weapon! Was it loaded/partially loaded/fired brass?

 

[m-1911]

Start ripping all the walls out. There could be a whole treasure trove of rare Smith & Wessons lurking there.

 

[David Kachel]

Originally posted by m-1911:
Start ripping all the walls out. There could be a whole treasure trove of rare Smith & Wessons lurking there.

I just ripped out all my walls and all I found was this crummy old Colt!

 

[qmercer]

Funny that you say that, I did find a cut down Rem. Nylon 66 auto in a wall in a house I was helping tear down in the Detroit area back in the 80s that had been used in several shootings. I turned it in as the barrel and stovck were cut off witha hack saw and the whole thing was taped together. Don't know if the owner was ever found or if anyone was charged.

 

[qmercer]

Any ball park values for this pistol? It has quite a lot of rust on the outside of the barrel but the bore cleaned up nice and shiny and the action is tight.

 

[Camster]

How old is the house?

 

[qmercer]

Well, I did some checking and per the township records the part of the house I found the pistol was built in the late 20s - 27 or 28. It is out in the country or what was country up till a few years ago close to a small village that at one time was a railroad stop with a station on a main line from Chicago to Detroit. I am going to try to talk to some of the old time residents here and see if I can get better history.