S&W 38 break-top

[mapsjanhere]

I picked up this little 5 shot Smith&Wesson breaktop revolver in 38S&W at a recent gunshow for $70. Looking in the blue book, it looked to me like a 2nd model, from the serial number in the 20,000 it should be made in about 1882 or so, which would make it blackpowder only. Finish is horrible, someone obviously took a scouring pad or similar to it. But the mechanic is very tight, so I'll get to play with the finish a bit and see if I can make a pretty shooter out of it.

 

[James K]

I have one of those that was originally nickel plated but with the nickel peeling. I had the remainder of the plating removed electrically (reversing the plating process) and then blued. It looks good. I have fired it a couple of boxes of modern smokeless powder ammo with no problems, and would have no hesitation about firing it more.

Those S&W guns were made of the best materials available and by some of the finest craftsmen; they are not going to wear out in a few shots, like many of the other makes of guns of that era.

Jim

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

$70.00 is a great deal for that gun... the blued guns were made in much lower numbers than the nickel guns...

I collect "pocket guns" of this era... & could probably use a gun just like that

I hand load ( using Trailboss powder ) 3 load levels of both 32 & 38 S&W... even though it's a black powder era gun, it could probably shoot factory ammo, provided everything is solid & the gun is shootable

 

[lamarw]

Per the supposed authoritative book on Smith and Wesson's ("Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson"), your revolver appears to be a .38 Double Action 2nd Model which were made between 1880 and 1884. This is if I am reading the book correctly and assuming it is a double action vs. single action.

You did well at the gun show. I just scored a Smith & Wesson .38 Safety Hammerless Model this past Sunday at a local auction. I posted above in the revolver section of the forum with pictures. You got me beat since I paid $75.00 for mine.

I have been all over the place locally looking for ammunition. My search included Gander Mountain. I have found some on Bass Pro and having it sent to the Bass Pro store closest to me. It is Remington 146 grain - lead round nose at the price of $28.99 per box of 50.

I suspect I will end up acquiring the dies to reload my own in the future.

Enjoy~

 

[James K]

There is something puzzling here. That serial number (20k range) would belong to a Second Model, but the gun pictured is a Third or Fourth Model. The Second Model still had the rocker type cylinder stop with the long groove in the cylinder and shorter flutes. That gun has the long flutes and the later type stop notches. The triggers are different also and there are internal differences that preclude putting a later cylinder on an early gun.

Jim

 

[mapsjanhere]

Googling the pictures of 2nd and 3rd model the difference is quite clear - this is the later model cylinder. But - the serial number is 26,xxx, and it's the same number in the same cursive font on both frame and cylinder. So, either the reported serial number range is wrong, or the frame came back to the factory for whatever reason (did they have warranty returns at that time?) and was fitted with a later model cylinder.

 

[James K]

I thought of that, but it would have required also replacing the trigger guard, trigger, and much of the lockwork. It would explain the different color cylinder, though.

Or the gun could have been returned to S&W for repair and, finding it unrepairable, they took a later gun from production, gave it the old number and returned it, something they were known to do.

One check that can be made. Open the gun and look at the frame under the cylinder where the cylinder stop is. Is there one cutout at the rear where the current stop is located, or is there a longer opening where the old stop system would have been? If the former, the frame is a later type; if the latter, the frame has been converted.

Jim