I have a standard No2 (dated 1932), and always have my eye out for one of the snubbies. They seem to be pretty rare. At least around here anyway. If I came across one, Id probably pounce on it, working or not, and go from there.
I would say go over it like you would any other revolver, check for function, and make sure the timing and lockup looks right.
Probably not as much an issue with these guns, as they were made for the 38/200 (38S&W) length round and have a cylinder that reflects that, but Id also make sure that the cylinder wasnt bored out for 38 Special. The 38 special rounds would probably poke out the front of the cylinder if it was done, but you never know, people have done stranger things.
Thats more an issue with the Lend-Lease S&W Victory's, but you never know, and its the very first thing I check with them. I passed up on a couple of nice guns that had that done to them.
Everything on my Enfield seemed to check out OK, right up until I tried actually shooting it. I would get one or two rounds off and then it would start to bind up, to the point you couldnt pull the trigger because of it. I tried a couple of different brands of brass and it was always the same.
I ended up getting another recoil shield from Numrich, and it still had the issue when it was installed, so I started running it across a piece of emery on a flat surface a bit at a time, putting it back together and trying it until it would run. Only took a couple of tries.
Once that was done, its been fine ever since and is a good shooter.
I load 38/200 for it as opposed to 38S&W. Both shoot well out of them, but the standard 38 S&W shoots a little low. The 38/200 shoots POA.
Matts bullets have proper 200 grain bullets if you want to go that route.
Factory 38S&W is SALTY! When I first got my Enfield, I had to go to three more shops on the way home, just to find a box, and they only had one box, and plain old basic Remington 146 grain was almost $40 for 50!
Reloading is the way to go for this round.
Ugly as sin, and kind of rough looking, but fun guns.