Help identify S&W revolver

N

neilticktin

Inactive
Hi,

I’ve inherited a Smith & Wesson .38 Special CTG serial number 403xxx … and I’m wondering if anyone can help me get more details on it (e.g., year). In found an addition number 30032 that you can see when the cylinder is open.

Any idea when it was made (roughly)?

Thanks!

Neil
 
How many rounds does it hold?

That makes a difference.

.38 Special Ctg. isn't the model. It identifies the cartridge that the gun fires.
 
I'm going to predict it's a Model 1905 4th Change, made in the 1920s.
It seems like virtually every old Smith .38 Special is an '05 4th . . .
 
With out pictures, now can we be assured it is a S&W ?? I have seen a lot of Spanish revolvers that are roll marked ' Best used with S&w cartridges
 
Sure it is, Mike.
Initially posting a CTG question in a thread where TWICE it was already stated that CTG is NOT a model designation.
Snark followed your re-packaging. :)
Denis
 
The CTG was S&W's biggest seller.

I agree the most likely culprit is a Military & Police Model from early 1920s.
 
I am going to assume that you aren't a shooter and know very little about firearms. So here are some fundamental questions that would be helpful to know.

Were there any other markings at all, for example a US or PD or any other words or names? How long is the barrel from the end to end of just the actual barrel? Is anything marked on either the inside of the wooden grips or hidden on the steel where they were?

I agree that it may be the 1905.

A helpful thing may be to go to gunbroker and run a search for the 1905 and search through the list of 1905 entries to find similar models and learn something there.

https://www.gunbroker.com/

Here is something that will help a bit.

M&P Model of 1905 (original) mfg. 1905 - 1906 (approx 10,900)
M&P Model of 1905 1st Change mfg. 1906 - 1908 (approx 73,650 = 1st + 2nd Change mfg. combined)
M&P Model of 1905 2nd Change mfg. 1908 - 1909 (unknown, see 1st Change note above)
M&P Model of 1905 3rd Change mfg. 1909 - 1915 (approx 94,800)
M&P Model of 1905 4th Change mfg. 1915 - 1942 (approx 458,300)
Click to expand...

wikipedia.
 
This particular handgun is available constantly as they seem to be sitting in thousands of drawers and closets. I've handled three that were found in the closets of old farts that I knew. There were well over a half million made and I found one in a gun shop as recently as ten years ago. Should have bought it. iir it was stamped lapd.
 
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