MODEL ???

[Sisilija 55]

I have just bought a Smith & Wesson revolver and want to find out what model it is.. and age?? It has a number under the yoke -- 58854... On the side of the barrel 38 S&W special CTG...six shoot ,fixed sights,4 screws...serial # 4274xx..THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!!

 

[James K]

With that serial number, I suspect you have a .38 Military and Police, Model of 1905, Fourth change, made in the 1920's. S&W didn't assign model numbers until 1957, but that basic gun became the Model 10. The number under the crane is an assembly number to keep the fitted crane and frame together during final finishing and assembly.

Two cautions. That revolver does not have a very reliable hammer block safety, so if you carry it I recommend keeping an empty chamber under the hammer; also avoid use of +P and +P+ ammunition. The former could damage the gun, the latter would probably destroy it.

Jim

 

[Winchester_73]

Its a pre war M&P. If it has a screw at the top in front of the hammer, the gun is a 5 screw not a 4 screw. If the gun is a 4 screw, and does not have the upper side plate screw in front of the hammer, then you left out part of the SN. If the SN has any prefix, such as in this case, a letter S C D etc then its part of the SN even if its spaced apart on the butt.

 

[Sisilija 55]

It has a screw at the top in front of the hammer...No prefix on the seral number...

 

[Jeff #111]

Yep you've got yourself a nice little Pre-war Military & Police Model of 1905 - 4th Change (mfd. 1915-1942) right down to the correct grips. Those grips are worth a little money in their own right. Take off the grips panels and look underneath.

If you find the serial number of the revolver written in pencil on the right side grip panel then there is a good chance that panels came from the factory with the revolver. From approximately 1900 up until the late twenties or early thirties (sources differ in the dates) the company wrote the serial numbers on the wooden grips in pencil and scratching them onto the hard rubber grip panels. Starting with the introduction of the silver medallions bearing the company logo to the top of the grip panels (circa 1929) the company went to stamping the serial number onto the right-side panel. You grips don't have the silver medallion so the number should be written in pencil.

I own a an M&P of 1905 - 3rd Change and it has matching grips. I also own an M&P of 1899 and it has the matching serial number scratched onto the hard rubber grip panel. So it is possible to find even a 110 year old revolver with matching grip panels.

I like the old .38 Spl. revolvers.They were well made and are amazingly accurate at 20 yards with the classic 38 Special 158 grain Lead Round Nose load.The sights are tiny however. Smith began to heat treat the cylinder ,during the manufacturing process, at around serial number 316648 ( Supica & Nahas, Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson; 3rd Edition) However Smith has made a gazillion of them so you don't have a real scare or valuable revolver. For one in that shape (and with those grips) I've seen them priced for between $500-600.

Nevertheless yours in great shape. Where did you find it?

 

[Webleymkv]

It has a screw at the top in front of the hammer

Your gun is actually a five-screw with the fifth being in the bottom of the frame immediately in front of the trigger guard. The top sideplate screw was the first to be eliminated, leaving guns with three sideplate screws and the frame screw to be known as "four screw". Later, the frame screw was also eliminated thus making subsequent revolvers including most of the ones produced today to be known as "three screw".

 

[Jeff #111]

Well if you want to get real anal about the screws S&W didn't introduce the trigger guard screw (the Fifth Screw) until 1905. I own an M&P Model of 1899 and it only has Four Screws. Making it a "Pre- 5 Screw 4 Screw" .

Oh I love collecting Smith & Wesson revolvers.

This topic is almost Freudian.