Hi guys got a family airloom it's a smith wesson. Six shot. Revolver. Had friends look up serial but markings on the barrel says exactly : 38 S andW special ctg. Is this standard .38 special. Or in fact 38 s and w ? Cylinder takes 38 special perfectly fine. Seems way too long for s and w rounds. Model number is 790##. With a g over it. serial is 379###. Would it hurt gun to shoot very mild home reloads of 38 special 158 grain round nose lead ?
Smith wesson : 38 S and W special ctg
- Thread starter Ken 72
- Start date
Microgunner
New member
Yep, regular ol common 38 special.
It is a Military and Police model, made around 1922. The M&P was later made as the WWII Victory Model and, when S&W assigned model numbers in 1957, became the Model 10.
The number inside the crane is an assembly number, used at the factory to keep the parts together during final finishing; it is not a model number.
It is safe to fire standard .38 Special ammunition or equivalent handloads; no +P or +P+.
Jim
The number inside the crane is an assembly number, used at the factory to keep the parts together during final finishing; it is not a model number.
It is safe to fire standard .38 Special ammunition or equivalent handloads; no +P or +P+.
Jim
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
Smith and Wesson invented the 38 Special cartridge in 1899 and they are very proud of it. So all their revolvers chambered for the round are stamped 38 S&W Special. Same round. They do the same with all their 44 Special guns too.
Jim beat me to it about telling you what model it is.
P.S. CTG stands for Cartridge.
Smith and Wesson invented the 38 Special cartridge in 1899 and they are very proud of it. So all their revolvers chambered for the round are stamped 38 S&W Special. Same round. They do the same with all their 44 Special guns too.
Jim beat me to it about telling you what model it is.
P.S. CTG stands for Cartridge.
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One more question
There is a flat head screw on the front side if frame just above the trigger guard. What is this for? I never saw one on my other revolvers I'd post a picture but my I pad won't load it. Is the workings the same inside as a modern revolver? I wanna take it apart to clean and wipe it out but don't wanna mess anything up. I've taken my 686 and 929 apart same procedure?
There is a flat head screw on the front side if frame just above the trigger guard. What is this for? I never saw one on my other revolvers I'd post a picture but my I pad won't load it. Is the workings the same inside as a modern revolver? I wanna take it apart to clean and wipe it out but don't wanna mess anything up. I've taken my 686 and 929 apart same procedure?
Mike Irwin
Staff
As noted, S&W developed the cartridge around 1899 or so, from the older, then military round, the .38 Long Colt.
Colt, when it started chambering the new round, refused to put S&W on its handguns, and "renamed" the cartridge the .38 Colt Special (something they did with a number of other S&W cartridges over the years).
Other manufacturers have simply reduced it to .38 Special.
If the gun or box of ammo says .38 Special, it's good no matter what word might be socked in between the .38 and Special.
Colt, when it started chambering the new round, refused to put S&W on its handguns, and "renamed" the cartridge the .38 Colt Special (something they did with a number of other S&W cartridges over the years).
Other manufacturers have simply reduced it to .38 Special.
If the gun or box of ammo says .38 Special, it's good no matter what word might be socked in between the .38 and Special.
Ken 72,
You have what's referred to as a "5-screw model"-----four for the side plate and the fifth in front of the guard where the spring is located for the cylinder stop/bolt. YOU NEEDN'T remove that one, only the four on the side plate to get to the innards and clean it.
After World War II the "fifth" screw was eliminated with the spring now contained within the frame (see your newer models for idea of what I'm talking about). The "fourth" screw at top near hammer was removed later
and the plate was machined with a "hook" to fit under the frame (again refer to your newer models).
Since your M&P was made in the 1920s, you'll also note that in removing the side plate you DO NOT have a stirrup shaped hammer block as do the models after 1943. Your fully loaded gun is safe but in the unlikely event that you should drop the gun on a very hard surface, IT MUST land on the hammer to possibly, I stress possibly, fire. Again, a very unlikely event.
The trigger is still a rebound designed one BUT the potential exists that should the gun fall on its uncocked hammer, the internal hammer pin could be bent and the gun will fire. This occurred aboard a Navy warship in WWII
and the sailor was killed. Hence the addition of the hammer block in 1943.
You have what's referred to as a "5-screw model"-----four for the side plate and the fifth in front of the guard where the spring is located for the cylinder stop/bolt. YOU NEEDN'T remove that one, only the four on the side plate to get to the innards and clean it.
After World War II the "fifth" screw was eliminated with the spring now contained within the frame (see your newer models for idea of what I'm talking about). The "fourth" screw at top near hammer was removed later
and the plate was machined with a "hook" to fit under the frame (again refer to your newer models).
Since your M&P was made in the 1920s, you'll also note that in removing the side plate you DO NOT have a stirrup shaped hammer block as do the models after 1943. Your fully loaded gun is safe but in the unlikely event that you should drop the gun on a very hard surface, IT MUST land on the hammer to possibly, I stress possibly, fire. Again, a very unlikely event.
The trigger is still a rebound designed one BUT the potential exists that should the gun fall on its uncocked hammer, the internal hammer pin could be bent and the gun will fire. This occurred aboard a Navy warship in WWII
and the sailor was killed. Hence the addition of the hammer block in 1943.
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Mike Irwin
Staff
If you do decide to take the side plate off, for goodness sake DO NOT pry it off!
My references give 1902 as the introduction of the .38 Special.
If the gun is working normally, there is no need to remove the sideplate. S&Ws are one of those things where if you don't do things just right (and that includes specific techniques) you will damage the gun.
If the gun is broken, take it to a gunsmith. If it isn't, don't take it apart. There is no need, and significant risk to the gun if you are not correctly trained. Despite what some people think, all the cleaning and lubrication that you need to do to keep it running properly can be done without taking it apart.
If the gun is working normally, there is no need to remove the sideplate. S&Ws are one of those things where if you don't do things just right (and that includes specific techniques) you will damage the gun.
If the gun is broken, take it to a gunsmith. If it isn't, don't take it apart. There is no need, and significant risk to the gun if you are not correctly trained. Despite what some people think, all the cleaning and lubrication that you need to do to keep it running properly can be done without taking it apart.
Not just with .38 Special
Cartridges are often introduced by a manufacturer to sell more guns or create a niche that doesn't exist.
The .357 magnum is actually the .357 Smith and Wesson Magnum.
.44 Mag is the .44 Remington Magnum.
Once a cartridge becomes popular enough where other makers adopt it, the extra verbiage tends to get dropped from the markings on the barrel.
Cartridges are often introduced by a manufacturer to sell more guns or create a niche that doesn't exist.
The .357 magnum is actually the .357 Smith and Wesson Magnum.
.44 Mag is the .44 Remington Magnum.
Once a cartridge becomes popular enough where other makers adopt it, the extra verbiage tends to get dropped from the markings on the barrel.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"The .357 magnum is actually the .357 Smith and Wesson Magnum.
.44 Mag is the .44 Remington Magnum."
Actually, the .44 Magnum could easily lay claim to being the .44 Smith & Wesson Magnum, too.
S&W partnered with Remington to develop the gun and cartridge.
Just as easily, the .357 could be the .357 Winchester/Western Magnum, as S&W partnered with Winchester/Western to develop the gun and cartridge combination.
"Cartridges are often introduced by a manufacturer to sell more guns"
That's pretty much why any manufacture makes anything. Few really ramp up for production wanting to fail.
.44 Mag is the .44 Remington Magnum."
Actually, the .44 Magnum could easily lay claim to being the .44 Smith & Wesson Magnum, too.
S&W partnered with Remington to develop the gun and cartridge.
Just as easily, the .357 could be the .357 Winchester/Western Magnum, as S&W partnered with Winchester/Western to develop the gun and cartridge combination.
"Cartridges are often introduced by a manufacturer to sell more guns"
That's pretty much why any manufacture makes anything. Few really ramp up for production wanting to fail.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"My references give 1902 as the introduction of the .38 Special."
Development and introduction are two different things.
S&W was working on the .38 Special no earlier than 1899 (when the Model of 1899 Military & Police Hand Ejector was brought to market (and originally chambered for .38 Long Colt), and possibly not really kicking off until 1900, IF the rational behind the supposed development of the cartridge (ineffectiveness of the .38 Long Colt during the Moro Insurrection) is true.
Development and introduction are two different things.
S&W was working on the .38 Special no earlier than 1899 (when the Model of 1899 Military & Police Hand Ejector was brought to market (and originally chambered for .38 Long Colt), and possibly not really kicking off until 1900, IF the rational behind the supposed development of the cartridge (ineffectiveness of the .38 Long Colt during the Moro Insurrection) is true.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"S&Ws are one of those things where if you don't do things just right (and that includes specific techniques) you will damage the gun."
There are few things in life that are completely proof against hamfistedness.
In reality, though, S&Ws are FAR more accommodating to being mucked with by your average home gunsmith than Colts of the same vintage.
The only true special procedure needed is on removing the sideplate by using a wooden block to strike the flats of the grip frame.
Otherwise, it's not a big deal.
I was completely self taught when I started working on S&Ws. The only thing I had was an exploded view from American Rifleman and a couple of tools.
If this is an earlier model S&W, the internals are different from later models, in some ways significantly so, and parts are generally very difficult to replace if broken or lost.
Still, removing the side plate while leaving the internals in place is an excellent way to assess just how much dried up crap there is in the mechanism and do a pretty good job of flushing it out.
There are few things in life that are completely proof against hamfistedness.
In reality, though, S&Ws are FAR more accommodating to being mucked with by your average home gunsmith than Colts of the same vintage.
The only true special procedure needed is on removing the sideplate by using a wooden block to strike the flats of the grip frame.
Otherwise, it's not a big deal.
I was completely self taught when I started working on S&Ws. The only thing I had was an exploded view from American Rifleman and a couple of tools.
If this is an earlier model S&W, the internals are different from later models, in some ways significantly so, and parts are generally very difficult to replace if broken or lost.
Still, removing the side plate while leaving the internals in place is an excellent way to assess just how much dried up crap there is in the mechanism and do a pretty good job of flushing it out.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"Is "dried up crap" a technical term?"
Yes.
So is mucked.
Yes.
So is mucked.