Smith And Wesson Forums banner

Need help Identifying

3K views 19 replies 4 participants last post by  CanyonJYD 
#1 · (Edited)
#3 ·
Hello Forester.
Yes it does look like the first pic in the first post. It has the lettering on the top of the barrel like the second pic too. I cannot open the cylinder currently. I have oiled it. I assume the way to open it is to pull toward the hammer on the T-shaped bar, with the rear site on it?
 
#8 ·
welcome01 to the forums from the Wiregrass! Pictures will help, but also some measurements. Measure the cylinder length and post that number with your pictures. Also, if you have some S&W .38 Special cartridges around, see if they chamber part way. They shouldn't fully chamber because these .38 guns were made for .38 S&W cartridges which are shorter and slightly larger than the Specials. If they don't go in at all, then obviously it is a .32.

My guess, though, from your serial number which is later than the last of the .32s is that you have a .38 Double Action made around 1895.
 
#16 ·
Right on. Thanks Forseter and Wiregrassguy. I'm surprised to find out it is so old. I wasn't expecting that. The engravings on the top are kind of thin and hard to read so I actually overlooked them at first. Now I just need to get it to crack open so I can clean up the bore and see what it looks like inside.
 
#20 ·
I'm very surprised by the condition of both the barrel and cylinder chambers. They look really really good. I ran the brush through them and oiled it up last night. Spent some more time with the brush around all the mechanisms. I will have to give a closer inspection because when I was done, it was pretty late for me on a work night.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top