Glad I ran into this video. I just purchased one, not quite in as good of shape as yours, but thought it may have had a broken firing pin or spring because I couldn’t see the firing pin coming out. I put my finger in front of the firing pin and pulled the trigger and it bit me! Made me happy lol. Cheers!
Thanks! I have a request in to S&W for research to see whether it was factory refinished as some have suggested. If it was, they did a great job! Looking at the bore, it shows very little use. The rifling is still perfect and crisp. It may have just been put away and not fired too much. We shall see! Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate it.
@WE0H Thanks! They are definitely from a great era in gun making. Wish they would come out with this style again. S&W already reissues some of its classics through its classics series. Too bad they don't go far enough back in time =)
It`s not on-line. You can get it from amazon. But if you just want the date of manufacture of a couple of guns, post the question on one of the S&W forums. They will need the model and serial number. Or you can send me a private message with the info and I can look them up for you. Depending on the model and age I might or might not be able to give you the exact date of manufacture.
I have one just like that, except its older. it has 2 lines of writing on top of the barrel. Its a .38 short ctg. It has a patent date of 1889. I love these designs. Mine is not tight like yours.
I have one of these just for sentimental reasons but I also have a S & W mod 40 which is a modern version of the older top break. The mod 40 is a. 38 special with side break .
@donald399 Thanks! It's chambered for .38S&W, so I imagine any brand of .38S&W ammo would work. I use Remington .38S&W 158 grain in the shooting video on my page. It's a bit pricey but a whole lot of fun.
Good question! I'm not sure, historically, why some revolvers have used the grip safety. The trigger is definitely not light, so I don't think that was a concern. There may have been some push to have more safety devices at the time. S&W continued the grip safety into their modern .38s. I think they stopped after some models in the 1980's/1990's.
I agree. That would definitely be interesting. I'd like to see the test at belly-gun distances...a couple of feet or so. Even today's self-defense distances would probably show very weak penetration from the 32SW Short.
Great video! I was thinking the same thing about the firing pin on mine. I just got into collecting these and havent shot mine yet so while breaking down and cleaning out decades of gunk I just assumed I got a dud. Will have to try the paper test to check function.
Until you said that was the original finish I was going to compliment whoever did the re-bluing and say they really knew what they were doing. That is one extraordinarily well preserved little handgun. I know it isn't too powerful, but I think if it were mine I'd just have to carry it a few times for the cool factor.
@crekow I've been using Remington lately. I found some from Cheaperthandirt and from midwayusa at about the $40 price like you said. It's definitely expensive in comparison to the more popular .38 caliber ammo. Fun to shoot though as you can see in my vids!
The weapon pictured is the best specimen I've ever seen, and I believe it was probably refinished at some point. An exceedingly small number of these guns are in this good condition. Externally, mine only has 25% original finish, but internally, it is superb. If this weapon was manufactured before 1898, it is not legally classified as a firearm by BATFE, but as a "relic or curio," even if it fires smokeless powder ammo. Cool. You don't need a permit in most places to carry it! Check state laws.
Might want to check with the collectors on the S&W forum. See if anyone there knows if there will be an updated edition of the standard catalog of S&W coming out anytime soon. The 3rd edition came out in 2007. If there is a 4th edition coming out, you might want to wait for it. It`s not a cheap paperback book.
Hi. I think there would be a couple of issues. The .38 S&W cartridge is much shorter of a cartridge compared to .38 special, so a .38 special wouldn't fit in the cylinder of a gun meant for the .38 S&W. Also, most guns chambered for .38 S&W probably wouldn't do well with the higher pressures of a .38 special even if the .38 special could be chambered/fit in the cylinder. I have a video showing the .38 S&W compared to a .38 special. I'll post the link in the video description.
Thanks for that info! I have to send a request in to S&W like I did with the Highway Patrolman. Don't know why I didn't just add this one on the request sheet since there are up to 3 entries per form lol.
Nice pocket pistol! I have this in 32 S&W. Mine is turn of century 1898-early 1900's. Primary use was for this was close personal defense in the Big City. I believe your pistol was refinished but the video may be misleading. My early model has a deep rich polished blue finish and is at 85% with minor wear the left side end of barrel as it was carried for protection. However your pistol is in great condition and a shooter for sure.Hang on to that one!
That would be so cool to have them manufactured again :) Then get the ammo manufacturers to produce both the 38 S&W along with the 32 so a guy could actually buy ammo at a reasonable price. I sold a 38 S&W Iver Johnson after trying to find ammo and came up empty :( I did found a nice 5th Model 32 S&W blue last winter which will be my shooter while the 3rd Model Lemon Squeezer sits in her case all pretty like :) Need to get some pics of that one online. Old revolvers are cool as hell ;)
@donald399 He may want to use something from Break-Free or even Ballistol may help a bit. He could use either with a copper wire brush for the ejection star. I wouldn't use the copper or brass brush on any exterior blued or nickel plated parts but it I think would work great in conjunction with the gun oil/solvents on the interior ejector arm. He could also use a brass bore brush with the solvent if there is rust in the barrel.
If I were you, I'd never give that gun up. The fact that it's blued unlike the majority of these revolvers, as well as being in such excellent condition, makes it a very rare occasion. I wish S&W still made break-top revolvers. I understand the design isn't as strong, but a modern one could probably handle a decent load. The automatic ejection would be convenient, too.
In New York- Numrich,has some parts and shows break down picture of parts.You can sell gun parts to them. I can get more for my gun if parted out.Your top break is excellent condition by S&W standards and is worth alot.Thr S&W 3rd Edition Book has serial numbers in back of book for all models.
i have 38. nickel plated with a pearl grip but it needs some work done to it..i found it in the back closet at my great grandma's house. i don't think she even knew it was there, that closet had a lock on it for years & we finally cut that lock off & there it was under some old stack of papers in a bag..
It looks like mine is a 3 1/4 inch barrel. It's a great S&W. A lot of fun to shoot! I have a shooting video on my site as well in case you'd like to see it in action. Thanks for the post! Have fun shooting yours!
@LarryLKelly Thanks! I recently shot it and put up a shooting video on it as well. What a joy it is to shoot! Dead-on with a two hand hold and still pretty steady with one hand (so long as it's not my off-hand while I'm trying to hold a camcorder lol). Action is perfectly crisp and, just like modern S&W double-actions, you can feel the spot in the trigger where the cylinder locks in place and where the trigger will break. It's a hoot.
Hi! This one is in .38 S&W. I'm not sure if they made them in .38 LC. There are a few ammo companies that still make .38 S&W but I'm not sure if they ship internationally. It's definitely a fun gun to shoot! Thanks for the view from Norway!
Remington makes .38 S&W but it's about 40 bucks for a box of 50 rds. I've also found some from Precision Cartridge Inc. for about 20 bucks per box of 50.
@LarryLKelly Thanks for the info! I've not been able to find much information and haven't done any deep-dives for it. I was thinking about having S&W do some research by filling out their research form.
I'm sure that played a part. There must have been some public safety concerns that S&W decided to market to. I have a feeling it's probably the same type of pressure that caused them to add the trigger locks for more modern revolvers. It's also possible that they were following the familiarity and popularity of the 1911 with its grip safety. The .32 S&W and the .38 S&W are indeed tiny! The .38 S&W that this revolver is chambered in is super small. Almost the same length as a 9mm cartridge.
It would definitely need a reworked cylinder latch to handle a higher pressure load. There are better designs out there and it would be neat if S&W brought it back in a larger frame like they've brought some other designs back in their classics lineup. Just wish they'd go back a few more years in that lineup. I'd be a buyer. The long trigger pull is brutal. That being said, I do have a shooting video of it up and I was able to hit the steel plates pretty well.
I think that specimen has been refinished. The triggers on every example I've seen are case hardened. Yours appears to have the same finish as the frame. I'm no expert or historian, just a fellow collector. Regardless, that is a beautiful lemon squeezer! Congratulations.
I did find a video of a 38 S&W on youtube and was looking at it very closely and it did have a rear site on it, The rear site on the 38 S&W is part of the top break part...I finally found a place around here that could order me some ammo but takes about 2 weeks to get, its $35 for a box of 50 so i ordered 2 boxes, Im gonna try and find a dye soi can pack my own shells.....I'll make a video of it soon and post it on ur page....thanks bro
If you're talking about the bullet diameter itself, I'm not sure whether the .38 special wadcutter bullet diameter is the same as the .38 S&W diameter. You probably could cut down a .38 special case and find out what the .38 S&W bullet diameter is. That might work but it would take a lot of time to cut each .38 special case down to a .38 S&W size I imagine =(
@donald399 Sadly, many of the top breaks were somewhat abused over the years. Just my two cents, he should try to find some specific gun oil vs wd40. I think there are a lot on the market that will help break the rust and is specifically for use on a firearm. I hope he can get it working! They're a lot of fun to shoot. I'd also go to a gunsmith to check out the barrel. If there's a lot of rust on the gun it may not be the safest to shoot best to get it checked out.
Kind of like now with the trigger locks under the grips? I have a round of .32S&W (deactivated) and it sure is tiny! Smaller than .32 ACP even. I guess its more effective than .22lr at least.
@slackersteve2004 I just looked around for that model and you're right, there's not much online. I have a call in to Ten-X (they have hard to find ammo) for .38 long colt and .38S&W. Of course, my luck they're out of both calibers. If you go online you'll find their site. They can take your name and call you when it's in stock. What's the barrel length on yours? My rear sight is part of the open top unlocking mechanism. If the barrel length is short, it may not have come with rear sights.
My pleasure! If you have a S&W safety hammerless like mine, I wouldn't use .38 special loads unless you can reduce the charge. The top-break revolvers in this size may not handle the increased pressures. The top break design isn't the strongest of designs in this configuration. Some top breaks, like the British Webley, have a stronger latch design and could handle higher-pressure loads. This particular top break latch is relatively weak and may not handle a stronger load.
Definitely a 5th model. Based on serial 237xxx I would guess 1915-1920 but some were assemble from parts later. Smith sold some up to WW II. Wood grips with a medallion very unusual. Rubber grips were standard with wood or pearl special order. Wood ones were generally without medallions. The grips were same size as most "I-frame" Smiths. The 38 S&W was a standard British military cartridge even after WW II. See Webley Mark IV. It has and will kill.
That's a 'lemon squeezer': It shot a .38 S&W short round in black powder. Do NOT use smokeless in that gun! (You can still get the right ammo for it). Usually if you find one, the bore is in terrible condition due to corrosion from black powder propellant. It's rare to see a top-break revolver with 100% finish intact.
Smokeless was being loaded in the time frame of this revolver. .38 S&W is not a powerful round, you can buy it today in smokeless, these revolvers will handle it just fine.
It is a great revolver. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I haven't had any issues with mine so I haven't taken it apart. When I have an issue like this with a firearm I'm not positive with I'll do a google search for a schematic. Sometimes that is really helpful. Of course, if you look at the schematic and it still doesn't make sense it may be best to take in to a good gunsmith to make sure any work is done perfectly. I've done that with a few firearms that I didn't feel 100% confident.
Go S&W website,they sell 3rd edition book(in color)everything about S&W etc.Gave tip on how to remove the cyclinder-lift latch,open,while holding wth hand lift latch with finger,other hand pull on cyclinder while rotating counter clockwise(to left),remove.To replace,slide on and give cyclinder a quick spin to the right.I have serial# 225553 5th model,but there is no pin between the barrel and swivel.Go to- Starbucks outside with S&W gun- on youtube to see it.
Damn that thing's in excellent condition. Sorry if you said and I missed it... but did you have it refinished? Have seen several by Iver Johnson and other companies, but have seen few (blued) that are in such good quality. (Anything special you use for rust protection? Have seen amazing results with Mobil One synthetic motor oil... and have recently heard people are using "Renaissance Wax" with extremely good results. Have never tried it myself though.)
The old British military load - 200 grains lead (changed to 178 grains jacketed because of Hague Convention concerns) at 600fps or so - would be a huge advance on what I understand the factory currently serves up.
My dad had one of these in Chile. My uncle had the .32 version and my grandpa a S&W .38 and Colt .45 revolvers. The one in the video was supposed to be a "gentleman's revolver", for self-protection in the dangerous streets of the early 20th century. Would have been nice to see it being shot!
i just got a .38 S&W Defender and can find much info about it, Im from maine and I cant find bulletts for it around here I gotta specail order them...It also didnt have a rear site for it so its kinda hard to aim and shoot, can u do another video of the rear site? thanks man
Beautiful revolver. I've been looking for a decent .38 Fifth Model at a fair price for a long time. I must say it's almost certainly been reblued at some point but who cares? Even if it has been refinished it's excellent metal and mechanical condition make it a $500 pistol any old day.
I don't have a blue book of gun values handy unfortunately =( I'm guessing that mine would fall in the $350-$500 range. I don't think they're generally very expensive unless they're a rare caliber or barrel length.
I believe I have this same exact revolver .. 38 s&w safety hammerless revolver 5th generation .. I'm having some issues .. if you'd please help.me out by telling or showing me anything you know about firing pin and action spring instillation I'd be greatly thankful .. help please. Thanks
It would be very educating to see penetration test of 32SW Short as well as 38SW Short. I guess 32SW is about 3-4 times weaker than 32ACP, which is considered marginally effective today. As all we know, top break revolvers in 32SW and 38SW were very popular 100-130 years ago. Which is a bit amaizing with such a weak black powder cartridge.
Some time ago I inherited virtually the same pistol, but it was kept in a safe until tonight. I say "virtually" because mine is .32 S&W rather than .38. Mine is also pretty worn and rust is in numerous places. How would you suggest going about reviving it? Soak it in Ed's Red?
Bullet diameter for the .38 S&W is .360". For the .38 Spl it is .357" for jacketed bullets, .358" for lead bullets. No jacketed bullets exist for the .38 S&W. At any rate, no .38 Spl/.357 Mag bullet will produce satisfactory accuracy results. They won't engage the rifling properly; they're too small.
Your gun is much, much newer. The New Departure was manufactured from 1888 up until the early 1950s. I just bought one in .32 S&W that was made ca. 1901-1902. The early models have hard rubber grips.
@bccasu1 ok thanks,a friend of mine has this gun but he got it from a pawn shop the other day and in order to lift it up he said he has 2 use a knife it is really rusty i told him to use wd40 hopefully that worked for him
Amazing gun. Wish S&W would make a modern 38 special version. Thanks for posting
Thanks! I agree! I really wish Smith would bring back their really old models. They are such beautifully made handguns.
absolut joy to see one in such condition
Glad I ran into this video. I just purchased one, not quite in as good of shape as yours, but thought it may have had a broken firing pin or spring because I couldn’t see the firing pin coming out. I put my finger in front of the firing pin and pulled the trigger and it bit me! Made me happy lol. Cheers!
Thanks! I have a request in to S&W for research to see whether it was factory refinished as some have suggested. If it was, they did a great job! Looking at the bore, it shows very little use. The rifling is still perfect and crisp. It may have just been put away and not fired too much. We shall see! Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate it.
@WE0H Thanks! They are definitely from a great era in gun making. Wish they would come out with this style again. S&W already reissues some of its classics through its classics series. Too bad they don't go far enough back in time =)
It`s not on-line. You can get it from amazon.
But if you just want the date of manufacture of a couple of guns, post the question on one of the S&W forums. They will need the model and serial number.
Or you can send me a private message with the info and I can look them up for you.
Depending on the model and age I might or might not be able to give you the exact date of manufacture.
I have one just like that, except its older. it has 2 lines of writing on top of the barrel. Its a .38 short ctg. It has a patent date of 1889. I love these designs. Mine is not tight like yours.
I have one of these just for sentimental reasons but I also have a S & W mod 40 which is a modern version of the older top break. The mod 40 is a. 38 special with side break .
Beautiful!!! As a 'lefty' I would buy a new one tomorrow if they'd make at least a .38 Spl.
@donald399 Thanks! It's chambered for .38S&W, so I imagine any brand of .38S&W ammo would work. I use Remington .38S&W 158 grain in the shooting video on my page. It's a bit pricey but a whole lot of fun.
Good question! I'm not sure, historically, why some revolvers have used the grip safety. The trigger is definitely not light, so I don't think that was a concern. There may have been some push to have more safety devices at the time. S&W continued the grip safety into their modern .38s. I think they stopped after some models in the 1980's/1990's.
I agree. That would definitely be interesting. I'd like to see the test at belly-gun distances...a couple of feet or so. Even today's self-defense distances would probably show very weak penetration from the 32SW Short.
Great video! I was thinking the same thing about the firing pin on mine. I just got into collecting these and havent shot mine yet so while breaking down and cleaning out decades of gunk I just assumed I got a dud. Will have to try the paper test to check function.
Until you said that was the original finish I was going to compliment whoever did the re-bluing and say they really knew what they were doing. That is one extraordinarily well preserved little handgun. I know it isn't too powerful, but I think if it were mine I'd just have to carry it a few times for the cool factor.
@crekow I've been using Remington lately. I found some from Cheaperthandirt and from midwayusa at about the $40 price like you said. It's definitely expensive in comparison to the more popular .38 caliber ammo. Fun to shoot though as you can see in my vids!
The weapon pictured is the best specimen I've ever seen, and I believe it was probably refinished at some point. An exceedingly small number of these guns are in this good condition. Externally, mine only has 25% original finish, but internally, it is superb. If this weapon was manufactured before 1898, it is not legally classified as a firearm by BATFE, but as a "relic or curio," even if it fires smokeless powder ammo. Cool. You don't need a permit in most places to carry it! Check state laws.
Might want to check with the collectors on the S&W forum. See if anyone there knows if there will be an updated edition of the standard catalog of S&W coming out anytime soon.
The 3rd edition came out in 2007. If there is a 4th edition coming out, you might want to wait for it. It`s not a cheap paperback book.
Hi. I think there would be a couple of issues. The .38 S&W cartridge is much shorter of a cartridge compared to .38 special, so a .38 special wouldn't fit in the cylinder of a gun meant for the .38 S&W. Also, most guns chambered for .38 S&W probably wouldn't do well with the higher pressures of a .38 special even if the .38 special could be chambered/fit in the cylinder. I have a video showing the .38 S&W compared to a .38 special. I'll post the link in the video description.
I wish S&W would make a modern .38 spl +P version, milled for moon clips. That would be really, really slick.
Thanks for that info! I have to send a request in to S&W like I did with the Highway Patrolman. Don't know why I didn't just add this one on the request sheet since there are up to 3 entries per form lol.
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.
Nice pocket pistol! I have this in 32 S&W. Mine is turn of century 1898-early 1900's. Primary use was for this was close personal defense in the Big City. I believe your pistol was refinished but the video may be misleading. My early model has a deep rich polished blue finish and is at 85% with minor wear the left side end of barrel as it was carried for protection. However your pistol is in great condition and a shooter for sure.Hang on to that one!
That would be so cool to have them manufactured again :) Then get the ammo manufacturers to produce both the 38 S&W along with the 32 so a guy could actually buy ammo at a reasonable price. I sold a 38 S&W Iver Johnson after trying to find ammo and came up empty :(
I did found a nice 5th Model 32 S&W blue last winter which will be my shooter while the 3rd Model Lemon Squeezer sits in her case all pretty like :) Need to get some pics of that one online. Old revolvers are cool as hell ;)
Cuanto puede costar uno? Tengo uno con cachas de marfil cromado.
@donald399 He may want to use something from Break-Free or even Ballistol may help a bit. He could use either with a copper wire brush for the ejection star. I wouldn't use the copper or brass brush on any exterior blued or nickel plated parts but it I think would work great in conjunction with the gun oil/solvents on the interior ejector arm. He could also use a brass bore brush with the solvent if there is rust in the barrel.
If I were you, I'd never give that gun up. The fact that it's blued unlike the majority of these revolvers, as well as being in such excellent condition, makes it a very rare occasion. I wish S&W still made break-top revolvers. I understand the design isn't as strong, but a modern one could probably handle a decent load. The automatic ejection would be convenient, too.
Nice piece, you can reload for the 38 S&W.
In New York- Numrich,has some parts and shows break down picture of parts.You can sell gun parts to them. I can get more for my gun if parted out.Your top break is excellent condition by S&W standards and is worth alot.Thr S&W 3rd Edition Book has serial numbers in back of book for all models.
i have 38. nickel plated with a pearl grip but it needs some work done to it..i found it in the back closet at my great grandma's house. i don't think she even knew it was there, that closet had a lock on it for years & we finally cut that lock off & there it was under some old stack of papers in a bag..
Very nice. I own a 32 S&W New Departure 3rd Model MFG ~1921. Pretty revolvers :)
Mike
@WE0H Just saw the picture on your page. Looks like yours is in really nice condition also!
Wow,bthats in great shape. Very nice revolver
It looks like mine is a 3 1/4 inch barrel. It's a great S&W. A lot of fun to shoot! I have a shooting video on my site as well in case you'd like to see it in action. Thanks for the post! Have fun shooting yours!
@LarryLKelly Thanks! I recently shot it and put up a shooting video on it as well. What a joy it is to shoot! Dead-on with a two hand hold and still pretty steady with one hand (so long as it's not my off-hand while I'm trying to hold a camcorder lol). Action is perfectly crisp and, just like modern S&W double-actions, you can feel the spot in the trigger where the cylinder locks in place and where the trigger will break. It's a hoot.
Hi! This one is in .38 S&W. I'm not sure if they made them in .38 LC. There are a few ammo companies that still make .38 S&W but I'm not sure if they ship internationally. It's definitely a fun gun to shoot! Thanks for the view from Norway!
The .32 cal I mentioned has serial number 161980. Does that qualify it as an antique and therefore not subject to all the nonsensical governmental BS?
Remington makes .38 S&W but it's about 40 bucks for a box of 50 rds.
I've also found some from Precision Cartridge Inc. for about 20 bucks per box of 50.
@slackersteve2004 I'll try to get another video up on the sights this weekend so you can get a look at exactly where and hot my rear sight sits.
Excellent shape. Nice!
@LarryLKelly Thanks for the info! I've not been able to find much information and haven't done any deep-dives for it. I was thinking about having S&W do some research by filling out their research form.
I'm sure that played a part. There must have been some public safety concerns that S&W decided to market to. I have a feeling it's probably the same type of pressure that caused them to add the trigger locks for more modern revolvers. It's also possible that they were following the familiarity and popularity of the 1911 with its grip safety. The .32 S&W and the .38 S&W are indeed tiny! The .38 S&W that this revolver is chambered in is super small. Almost the same length as a 9mm cartridge.
It is in Wonderful Condition!
It would definitely need a reworked cylinder latch to handle a higher pressure load. There are better designs out there and it would be neat if S&W brought it back in a larger frame like they've brought some other designs back in their classics lineup. Just wish they'd go back a few more years in that lineup. I'd be a buyer. The long trigger pull is brutal. That being said, I do have a shooting video of it up and I was able to hit the steel plates pretty well.
@WE0H you should definitely put some of those on your page. There aren't too many videos on the old Smiths.
I think that specimen has been refinished. The triggers on every example I've seen are case hardened. Yours appears to have the same finish as the frame. I'm no expert or historian, just a fellow collector. Regardless, that is a beautiful lemon squeezer! Congratulations.
I did find a video of a 38 S&W on youtube and was looking at it very closely and it did have a rear site on it, The rear site on the 38 S&W is part of the top break part...I finally found a place around here that could order me some ammo but takes about 2 weeks to get, its $35 for a box of 50 so i ordered 2 boxes, Im gonna try and find a dye soi can pack my own shells.....I'll make a video of it soon and post it on ur page....thanks bro
Thanks! It was definitely a lucky find.
If you're talking about the bullet diameter itself, I'm not sure whether the .38 special wadcutter bullet diameter is the same as the .38 S&W diameter. You probably could cut down a .38 special case and find out what the .38 S&W bullet diameter is. That might work but it would take a lot of time to cut each .38 special case down to a .38 S&W size I imagine =(
@SecretService80 Thanks! I appreciate it.
@donald399 Sadly, many of the top breaks were somewhat abused over the years. Just my two cents, he should try to find some specific gun oil vs wd40. I think there are a lot on the market that will help break the rust and is specifically for use on a firearm. I hope he can get it working! They're a lot of fun to shoot. I'd also go to a gunsmith to check out the barrel. If there's a lot of rust on the gun it may not be the safest to shoot best to get it checked out.
Kind of like now with the trigger locks under the grips?
I have a round of .32S&W (deactivated) and it sure is tiny! Smaller than .32 ACP even. I guess its more effective than .22lr at least.
I just got one of those today
Based on the comment way below from a viewer, looks like the serial number range puts mine in the 1915-1920 range.
@slackersteve2004 I just looked around for that model and you're right, there's not much online. I have a call in to Ten-X (they have hard to find ammo) for .38 long colt and .38S&W. Of course, my luck they're out of both calibers. If you go online you'll find their site. They can take your name and call you when it's in stock. What's the barrel length on yours? My rear sight is part of the open top unlocking mechanism. If the barrel length is short, it may not have come with rear sights.
My pleasure! If you have a S&W safety hammerless like mine, I wouldn't use .38 special loads unless you can reduce the charge. The top-break revolvers in this size may not handle the increased pressures. The top break design isn't the strongest of designs in this configuration. Some top breaks, like the British Webley, have a stronger latch design and could handle higher-pressure loads. This particular top break latch is relatively weak and may not handle a stronger load.
Definitely a 5th model. Based on serial 237xxx I would guess 1915-1920 but some were assemble from parts later. Smith sold some up to WW II. Wood grips with a medallion very unusual. Rubber grips were standard with wood or pearl special order. Wood ones were generally without medallions. The grips were same size as most "I-frame" Smiths. The 38 S&W was a standard British military cartridge even after WW II. See Webley Mark IV. It has and will kill.
I have the History of Smith and Wesson by Jinks but I don't have the standard catalog of S&W. I may need to pick that one up too =)
this is a model 5, only difference from a model 4 is the front sight isn't pinned, its made on the barrel
Thanks for the info! I really appreciate it!
How many millimeter bullets does this gun use??? 7.62 , 7.65 , 9.17 , 9.19 , 9.65 , 6.35 ,
That's a 'lemon squeezer': It shot a .38 S&W short round in black powder. Do NOT use smokeless in that gun! (You can still get the right ammo for it). Usually if you find one, the bore is in terrible condition due to corrosion from black powder propellant. It's rare to see a top-break revolver with 100% finish intact.
Smokeless was being loaded in the time frame of this revolver. .38 S&W is not a powerful round, you can buy it today in smokeless, these revolvers will handle it just fine.
It is a great revolver. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I haven't had any issues with mine so I haven't taken it apart. When I have an issue like this with a firearm I'm not positive with I'll do a google search for a schematic. Sometimes that is really helpful. Of course, if you look at the schematic and it still doesn't make sense it may be best to take in to a good gunsmith to make sure any work is done perfectly. I've done that with a few firearms that I didn't feel 100% confident.
Go S&W website,they sell 3rd edition book(in color)everything about S&W etc.Gave tip on how to remove the cyclinder-lift latch,open,while holding wth hand lift latch with finger,other hand pull on cyclinder while rotating counter clockwise(to left),remove.To replace,slide on and give cyclinder a quick spin to the right.I have serial# 225553 5th model,but there is no pin between the barrel and swivel.Go to- Starbucks outside with S&W gun- on youtube to see it.
That gun is beautiful.
Damn that thing's in excellent condition. Sorry if you said and I missed it... but did you have it refinished? Have seen several by Iver Johnson and other companies, but have seen few (blued) that are in such good quality. (Anything special you use for rust protection? Have seen amazing results with Mobil One synthetic motor oil... and have recently heard people are using "Renaissance Wax" with extremely good results. Have never tried it myself though.)
Serial number 237,690 dates its manufacture to approximately 1921.
The old British military load - 200 grains lead (changed to 178 grains jacketed because of Hague Convention concerns) at 600fps or so - would be a huge advance on what I understand the factory currently serves up.
My dad had one of these in Chile. My uncle had the .32 version and my grandpa a S&W .38 and Colt .45 revolvers. The one in the video was supposed to be a "gentleman's revolver", for self-protection in the dangerous streets of the early 20th century. Would have been nice to see it being shot!
i just got a .38 S&W Defender and can find much info about it, Im from maine and I cant find bulletts for it around here I gotta specail order them...It also didnt have a rear site for it so its kinda hard to aim and shoot, can u do another video of the rear site? thanks man
this has to be one of the newer models, own one of these and it dosent have the grip safety or the trigger extender thing on the back of the trigger.
@bccasu1 ok thanks and do you know what specific kind of gun oil will help break the rust?
Beautiful revolver. I've been looking for a decent .38 Fifth Model at a fair price for a long time. I must say it's almost certainly been reblued at some point but who cares? Even if it has been refinished it's excellent metal and mechanical condition make it a $500 pistol any old day.
How many mm bullets does this gun use and where can I find it?
7.62 ? 7.65 ? 9 mm ? 9.65 ? 6.35 ? 9.17 ? 9.19
I don't have a blue book of gun values handy unfortunately =( I'm guessing that mine would fall in the $350-$500 range. I don't think they're generally very expensive unless they're a rare caliber or barrel length.
ruclips.net/video/dx0Ordd2mkM/видео.html
I believe I have this same exact revolver .. 38 s&w safety hammerless revolver 5th generation .. I'm having some issues .. if you'd please help.me out by telling or showing me anything you know about firing pin and action spring instillation I'd be greatly thankful .. help please.
Thanks
It would be very educating to see penetration test of 32SW Short as well as 38SW Short. I guess 32SW is about 3-4 times weaker than 32ACP, which is considered marginally effective today. As all we know, top break revolvers in 32SW and 38SW were very popular 100-130 years ago. Which is a bit amaizing with such a weak black powder cartridge.
the barrel is i think 4
" long too
Thanks!
I would say mid 30s manufacture.
Standard catalog of S&W shows they quit making them in 1937 at serial number 242,981.
Beautiful Gun!
Have one just like it for sale. Mine is in better condition than the one shown. Mine was made in 1939. What is it worth? I want to sell it.
nice gun,so any .38 S&W short ammo works with this gun?
Some time ago I inherited virtually the same pistol, but it was kept in a safe until tonight. I say "virtually" because mine is .32 S&W rather than .38. Mine is also pretty worn and rust is in numerous places. How would you suggest going about reviving it? Soak it in Ed's Red?
Why have a grip safety on a revolver? Is the trigger especially light?
Sweet,Try Ammoseek it will tell you who has that cal for sale. CTD has it as well.
Thanks so much for the tip! I didn't even know that site existed. I appreciate it!
A local gun shop has one just like that but in 32 S&W . They are asking $400.00 for it . Is yours a black powder ?
You too! Have fun shooting!
U when back in time to pick a s&w
@YOFUICTM Thanks! I appreciate it =)
Bullet diameter for the .38 S&W is .360". For the .38 Spl it is .357" for jacketed bullets, .358" for lead bullets. No jacketed bullets exist for the .38 S&W. At any rate, no .38 Spl/.357 Mag bullet will produce satisfactory accuracy results. They won't engage the rifling properly; they're too small.
It's beautiful
Your gun is much, much newer. The New Departure was manufactured from 1888 up until the early 1950s. I just bought one in .32 S&W that was made ca. 1901-1902. The early models have hard rubber grips.
Luarbiasa bagus
Could be 1915-1920! That's about when hard rubber grips went out of fashion. Its in great shape though! : D
Boa tarde pessoal cá pra nois até oge não inventaram nada tão lindo
@bccasu1 ok thanks,a friend of mine has this gun but he got it from a pawn shop the other day and in order to lift it up he said he has 2 use a knife it is really rusty i told him to use wd40 hopefully that worked for him
I have Three of these guns. old I Southwest . Capton Harley
Good photography. Made all the way up to 1940.
C'est le 5eme c'est le plus solide 👍