I don't know how to post pictures so I'll describe the pistol as best I can. Recently got this pistol from a fellow cgn'er and it does not quite seem to fall into any positive date of manufacture. The serial # (548xx) indicates post war, but some of the guns features seem to be earlier vintage. My thoughts are that this gun may have been made from prewar parts stockpiled before WW2, then assembled afterwards once production shifted back to the civilian market. Does anyone have any thoughts? It's a .38 s&w not special, 5 shot. No model number, only the assembly number on the crane and on mating surface of the frame where the mod would be on later guns. 2" barrel with half moon front sight and " Smith & Wesson 38 S&W ctg." on the cylinder latch side of the barrel and nothing on the side plate side. Barrel is pinned. Trademark logo is below cylinder latch on frame which is the regular not flat latch type. Has the four lines on side plate side above cylinder stop spring screw. It has the flat mainspring with tensioning screw. Grips are Walnut, I think with about a 18 lines per inch checkering forming a diamond around the grip screw. The grip is rounded and does not wrap around any part of the frame, grips have the S&W emblems on the top inside the half moon of that just covers the opening in the top of the frame's grip portion. The grips are stamped with the last few digits of the serial number on the inside. Smooth trigger face and knurled hammer. Has the shorter cylinder, leaving about a quarter inch of the barrel threaded into the frame window to mate up with it. Rear sight is a square notch milled into the frame. Cylinder and frame numbers match It's in very good condition and I have no reason to believe that it's not all original. I think that's all the pertinent information, please feel free to ask questions if I left anything out. Like I said, being that it is fairly close to when S&W ceased production for the war effort according to serial number anyway. My thoughts are this is kind of a transitional revolver made shortly after the war using possibly some pre and some post war materials. The frame being the original I frame vs the later modified version of the I which then became the J more typical of post war guns. Any thoughts?
Any S&W collectors out there, need info on a terrier .38
- Thread starter fantomas
- Start date
You have a post war gun 54474 was the cut off for the prewar models and because of the 4 line address that is postwar if it only had the "made in usa" then its a prewar gun as for the grips they might be left over stock from the prewar era as S&W never wasted anything flat latches didnt come in till the 50's therebouts is there any patent dates on the top of the barrel if not that postwar also as the patent dates are prewar sounds like a neat little i frame for a 1948 S&W Pre -Model 32 this is what they call this gun that you have aka.38/.32 Terrier built on an I frame. The J frames came in around 1957 with the Model number changes .
Hopefully this clears a few things up for you..
Rick
Hopefully this clears a few things up for you..
Rick
Thanks for the info. No patent dates, like you said. This is pretty much what I figured making at least the assembly and shipping post war. Just thought some things were a little odd, for example did post war guns not usually have writing on both sides of the barrel? Thanks, Al.
It does have a prewar barrel because of the half moon front sight. The post war came with a raised serrated 1/10th ramp.Your serial number is so close to the cut off date but the 4 line address on the right side were stamped on post war guns so yes you can say it a transition model probly.If its a post war gun you would have a post war hammer block installed in it.I would check it then you will know what you have. Pre war guns didnt have a hammer block if this helps....Those grips that are on there are also prewar service grips.... A letter from Roy Jinks would be interesting when it was shipped from the factory.
Rick
Rick
