This Week's "What The Heck Is That Pistol?" Question.

[twyacht]

My neighbor and wife's friend is a late 30's divorced woman, (whom I think is kind of "flaky"). Anyway, the wife brought her over for some cocktails, and took her upstairs to my "Man Room", Guitars and Guns, Big Screen, Fishing photos, etc,..

While they "poked around" my neighbor saw I have a firearm "fetish", and confessed she had an "old" S&W .38, for protection. One night, very recently, she heard something and for some reason she keeps it loaded, (" Darwinesque coming "), and the hammer got stuck. While "fiddling" with the hammer, she had an accidental discharge into her floor.  !

She of course has never cleaned it, and needs to thank her guardian angel.  So, my wife said; "Let Tom look at it,... " 

After cleaning and soaking and cleaning and oiling, (1 more session to go), I come to the Collective Brain Trust with photos.

Serial # on bottom of grip (6)404* "if it's stolen" I don't wanna know.... I'm just cleaning and curious.

Nickel?  Finish looks old and is worn in several places

Pearl Grips?  4 screw on frame 1 screw in front of trigger guard.

Left side of barrel: S&W .38 Special
Underneath: (Funny Symbol), U.S. Service CTG (S)    something there hard to read.

Right side of barrel: Smith & Wesson Springfield, Mass U.S.A.
Underneath:  Pat. (unreadable middle row except) May 01, (can't read them)
Bottom row: Aug. 04, 06, Dec 09,(can't read it),  Oct. 04, 08, Oct. 08, 01

S&W emblem on right side has worn away but legible. In a Bucheimer "Perfect Fit" holster.
I placed a new standard .38 SPL JHP that I have in the Cylinder and photographed the distance from the end of the cylinder, and how the round sits from the back.

It actually has a smooth action, now oiled, and crisp trigger pull in SA or DA. 

Does it shoot another .38 round other than a SPL? I don't want her to blow up the darn thing or herself?









Once again thank you. I just would like to know an approx age, type of round, grips, or any other info you might know of.

Tom W.

[Majer]

If I remember correctly The "US Service cartridge" was the .38 Long Colt, which was an official United States service cartridge for some time (1894-1911).  which was a heeled bullet and would allow a .38 special to chamber as well, It looks like a very early S&W .38 Hand ejector model, made around the early part of the last century. I'm sure some others will chime in, What ever you do, DON'T load any +P ammo in it, it will destroy the gun.

[m25operator]

You have what appears to be a pre model 10, M&P 5 screw k frame .38 special. Made before 1949. The .38 special was a U.S. service cartridge for quite a while, although it was not used in combat much after it's horrible failure in the phillipines. It was issued to a lot of Military Police. Not worth a whole lot in it's present condition, but if it works and shoots, who cares?

[Big Frank]

I thought the service cartridge used in the Phillipines was a .38 long Colt, NOT a .38 Special. Shooting .38 Special ammo in the older .38 L.C is a bit like shooting .357 Magnum ammo in a .38 Special. Not a good idea. The thing that has me puzzled though is the length of the cylinder.

P.S. I just checked Wikipedia and it backed me up on this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Long_Colt