1905 Smith & Wesson .38 special

[Fullmag]

Are you completely sure that the finish is Nickel? I've seen a couple older guns that were chrome plated and they were mistaken for nickel. The 38 special was not invented until the 30's.

 

[Leadeye]

My old hand ejector, the only one I've seen with factory adjustable sights. Came from the old MCSD auction, they melt these now.

 

[LARGrizzly]

When I was checking on an old Colt 38 I picked up it because I couldn't tell if it was 38 long Colt or 38 special, I found several references showing 38 special being introduced in 1902. The Colt would chamber 38 special cartridges but serial number dated it to 1898 making it a 38 long Colt. Glad I didn't try to fire 38 specials in it.

 

[walt o]

Looked up the S.N .you have a 38 m&p of 1905 3rd change s/n range 146900-241703,manufactured 1909-1915.built on a round butt or SB. /K frame..Large s&w logo on side plate,Barrel with pattend date onright side "38 S&W special ctg.
condition rating poor=$85.,fair =$150.,good=$225.,v.g. =$285.,Exc.=$385.,Exc.+=$600.,ANIB=$1500.
Target model 50-100% premium.
They were made with blue or nickle finish ,But again hammer & trigger color case color
& the 40's 5o's plating was cheap and many plating shops were local cost was a flashy way to make an old gun look good.
On a side note S&W did not start heat treating the Cyls .until the 4th change @S/N 316648
HOPE THIS HELPS

 

[Win52C]

Looked up the S.N .you have a 38 m&p of 1905 3rd change s/n range 146900-241703,manufactured 1909-1915.built on a round butt or SB. /K frame..Large s&w logo on side plate,Barrel with pattend date onright side "38 S&W special ctg.
condition rating poor=$85.,fair =$150.,good=$225.,v.g. =$285.,Exc.=$385.,Exc.+=$600.,ANIB=$1500.
Target model 50-100% premium.
They were made with blue or nickle finish ,But again hammer & trigger color case color
& the 40's 5o's plating was cheap and many plating shops were local cost was a flashy way to make an old gun look good.
On a side note S&W did not start heat treating the Cyls .until the 4th change @S/N 316648
HOPE THIS HELPS

Walt is spot on. Just looked it up myself..told ya'll someone would beat me

 

[sloughfoot]

That is a BBQ gun. Lots of flash to look good in the holster at a Texas BBQ.

It is worth about $250.

 

[thumperdogg]

Looked up the S.N .you have a 38 m&p of 1905 3rd change s/n range 146900-241703,manufactured 1909-1915.built on a round butt or SB. /K frame..Large s&w logo on side plate,Barrel with pattend date onright side "38 S&W special ctg.
condition rating poor=$85.,fair =$150.,good=$225.,v.g. =$285.,Exc.=$385.,Exc.+=$600.,ANIB=$1500.
Target model 50-100% premium.
They were made with blue or nickle finish ,But again hammer & trigger color case color
& the 40's 5o's plating was cheap and many plating shops were local cost was a flashy way to make an old gun look good.
On a side note S&W did not start heat treating the Cyls .until the 4th change @S/N 316648
HOPE THIS HELPS

thank you sir!!!

 

[walt o]

The prices are for un molested guns ,yours being refinished even if done by s&w will drastically lower the price to a collector .Please stick to low velocity loads like W.C.. It is a shooter grade enjoy it as such.

 

[walt o]

to lar griz

The 38 colt is the parent ctg .of the 38 special.
38 S&W cartridges wont chamber in a 38 colt or 38 Spl; dew to being larger in Dia.

 

[LARGrizzly]

Understand that Walt. That 1905 3rd change should be chambered in 38 special not 38 S&W though.

 

[ghitch75]

Are you completely sure that the finish is Nickel? I've seen a couple older guns that were chrome plated and they were mistaken for nickel. The 38 special was not invented until the 30's.

38 Special was introduced in 1898.......

.38 Special - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Fullmag]

38 Special was introduced in 1898.......

.38 Special - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your right I should'a looked it up instead of going by memory or by what someone told me.

 

[mjsnook]

I like and would pay $200 for it. Just throwing that out there!

 

[indiucky]

Your right I should'a looked it up instead of going by memory or by what someone told me.

I think you were referring to the 38/44 Cartridge which was basically a .357 magnum crammed into a 38 special case...It came out in the 30's and like the .38 super was at the request of LEO who were having a hard time cracking engine blocks of V8's with the standard .38 special round...

The name 38/44 comes from "A beefed up 38 special to ONLY be shot out of a .44 frame .38 special".....There were (obviously) issues with folks putting 38/44 cartridges in .38 special guns and blowing them up.....In response to this Smith and Wesson brought out the .357 magnum and the rest is history....A nice 38/44 N frame Smith and Wesson is a joy to shoot and built like a tank....

 

[Fullmag]

I think you were referring to the 38/44 Cartridge which was basically a .357 magnum crammed into a 38 special case...It came out in the 30's and like the .38 super was at the request of LEO who were having a hard time cracking engine blocks of V8's with the standard .38 special round...

The name 38/44 comes from "A beefed up 38 special to ONLY be shot out of a .44 frame .38 special".....There were (obviously) issues with folks putting 38/44 cartridges in .38 special guns and blowing them up.....In response to this Smith and Wesson brought out the .357 magnum and the rest is history....A nice 38/44 N frame Smith and Wesson is a joy to shoot and built like a tank....

Now your jolting my memory. Your right and I couldn't remember that 38/44 but I do remember the 38 super. Wasn't the request for the round to penetrate the car doors to stop the gangsters? There was also a Browning auto loader in 30/06 the FBI/LEO used that would penetrate car doors, house walls and most anything else. Didn't Dillinger steal one of them from the police station.

 

[Rooster_Cogburn87]

My old hand ejector, the only one I've seen with factory adjustable sights. Came from the old MCSD auction, they melt these now.

It's sad the way they dispose of these guns now. Thanks for the share.

 

[Rooster_Cogburn87]

OP- try writing S&W with the serial number. They'll send you all the info they have on it. Dates, history, repairs, etc. You might look tho, I think there is a small fee.

 

[walt o]

S&w did not strictly use flat latches on their older guns Some flat ,mostly J frames ,I frames ,K ,N frames were mostly the tatch on the gun pictured .S&W NEVER NEVER plated the hammer or trigger and on top breaks the trigger guard was blue not plated .The number on the bottom of the wood grip means nothing sometimes the back of the grips will be numbered to the gun, the numbers should be on bottom of butt ,bottom of barrel &/under ejector and on back of cyl .The star on, after the S/N denotes that it dod at one time return to S&W but not to be plated It is a shooter, and around $200 . in my book