So for christmas I got a fantastic smith and wesson 5 shot .38 It is old and I for the life of me can't find the model number. It as an airweight. Can anyone give me any advice to the model number or when it was made?
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S&W Revolver
- Thread starter xxmc
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- Dec 6, 2008
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I had the sample problem with a S&W .22 revolver and come to find out it was made in 1947 before they put model #s on their handguns. Call S&W with the serial number and they'll date the gun for you and let you know what model it is.
Some of those early Airweight .38's had steel cylinders, and some had alluminum cylinders.
I don't think your supposed to shoot the alluminum cylinder models. They are collectable though.
Just make sure the cylinder is steel and go have a blast. Those snubbies are very cool.
I don't think your supposed to shoot the alluminum cylinder models. They are collectable though.
Just make sure the cylinder is steel and go have a blast. Those snubbies are very cool.
RKG, In the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson V 3, concerning the 37 Airweight,... "5-shot fluted ALLOY cylinder", originally with alloy frame, later with steel cylinder."
3,777 are reported with an "Alloy" cylinder.
3,777 are reported with an "Alloy" cylinder.
I recently saw one of these alloy (sorry, I referred to it as aluminum) cylinders blown clean in half. It's used during training classes geared towards reloaders.
I wasn't picking on the difference between "aluminum" and "[aluminum] alloy;" I'm quite surprised that such revolvers were ever made. Even with the cylinder stop notch offset, the walls of a J-Frame .38 aren't very thick, and I'm surprised that any engineer concluded that an alloy cylinder would contain the proof pressures of a .38 Special. I guess one learn's something every day. Thanks.
No problem. I just hope the OP confirms his is steel before firing it.
OR taking it out and feeling the weight. Tapping it with a screwdriver (Noise)
Also, the magnet trick wont work if it is stainless.
or if it's titanium like on my 332.
Strictly by serial number this appears to be a 1956 manufacture. However as many S&W historians know, S&W did not always produce their firearms in strict serial number/year fashion. Sometimes a particular serial number will show in company records as shipping in a different year (sometimes decade reportedly) than the sn would indicate. The only way to be sure is to spend the $50 and have Roy Jinks research the company records for you.
However this revolver was probably manufactured after the cylinders were change to steel and just before the model number was stamped in the crane area.
The aluminium cylinder models were designed for the Air Force. They were called the Aircrewman Model and the ones earmarked for the military had USAF medallions on the grips (which I think, without having my reference books handy very few were released to the civilian market but don't quote me on that). Since there were problems with the cylinders blowing up, they were recalled. Today they fetch a pretty good price. Sometimes they do pop up on the market.
Mark L.
You can carry it with all five chambers loaded. During WWII a S&W Victory Model .38 was dropped on a deck of ship, accidently discharged and killed a sailor. (At least that is the story) and subsequently S&W developed a new internal hammer block to prevent this from happening again. This is found on all S&W revolvers made after 1944.
The traditional (and safe) way to carry a Colt Single Action Revolver and its clones is hammer down resting on an empty chamber. This does not apply to the transfer bar single actions made by Ruger and others.
Mark L.
