Info on this revolver?

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torpid

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Would anyone like to tell me more about this revolver? This pic was sent by a friend- it was his grandfather's. I know nothing about old S&Ws, and figure I'd ask you all here while I looked around for information.

Sorry I only have the one pic, hopefully it's good for some info though.
 

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Pretty good picture... :cool:

It's a Smith & Wesson .38 1905 Hand Ejector (Military & Police) revolver made just after World War Two. I suspect the stocks are original to the gun, and if so one of the two sides will be serial number to match the number stamped on the butt. It is sometimes known as a pre-model 10, showing it was made before 1957. It also has the desireable pre-war "long action" lockwork, combined with a better post-war hammer block safety. The side plate has 4 screws (one under the stocks) and a 5th one in front of the trigger guard - this makes it a 5-screw/pinned barrel revolver that was made before cost-cutting compromising became the order of the day.

Your friend did well... :)
 
OF- You're a better man than I. How can you tell from the photo it's post-war and not pre-war?
 
Are you sure you have a high enough security clearance??? :D

Take a hard look at the picture that shows the end of the ejector rod. The post-war guns don’t have the bulge on the end that pre-war and wartime revolvers do. The engineering change was made on October 4, 1946 - but I'm sure they had a considerable stock of earlier parts in inventory to work through.

Also the 2" version never had the bulged-style ejector rod.

Another tip-off is the magna style stocks with course checkering.

All of this information is highly confidential, so don't tell anyone... :scrutiny: :D
 
Nickel plated. Likely factory nickel with the bare hammer and trigger, most of the bumper chrome shops plated them, too.
Bottom sideplate screw looks dark, a blue replacement?
 
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