S&W M-38 question

[earplug]

Just picked up a Used M-38. BPK6xxx
Its a older hammer mounted firing pin gun with a ALLOY anodized silver colored frame. The barrel and cylinder appear a different shade then my stainless guns. My old M-38 is blue with carbon blue barrel and cylinder.
This M-38 has A carbon steel ejector with a N stamped on the rear of the cylinder. Does this mean nickle? I looks like it could be electroless nickle plate on the barrel and cylinder. Hammer and trigger are case colored..
I have never seen a M-38 that looks like this one.

 

[bannockburn]

earplug

Years ago I had a Model 38 Airweight that had a bright nickel finish. Was not aware of any factory finished guns like this in electroless nickel.

 

[Gary A]

Some years ago I had a 442 in factory electroless nickel. I thought it quite pretty with a soft, matte, almost golden finish. It was a 442 made prior to the reintroduction in the 90's of the 642. A friend of mine still has it. It seems logical that if the factory offered electroless nickel 442s, they would offer model 38s in the same finish. I had a model 15 in the same finish.

 

[WardenWolf]

That's a Model 38 Bodyguard. They made them with an exposed hammer, too, and the recessed hammer version was called the Bodyguard. I'm not sure if that's the Airweight model. If so, it should not be fired with modern +P ammo (that's direct from S&W; I emailed them several years back). I've not seen one with that finish, but it looks very nice.

My father has a Model 38 Airweight that's just like that, only in black. It's a nice gun now that we installed a Hogue boot grip on it. The original tiny factory grips hurt the hand when fired, and the hammer liked to bite the webbing of the hand and pinch it against the frame. Ouch. The improved grips get your hand off the backstrap so that's no longer a problem.