Help with a s&w 38

Seablast · March 8, 2014, 10:20 AM

My father recently gave me a few guns from my grandfather's collection. Two of these are handguns. One is a Sterling 22 that I have determined is pretty much a piece of junk. The nicer of the 2 is a Smith & Wesson 38 Special and I can't seem to find any information on it. I tried to look up the model and year but it seems impossible with a S&W. Can anyone help? On the barrel it says 38 S.&W. SPECIAL CTG. the serial number starts with a D and the first three numbers are 610. Are you able to find out the year, model, etc. from this?
Thanks

DPris · March 8, 2014, 11:20 AM

Open the cylinder, look at the section of frame exposed just under the barrel.
Any model numbers there?
The barrel markings are just the caliber.
Denis

SaxonPig · March 8, 2014, 12:11 PM

The D serial prefix would be from 1968-1977. Should be stamped something like MOD 10-5 or 10-7 etc. Look here for the model number:

DPris · March 8, 2014, 12:30 PM

Y'know, this is causing me some angst.

Seems lately there's an increasing number of posters on gun forums who create threads similar to this.
Mention of inheriting "old" guns from Grandpa.
When the guns are from an era when I was using those same guns & still have those same guns.

More than a bit disconcerting.
Old? Grandpa?
Denis

KyJim · March 8, 2014, 01:43 PM

If the dentures fit, wear them.

DPris · March 8, 2014, 02:11 PM

Depressing....

Denis

James K · March 8, 2014, 02:25 PM

And guns I bought when they were introduced now have C&R status.

Jim

DPris · March 8, 2014, 02:27 PM

Yeah, that's really sad.
Denis

salvadore · March 8, 2014, 02:52 PM

My first S&W was a 3" model 36. A while back I saw it on S&Ws website as a 'Classic', Egad.

geetarman · March 8, 2014, 02:57 PM

^^^^^^^ If your gun is a classic, you must be also!

DPris · March 8, 2014, 03:10 PM

Seablast,
Sorry, you better get back here quick.

Denis

gyvel · March 8, 2014, 03:21 PM

Quote:

One is a Sterling 22 that I have determined is pretty much a piece of junk.

What the Sterling has going for it is that it is all steel (or stainless steel). If you have a good magazine, they can be made to work fairly well (sometimes). While not anywhere near the top of the list, they are still one cut above the Zamak family of Lorcins, Jennings, Brycos, Jimenez, Raven, etc., etc.

Seablast · March 8, 2014, 06:57 PM

It's a mod 64

James K · March 8, 2014, 07:06 PM

A D serial number prefix would indicate a K frame, Model 10, 12, 13, 14, or 45. If there are 5 digits or less, the gun was made in 1968; if six digits, date of manufacture would have been 1973-1974.

Jim

gyvel · March 8, 2014, 07:13 PM

Quote:

It's a mod 64

Which would be a stainless steel gun and would use "1D" as a prefix.

DPris · March 8, 2014, 08:26 PM

Seablast,
Does it say Mod 64?
Is it a five or six-shot revolver? Blue or stainless?
Barrel length (From front of cylinder to end of barrel)?
Adjustable sights or fixed sights?
Denis

savit260 · March 10, 2014, 09:19 PM

Just wait... soon enough it won't be " I inherited a 38 S&W CTG gun from grandpa" It'll be "I inherited a C Lock 19 gun from grandpa!'

jabberwock · July 8, 2015, 02:39 AM

s&w 38 are fun

ArkieVol · July 8, 2015, 11:29 PM

Quote:

When the guns are from an era when I was using those same guns & still have those same guns.

More than a bit disconcerting.
Old? Grandpa?

I hear you. A recent post was inquiring about a "vintage" S&W from the 1980's. Wow! I guess the new model 10 I was issued in 1965 is an "antique". Right? Sheesh!

Off to the fridge for some Ensure...

James K · July 8, 2015, 11:42 PM

On another site a while back, someone asked if an S&W Model 28 was safe to use with smokeless powder or should he stick with black powder .357's.

Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

Jim

Skeets · July 9, 2015, 04:27 AM

What's up?Not even daylight in Indiana and the members are already stirred up!!Gonna be a long day.

357 Python · July 9, 2015, 06:00 PM

A model 64 is a very fine 38 Special revolver. When I joined the U.S. Dept. of Defense Police in 1994 my issued duty weapon was a S&W Model 64. Some of our 64s had more than 50,000 rounds through them. After we traded them in for our current Berettas I heard that they were X-rayed and some were discovered to have stress cracks for so much shooting. A 64 under normal use will last several lifetimes. I doubt you would put 2-3000 rounds of full combat +P loads each year through it the way we did.

bedbugbilly · July 10, 2015, 08:03 PM

All of my Smiths are classified as "vintage"

I love 'em though . . . reminds me of years ago when things SEEMED so much more simple . . no cell phones, no computers . . . . today's kids wouldn't know what to do if they had just one rotary phone that EVERYBODY in the house used and it was on a "party line".

OK . . OK . . I'm old too . . . but I love my "old guns" so I guess it's worth it? Now . . where's my aspirin . . . my arthritis is kicking in.

March 8, 2014, 10:20 AM	#1
Seablast Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2014 Posts: 2	Help with a s&w 38 My father recently gave me a few guns from my grandfather's collection. Two of these are handguns. One is a Sterling 22 that I have determined is pretty much a piece of junk. The nicer of the 2 is a Smith & Wesson 38 Special and I can't seem to find any information on it. I tried to look up the model and year but it seems impossible with a S&W. Can anyone help? On the barrel it says 38 S.&W. SPECIAL CTG. the serial number starts with a D and the first three numbers are 610. Are you able to find out the year, model, etc. from this? Thanks

March 8, 2014, 02:57 PM	#10
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	^^^^^^^ If your gun is a classic, you must be also! __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

July 9, 2015, 04:27 AM	#21
Skeets Member in memoriam Join Date: April 6, 2015 Location: Indiana Posts: 583	What's up?Not even daylight in Indiana and the members are already stirred up!!Gonna be a long day. __________________ Skeets "Over Kill Never Fails"

July 10, 2015, 08:03 PM	#23
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	All of my Smiths are classified as "vintage" I love 'em though . . . reminds me of years ago when things SEEMED so much more simple . . no cell phones, no computers . . . . today's kids wouldn't know what to do if they had just one rotary phone that EVERYBODY in the house used and it was on a "party line". OK . . OK . . I'm old too . . . but I love my "old guns" so I guess it's worth it? Now . . where's my aspirin . . . my arthritis is kicking in. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

March 8, 2014, 11:20 AM	#2
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Open the cylinder, look at the section of frame exposed just under the barrel. Any model numbers there? The barrel markings are just the caliber. Denis

March 8, 2014, 12:11 PM	#3
SaxonPig Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2006 Posts: 1,900	The D serial prefix would be from 1968-1977. Should be stamped something like MOD 10-5 or 10-7 etc. Look here for the model number:

March 8, 2014, 12:30 PM	#4
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Y'know, this is causing me some angst. Seems lately there's an increasing number of posters on gun forums who create threads similar to this. Mention of inheriting "old" guns from Grandpa. When the guns are from an era when I was using those same guns & still have those same guns. More than a bit disconcerting. Old? Grandpa? Denis

March 8, 2014, 01:43 PM	#5
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	If the dentures fit, wear them.

March 8, 2014, 02:11 PM	#6
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Depressing.... Denis

March 8, 2014, 02:25 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	And guns I bought when they were introduced now have C&R status. Jim

March 8, 2014, 02:27 PM	#8
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Yeah, that's really sad. Denis

March 8, 2014, 02:52 PM	#9
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	My first S&W was a 3" model 36. A while back I saw it on S&Ws website as a 'Classic', Egad.

March 8, 2014, 03:10 PM	#11
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Seablast, Sorry, you better get back here quick. Denis

March 8, 2014, 06:57 PM	#13
Seablast Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2014 Posts: 2	It's a mod 64

March 8, 2014, 07:06 PM	#14
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	A D serial number prefix would indicate a K frame, Model 10, 12, 13, 14, or 45. If there are 5 digits or less, the gun was made in 1968; if six digits, date of manufacture would have been 1973-1974. Jim

March 8, 2014, 08:26 PM	#16
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Seablast, Does it say Mod 64? Is it a five or six-shot revolver? Blue or stainless? Barrel length (From front of cylinder to end of barrel)? Adjustable sights or fixed sights? Denis

March 10, 2014, 09:19 PM	#17
savit260 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2006 Posts: 702	Just wait... soon enough it won't be " I inherited a 38 S&W CTG gun from grandpa" It'll be "I inherited a C Lock 19 gun from grandpa!'

July 8, 2015, 02:39 AM	#18
jabberwock Junior Member Join Date: May 20, 2015 Posts: 5	s&w 38 are fun

July 8, 2015, 11:42 PM	#20
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	On another site a while back, someone asked if an S&W Model 28 was safe to use with smokeless powder or should he stick with black powder .357's. Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh! Jim

July 9, 2015, 06:00 PM	#22
357 Python Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 941	A model 64 is a very fine 38 Special revolver. When I joined the U.S. Dept. of Defense Police in 1994 my issued duty weapon was a S&W Model 64. Some of our 64s had more than 50,000 rounds through them. After we traded them in for our current Berettas I heard that they were X-rayed and some were discovered to have stress cracks for so much shooting. A 64 under normal use will last several lifetimes. I doubt you would put 2-3000 rounds of full combat +P loads each year through it the way we did.