Interesting smith and wesson revolver

HighValleyRanch · June 12, 2018, 01:46 PM

This gun was for sale on another forum.
What model smith is this? Stainless or nickle?

Why is it marked .38 sw special instead of just .38 special on the barrel?

Jim Watson · June 12, 2018, 02:07 PM

Looks like one of the many S&W Model 64 (stainless Military & Police) police tradeins on the market this year.
Model number is normally on the frame under the yoke.

It is marked .38 S&W Special because Smith and Wesson designed the .38 Special in 1899.

DPris · June 12, 2018, 02:28 PM

That's the barrel marking on my 1980 64.They've varied over the years.
Stainless, very common model.
Denis

UncleEd · June 12, 2018, 02:29 PM

Looks like another typical police trade-in Model 64.

As caliber designation, for the .38 the official designation
is .38 Smith & Wesson Special; similarly, the official
designation for the .357 is Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum.

Then there's the .44 Remington Magnum or the .45
Automatic Colt Pistol or the .45 Colt.

It's a neat way of driving the competition nutty gone
cuckoo. When the S&W .38 Special was created,
Colt went to the trouble of creating its own designated
38 Special which in reality was just a copy of Smith's.

**44 AMP** · June 12, 2018, 02:43 PM

The .38 S&W Special was introduced in 1902. Primarily due to the dissatisfaction with the performance of the .38 Long Colt round in the Philippines in 1899.

S&W had earlier (1877) introduced a .38 cal round named .38 S&W. They are NOT interchangeable.

There are some .38 S&W guns that will accept the longer and narrower .38 Special but its a very poor idea, and unsafe in certain guns.

I can't read the marking on the frame but there appear to be some under the yoke. Should be model and serial#. The gun doesn't appear to have a pinned barrel, does it have recessed chambers? The change happened at different times, with different models, but pinned & recessed guns went away during the 80s.

HighValleyRanch · June 12, 2018, 02:44 PM

Thanks!
Yes, the seller say it's marked ccc indicating that it came from a California Correctional facility.

Jim Watson · June 12, 2018, 02:51 PM

The last batch around here was from the Georgia prison system.

Sharkbite · June 12, 2018, 03:04 PM

Should be marked “ CDC “ California Department of Corrections.

HighValleyRanch · June 12, 2018, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Should be marked “ CDC “ California Department of Corrections.

seller wrote:
"The revolver is stamped "CCC" for California Correctional Center" and has a second non serial number. this is the prisons # not S&W. "

UncleEd · June 12, 2018, 04:32 PM

44 AMP,

As a .38, the 64 did not have recessed chambers.
The pinning of the barrel generally went away in
1982 but some cross overs exist as Smith used
up existing parts.

On fixed sighted service guns like the Model 10 and
64 the model number would appear under the yoke
but the serial number would be on the butt of the
gun only.

**44 AMP** · June 12, 2018, 05:41 PM

Quote:

As a .38, the 64 did not have recessed chambers.

Riight… forgot that the non-magnums didn't have recessed chambers. Sorry.

HighValleyRanch · June 12, 2018, 05:54 PM

so it's basically a model 10 in stainless?
This one looks like it has a later bull barrel.
These are square butt?

fastbolt · June 12, 2018, 06:14 PM

Yeah, the old M64's CDC released can be some decent guns if they were well maintained. A buddy of mine used to work as a firearms instructor as one of his jobs in a prison. I think he said they'd been using Speer 125gr GDHP +P for a long time, as that's what he said they kept at the range and what he shot in them.

Another friend of mine just picked up one of those CDC M64's from a local cop shop (who got some of them in stock). Being a factory-trained S&W revolver armorer, and a longtime S&W revolver shooter, he hand-selected one that's about as perfect as you could expect to find for a recycled duty gun. His had the same rubber grip stocks as the one pictured, too.

He invited me to try it out on our range. Nice K-frame .38 revolver.

Congrats.

Ibmikey · June 24, 2018, 04:14 AM

Most California Department of Corrections Firearms were stamped CDC, I have never observed any other marking but do not discount the CCC observation. In between our range loss and construction of a new facility we shot on the CDC range which was provided to service a cluster of three Calif prisons so being rangemaster I had considerable interaction with prison personnel.
I too was able to obtain a like new condition Mod 64 that has mim internals but no lock, the revolver is tight and shoots close to POA something fixed sights often do not do. The 64 is a shooting companion to my 66 and 3” 65 all three being just about as reliable as a handgun can be and all shoot where pointed, every time if I do my part.

June 12, 2018, 02:43 PM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,813	The .38 S&W Special was introduced in 1902. Primarily due to the dissatisfaction with the performance of the .38 Long Colt round in the Philippines in 1899. S&W had earlier (1877) introduced a .38 cal round named .38 S&W. They are NOT interchangeable. There are some .38 S&W guns that will accept the longer and narrower .38 Special but its a very poor idea, and unsafe in certain guns. I can't read the marking on the frame but there appear to be some under the yoke. Should be model and serial#. The gun doesn't appear to have a pinned barrel, does it have recessed chambers? The change happened at different times, with different models, but pinned & recessed guns went away during the 80s. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

June 12, 2018, 02:44 PM	#6
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Thanks! Yes, the seller say it's marked ccc indicating that it came from a California Correctional facility. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail" Last edited by HighValleyRanch; June 12, 2018 at 03:00 PM.

June 12, 2018, 05:54 PM	#12
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	so it's basically a model 10 in stainless? This one looks like it has a later bull barrel. These are square butt? __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

June 12, 2018, 06:14 PM	#13
fastbolt Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2002 Location: northern CA for a little while longer Posts: 1,931	Yeah, the old M64's CDC released can be some decent guns if they were well maintained. A buddy of mine used to work as a firearms instructor as one of his jobs in a prison. I think he said they'd been using Speer 125gr GDHP +P for a long time, as that's what he said they kept at the range and what he shot in them. Another friend of mine just picked up one of those CDC M64's from a local cop shop (who got some of them in stock). Being a factory-trained S&W revolver armorer, and a longtime S&W revolver shooter, he hand-selected one that's about as perfect as you could expect to find for a recycled duty gun. His had the same rubber grip stocks as the one pictured, too. He invited me to try it out on our range. Nice K-frame .38 revolver. Congrats. __________________ Retired LE - firearms instructor & armorer

June 12, 2018, 02:07 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Looks like one of the many S&W Model 64 (stainless Military & Police) police tradeins on the market this year. Model number is normally on the frame under the yoke. It is marked .38 S&W Special because Smith and Wesson designed the .38 Special in 1899.

June 12, 2018, 02:28 PM	#3
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	That's the barrel marking on my 1980 64.They've varied over the years. Stainless, very common model. Denis

June 12, 2018, 02:29 PM	#4
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	Looks like another typical police trade-in Model 64. As caliber designation, for the .38 the official designation is .38 Smith & Wesson Special; similarly, the official designation for the .357 is Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum. Then there's the .44 Remington Magnum or the .45 Automatic Colt Pistol or the .45 Colt. It's a neat way of driving the competition nutty gone cuckoo. When the S&W .38 Special was created, Colt went to the trouble of creating its own designated 38 Special which in reality was just a copy of Smith's.

June 12, 2018, 02:51 PM	#7
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	The last batch around here was from the Georgia prison system.

June 12, 2018, 03:04 PM	#8
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	Should be marked “ CDC “ California Department of Corrections.

June 12, 2018, 04:32 PM	#10
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	44 AMP, As a .38, the 64 did not have recessed chambers. The pinning of the barrel generally went away in 1982 but some cross overs exist as Smith used up existing parts. On fixed sighted service guns like the Model 10 and 64 the model number would appear under the yoke but the serial number would be on the butt of the gun only.

June 24, 2018, 04:14 AM	#14
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	Most California Department of Corrections Firearms were stamped CDC, I have never observed any other marking but do not discount the CCC observation. In between our range loss and construction of a new facility we shot on the CDC range which was provided to service a cluster of three Calif prisons so being rangemaster I had considerable interaction with prison personnel. I too was able to obtain a like new condition Mod 64 that has mim internals but no lock, the revolver is tight and shoots close to POA something fixed sights often do not do. The 64 is a shooting companion to my 66 and 3” 65 all three being just about as reliable as a handgun can be and all shoot where pointed, every time if I do my part.