Model 36 Needing Identity

[wrthom]

Hello and thanks for letting me join. I have or I am keeping an older S&W .38 Spcl. for a friend. It was her Dads. It has been sitting in a bag for many of years. I decided to give it a good bath and oiling. I thought I could find more info on the gun as I got into it, but not enough on the interweb, that I could find. Here is what I do know..If I measure from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel, it is 3".
So I assumed a 3" gun.

It is a five shot. No assuming here!!

Swing out the cylinder and on the yoke, what I assume is the S/N- 93486,
under this number I see a R and spaced over I see an O.

Where the yoke rest in the frame
I see a V
below the V is Mod. 36 (Model 36)

On the bottom of the barrel (flat part) where the ejector push rod makes it home, closest to the cylinder are 2 two (..) punch marks. At the end of the ejector push rod is what looks like a single (.) punch mark. It is not as defined as the other two.

The trigger is brass and gun is black and very clean. It is hard to say if it has been shot. The cylinder has very little if any scars. Maybe where it has been dry fired.

A good cleaning and lack of black residue shocked me. She knows her Dad never shot the gun. He ran a grocery store and thinks it may have been traded for food. No box or papers are with the gun, so Id like to give it some background.

Id be thankful for any information provided.
Thanks
WRT

I'm not a revolver person as a matter of fact, this is first that has been in my possession. I had been considering revolver purchases and this forum has gotten me more interested. I have a house full of semis and I need to expand my collection with revolver.

It was actually fun to tear down and do a thorough cleaning. I was kinda dissappointed it wasn't any dirtier than it was. Glad I picked up on the righty/loosy for extractor rod.

 

[s&wchad]

Welcome aboard!

You have a 3" model 36, also known as a Chiefs Special. The number on the yoke is an assembly number. The serial number is on the butt of the gun.

 

[murphydog]

Here is a good visual reference for ID information:

To IDENTIFY your Gun >

 

[wrthom]

That S/N was my bad. It had been so long since I looked at the gun...here is S/N.... 430914

 

[jeffrefrig]

Is there a J before the serial number? Or any letter, would be part of the number.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.

You did a nice job of describing your friend's .38 Chiefs Special Model 36.

When you pull the stocks off, which you should do for cleaning,
if they are original, you will see the serial number stamped
inside the right one, and it will match the number on the butt.

Unless the gun has been refinished the color is called bright blue.

Your friend's gun likely left the plant in Springfield, Massachusetts,
in the summer of 1966, and it should have a contoured thumbpiece
to open the cylinder (shown in the photo). Also shown are the
original "diamond magna stocks" -- diamond around escutcheons.

The most puzzling part of your description is the trigger: brass?
We need to see a photo of that!

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

The most puzzling part of your description is the trigger: brass?
We need to see a photo of that!

Yes, absolutely need a photo. Maybe gold plated?
Pristine 3" mod.36 would have the S&W fan boys here offering up body parts in trade.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

The trigger is brass and gun is black and very clean. It is hard to say if it has been shot.

A good cleaning and lack of black residue shocked me. She knows her Dad never shot the gun. He ran a grocery store and thinks it may have been traded for food.

Its a gold plated trigger. When the trigger was gold plated it could have been refinished and that is why it appears unfired. Pictures will be helpful.

A lot of shop owners have a handgun for protection. Now as a cop when somebody trades a .38 caliber revolver for a two dollar bag of groceries. I would think its a stolen gun. But if its a three month bill at Piggly Wiggly that could be reasonable.

 

[VASCAR2]

Remember in the 50’ & 60’s there many locally owned neighborhood grocery stores where neighbors had charge accounts. There was such a store around the corner from my parent’s house. My Mom & Dad had a charge account which was paid on pay day every week or two. I could see someone owing a local grocery store money and settling the bill with the S&W.

These small grocery stores were very common in small towns in the midwest till the 1970’s when chain grocery stores became the more common retailers.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I could see someone owing a local grocery store money and settling the bill with the S&W.

I had a Jeep for sale years ago and a young man made an offer of cash and three (3) S&W revolvers for it. I pass, I needed cash.

I knew Tradesmen who had taken in firearms as partial payments on jobs. Things are very different today.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I knew Tradesmen who had taken in firearms as partial payments on jobs. Things are very different today.

Depends upon where you live.

 

[Rakkasan13F]

Depends upon where you live.

Ain't that the truth.

Several months after my divorce was settled, my ex-wife's work situation changed to the point that I had the chance to get joint custody. The lawyer I hired to draw up the paperwork was a Marine combat vet (who, it turned out, I'd met years before when we were both in college but neither remembered it). I was able to come up with about 2/3 of his fee in cash. For the remainder, he accepted a PSA AR-15, 10 MagPul PMAGs, and a 420-round can of M855 5.56mm.

 

[wrthom]

They're is no letter associated with the S/N. The # on the butt and on the inside of the right grip is letter free.
I do want to know the manufacture date and I'm sure it is on the forum somewhere, just need time to get around the entire site.

Here is another, this one was my Dad's. My sister had it and I had forgotten all about it.
Model 64
Stainless
4" barrell
S/N- D490596
Assembly #- 46213 on the yoke
below this #- a punch mark(.) followed by an S
on right side of barrel- 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG.

With the grips off-
*left side towards bottom of butt, assembly # 46213 is stamped
*right side same location is S, 1 with a circle around it and W in a triangle

This pistol is also in wonderful condition. Cylinder has minimal rotation scars and has been shot. Best i remember, < than a box.
No box or papers and Dad kept it in his socks drawer.

As soon as I figure out how to post pictures, I'll send on both guns.
Thanks,
WRT

 

[wrthom]

I said brass. The trigger and hammer are brass/gold color.

 

[wrthom]

As soon as I figure out posting a picture, I will do. My reply back to a jeffrefrig post, I have added another S&W pistol

 

[wrthom]

A yes to all of you comments except refinished and I know that is a no.

 

[wrthom]

As a matter of fact, he owned a Piggy Wiggly Franchise. This trade happened 50-60 years ago. Small SC town where everyone knew one another. I won't tell you what he did with other arms that were bartered. He thought the same thing as you.

 

[JP@AK]

Here is another, this one was my Dad's. My sister had it and I had forgotten all about it.
Model 64
Stainless
4" barrell
S/N- D490596
Assembly #- 46213 on the yoke
below this #- a punch mark(.) followed by an S
on right side of barrel- 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG.

With the grips off-
*left side towards bottom of butt, assembly # 46213 is stamped
*right side same location is S, 1 with a circle around it and W in a triangle

D490596 probably shipped in 1973.

The S is just an indication that it is a stainless steel revolver. The Model 64 was the stainless version of the Model 10 .38 Military & Police revolver.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Yes, absolutely need a photo. Maybe gold plated?
Pristine 3" mod.36 would have the S&W fan boys here offering up body parts in trade.

I'll remember that if I ever need a kidney....I have a very nice 3" 36 from 1960

 

[wrthom]

Yes, absolutely need a photo. Maybe gold plated?
Pristine 3" mod.36 would have the S&W fan boys here offering up body parts in trade.

I hope these pictures come through.

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