Smith & Wesson Regulation Police 38 S&W CTG, info please

[doddg]

I bought this gun at a police auction back in the 1980s.
A friend has had it in his safe all this time & is cleaning out the safe & gave it back.
He gave me 25 rounds of ammo he had with it as well.

It's an old unique piece for a collector, but it is not pristine by any means.
Action is strong with very good lock-up, though.

There are 4 numbers but 2 are the same:
- 37096 x2 ( on the back of the cylinder & behind trigger guard on the front of the metal frame of the grip)
- 8973 x2 (on the yoke & crane)

Markings on gun:
- Left side of barrel = SMITH & WESSON
- Right side of barrel = CTG REGULATION POLICE 38 S&W
- Top of barrel = SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS U.S.A
- Top of barrel = PATENTED Feb.8.08 Sept.14 09 Dec.29.14
- Left side between above trigger guard & top of grip = SW Trademark Logo

Facts gleaned online:
- If the patent date is on the butt of the gun it is pre-war.
- The factory change order introducing that stamping the "Made In USA" was in 1922, therefore since this gun has that it should proceed 1922.
- .38 Regulation Police (pre-war) was an I-frame revolver made from 1917 to about 1940.
- The serial number range was from 1 to 54474
- .38 Smith & Wesson was a shorter and slightly larger in diameter case than the .38 Special.
- It was a predecessor round to the .38 Special.
- The .38 S&W is a low powered cartridge compared to the .38 Special.
- The .38 S&W used a lead bullet averaging 145 grains, was rimmed, had about 745 fps muzzle velocity,

Descriptors for this gun:
- Vintage small frame
- double/single action revolver
- chambered in .38 Smith & Wesson
- Features a blued finish,
- 4" barrel,
- forged round blade front sight,
- square notched rear sight,
- fluted five-shot cylinder,
- non-shrouded ejector rod,
- smooth .240" trigger,
- .240" hammer with knurled spur,
- five screw round butt
- "I" frame
- two-piece diamond checkered walnut grips

If you have any knowledge of the exact year of manufacture that would be cool.
Also, the range of value of the gun in this condition.
Thanks!

 

[Jndturner317]

I would put this information on the Smith and Wesson forum. They have some very knowledgeable people on there that will have all the information you could ask for fairly quickly.

 

[doddg]

I would put this information on the Smith and Wesson forum. They have some very knowledgeable people on there that will have all the information you could ask for fairly quickly.

Thanks!
I haven't been on that since I sold some 3rd Gen S/Ws & didn't even think of it.
Usually, someone here gives me a link for things like this that frequent such ancillary sites.

I had that experience lately with an older Taurus 44 special that I had no clue about, but a couple of guys gave a link & even pics of exactly the type of info I was looking for to figure out value.

 

[MrSmitty]

Beautiful gun!! reload for it, and shoot that puppy!...( I'm not a collector, I love to shoot, so... I'd shoot it) you mileage may vary.......

 

[doddg]

Updated information from SW site

Caliber:
- The .38 S&W was not a predecessor round to the .38 Special, although it did come earlier.
- They’re different diameters; this causes a lot of confusion.
- The .38 Special’s predecessor round was the .38 Long Colt.

DATE:
- Your gun is from the later 1920s, likely 1926/27.
- Your legal serial number is the one on the front strap of the grip frame: 37096.
- Matching numbers should be found on the cylinder and under the barrel where the extractor rod docks.
- If you remove the grips, the serial number should be penciled on the back of the right panel if they haven't faded away over 100 years.
- There are a couple of other places you will find serials.
- The numbers in the yoke cut are assembly numbers used during manufacture.
- Anything more precise is not really meaningful without a history letter.
- Actual known ship dates are widely spread.

GRIPS:
- The grips are round to square butt conversion and extension grips.
- Your grip frame is rebated (stepped) to merge seamlessly with the change in shape the grips provide.
- The .38 Regulation Police revolvers were never really significantly used by the police.
- But the grips are sort of an homage to the square butts of the military & police revolvers that were a staple of the law enforcement community at the time.
- They are also more ergonomic in enhancing the hand fit to the gun handle.

 

[doddg]

Update:
On the S/W forum I was advised that the value for this gun in decent middle condition would be $400-$450.

 

[doddg]

Just got off the phone with a friend who saw & handled this gun at a pawn shop with an 8" barrel.
Price on it was $950!!!!!
8" must be very rare.
He said it wasn't in as good a condition as the one I had.

 

[Gabriel]

Just got off the phone with a friend who saw & handled this gun at a pawn shop with an 8" barrel.
Price on it was $950!!!!!
8" must be very rare.
He said it wasn't in as good a condition as the one I had.

They key words in that post are "pawn shop".

 

[doddg]

They key words in that post are "pawn shop".

I have bought guns (including rifles) from pawn shops for great prices in the past.
The guy who bought the Smith & Wesson Regulation Police 38 S&W just today had bought a really beautiful Walther stainless steel PPK/S for $300 from a pawn shop.

 

[Gabriel]

I have bought guns (including rifles) from pawn shops for great prices in the past.
The guy who bought the Smith & Wesson Regulation Police 38 S&W just today had bought a really beautiful Walther stainless steel PPK/S for $300 from a pawn shop.

You're lucky. On the rare occasion I go in to one, the prices on firearms are ridiculous.

 

[Leadeye]

I think you will find that 38 S&W is .357 like 38 special and 38 LC is actually .375, where our generic term "38" comes from. Both cartridges predate the 38 special, but have different beginnings. The 38 LC started out life as heeled cartridge and then was converted to hollow base like the 41 LC.

I load for and shoot both in smokeless and BP.

 

[doddg]

I think you will find that 38 S&W is .357 like 38 special and 38 LC is actually .375, where our generic term "38" comes from. Both cartridges predate the 38 special, but have different beginnings. The 38 LC started out life as heeled cartridge and then was converted to hollow base like the 41 LC.

I load for and shoot both in smokeless and BP.

Wow! I didn't get that kind of detail from the SW forum!

 

[Leadeye]

Wow! I didn't get that kind of detail from the SW forum!

I've got a lot of old guns that I keep shooting, that's a nice revolver you have.

 

[doddg]

You're lucky. On the rare occasion I go in to one, the prices on firearms are ridiculous.

I've got a lot of old guns that I keep shooting, that's a nice revolver you have.

I haven't bought one in a pawn shop locally in decades, but I have online bought a SW 3rd Gen 5906 that was recommended to me couple of years ago here.
$350, if I remember correctly.

I put an ad in the classifieds Friday night & I sold the 38 SW Police 1920s revolver today.
The guy that bought it knew me from 1.5 yrs ago when he bought something from me.
He reloads & had 100s of rounds for the 32 S&W & collects that caliber.

 

[BigRed]

I bought this gun at a police auction back in the 1980s.
A friend has had it in his safe all this time & is cleaning out the safe & gave it back.
He gave me 25 rounds of ammo he had with it as well.

It's an old unique piece for a collector, but it is not pristine by any means.
Action is strong with very good lock-up, though.

There are 4 numbers but 2 are the same:
- 37096 x2 ( on the back of the cylinder & behind trigger guard on the front of the metal frame of the grip)
- 8973 x2 (on the yoke & crane)

Markings on gun:
- Left side of barrel = SMITH & WESSON
- Right side of barrel = CTG REGULATION POLICE 38 S&W
- Top of barrel = SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS U.S.A
- Top of barrel = PATENTED Feb.8.08 Sept.14 09 Dec.29.14
- Left side between above trigger guard & top of grip = SW Trademark Logo

Facts gleaned online:
- If the patent date is on the butt of the gun it is pre-war.
- The factory change order introducing that stamping the "Made In USA" was in 1922, therefore since this gun has that it should proceed 1922.
- .38 Regulation Police (pre-war) was an I-frame revolver made from 1917 to about 1940.
- The serial number range was from 1 to 54474
- .38 Smith & Wesson was a shorter and slightly larger in diameter case than the .38 Special.
- It was a predecessor round to the .38 Special.
- The .38 S&W is a low powered cartridge compared to the .38 Special.
- The .38 S&W used a lead bullet averaging 145 grains, was rimmed, had about 745 fps muzzle velocity,

Descriptors for this gun:
- Vintage small frame
- double/single action revolver
- chambered in .38 Smith & Wesson
- Features a blued finish,
- 4" barrel,
- forged round blade front sight,
- square notched rear sight,
- fluted five-shot cylinder,
- non-shrouded ejector rod,
- smooth .240" trigger,
- .240" hammer with knurled spur,
- five screw round butt
- "I" frame
- two-piece diamond checkered walnut grips

If you have any knowledge of the exact year of manufacture that would be cool.
Also, the range of value of the gun in this condition.
Thanks!

View attachment 127861 View attachment 127862 View attachment 127863 View attachment 127864 View attachment 127865 View attachment 127867 View attachment 127868 View attachment 127869 View attachment 127870 View attachment 127872

I am far from an expert on these, but that looks like a desirable revolver.

 

[doddg]

I am far from an expert on these, but that looks like a desirable revolver.

The guy who bought it buys the older guns of this caliber & he couldn't believe the barrel condition being so pristine.
Must have been a carried much, but shot little type of gun.