Description:
Smith and Wesson .38 caliber S & W SPL + P Air weight. The Smith & Wesson J-Frame has become the most popular small frame personal defense revolver on the market. With decades of reliable performance to its credit, the J-frame line offers models capable of firing .22 LR, .22 Magnum, .38 S&W Special and the more powerful .357 Magnum loads. Smith & Wesson offers these revolvers from their production, M&P, Pro Series, and Classics lines in three diverse hammer designs; internal, exposed and shrouded. Has a holster and the hallmark of Smith & Wesson stamped on the gun. Caliber. 38 S & W Special +P Capacity 5 roundsBarrel Length 1.875 in Grip SyntheticFront Slight integralRear Slight fixedAction single/double actionFrame size small exposed hammerFinish matte silverOverall length 6.31 in Material aluminum alloy frame, stainless steel cylinderPurpose personal protection, professional/duty Serial Number: DAX 4937 642-2 *This firearm is considered a contemporary piece and will require the buyer to either be an FFL Dealer or choose an FFL Dealer in their home state to have this piece shipped to. Please choose an FFL dealer who does NOT require the sender to have an FFL.

Material:
Stainless steel

Maker/Artist:
Smith & Wesson

Date:
20th century

Provenance:
n/a

Size of Artwork:
H. 5.50 x W. 3.5 x D. 3.5 in

Weight (LBS)
.91

Condition:
Excellent, near mint with holster

History:
Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson came from old New England families. Horace learned the firearms trade while working at the National Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. Daniel’s experience came from apprenticing with his brother Edwin Wesson, the leading maker of target rifles and pistols in the 1840s.The two men formed their first partnership in 1852 in Norwich, Connecticut, with the aim of marketing a lever action repeating pistol that could use a fully self-contained cartridge. This first pistol venture was not a financial success, and by 1854 the company was having financial difficulties.Faced with their financial difficulties, they were forced to sell their company to a shirt manufacturer by the name of Oliver Winchester. In 1866, using the original lever action design created by Smith & Wesson, Winchester’s company emerged as the famous Winchester Repeating Arms Co.In 1856 Smith & Wesson formed their second partnership to produce a small revolver designed to fire the Rimfire cartridge they patented in August of 1854. This revolver was the first successful fully self-contained cartridge revolver available in the world. Smith & Wesson secured patents for the revolver to prevent other manufacturers from producing a cartridge revolver - giving the young company a very lucrative business.The partners realized that when their patents expired they would need a new design to maintain their market superiority. The new design was completed in 1869 and the company began marketing it in 1870. The Model 3 American, as it became known in the United States, was the first large caliber Original Smith & Wesson Factory in Springfield, Massachusettscartridge revolver and established Smith & Wesson as a world leader in handgun manufacturing. The two most important customers for the new revolver were the United States Cavalry, which purchased 1,000 units for use on the Western Frontier, and the Russian Imperial Government.