Smith & Wesson .38 Double-Action Second Model Top-Break Revolver | 3.25-Inch, 5-Shot, Antique (1880-1884)
This Smith & Wesson .38 Double-Action Second Model is an original 1880s top-break revolver chambered in .38 S&W. Built between 1880 and 1884, it combines a compact 3.25-inch barrel with a five-shot cylinder and the automatic star extractor that defined S&W’s early double-action lineup. An antique under U.S. law, it offers collectors a genuine example of black-powder era engineering in fully functioning form.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair – showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair – generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Rifling: Fair – worn rifling with slight loss of definition.
Moderate scratching, scuffing, pitting, and blemishing are visible across the metal surfaces, yet the revolver still cycles and locks up reliably for its age.
What’s Included
- Smith & Wesson .38 Double-Action Second Model revolver
The Second Model continues the break-open design that made rapid unloading possible in the 19th century. When the latch is released, the barrel tips forward and the star extractor automatically ejects all five spent cases, a major advantage over contemporaries that required manual rod extraction.
The revolver’s five-shot cylinder features dual stop notches and shallow half flutes—hallmarks that help distinguish Second Model production. Coupled with the external hammer and double-action/single-action trigger system, it offers period-correct functionality still appreciated by today’s collectors.
Serial number 61 8XX places this example well within the documented Second Model range of 4,001–119,000, confirming its manufacture during the 1880–1884 window. As an antique black-powder firearm, it is exempt from many modern transfer requirements while still illustrating the transition to faster-loading military and civilian sidearms.
The carbon-steel frame, barrel, and cylinder provide durable construction typical of S&W’s post-Civil War revolvers. Checkered black hard-rubber grips remain intact, offering secure purchase and authentic period style.