Old Rev. need help

[Greenmountain50]

Just traded a chain saw for an old S/W five shot rev. A friend of mine called it an owl eye model. It is a .38 no model number but on top the barrel after S/W name and trade mark are dates--july11 65, aug 24 69 rcissue (think that is a "r") july25 71 may11 80 jan 4 82. The dates are hard to read but I think they are right.  On the butt plate is stamped 282825.  The barrel is a 4 incher. It has the self ejecter and the striker on the hammer is pin shaped.  Not good on the terminology so I hope you can understand what I mean. On the inside of the cylinder is also the numbers 282825. I could not find any other numbers. It breaks open from the top. It came with ammo stamped .38 s/w r p.  Any help will be greatly appreicated. Thanks

[Hammerdown]

Hello
It sounds Like you may be Talking about a New Departure. Does it look like This ? Regards, Hammerdown

[Greenmountain50]

not really. wish I had a picture. Mine has a hammer and your handle looks thicker and wider. My grips appear to be Bakelite or whatever they called it before plastic came out. There is a screw centered (more or less) between the cylinder and the grips. It has a rounded or oval butt end.

[mcwoodduck]

You said OWL Eye?  The trade mark for the Iver Johnson hand guns was an owl head.  The Iver Johnson top break revolvers look very similar to the S&W's.  Both companies made them in .32 S&W and .38S&W and they were either Nickel or blued.  What Hammerdown is showing you is a double action lemon squeezer.  The back bar on the grip is a safety that needed to be pushed in with the grip of the revolver.   
Is there any writing on the top of the rib on the barrel?  Dates will help to narrow it down in the Blue book of gun values.  There are a number of models and variations.
The other questions are does it have a trigger guard?  Is it single action only?  Some are very collectible.  I count 25 variations of both 32 and 38.  The one pictured at first glance had 5 models and one with a specialty "U.S. Martially.
Also give the serial number with the last two or three numbers X ed out.  But add the X instead of the number so I will know if it's 24, 2400 or 24,000