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Old 04-15-2012, 12:19 AM
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DCWilson DCWilson is offline
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This one's a puzzler. An adjustable sight K-frame revolver should have a K-prefix serial number, and a C-prefix number should be found only on a K-frame with service sights (fixed). There were no commercially available two-inch adjustable-sight revolvers until 1964. In 1963 the company produced the Model 56 for the Air Force, a gun that was essentially a two-inch Combat Masterpiece with some custom specifications (narrow hammer, ungrooved rear sight foot, ungrooved backstrap, and a couple of other things). Once the design became public knowledge, there was serious public interest in a similar commercial version, and S&W introduced the two inch variety of the Combat Masterpiece (Model 15-3) about a year later. At this time the CM would still have had diamond magnas; the diamonds did not disappear from standard stocks until 1968. I don't see how an original production two-inch 15-3 could have a serial number lower than about K600000, and it would probably be somewhat higher. (The M56 serialization began at K500001.)

Given the lowish C-prefix serial number on its frame, I would almost think that this gun might have started as a snubnose M&P in 1950 that was returned to the factory in the 1960s or 1970s to have adjustable sights and a CM barrel added. This creates another problem, though, because the heavy barrel of the later CM would not have fit properly to the M&P frame, which would not mate properly with a ribbed heavy barrel.

Pictures are going to be a big help here. In the interim, perhaps you can answer these questions:

Does the gun have an early postwar speed hammer or a later low-spur target or semi-target hammer?

Does the barrel have a half round or ramp front sight? Is it a heavy barrel with rib, or tapered barrel without a rib?

Is the serial number stamped on the butt of the gun also stamped on the back of the cylinder or on the flat underside of the barrel?

Is there a star stamped next to the serial number on the butt, and is there a factory return date stamped on the left side of the frame under the stocks? (For example, 10.72 standing for October 1972.)

Puzzle guns have their charms, and this is one of the most charming I have heard about in a long time.
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