Originally Posted by Texas Star

Not totally sure about the OP, but your S&W is a postwar item. The curved hanmer should have told you that immediately! This gun was certainly not made before 1948 and may well date from the 1950's. It has the postwar shorter action. The blue finish is also usually a lot duller than the brighter blue on prewar guns, and the stocks differ.

For $10, you could order most postwar guns with a better polished blue finish, and a special Bright Blue was routine on the .357 Magnum (Model 27 after 1957) and the Combat Magnum/M-19. After about 1955-57, they began using a better finish again on service guns, excepting the Highway Patrolman/M-28.