So I've seen the terms "Transitional Model" and "Pre-Model 10" utilized to describe the K Frame 38s that immediately follow the the Victory models, but before going into the numbered designation. But somehow I doubt that, at the time of manufacture, S&W officially considered them to be Pre-10s or Transitional, as that would imply they knew what was coming next. Besides, I doubt anyone would want to buy a brand new gun off the shelf that's labeled as transitional or pre-anything as it implies a product that's incomplete and inferior to the "real deal" that will be coming out next season (not that I think these pre-10s are actually inferior, but it would certainly go through the mind of the shopper at the time.)

So does anyone know what these S-prefixed guns were designated at the time, before hindsight looked on them as Pre-10s?

.38 Military and Police Revolver.

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"I also cook."

Yes, but what about the particular Post-Victory setup? I believe that they were all considered .38 Military and Police Revolvers from the very beginning in 1905, but they also had specific version names to denote the slight changes made along the way (3rd Change, Victory, etc.) I could imagine these S-series guns being called "Post Victory", "Safety", "#th Change" or something along those lines more easily than the names we've come to know them by.

They advertised new features like the “high speed hammer” and the “short cocking action” after the war, but they were just called .38 M&P Revolvers. They didn’t assign a new name for each evolutionary step.

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"I also cook."

I think the factory just considered these as Military and Police models. After the war production stopped they used parts on hand to create civilian models. Minor changes like the markings on the frame "Made in USA" vs the four line address, half round front sights, hammer shapes, etc. were all changing during the late 1940s and early 1950s. As any efficient business would Smith and Wesson used up all the parts they had as minor changes were made. Today collectors note these changes as significant, but until the numbering system and dash numbers came into use around 1957, I don't think the factory tried to document or identify such minor details with any specific names. This is just my opinion, but I think this is how it was in the early 1950s. It makes collecting Smith & Wesson revolvers very interesting.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Indeed it does. These days we clearly distinguish this specific era (late 40's early 50's) of revolvers as Pre Model 10s or Transitional, so I figured they were considered a unique category in their own time, but likely under a different name. But it's starting to sound like they were quite literally transitional at the time, and didn't really receive an identifying name until later. Very interesting.

The model was always the Military and Police.
"Transitional" and "pre-Model 10" are terms used to describe the guns by those who discuss them. They were never terms used by S&W to describe the guns they produced.

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John

Here is an ad for them from my old Stoger catalog of 1948 and the proposed production schedule from another page. Maybe this will help with the discussion.

The only thing I know is the M&Ps before 1947 had the long actions where after 1947 they went to the short action. I have handled the older long actions along with my shorter action revolvers made in the early 1950s. There is a difference. I like the long action revolvers better.