Hello to all the members here. I'm looking for help in determining the age of my grandfather's revolver. He was a policeman before the time when they were issued sidearms by the force. He bought it second hand and my mother would like to know the age of it. It's a .38 with no model number, which tells me it's prior to 1957. Serial number is s 918839 and has 91747 stamped on the cylinder roll out. Thanks to anyone who can help.

Pictures. We need pictures. What are the barrel markings? Is there a number on the bottom of the grip frame?


Bullseye

__________________
Five screws and 3-1/2 inches.

Sir.
If the serial number you mention S 918839 is on the grip frame, it sounds as if it is a Post World War II Military and Police model. Those run around 1946 -1947 and then changed to a C prefix, I think. I can always be wrong.
In 1957 with the introduction of Model numbers they became Model 10's.
Some of the S serial guns have pre war and post war features. They are a very narrow niche of K frame .38's.
I have had a couple and they are very unique older guns.
Bill@Yuma

With the S serial number and .38 Special it could also be a Heavy Duty, N frame revolver from 1952-1953.

Definitely need pictures

__________________
Non illegitimae carborundum

At S918839 it can not be a heavy duty as N frame S prefixes ended at around S333000. It is definitely a post war M&P K frame. It is very high for the post war guns (although I believe it went higher) so without pics it is hard to tell if it is the pre war or post war action. It is common knowledge the M&P transitioned to its basic current configuration with the intro of the "C" prefix in the 1948/49 timeframe, but some S prefix guns have been noted with the more modern or what is known as the "short action". Folks often refer to all pre model marked guns of this M&P model as the pre Model 10 when in fact the C prefix guns are the only true pre model 10. Your gun is what I refer to as a pre pre Model 10. The guns just prior to your gun were known as Victory models and had a "V" prefix to the number. At some point in the Victory's lifetime there was a new safety feature added and you will see these guns with an "SV" prefix. After the war ended the V was dropped with the S remaining.

I could have sworn I only saw 5 digits , I clearly see six. I must have been speed reading.

__________________
Non illegitimae carborundum

The information you have been given on postwar M&P revolvers is solid. I have S868055, which shipped in January 1947. A year later, serial numbers were 100000 higher. I'm betting your grandfather's revolver was shipped in the summer of 1947.

Yup, we'd love to see pics if you can provide them.

__________________
David Wilson