I would like to find out how to purchase a 1941 revolver, since that is the year I was born, Are there books out that describe the year. Thanks.

Your best bet would be a "Lend Lease" 38 S&W revolver made for Great Britain. A couple of folks here can suggest serial ranges to look for. Good luck.

Find a copy of the S&W catalog for 1939-40, then you will know which models were being made and sold in 1941. As suggested above, a Model 1905, 4th change, as shipped to the British, would be one of the easiest to acquire as they are often seen on the auction sites, and at gunshows. Serial numbers of those models would run from about 659,000 to high 900,000s However, any M&P in that serial rangewould probably be a 1941 shipped gun. There are other models to consider, of course - K22s, Safety Hammerlesses, .357 Magnums, .44 Hand Ejectors, etc, all of which could have been shipped in 1941. Ed.

By 1941 S&W had suspended ordinary commercial production in favor of wartime contracts. New production consisted almost exclusively of .38/200 British contract revolvers intermixed with .38 Special revolvers designed for American defensive forces. These were two different chamberings of the same model, and they were produced in the same serial number sequence. If you can find a .38 M&P with a serial number between 750000 and 890000, it is almost certain to be of 1941 manufacture.

Note that you need to find this number without a letter prefix; the same numbers with an SV or S prefix can be found in immediate postwar manufacture; a V prefix denotes a Victory model that was produced between 1942 and 1945.

Aside from the wartime contract revolvers, S&W still had some prewar inventory that they continued to sell in 1940 and 1941. A .44 Hand Ejector numbered 55000 or above is likely to be (but not certain to be) a 1941 revolver. And some small frame revolvers (.32 Hand Ejector and .22/32 Target or Kit Gun) were shipped in that year from existing stock. But the serial number sequence was not observed in shipping these small guns, and it is not possible to predict which serial numbers might have gone out in 1941.

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David Wilson

Being of the same "vintage" myself, I had bought a replica of a 1941 S&W catalog from Cornell Publications. Cornell Publications - World's Largest Old Gun Catalog & Manual Reprinter. There are many pre-war guns listed, that may have been "shipped" in 1941. But as mentioned above, only military M&P's were actually manufactured. I did find a M&P "Pre-Victory" in 38 S&W that had been shipped to Australia which I was able to learn was shipped in Oct. 1941.

There are many fine S&W in the 41 catalog, including 38/44 Heavy Duty, 1926 Model 44 Military, S&W Terrier, 38 M&P Police Target, 38/44 Outdoorsman, K22 Masterpiece, The S&W "357" Magnum, and several others. It would be really neat to find a "Non-Registered Magnum" that was shipped in 1941.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I was born in 1941 and would like a birth gun but didn't think I would ever get one. After reading the post from opoefc and D C Wilson I think I may have one by accident. It is a 5 in. "K" frame .38 S&W with a lanyard ring. It has magna grips and the chambers have not been bored through. Serial #763xxx without a prefix. Do y'all think it is a 1941 gun? Thank you for your time and trouble. Larry

That number sounds like 1941 to me. Congratulations! Wouldn't it be great if everybody's acquisition desires could be satisfied so easily!

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David Wilson

Thank you! You have made my day! I bought it just because I think it is a nice old caliber and I had a .38 S&W about 50 years ago and sold it. When I saw this gun it brought back happy memories so I bought it never thinking about a birth gun. Some days are a lot better than others. And again thank you until you are better paid. Larry

My birth year gun is a 1956 Ithaca Model 37.



I thought I had found a 1956 Pre-27 (Ser. No. S 1569XX), but after I bought it Mr. Jinks said it shipped 1955.

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Tops, my Oct. 1941 Pre-victory S/N is 83335X. So I would think yours was easily an earlier 1941 gun at the rate they were being mfg. for the Brit's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

just curious I have sn 9402XX It is a .38 special m & P, where would you guys date it? I was thinking very late 41 or early 42. the gun is .38 special from the factory.

Thanks and I am already enjoying the forum.

Tom

tops

Based on the database maintained by my friend and partner, Charlie (ordnanceguy), and me, serial number 763xxx would have shipped in the approximate time period of March-May, 1941. (If you would care to have your gun entered into our database, I'd appreciate it if you would post the full SN here or e-mail me off-list at [email protected], removing the "NOSOAM," of course.) This would have been a "pre-Lend Lease" example and would probably letter as having shipped to the British Purchasing Commission.

croftonaviation,

SN 9402xx would be from about one year later: March-April, 1942. (We'd love to have your gun in the database, too. Please advise full SN and all markings.)

willydd,

For a 1941-shipped example, I'd look for a pre-Victory Model in either .38 S&W or .38 Special caliber within the serial number range of 725000 to 870000. Good hunting!

Steve

LWcmdr45 No problem I will write it all down this weekend and post it up on monday for your data base. Thanks for the help.

Tom

I sent you an email last night with the full ser.#. If you didn't rec. it let me know and I will try again. Larry

Details of my M & P.

Full s/n s 940267
on crane 11747 (appears to have "wt" above the 11747
l/h side of barrel Smith & Wesson
r/h side of barrel S & W 38 special CTG
top of barrel patents feb 6 08,sept 14 09, dec 29 14.

Hope this helps your data base.

Tom

Tom,

Thanks for contributing your full serial number.

Larry,

Your e-mail did not go through. Please try again: [email protected] (and remove the "NOSPAM").

Steve

I tried again. If you don't get it let me know. Larry

Larry,

I don't know what the problem might be, but I have still not received your e-mail. You might try again ([email protected]) or you may try sending the info via a PM on this board.

Thanks!

Steve

I have What I am told is a 1941 38 special. serial number610xxx
pretty tight piece. You can email me @ [email protected]

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