Hi from MD. Got this 38spl snub. Any help

jackguns · #1 10-08-2011, 07:39 PM

Hi ladies and gent. I picked up this snubnose today but alas, I am not as knowledgeable in these as my colts. Can somebody help me out as to date etc. I think it is a pre war gun but I will leave it at that cause I am probably wrong on it too. I have a few more pics here but that;s all i know.

Smith and Wesson thirty eight special snubnose pictures by jackgunspics - Photobucket

Thanks alot!!

Jack

Malysh · #2 10-08-2011, 08:16 PM

Looks like an early post WWII Military and Police 2 inch snubby with a C prefix and a 5 digit serial number. It also looks to be in pretty good condition.
If it was a pre war gun the stamped info on the right front of the frame would be one line and it would say Made in the USA. Yours has the 4 line post war info stamped in that area. The pre war hammers had a different shape as well, but some of the very earliest post war M&Ps used pre war hammers. The action changed from the long action to the short action after the war as well.

Nice gun.

DCWilson · #3 10-08-2011, 08:46 PM

Very nice little M&P snub. Malysh is correct on the era. I'm not sure I'm reading the five-digit serial correctly from your photo, but in any event the gun would probably have been shipped in late 1948 or 1949.

There were very few M&P K-frame snubs produced before WWII. During and immediately after the war they were produced in greater numbers. About April of 1948 the factory changed from the long-action lockwork design used for decades to the short-throw action. This was noted on the gold boxes of the era with the phrase "high-speed hammer." The hammer profiles on the first short action guns are like yours -- they have a kind of scallop on top allowing the thumb to rest deep in the hammer body. This is different from the prewar, wartime and immediate postwar hammers, which have a much shallower dish to the upper surface of the hammer.

jackguns · #4 10-09-2011, 07:53 AM

The serial # is C28135. Is there any value to this gun? It is a very nice piece as far as condition. I took off the grips and they have matching serial #'s. It was a one owner gun and the lady said her husband did not hardly ever fire it. He passed away and she did not want it in the house. I was also trying to date the holster as a way to date the gun.

I have yet to figure out S & W date codes. I watched a guy explain it but I can't figure out where he comes up with year of manufacture.

Again, thanks for both of you guys help. It is nice of you to take the time to help out the less learn-ed

Jack

murphydog · #5 10-09-2011, 08:09 AM

Every S & W model will have its own number/letter system for the SN. The .38 Military & Police series went from 1899 to 1941 numbered 1-1000000, then during WW II V1-V817000 (approximately). From 1945-'48 they were S817000-S999999; after this, the C prefix went to about 1967. This is all explained here:

Amazon.com: Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (9780896892934): Jim Supica, Richard Nahas: Books

I would call this one about a $450-500 gun, very nice. Hope this is helpful.