.38 M&P 2nd model(model of 1902)Pictures(Updated Post)

gjamison · #1 06-20-2011, 09:50 PM

Bought this one sometime ago and have finally
got around to cleaning. This is a 4 screw gun(no
trigger gaurd screw) and a 6 1/2" barrel, nickel
finish. Numbers in all the right places.

Heres the problem, next to the serial number there
is a B and also a B on either side of the grip frame. Does
this mean it was blued at one time? This gun shows
no signs of re-finish work.

Well I received my letter on this. My Model Of 1902 left the factory on May 11th 1903 and was shipped to Peters Arms Co, Cincinnati OH. The letter also states that the left the factory blued. I'm happy to have it anyway, there not that easy to come by. Thanks for looking....

dacoontz · #2 06-20-2011, 09:59 PM

I'd think that it did leave the factory as a blued gun based on the marking on the butt. The "B" on the barrel doesn't look familiar to me but I haven't seen a lot to compare to. Here's a pic of a what is a lettered 38 M&P Nickel not nearly as early as the one you have posted. This one does show signs of refinishing also so I suppose none of this really helps give you a definitive answer. I tried

.

I should add that my 1899 with blue finish has no "B" marked on it anywhere.

DCWilson · #3 06-20-2011, 10:02 PM

I love 1902s. With the straight-line barrel profile, this is an original model and not a first change. There aren't that many of those. Congratulations on having that one in the safe.

I doubt that was blue originally, but the letter should tell. If the factory refinished it, I would have expected a date stamp on the frame.

There is something special about the 6.5 inch barrels on the early K-frame hand ejectors. The extra half inch just adds so much more elegance to the gun's total profile.

mikepriwer · #4 06-21-2011, 01:52 AM

The "B" on the flat under the barrel should mean that it was originally
a blue gun. The underlying idea is that after soft fitting, the parts
were sent to finishing. The finishing was done in batches, by parts,
and not by guns. Barrels from lots of guns were finished as a batch,
the so the "B" was necessary, to make sure that a barrel was blued.

After finishing, the parts were returned to an area for hard/final
fitting. At this point, all the parts with the same serial number are
brought together, to make up a gun.

This is why a "B" under the barrel is important. The letter ought to
clarify just how the gun was originally finished.

Quote:

This gun shows no signs of re-finish work.

I'd like to add a cautionary note, about the above comment. One of
the ultimate truisms about S&W is that the factory could refinish
a gun, and NO ONE could tell. This comes straight from the ultimate
authority. My word of caution is - Don't make assumptions about the
originality of the finish of a gun.

Mike Priwer

gjamison · #5 06-21-2011, 06:12 PM

Thanks guy's

Letter is going out in the morning.........

gjamison · #6 09-11-2013, 03:33 PM

Updating this post with new pictures and information. Enjoy.

Andy Griffith · #7 09-11-2013, 04:29 PM

I would say that it possibly may have gotten some use, perhaps testing their ammunition.

What a find indeed! A possible RP test gun of the day- may also be the reason it may have been refinished.

DWalt · #8 09-11-2013, 06:09 PM

I don't remember the details, but I seem to remember that Peters Arms in Cincinnati was somehow associated with the Peters Cartridge Company, of King's Mills, near Cincinnati. That alone makes it somewhat interesting.
__________________
Here's the story: O. E. Peters, president of the Peters Cartridge Co. founded the Peters Arms and Sporting Goods Co, in 1899 or 1900 (uncertain which). It remained in business until 1908, possibly a little later. It was located at 119 East 5th St. in Cincinnati, "at the Sign of the Big Gold Gun," in Government Square, close to the general offices of Peters Cartridge Co. Apparently they did a big trade in Schuetzen rifles. Not surprising, as in those days, Cincinnati's population was predominately German, so Schuetzen clubs in the Cincinnati area would have been numerous. Pictures of PA&SG Co. show a six-story building.

gjamison · #9 09-11-2013, 06:24 PM

I really like the profile of the barrel and frame also the 4 screw side plate. The fact that there is no trigger guard screw is cool, this was a 4 screw before there where 4 screw gun's. I wonder why they did stay with this design?

All in all a very old and neat gun!!

gjamison · #10 09-11-2013, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWalt

I don't remember the details, but I seem to remember that Peters Arms in Cincinnati was somehow associated with the Peters Cartridge Company, of King's Mills, near Cincinnati. That alone makes it somewhat interesting.
__________________
Here's the story: O. E. Peters, president of the Peters Cartridge Co. founded the Peters Arms and Sporting Goods Co, in 1899 or 1900 (uncertain which). It remained in business until 1908, possibly a little later. It was located at 119 East 5th St. in Cincinnati, "at the Sign of the Big Gold Gun," in Government Square, close to the general offices of Peters Cartridge Co. Apparently they did a big trade in Schuetzen rifles. Not surprising, as in those days, Cincinnati's population was predominately German. Pictures of PA&SG Co. show a six-story building.

Thanks DWalt that's great information...

Jebus35745 · #11 09-11-2013, 08:42 PM

Thats a nice gun George, it's amazing how different the M&P's look with the 6 1/2" bbl. Hope the letter turns up something neat. Larry