I just bought this gun & was hoping that someone on the forum might be able to help me identify what it is & when it was made........
Serial No. 619076 on cylinder, butt & barrel flat, 2" barrel marked "Smith & Wesson 38 S&W Special CTG." on left side, no marking on right side. Frame has only "Made in U.S.A." on the right side. It seems like it should be a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905-4th Change, but from the research that I was able to do, it seems too early for a 2" barrel???
It has a star on the butt next to the serial no. and is stamped "1.45" on the left grip frame. Obviously the wrong grips & obviously back to S&W in 1945.
Any opinions and insight would be appreciated.
Thanks

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619076 likely shipped in 1930-31. If all SNs match, it could well be original. Not sure exactly when the 2" barrel started on the M&Ps. Any star or diamond stamping on the barrel SN?

More pictures are certainly needed, and I also was wondering about the serial numbers, specifically if it has one on the barrel flat that matches the rest of the gun. It also looks like it was reblued, maybe factory.

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Blaine
SWCA 3490 SWHF 586

Will try to post more pictures when I can. Barrel flat definitely matches the rest of the gun...619076. It was reblued. No stamping other than serial no. and what was mentioned above on the barrel. I'm pretty sure barrel hasn't been cut.

If the barrel was replaced at the factory in 1945, S&W would have numbered it with the rest of the gun. If so, refinishing would also have been very likely performed at the same time. There is usually some marking (diamond or star) next to the barrel SN to indicate replacement. Maybe someone knows when S&W started offering 2" barrels on the K-frame. They definitely exist pre-WWII, but I do not know the exact SN or year.

You may need to order a factory letter to see what barrel came with it when first shipped.

30'-31' would be too early for a Factory 2" Gun,I think they came out in either 33' or 35'.

I've been trying to download additional pictures with no luck. Probably my internet service. So I guess that's the question for the experts...is the serial number on this gun too early for a factory 2" barrel?

I didn't comment on your grips, but Magnas without diamonds, from ca. 1970 or later. Originals would have been round tops, diamond checkered, with silver medallions.

I am inclined to believe the 2" barrel was added in 1945. Still a nice snubby shooter, but not worth nearly as much as an original prewar 2" M&P.

The serial number is not too early, there is another with 608xxx that was shipped may 25,1937 on another thread on this forum:

Military Police pre war 2inch barrel letters

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Blaine
SWCA 3490 SWHF 586

Like we always say,A Letter is the only way to be sure.

More photos. Thanks for all the input.

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1935, first yr. S&W M&P advertised with 2" bbl.

S & W produced 1000 2" barrels in the mid-1930s for the .38 M & P; no one knows exactly how many were assembled onto complete guns before the war, or when they were used (this barrel style was used into the late 1950s.) The SN range of known examples range all over the 1930 decade, and some weren't shipped unitl after WW II.

Yours appears to be an original and a factory letter would be interesting to document this.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Yes, but both of those are round but profile, as most 2 inch pre wars were, that and the square but with a star leads me to believe the OP's gun was sent back to the factory and re-barreled, only a letter will tell for sure.

That was my thought - first, the square butt, and second, the 1945 factory return, make rebarreling/refinishing in 1945 a distinct possibility. But no indication of a replacement barrel marking on the barrel is odd. I think a factory letter is going to be necessary to conclusively establish how it originally shipped.

In my opinion, the blue job currently on the gun is non-factory.
The barrel pin is buffed flat.
So, it may or may not have been blued in 1-45. Then, I think it was blued outside the factory after 45.
I do think 1-45 is probably when the barrel was installed. The numbers on barrel and cyl do not appear to be stamped by the same hand, and they always were stamped by one individual at the same time on new guns.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

The order to produce 250 2" barrels was given in July of 1933. the 2" snub nose that I own is ser.# 619025 and it is the earliest known shipped. It went to San Francisco in November of 1933. The serial numbers for the 2" are all over the place. There are earlier numbers than mine that shipped after the war.A factory letter is needed. Most of the pre-war snub noses were round butt with black hard rubber grips, however they did make some square butts with checkered walnut both in blue and nickel.
Bill

I find it interesting that bracebeemer's gun (ser#619025) is so closely numbered to my gun (ser#619076). In any event, I purchased some pre war service grips & think they look nice on the gun.

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My devil-gun (666xxx) is 2" round butt with hard rubber grips. Someone on this board told me it PROBABLY shipped in '35 or 6.

Maybe I need to break out the checkbook and letter it.

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I always take precautions

666xxx

Tough to say when it shipped, as during the Great Depression, SNs and shipping dates did not track very well. Closest SN to yours on my list is 664xxx which shipped in 6/1937. I think if all SNs match, getting a factory letter would be an excellent idea.