Hi Everyone,

I am new to the forums but have been browsing around for a while trying to find information on my pre model 10 that just got passed down to me. It was my great grandfathers gun from when he was in the police. Its serial is 428XXX (with a star afterwards). It has a 2" barrel, half moon sight, square butt, 5 screw model.

Please see the attached photos for reference or if I missed any other info please ask. Any information at all would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the Forum.

Are there any markings under the grips, like 8.54 or something similar? This revolver has the older, pre WW II long action but also has a post WW II barrel, ejector rod and Magna grips.

A star * after the serial number indicates that it was returned to the factory for some sort of work.

This is a .38 Military & Police. Pre models are considered to b by most collectors, the revolvers with the newer short action.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Welcome to the forum DD. That is a beauty! The star in the serial number represents a trip back to the factory. Usually there will be a code stamped on the frame under the left grip to indicate the month and year of the return. I don't have my reference handy, but someone else will be along to give you a date estimate.

PS:. It makes me feel old because my great grandfather was old enough to fight the Comanches with a black powder gun!

Thanks so much for the help guys! I pulled off the grips and stamped into the metal under the left grip at the top is a 17, on the bottom to the left is a "5 53", and on the bottom in the middle is a "36" i believe (the number before the 6 is hard to read. on the inside of the left grip itself is "203" with "522" right below it. Does this help?

Also, it has a hammerblock in it... Im not sure if that's helpful or not as far as the year goes?

I think the 5 53 is the key here, a trip to the factory in May 1953 which married the new features to an older gun in a nice professional fashion.

The serial should put the gun originally in later 1922 or early 1923, after introduction of the MADE IN USA stamp in mid-1922. I have a 450xxx from May 1923.

Great! Thanks so much for all the help I really appreciate it! One last question... Not that I would ever think of getting rid of it but do you know what something like this would go for? Im not sure how the factory trip and newer (relatively speaking) parts affect the value. Thanks again.

I believe that Muley Gil is mistaken about the barrel and ejector rod being post WWII. All 2" barrel ejector rods and barrels cut outs for them are the same, both pre and post war. It is possible that they were changed when the revolver went back to the factory, but you can't tell visually.

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Tom
1560

Does it matter that the barrel has the same serial on it as the butt? would they have stamped that into the new barrel in 1953?

It looks to be a one liner. Didn't those stop in 1948?

Welcome and what a beauty barely a turn line on it a great family heirloom!

"Does it matter that the barrel has the same serial on it as the butt? would they have stamped that into the new barrel in 1953?"

If the barrel was replaced by S&W, they would have stamped the original frame SN on the new barrel. In fact, that is a certain indicator of a factory barrel replacement. Gunsmith replacement barrels will have either a different SN or no SN on the barrel. S&W likely refinished your revolver as part of the barrel replacement job to ensure the finish of the barrel matched that of the frame. Likely that new grips were also added.

There have been a number of M&Ps submitted to this forum having replacement 2" barrels on much older frames. I remember one from well before WWI. The first factory-manufactured M&P snubbies date from late 1933. As previously noted, SN 4287xx would likely have originally shipped around late 1922, far earlier than the factory would have made M&P snubbies, and it would have had a longer barrel (likely 4" or 5").

Original correct pre-WWII M&P snubbies are quite scarce and desirable, and command high prices. Unfortunately, yours is not one of them.

Yes, the factory would normally have stamped the new barrel with the original serial.

And TargetsGuy, since we've established that the gun is from 1922/23, it does indeed have to be a one-liner.

Nice factory conversion.
What I also find interesting is the stocks. They are typical of the style introduced in late 1952 or early 1953. I would darn near bet money they were put on by the factory at the same time the barrel conversion was done.
That leads me to wonder of they are serialized. Look on the inside of the right panel. Is there a number stamped (impressed into the wood) there?

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Yes the right grip has "203" with "522" right below it stamped on the inside.

That would not be the correct grip number stamping for your gun, my guess would be that they came from another revolver, C203522, dating from about mid 1952.

In the second photo, if you look close you can see a diamond stamped by the serial number under the barrel which would likely indicate a barrel change.

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Get off my lawn!