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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 07-20-2017, 04:02 PM
DaveH911 DaveH911 is offline
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Default .38 Spl 1905? Help ID.

Howdy,

It's been a few months but I've found another little treasure (to me at least). I believe it's a 1905 .38 special, but would like to see if there's more info amongst you great folks. 6-shooter, SN: 405837, 4 side screws, 1 trigger guard screw, and 1 in the front of the butt. I'm also pretty sure the grips aren't original. 5" barrel. Last Patent Dec. 29, 14.

Thanks in advance!

Dave
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:04 PM
DaveH911 DaveH911 is offline
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Last screw photo.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:09 PM
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By the serial number it should be a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905, 4th Change. I am not all that familiar with the serial number ranges between the two wars but I would guess roughly an early 1920's manufacture date. And those grips just may be original. Can you take them off and see if they have the serial number indicated inside.

BTW, nice find.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:14 PM
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Argh! No serial numbers on the grips.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:16 PM
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Hi Dave

This .38 Military & Police revolver was made in the very early 1920s, before Made in U.S.A. was stamped on the right side of the frame (1922). It has the 5" barrel, just as you thought.

The stocks may or may not be original to the gun, but they are period correct. You might be able to see a penciled serial number on the inside of the right hand panel. If it matches the one on the butt, they came with that gun. I have no idea what that white spacer material is, but it was added by someone after the gun was first purchased. Perhaps someone had large hands and just wanted the grip area to be thicker. S&W did not make the larger target stocks for this model at that time.

This gun has a five screw frame. The four in the sideplate and the cylinder stop plunger retaining spring in the front of the trigger guard make up the count. The one in your last photo, in the front of the grip frame, is a mainspring tension screw and is not counted as a frame screw.
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Last edited by JP@AK; 07-20-2017 at 04:18 PM. Reason: fixed a typo
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:18 PM
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405837 would date its likely shipment at about later 1922. The "MADE IN U.S.A." frame stamp started around mid-1922, so yours was made a bit earlier than the use of the stamping. I list SN 4076xx as having the frame stamp. S&W would have called it the Military and Police (M&P) model. The Model of 19xx terminology for K-frame revolvers was dropped by S&W around the early WWI period. But some collectors still use it. Your grips are period correct for that time.

Last edited by DWalt; 07-20-2017 at 04:24 PM.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:18 PM
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They may not have been marked that early. I'm hoping one of our experts (I'm not an expert, just a spurt) will come along shortly and either validate what I have said or correct it.

FWIW the grips seem to show wear which matches the age and condition of the gun.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveH911 View Post
Argh! No serial numbers on the grips.
Two comments:
1. Make sure you are looking at the walnut surface, not those white spacers;
2. Look at an acute angle under very bright light. The numbers were written with a pencil and they can be very difficult to see.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FPrice View Post
They may not have been marked that early.
Oh, they were. In fact, they were numbered from the very beginning. I have two with confirmed ship dates in 1908 and 1916 that have stocks numbered to the gun. My other very early hand ejectors lack their original stocks.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:27 PM
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The 1920s grips were serial numbered on the inside surface of the right panel with pencil. Problem is that the SN is at best difficult to see, if not impossible. If you don't see anything, no big deal. They are very likely original.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:31 PM
DaveH911 DaveH911 is offline
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I see nothing penciled in. Even held an LED mini flashlight at an angle. Oh well. Great info, folks!
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:36 PM
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You are not alone. I have three very nice 1920s M&Ps, and I can see no penciled SNs on any of their grips. And I have no reason to believe those grips are not original as their condition is consistent with the metal finish. i.e., very high.
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