I have a pre model 10 M&P, blued, 4" barrel, square butt, and serial #553776 (no letter prefix).

Picked up a few model 10's recently and of the lot I picked from, this one caught my eye with the 5 screws and serial number stamped barrel, cylinder, etc.

Any help with a date is appreciated.

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Well, you are correct that the .38 M&P you have is an ancestor of the Model 10, but the S&W Collector Lexicologists reserve the "Pre-model 10" term for the C prefix M&P. We need a picture of the gun. Can you post one? My guess is it was shipped in the late 1920's. A look at the grips and the extractor rod knob will give us more information. Alternately, someone who tracks these guns can likely bracket your gun with other guns whose serial numbers have been dated with an historian's letter.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

As above, the normally-applied definition of "pre-Model 10" includes those M&Ps made with the new-short action mechanism, starting at about SN S990xxx and ending around SN C43xxxx (1948-58). But chronologically, it was certainly manufactured before the Model 10 nomenclature was adopted by S&W. SN serial #553776 was probably shipped sometime in the 1927-28 period.

Can you post directly or need a 3rd party host? Im pretty sure the grjps are not original. She was a working gun with, I'd wager, an interesting history so were likely replaced more than once.

Any help on correct grips for this year would be appreciated. I'll likely not ever fire this one (well, maybe a cylinders worth) but she deserves to retire with her issued grips. Were they marked at the factory or installed without serials?
I'll can send you a couple pics to post.

You can post pictures to the site as attachments to the post. Click on the Go Advanced button, and scroll down to Manage Attachments. Click that and follow the prompts to select and upload your pictures one at a time. You can upload up to 5 per post. If you have problems, it's likely the pictures are too large. Resize them in Paint to no larger than 1920 x 1080 pixels and try again.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

You might want to send for a letter.

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Don Mundell

made about 1926 - 1927 if the extractor rod knob is like picture #1...prior to 1927..if it is more like picture #2...after 1927

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	1926.jpg (26.9 KB, 41 views)
	1927.jpg (27.7 KB, 37 views)

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There's nowt so queer as folk

I don't have a picture handy but the correct grips for the 1920s will be checkered wood. The uncheckered round top will be convex in shape, and there are no S&W medallions. Someone else will probably post a picture.

There may be a serial number penciled on the back side of the right panel, but it is often very difficult if not impossible to see.

I have a 5" barrel that shipped in 4/26 (s/n 535896)


The grips are not original.

s/n 571565 shipped in 4/27. It is a 4" barrel.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Look here. The first posting shows the correct grips for your M&P: S&W 38 special CTG

Thank you for the reference photo. The ejector is identical the first pic. This is the most worn of the M10's I pulled but it has had the longest life by far

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With the prison marking and the non-standard lanyard loop, this is a pretty interesting gun ! Any chance you could post a few more detailed pix ?

Larry

Here are more pics. I am curious what some of the other numerics stamped on the frame represent. Also curious about the 5 pointed star next to the serial number.

Regarding the nontraditional lanyard loop, it is just a field expedient method to rig up your dummy cord when the others run out. The square metal versions were on some.

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Any idea what the other numbers represent on the frame under grips represents?


Where can one find a periodical or reference guidee that translates what I assume are factory/repair codes. I see "X"s set in short numbers series and also many cartouches stamped into both sides of grip frames of other models and Id like to translate.

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The star on the butt indicates it went back to the factory for some rework. The diamonds on the left gripframe and the underbarrel flat probably indicate a replacement barrel, and the 456 on the left gripframe indicates it went back in April of 1956.

Larry

That one has led an interesting life! The numbers inside the yoke area are assembly numbers used during manufacturing to keep fitted parts together. They have no meaning outside the factory. Larry has pretty much covered the other markings. I'm curious about the lower right frame. Take a look at Targets Guy's picture (post #9) which shows a one line Made in USA. Is yours like that? The one line was used from 1922 to 1948 when it was replaced with a 4 line address. When a gun was returned for service work after 1948 up until the early 1970's, the service department often overstamped the 4 line on earlier stamped guns.

The grips on your gun are much later. The appropriate grips for that time period should look like this:



The gun pictured is an I frame and your gun is a K frame (larger). However, the grips will look the same. You can often find them for sale on eBay.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Thank you gents for your help on the cartouches. Any ideas on these marks. They are on a Model 10-5.


Wiregrass, in answer to your question, it only has the single line of stamp.

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I can't read the marks on this gun, but you need to loosen the strain screw, and move the mainspring back down into its proper position in the buttstrap relief. If it comes much higher, it could slip out, leading to a potentially dangerous "SNAP", probably breaking the mainspring, and possibly damaging the stocks or your hand. DO THIS NOW !

Larry

Those stamps look like inspector/fitter stamps to this non-expert.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Better pics of stamps.

Note there is a lightly struck letter 6 to left of "3654" onleft side pic.

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63654 is the Model 10-5's assembly number. Frame assembly numbers were moved from where the one on your 1927 M&P's is to the left side of the grip frame to make room for Model numbers. You can verify that it is the assembly number by looking for the same number on the back side of the side plate and on the yoke. Side plates and yokes are fitted to frames before serial numbers are assigned.

It appears that the 1956 rework done on your 1927 M&P included rebluing. I write that only because the blue looks too complete for a revolver that spent decades in service. However, I've been wrong before.