S&W M&P....How Late?

[1srelluc]

I found this later S&W M&P today in pretty decent shape.

Serial # C155247

The diamond magna stocks are numbered to the revolver.

How late is it?

[Absalom]

That looks very nice. Not really “late”. Most likely 1951.

[JP@AK]

Very likely during the first half of 1951.

I show two in the C150xxx to C152xxx range that shipped in February, 1951 (one of them belongs to my wife).

Of course, no one can say for sure without getting a letter on it. But I'd be very surprised if it shipped later than 1951.

[JP@AK]

1srelluc

Note that your Magna stocks still have the sharp shoulder. That went away in about early 1953.

Good looking M&P.

[1srelluc]

Originally Posted by JP@AK

1srelluc

Note that your Magna stocks still have the sharp shoulder. That went away in about early 1953.

Good looking M&P.

Thanks guys, I guess I should have used "post-war" instead of later.

That's interesting about the stock shoulder. I never heard of that before. I just thought all diamond magnas were the same other than the frame size.

[DWalt]

C155247 likely shipped in the early part of 1951. I have at least a half-dozen nearby SNs listed which shipped in February and March of 1951. The sharp shoulder Magna grips are correct for that period. Note that the finish is sort of a dull matte blue, which is also correct. You have a nice original condition example of a pre-Model 10 there. You should keep it that way. Post-war is not exactly correct terminology for yours. Pre-Model 10 is a better understood description among S&W collectors.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by 1srelluc

...
That's interesting about the stock shoulder. I never heard of that before. I just thought all diamond magnas were the same other than the frame size.

Compare yours to the attached 1959 example. The shoulder became considerably more rounded.

[DWalt]

Also, that pair has the rounded-over area at the butt. Often called the "PC" (plain clothes) type. I think S&W called them something like modified Magnas. Idea was to reduce wear on clothing when carried under a jacket, etc., also to reduce print-through visibility when carried concealed. There are many variations of S&W grips.

[Targets Guy]

I have C155209. It shipped 5/50.

Gold box, all s/n's match, not sure about the stocks.

[Targets Guy]

I also have C133082 which shipped in 9/50. Go figure.

[1srelluc]

Originally Posted by DWalt

C155247 likely shipped in the early part of 1951. I have at least a half-dozen nearby SNs listed which shipped in February and March of 1951. The sharp shoulder Magna grips are correct for that period. Note that the finish is sort of a dull matte blue, which is also correct. You have a nice original condition example of a pre-Model 10 there. You should keep it that way. Post-war is not exactly correct terminology for yours. Pre-Model 10 is a better understood description among S&W collectors.

Oh I will. In fact it had a black Tyler T-Grip on it but I removed it. It was odd in that it was for a J-Frame. I put it over on a Model 38 I have.

[JP@AK]

Originally Posted by Targets Guy

I also have C133082 which shipped in 9/50.

Mike

Your C155209 has the jig hole. Does C133082 have it too? I'm curious, since these show up in the late '40s, early 50s, but all the guns from that period don't seem to have them. I have seen them on both fixed and adjustable sight K frames from those years.

[1srelluc]

My example has the hole.

[Targets Guy]

Originally Posted by JP@AK

Mike

Your C155209 has the jig hole. Does C133082 have it too? I'm curious, since these show up in the late '40s, early 50s, but all the guns from that period don't seem to have them. I have seen them on both fixed and adjustable sight K frames from those years.

Yes it does.



I also have a K-38 that shipped in 1951 with the jig hole.

[JP@AK]

Thanks Mike!

I have an M&P from 1951 with the jig hole and a .38 Combat Masterpiece from 1952 with the hole. I have found very few S prefix M&Ps with the jig hole, and those all have high S prefix numbers. On the C prefix guns they seem to be more common, but not all of them have it. Of course, early K target guns have it also, but again not all of them in the early 1950s.

I'd have to check some guns in the safe to be sure, but if I recall correctly, the latest one in my collection comes from about 1956. Next time I'm in there digging around, I will try to remember to look at a few to see what I can find.

[JP@AK]

Originally Posted by 1srelluc

My example has the hole.

Thanks. What is the serial number on this one?

Or is that C155247? (Didn't think of that at first.)