Model of 1905 M&P 38 Special

Steven Woods · #1 08-10-2018, 03:29 PM

I brought this home today. It is a 6" barrel. It does not have the S&W logo nor Made in USA. How common is this? Serial # 284137 1917ish?

DWalt · #2 08-10-2018, 03:44 PM

Those with round butts are not nearly as common as those with square butts, and the wood grips are a plus, even though damaged. The closest SN I have listed is 285379 which shipped in 10/17. However, due to production constraints during WWI, it could well have not been shipped until 1919. For example, 291043 did not ship until 6/19. Yours is a Military and Police Model, round butt. S&W dropped the "Model of 1902/1905" nomenclature several years earlier, although some collectors continue to use it for later production. Around WWI, the S&W logo was dropped. The "MADE IN U.S.A." stamp was not used until 1922. If it's worth $75 to you, a historical letter would provide its exact shipping date.

Steven Woods · #3 08-10-2018, 03:57 PM

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Here's a picture of the patent dates on the top of the barrel.

Andy Lowry · #4 08-10-2018, 04:12 PM

I have 288430, also a 6", which shipped October 1917. I'd guess yours to be 1917 also. They're not all that uncommon. Don't shoot +P in it; 1917 is before the cylinders were heat-treated.

Yours appears to have the period-correct grips, which mine doesn't:

Absalom · #5 08-10-2018, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Woods

.... Here's a picture of the patent dates on the top of the barrel.

After the 1914 date was added, that was it. Attached the same stamping on a 1944 barrel; the early dates have been eliminated, but the final one is the same.

The sideplate logo stamping ceased some time in mid-1917, as it still shows up on guns shipped earlier in that year.