Stepfather passed away several years ago and I was given a .38 Military & Police Revolver (in the original box) in good condition and was told by my mother she thought he bought it new in the 90's. I know it's a very old design, but the box and wear seem older to me. 6" with walnut stocks...looks stock to me.

Serial number matches on the butt, cylinder, and under the barrel with "S 907xxx". I've Googled a bit and unclear whether this is a 1915-1942 with serial numbers 241704-700000 or to 1000000...and not sure if that presumes an S or not.

There's also a "75xxx" stamped under the cylinder front strap and bit that holds the cylinder.

Thoughts on approximate age or year range?

Thanks.

Nice one! Probably mid 1940's. Someone more knowledgeable will answer you soon.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

The SWCA database shows three M&P's that start with S907, and all shipped in 1947. I'll take a wild-guess stab in the dark and say 1947.

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! I agree with Andy on the date. That's a nice looking military and police revolver and the icing on the cake is the box and tools. Makes for a nice inheritance!

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Welcome in ,wow what a way to enter this forum you will get a lot of compliments on the .

"S 907xxx"

S9055xx shipped in 5/47; S9091xx shipped in 7/47. Yours is likely to be in that range, mid-1947.

"There's also a "75xxx" stamped under the cylinder front strap and bit that holds the cylinder."

No significance to that. It's just an assembly number used to keep fitted parts together.

Tip: S&W used the S serial prefix on K frame revolvers 1946-48. Made after WW II but use design and parts from before WW II. Sometimes called "Transitional Models." They went up to S999999 and then went to C1. C prefix went to C999999 in 1967.

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No life story has happy end.

Welcome to the forum and quite a way to make an entrance.

FWIW, I own S 937988 that shipped 9/9/1947 and S 955509 that shipped November 1947. So I would also guestimate that yours is from mid 1947.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Wow! Not only quick, but also much more precise than I would have guessed.

I think it also matches his personal timeline. He was in Burma serving with the Brits 43-45, was in Vietnam when the war ended, and in Asia until the end of 46. Then law school in Arizona in 47.

I know my mother will be tickled!

Thanks.

I'd look to my stepfather as being the center of the story of this particular pistol and let me share a little bit more about him and time in his life:

I believe this likely is the only gun he owned until the 1990s (he got a second pistol when he got a second winter house).

He served in the China Burma Theater in '43 to '44 with the British including the Battle of Kohima and as a co-pilot on a C-47 over the hump with the Chinese National Aviation Corp.

He was stationed in China until the end 1946, returned home, and then entered law school in Arizona, started a family, and graduated in 1948. So, pretty good chance he got the pistol in Tucson given your dating.

He ended up being a lawyer for decades in a large law firm in California, growing and leading it the latter years of his career, and then repotted himself in the Pacific Northwest after retirement, married my mother, and where I got to know him until he passed in 2015.

Obviously, I'll be taking good care of it as a custodian and although his surviving child and one grandchild seem allergic to guns....I'll keep hold of it and see if a great-grandchild might be a good recipient later in life.