Will S&W do a letter for those? Would that be a 5 screw? What grips do I need to look for? Thanks in advance.

Also what holster did military use?

Ask these questions again when you have pictures. Congratulations

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Bob P.

Yes, the S&W Historical Foundation will do a letter for $75.

That’s too early for a Pre-Model 10, by the way. The absence of the MADE IN USA stamp on the frame puts it before 1922, and if it hasn’t been buffed off during a refinish, the absence of the S&W logo on either side puts it between mid-1917 and mid-1920.

Now we need the serial to see if I guessed right

Then we can tell you which style of grips was original.

Much older than a "pre model 10" - this revolver was made before 1922. How much before, we would need the serial number to tell us.

Yes, it has 5 frame screws - four in the sideplate and one in the front of the trigger guard.

Your question about a military holster doesn't fit the gun, since it wasn't until the 1940s that K frame .38 Special revolvers were officially used by the U.S. military forces.

As for the correct stocks, that will again depend on the serial number. My guess would be checkered walnut with the recessed gold medallion in the stock circle. Those were issued from c. 1911 until early 1920.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

So, Absalom and JP are on the same page at virtually the same time. Two witnesses offering the same thoughts . . .

Yea for us!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

When I was in the military the .38 revolver holster was a black flap holster

I'll get serial number ASAP. What would you guess fair value is? No +P ammo correct?

The serial number will be located on the butt; the grips will have to be removed to read it. It looks like a round butt revolver (my favorite style).

"What would you guess fair value is?"

Hopefully, what you paid for it.

"No +P ammo correct?"

It was designed for 158 grain lead bullets. Steels back then were softer, so I would stick with standard velocity lead.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I have always wondered,
How is it "winning" something when you had to buy it?

NO, Plus P ammo is NOT correct! You're right about that. Let alone the hotter versions by Buffalo Bore, Underwood, etc.

Your cylinder may not be heat treated for greater safety with even the smokeless powder loads of that day. Heat treating for this model began in late 1919, if memory serves. Someone will tell you soon the exact serial number when this began.

Post the full serial number ON THE BUTT, not from the other areas that show just assembly numbers, unless you know where to look, like under the barrel, with the cylinder swung out. (assuming the original barrel.)

You'll need to remove the Pachmayr grips to see the butt number, but I bet they make that round butt gun handle really well. Periodically, remove the grips and oil under them, to avoid rust.

If your gun didn't originally have checkered walnut grips with gold medallions, they had hard rubber or gutta percha molded grips with a S&W logo at top. I think modern repros are available. Maybe someone will post a photo? They often appear here, especially on prewar M&P snubs.

If your particular gun shipped with ivory or pearl grips, the factory letter should show that.

For shooting, I'd use those Pachmayrs, which probably fit your hand well and absorb some recoil effects.

As for defense, std. speed lead loads are safe, and the flat wadcutter bullets kill better. I'd ask Buffalo Bore if their full speed wadcutter loads are okay in a gun that old. Should be a top defense and small game load, if okay.But even the normal mid-range wadcutters kill well on small game and snakes.

If you learn to use a DA revolver well, you'll find that one an effective defender and sport gun even today.

Several holsters, inc. shoulder models, were used during and after WWII. USAF examples were open-topped, usually with a swivel feature. Female MP's sometimes had a rig that looked a lot like Civil War holsters, worn butt front.

316648, in September, 1919.

I missed the round butt. Sorry. It most likely shipped with black hard rubber stocks (Gutta Percha). Round butt Circassian walnut stocks with the recessed gold medallions are possible. A letter would identify this, if it did ship with them.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Yes, but as noted above, this gun was made at least two decades before WWII, so it is extremely unlikely it was carried during that conflict.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

when you bid against other people, your bid wins, you won

Well, I understand that. I was just replying to the post in which Jimmy said he saw black flap holsters for .38's during his service.

Sure, those were for Victory Models and later guns.

Serial number is 316145

1918-1919 would be my best guess for a shipping date.

Go to this thread & look at post # 84 to see a picture of round butt hard rubber grips: Let's See Some Pre-War Smiths

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Yeah^^^
So who makes reproductions?

Midway USA sell them. Put a set on a model 1902 and they look good to me.

Attached Images

IMG_1581[1].jpg (123.7 KB, 57 views)

That's a nice one!

I have a gorgeous set of RB walnut grips with the correct medallion (and no gun to put them on). PM me if interested.

Link? I see square butt and top break but are they the same as RB?

Not trying to be critical, but a few words of advice because you seem to be new at this.

You have to perform your own due diligence when buying on GB. Some sellers don't know what they selling or by errors of omission, you don't get the real dope. I don't know if you're calling the revolver a pre-model 10 or buying what the seller said.

The gun is probably ok, but the plum colored cylinder is a red flag for me. Check to see if the numbers on the cylinder, frame, barrel flat and yoke match.

I hope you didn't pay too much, but I'd venture that it's not worthy of the price of a letter. It's a pretty common model.

I know you're "pumped", and I hope my thoughts don't deflate you. Hope it's a great shooter and you enjoy it. The 148 gr. std. velocity lead wadcutter is the only thing I shoot in those old ones.

Paid $186. It is C&R so it's coming straight to me.

You did just fine, even if it was re-blued.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It was, seller stated that

Now that you know what you are looking for, check ebay for originals.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Dang. If that's mechanically good. You got a good deal.

Detailed pics today after it gets delivered

Can't go wrong at that price if it function checks a-ok. Good gun, enjoy it.

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Ash

Picked it up from FedEx this AM. Looks stellar. Saw a letter from S&W that this vintage of 1905 revolver had no S&W stamping on side plate due to WWI efforts so I don't believe it was polished away. When I get home, I'll pull the Pach grips and take detailed pics & make a video.

Here you go. It was slathered with some kind of oil. I have done nothing but wipe it with a rag and remove the Pachmayr's. I have some Magna's arriving tomorrow for it. I will NEED a screw for the stock grips though.

and the holster I need to break in...





The muzzle has a bit of a ding but didn't affect barrel crown at all. Otherwise it is a smooth operator and the trigger is NICE!

Nice gun at a great price!! Your pictures are really good. I wish sellers on the internet would take as many and as detailed photographs of guns that are for sale. That is going to be an incredible shooter for you. I am able to shoot much better at twice the distance of the shooters usually at the range but I do not take the credit for me shooting so well, I give that credit to the revolvers that were made so well in the past compared to the semi auto guns everybody else is usually using at the range Enjoy

That's a nice looking M&P. You need to stone the burr off of the firing pin bushing.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

My 5th change is a little newer than yours and is a great shooter. It left the factory 6/2/25. I have shot standard 38 specials in it but prefer wad cutters as they are lower powered and easier on old guns. Just ordered some from Precision Delta Corp at 23 cents a round delivered. I have shot them before but can't find them locally. Love the perfect circle they cut into paper targets!

This?

OP don't think for one second this is some kind of obsolete gun. Many people still use revolvers for defense and a fix sight K frame .38 is about tops for the job in my.book.

Right, I don't. I am hardly a gun noob. I just have limited knowledge on revolvers. I could probably school most on semiautomatic guns though. But on wheelies, I'll shut up and listen

"This?"

Yup. Looks like it was dry fired A LOT! If you decide to do any dry firing, get some snap caps or at least use fired cartridges. You can make your own snap caps by de-priming some .38 special cases and either put pencil erasers in the primer pockets or fill with silicon sealer.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

You cannot go wrong for under $200 since these guns will shoot forever. Your gun has been re-blued and needs some attention with burs and such. The muzzle looks like it could use a re-crowning, since the damage may be enough to cause accuracy problems.

Magna stocks were not available much before WWII, so would not be correct for the age of your revolver. As noted above, that revolver would have never seen a war, so not sure why a reproduction US Army holster came with it?

Shoot it and enjoy.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I bought that holster.

Here it is with some wood. Though maybe not period correct, they were actually affordable.

Far from period correct, but only S&W nerds like us are going to care.

Smooth Victory grips with plenty of character are cheap on eBay. They too are not correct, but are a lot closer.

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Psalm 27:2

got link? for round butt???

How much did you pay for those magnas?

Victory grips are square butt. The OP's revolver is a round butt. Of course, the Victory grips can be modified to round butt.

My choice would be post WW II diamond round butt Magna grips. Still not period correct, but prettied than the post 1968 grips shown and they also feel better in the hand.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

A good old piece, what other new handgun could be purchased at that price would be half as good ?

As to good it have been a War Gun ? Who knows, my dear old Dad a Brown Shoe Army Medic carried a personal Colt police positive with him in Korea. Things were a little "looser" back then.

$20 shipped