I found this poor neglected old girl in the consignment case of the lgs for practically nothing. I know the grips aren't correct, as the serial # puts it at around 1948-50 (C 66158), but is it possible that the finish is original? There are no ordinance or military markings on it whatsoever.

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Shoot it and enjoy!

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

Almost certainly from 1949.

As you point out, the stocks are from a much later gun (post-1967). It seems unlikely the finish is original, but whoever did it was careful not to over-polish the sideplate - the seam is still very tight. A pretty nice example of an M&P from the late 1940s, despite what is probably a non-factory finish.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thanks for narrowing down the DOM, and I agree that the finish was done well. For $250, I can't complain!

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Indeed, there is no chance that this is a factory finish. At the time, the factkry did not apply this kind of finish, and the war-time utility finish did not look like that. It may be the photo’s resolution, but in contrast to Jack’s impression of the sideplate, upon enlargement the logo and four-line patent stamping look very “washed-out” (over-buffed)

But aside from a lack of originality in finish and stocks, if you paid “practically nothing” for it, it should make a solid use gun, just not a collectible.

PS: Yep, this should be worth 250 any day.

Actually, Absalom, my friend, I agree with you - the monogram and the address are dampened by the polishing. What I was noticing was that whoever did this did not over-polish the edges of the sideplate like people usually do. The seam still appears to be fairly tight. But maybe if I enlarged the photo, I'd find out that impression was wrong.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Back in the late 1970s, I worked with a cop who was an amateur gunsmith. He had bought a home Parkerizing set-up and he Parked anything that someone brought him. WWI 1911s, S&W Chief Specials, it didn't matter. So, it is possible to find all sorts of firearms that have a Parkerized finish. I even own a 5" .44 Special TL that was Parkerized in the past.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Parkerizing (phosphating) is a fairly simple procedure. There are DIY kits available, and with a little research, you can even make up your own chemical solutions. I'd agree that C 66158 shipped sometime in 1949.

I like parkerizing.

Reminds me of my Brazilian M1937 I bought from a friend. I'm guessing the previous finish was probably trashed, like so many Brazilian models. It's a woods gun for me, so I like the Parked finish....

Attached Images

M1937Brazilian2.jpg (203.4 KB, 27 views)

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

That's a fine looking old pistola, I would like to find or possibly make a set of grips like that for this one.

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Some more photos, just because.

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Any gunsmith who knows his restoration work well wont polish a S&W sideplate off of the gun. He may do some base polishing with it off on a flat hard surface. But he'll do final polishing with the plate in place and sacrificial screws in the plate.