I was wondering if anyone shoots their 1920’s M&P revolvers. I have a .38 Special M&P revolver with a 6” barrel. The serial number is 5120xx which I guess places it around 1925 or 1926. My particular gun has a pretty hefty double action trigger pull and is definitely not smooth. When you pull the trigger back, after the hammer has moved back about 1/4” it seems to get very heavy and stays heavy throughout the remainder of the trigger pull. It is a completely different feel compared to a post 1960’s k-frame revolver. Is this normal for the early hand ejector revolvers? This is my only older hand ejector revolver so I don’t have anything to compare it to. I use standard pressure .38 Special loads with lead bullets only and it is pretty accurate out to 50 yards. It has a small bit of very light pitting inside the barrel about halfway up but it is light enough that it doesn’t cause leading. Thanks for any help!

I shoot this one (531541, shipped to Los Angeles on February 17, 1926). I've not noticed any issues with double action shooting. The action is smooth like all my other prewar guns.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Okay, thank you for your reply.

I have a prehistoric M&P 32-20 from about 1904. Very nice action. Your experience is, I suspect, not typical.

I shoot my 2 nd mdl .44 spl. made 1920 & my .32 regulation police made 1927/8 frequently with no problems except my eyes & the factory sights .

Long throw action S&W revolvers have a longer trigger pull than the short action guns they introduced in 1940. However when the action is properly fitted and lubricated, the long throw action is delicious to shoot. If your trigger pull is heavy, check to make sure you got it clean internally. Have you ever taken the side plate off of the M&P and cleaned the internals thoroughly? If not the folks here can help you disassemble it and clean it thoroughly.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Some of the smoothest S&Ws I have ever shot have been pre-WWI. Heck, I even shoot my Model 1899s & 1902s all the time,plus shoot my early M&P Target revolvers a ton. I reload and only shoot them at paper, targets, so can keep the loads light and always use lead. Some of my early Targets shoot better than my K-38 Masterpiece guns.

I would have a gunsmith look at the action on your revolver. It might not have the correct spring, or maybe the mainspring screw has been shortened?? Take the stocks off and look for any signs of the mainspring making contact with the frame?? Pull the hammer back and watch for any interference. The early guns do have a heavier pull than short action guns, but by no means should they be hard to cock.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I have a 1927 vintage M&P. When I got it I noticed a few issues. I took it apart and gave it a thorough cleaning and lightly lubricated the internal parts. It now has one of the nicest actions of any of my guns. I suspect yours just needs some TLC.

Unfortunately there are no local gunsmiths that are willing to look at S&W revolvers. The mainspring screw looks original to the gun. I have pulled out that screw and the tip of the screw is a polished convex tip that sticks out past the threaded section about a sixteenth of an inch. Nothing seems to be interfering with the spring when you cock the hammer. I have not tried removing the sideplate as a previous owner did and really destroyed the screws and marred the sideplate. I am afraid of touching them as they are currently working and don’t look like they can stand much more use. So I will leave it alone unless it stops functioning. Is there any way of cleaning out the action without disassembly of the sideplate?
Everything seems to be original, the grips have the same serial number of the gun written on with a pencil that is barely visible under a light.

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Don't be afraid of removing the screws. They look pretty fair to me and you can buy new ones if necessary. Just use a proper hollow ground screwdriver with a blade that fits the slot but is not wider than the slot. A set of gunsmithing screwdrivers is around $30 and is worth buying. You'll need one anyway to remove the cylinder for cleaning and all the screws have the same slot size so you can use it on all of them. If you are afraid of slipping and marring the plate, put some masking tape over the screw and cut out the head with an exacto knife.


If all of this still has you apprehensive, remove the grips and immerse the gun in a 50-50 mixture of auto trans fluid and acetone. The acetone will evaporate so use a sealable container that the acetone won't dissolve. Let it soak for 2-3 days or a week. Then, flush the action with aerosol carb/brake/parts cleaner until the effluent runs clear. Then you can lube it with 5 drops of gun oil through either the trigger or hammer. This is an old recommendation that S&W used to put in its manual and on old box tops. It can be fewer or slightly more but the idea is to keep the lubrication light.


To field strip the gun for cleaning, remove the cylinder by loosening or removing the lower front sideplate screw. Don't lose it or mix it up with other screws because it is fitted to secure the yoke. With it out, you open the cylinder and pull the cylinder and yoke out of the frame. Once you finish cleaning and lightly lubing the center pin and yoke arm, reinsert it close the cylinder and reinstall or tighten the yoke screw until it seats. Don't torque it. Hope that helps!

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

1923 M&P here - good as gold.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Where are you located? There might be a forum member nearby willing to help. If you're anywhere near Albuquerque NM I can do it. Good luck.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will have to try them out.

Always the same advice. 1. Thorough cleaning. 2. Tighten ejector rod.

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No life story has happy end.

And as a reminder, the ejector rod threads on these older revolvers are opposite of modern S&W's. There are right handed threads... righty tighty, lefty loosy.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

Haven't shot my 1921 M&P .38spl since this morning!...like yours mine was gunked up and a bit slow....you can try removing the grips and even the cyl...get some spray gun oil or clp of some nature and spray thru any cavity you can get the nozzle in! bet some old sludge comes out! I'll use some compressed air to help....and/or what the others have said...bet it smooths out after that

The screws aren't identical. They must be in the right holes.

Put 2-3 drops of Break-Free, etc. oil down in front of the cocked hammer and cycle the action and see if any lint flushes out.

Someone tell him the right screw for each hole. Some screw heads are domed. At least one is flat.

I have and enjoy a model of 1905 dating to 1909 --- no trigger issues like the ones you describe. Something is amiss with your revolver.

In post #6 Wiregrass gives you good advice. Start with the Ed's Red soak , give it at least a week. If the problem is internal gunk you may well cure it without removing the side plate. If it does become necessary to disassemble , the Ed's soak will make that easier - screws and all.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I greatly enjoy it when I can use some pre-war K-Frames I have here

1926 more than likely.


Around 1919


1904


1925 give or take


All see some use. The .32-20 see most regular shooting use.

This M&P from 1922 was my father's service revolver. He bought it used in 1950 and carried it until about 1970 when he went to plain clothes and carried a Model 36. My mom sanded the grips smooth so it wouldn't catch on his coat liner. I still shoot this gun regularly. It was reblued in the mid 60's by a local gunsmith.

Jerry

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I hadn't looked at this thread in a couple days, but this:

is hilarious!

My grandfather was two years old in 1904 . . . and, of course, I knew him well. He passed away a couple months before I left for 'Nam.

Thanks for the chuckle, Robert!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

They were not flat that early. See my picture at Post #2.

The flat head screw in the rear sideplate position wasn't used until the late 1940s.

The odd one out goes in the front-most position in the sideplate. It doubles as a yoke retention screw.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

You can try this before disassembly. I have had great success with Choke & Carb Cleaner and before that Brake Cleaner (with the good stuff in it). Take the stocks off and spray up inside the action. Let it set for 5 minutes, spray it again while working the action. You can also soak it in an appropriate solvent, then using compressed air, blow the debris and excess cleaner out and set it aside for the day. Using a good aerosol synthetic oil, soak the insides again and let it drip out. Use the compressed air to blow out excess oil and you should be all set.

If you still have a problem with the hammer pull, chances are it was not dried oil and dirt on the mechanism so other options should be pursued. Interesting about your comment that gunsmiths in your area will not work on S&Ws?? I live in a very low population part of the country and have a few gunsmiths that are happy to work on a S&W revolver.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Paladin,
Can I borrow your time machine so I can go back to '23 and get myself a brand new M&P like yours? Thanks in advance!
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Larry,

The acquisition of that 100% 1923 revolver was the result of a friend walking up to me at a gun show and saying "John, come with me right now. There's a gun you GOTTA see!"

It rang all my chimes, for sure. I'm guessing it was a sock drawer house gun that apparently was never shot, or very sparingly shot.

John

P.S. The clock in that picture was a wedding gift from my dad's brother (my uncle Wally) to my parents when they got married in October of 1936. It still keeps perfect time.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -