In my mailbox this AM was was a paltry 1948 vintage M&P with a 5" bbl. One line address, and all numbers match. Came in its original 5" marked box.
Nope, I cannot compete with some folks on this Forum, as I am a retired Teamster truck driver living on a fixed income.
FWIW, I have some nice Smiths as I can afford lower grade guns.
Not lower in condition, as some are really nice, but common.
This will make an even 50 S&Ws in my meager collection, but they are all nice, and many have their original boxes. Big Larry

I went through a couple of very nice 5" M&P examples just a few short years ago. I bought the first thinking it might be a birthyear for my father but it missed the mark just slightly.

I sold it after I did find an actual birthyear M&P for my father, which was also a 5". (The first example turned out to be a 1948, and I needed a 1949!)

I wish I had kept it now but I typically collect the 4" Victory .38spl examples.

Just a few short years ago it was not too uncommon to find the (long action) post-war M&P examples in VG-excellent all matching condition for less than $300.

Not so nowadays it seems.

Now let's see pics of your 5" M&P!

I don’t have near the number you do but they are nice quality common smiths. A couple were given to me by a friend an aging uncle. Those two are priceless to me. a k22 masterpiece and a k22 combat masterpiece. Both 5 screw four liners.

Admire your collection as if it were priceless. You worked hard to achieve it as I did mine. Be proud of your accomplishment!!!

Larry, I wouldnt call 50 SWs a meager collection. For me I would much rather look at a collection of older S/W ,Colts etc the plain models in nice condition. Something that took years to accumulate because your picky about what you buy, money wise and condition wise, than a pile of 70s and 80s guns in new condition, that are actually plentiful ( if your willing to pay for them). I have an old Colt O.P with a checkered trigger,given to me by a friend, Im always messing with it, thinking REALLY a checkered trigger. I do enjoy looking at some rare ones , to me that means they made definitely less than 500 or so. I laugh, about every gun at auction is RARE, they only made 5000-10,000.
I have a bunch of guns, I call it an accumulation, not a collection, because almost all of the newer guns, PC models and such, were bought to shoot, or the older guns because I knew I could sell it at a later date for more money. Which I have done so lately. I have a few guns from my work that have sentimental value to be but really never HAD to have any specific gun.
Im not knocking anyone who collects, however they do it, just expressing my thoughts. Enjoy your new gun Big Larry hope you find many more. Bob

I am right there with you brother!

While I have (tried somewhat) to focus my handgun collection to Colt and S&W M1917, Commando, and Victory .45acp and .38spl variants occasionally something slips through the cracks such as a 25-2, a couple 28-2 examples, a rather nice factory nickel 10-5 with box, and a 1919'ish .32S&W Long. Usually only if they are in very nice condition and priced too good to pass up.

It happens.

Now my military rifle accumulation runs the gamut from 1888 GEW models all the way up to the Cold War era stuff. My only stipulation with it is I have tried to keep it to smokeless powder examples! (No black powder anything in my stable.......as of yet at least!)

I don't have pics of most of them, but here are a few:

Shipped March, 1946.



Shipped February, 1926.


Shipped April, 1948 (a .32 M&P).

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Its not a competition, its just a bunch of guys and gals sharing their love of Smith & Wesson!

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Chief

Those are beauties.

Of course you know that I also let a nice 4" S-prefixed example go a little while back that I also feel a little pain of regret over every now and then. In all fairness I should have kept it too but at the time I was really trying to hunker down on keeping my collection somewhat specific.

That being said I still need a post-WWII SV-prefix M&P built on a leftover Victory frame with a lanyard loop or at least still showing evidence of where the lanyard loop hole was filled in at the factory.

I am really holding out for a 4" SV-prefixed example that would display nicely with my 4" Victory examples. I should really get serious about locating one soon.

The biggest holes in my M1917 and Victory collection now are the commercial variants built on the leftover wartime era frames.

Maybe 2021 will be the year I get that done as we are rapidly running out of time and money this year!

Thanks!

I could tantalize you by showing a picture of SV776161, a five inch with the plugged swivel hole that shipped in March, 1946. But I can't, since I've never had it out for a photoshoot.

Keep looking. They are out there.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Oh, you tease! (I do see a plugged lanyard swivel hole in your first pic of the M&P resting on the S&W book.)

Lemme know if you get a line on a nice condition decently priced SV-prefixed 4" example.

I also need to add a DSC non-topstrap marked 38spl Victory example but we are now sliding off on a tangent...........

Did you also notice that one wears the prewar style Magna stocks? I own a few postwar M&Ps with those, and all of them shipped in March and April, 1946.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

One of the things that I love about this forum is the variety, from the common, but still beautiful and wonderful M&Ps to the over the top engraved and inlaid guns. ALL of them are wonderful to me and I enjoy the threads and posts on each and every one. I also like any color the posters are willing to share about the history or the why the gun is interesting to the poster.

The last SWCA Symposium, I spent hours and hours learning about guns (many of which were relatively common and plain) that are not directly in my collecting interests. BUT I found the time spent to be engaging and very interesting as I learned new things and was given some insight into the guns, the history and the beauty.

Larry - I always love it when you share photos of your collection - so post away.

Thanks,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

5" M&Ps? I have an August 1917 one lying around.

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Psalm 27:2

Yes it is a gorgeous example. Funny how a very slight change in the appearance of the magna stocks makes all the difference in the world as to looks.

If it were a 4-incher I'd be up there breaking your furnace every day until you sold it to me.

Me, too, amigos. And my S&W "collection", such as it was, got a little devastated by water after my 2018 fire so I sold almost all of the "ugly" shooters.

That's for true - at best, I had a couple of dozen S&W pistols and revolvers. My accumulation just happens to include a number of other "brands" of firearms that strike my fancy for fun or home defense or carry. And it's definitely fun to discuss these items on the "other brands" forum!

No competition, just a bunch of happy-go-lucky gun people!



And for those of you showing certain symbols near your names, many thanks for your service to America!

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Come and take it!!

Sorry, but that is one I will never sell. Of all the approximately two dozen postwar M&Ps in my safe, that one is my absolute favorite. It was also, coincidentally, the first one I bought and it has an interesting story to tell. I posted about it here on the Forum shortly after I bought it.

On the other hand, I do have a few 4" examples I might be willing to part with. Go to my profile and send me an email. Maybe we can work something out.

One hardship is that the FFL I've used for the past couple decades for sending/receiving firearms, just went out of business. There are not that many gun shops around here who will perform that service and one of them I know of charges an arm, a leg and your firstborn child to do it. Won't go there.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I want that 4" SV Jack........and if yer furnace breaks down in the dead of winter I had absolutely nothin' to do with it doing so.

Just ye know ye be cursed with the 'ole dead-of-winter broken furnace from this point on. You might want to dig out all of your old granny quilts just to be on the safe side.

(I thought you had a 4" SV lying around though...........)

I see you have one too.....................even if it be the 'ole squidly-dee badge!

I'll go back to eating my box of crayons now. I'll trade my blue ones for some green ones if anyone has a few they'd like to trade.

I have three of the 5” M&P revolvers, two chambered for the 38 S&W Special and one cut for the 32 WCF. One of the 38s has a bent grip frame, possibly from being dropped?!?

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I have several M&P's dating from 1934 to 1949 and with barrel lengths from 2" to 6".
When I begin to scale down the collection, the one that I will keep will be the 1946 5" M&P. I like that barrel length the best. And like larryofcc, mine also has the original gold box, one line address and the ever popular LERK. It's not the most rare S&W or the most desirable compared to some models but there is just something about a fixed sight, long action K frame with a 5" barrel that is just 'right".

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I agree, the 5” K frame is just right. Same for the 3””, I or J frame and the 4”, N frame.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I generally agree, Kevin. But to be clear, I've never owned a 3" I or J frame, so I can't really speak to those.

On the N frame, I do like the 4" HP, for example. But, if you have never shot a 5" N frame, you owe it to yourself to do so. I find those even better balanced than the 4".

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Rats. Mine does not have the LERK, but my 1947 K22 does. Got to have at least one LERK.
BTW, anyone with a 6" M&P from 1946 that wants to sell or trade? Thanks all. Big Larry

Jack,

I have a 5” Heavy Duty short action, built in 1950 With proper 38/44 loads it is fun to shoot but a bit much for EDC. And, being a 36 caliber N frame, heavier than I care for. I much prefer the 4”, N frame in 45 ACP, with the tapered barrel.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

And, for the record, I spent some time in Army green, too. Shhhhh....no big deal! Nobody ever shot at me......

Hooah!
Hooyah!
Oorah!

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Come and take it!!

OP (Big Larry), You ONLY have 50 S&Ws??!! I've got a total of, lemme think, THREE! One was my dad's. Of course I have other brands, too. I don't even want to know about the REAL collections out there!!! I've seen some nice pictures here, though!

No worries, as I've known more than one confused soul in my day.

I once served with an enlisted Marine while aboard the USS Wasp who was also a Harrier tech. (Not in my department but you seem to get to know all the electrical/avionics techs while deployed aboard ship.)

He eventually became a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army and flew CH47/MH47 helos. I'm sure he caught a lot of flak from his Marine Corps buds, and sadly he lost his life while performing duty in Afghanistan.

Good guy, and a smart guy. Just picture a tall lanky redheaded Marine who could quote entire Seinfeld episodes from memory. Definitely cracked me up to hear and see him do so. While he was only a year older than I he seemed to have it all together at a very early age.

Semper Fi CW3 John Quinlan.

Chief Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan - NJ RUN FOR THE FALLEN 2021

John A. Quinlan, Chief Warrant Officer, United States Army

Generally, I buy what I like. I have a Winchester collection, a few Colts, some Rugers, and a couple Remingtons. 185 in all. I mostly like my 22 rifle collection. It's an ongoing thing. I am 78 now, and this collecting will soon slow down. I just bought a 5" 1948 vintage M&P. Did I need it? No. Nice gun and the price was right. Thanks, Big Larry