What is the finish on this 1905 Military & Police?

[ConfidentRoad4]

This gun has been in the family since the 1940's. My father-in-law first saw the gun in 1968 and it had this finish at that time. The serial number dates it to 1905. It was used as an "under the bar" gun for the family's drinking establishment in St. Louis, MO. The hammer was filed off for making it easier to draw.

Also, there is some copper finish visible under the current finish -- but there isn't any nickel on the gun. The serial number puts it in the 1904 year, but the grip is consistent with a 1905.


What type of finish is this? Thanks!

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello and welcome to the Forum. Looks like a target model.
Well worn grips and finish. Can you post some more pics, especially the butt with Sn.? Mike

 

[P.W.Herman]

Looks like a home made brown job. Nice gun actually.

 

[ConfidentRoad4]

Here are some more pictures. I don't have the serial; will have to post that later. Thanks!

 

[opoefc]

I recall reading years ago in the S&W archives about some guns being copper plated . Probably for expiremental or trial purposes. I don't recall which models, but since the M&Ps were their staple, I would assume those were the guns. Ed

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

Look at the underside of the barrel. The serial number stamped there should match the SN stamped on the butt. If there is a "B" in front of the barrel number, it would have been shipped from the factory with a blued finish. The lack of the "B" usually indicates it shipped with a nickel finish.

 

[Waveski]

Very distinctive and attractive.

 

[Mbrgr1]

I think it is just brown patina typical of worn finishes.



Must have been a very long bar to need a target gun!

 

[Walter Rego]

Looks like brown patina with some verdigris highlights from being stored in a holster.

 

[handejector]

I recall reading years ago in the S&W archives about some guns being copper plated . Probably for expiremental or trial purposes. I don't recall which models, but since the M&Ps were their staple, I would assume those were the guns. Ed

Do you remember when?
This gun was almost certainly made in 1905. Note that it is a square butt, but does not have a trigger guard screw or rebound slide.

 

[ConfidentRoad4]

Serial Number and grips removed

Some of you asked for a picture of the frame without the grip, so here you go!

The serial number is 62252. My FIL will be requesting a history report from S&W, but apparently they halted that service until the 24th of this month. It will be interesting to see the condition from the factory.

As other posters have mentioned, there is no "B" in front of the serial number, so one could assume this was originally nickel -- or was there some other finish that they were experimenting with?

Is this a "browning" finish?

 

[Truckman]

The S/N puts the production date in late 1904......Ben

 

[handejector]

As other posters have mentioned, there is no "B" in front of the serial number,

That B would be on the bottom of the barrel. Can you show a pic of it, please?


I keep looking at those pics, and that finish does look like something applied to the gun, and it does have a color similar to patina on copper.
Very interesting.

 

[Truckman]

I keep looking at those pics, and that finish does look like something applied to the gun, and it does have a color similar to patina on copper.
Very interesting.

I wonder what effect a cotton ball and Brasso would have on an area such as the flats of the grip frame which are not seen with the grips on......Ben

 

[ConfidentRoad4]

Bottom of Barrel Pics

Here are pictures of the bottom of the barrel... no numbers. Is that unusual?

 

[wheelgun610]

The numbers on the bottom of the barrel are only visible with the cylinder opened. That number, as well as the number on the rear face of the cylinder should be the same as the number on the butt of the grip.

Mark

 

[raljr1]

You guys dont think that maybe living under the bar for decades turned the blue to brown. Think cleaning chemicals and moisture And maybe smoke? I guess the grip frame mightn't be affected by that....unusual for sure.

Robert

 

[ConfidentRoad4]

Barrel Serial Number

So I talked to my FIL and he just checked it with the cylinder open and in fact it does have a B in front of the same serial number (B62252), and these match the cylinder and grip.

So it was originally blued from factory, but it looks like there is copper verdigris (learned that word from Walter Rego- thanks).

???

 

[Absalom]

Standard blue does turn to brown patina, but this brown is indeed much too uniform in appearance to just be natural discoloration. Just look at the stark contrast to the ejector knob and the front face of the cylinder in this picture:

 

[wheelgun610]

What I'm seeing finish-wise appears to be just the patina from all the years it was stowed away under the bar and not meticulously cleaned and maintained. I've got an old Winchester Model 74 that looked about like that when I got it about 35 years ago, and I've seen many other guns with that same appearance over the years. I wouldn't even worry about it. It (presumably) got that way from all the years of doing honest work.

Mark