38 hand ejector 6" barrel

BigDaddy76 · #1 03-10-2011, 10:27 PM

hello to all the s&w family. im new here and hope you guys and gals can help me out. i have a 38 revolver 6" barrel that i need some help with.

on the top of the barrel it says
smith&wesson springfield mass .usa
patented feb 6.06 sept 4.09 dec 28.14

left side of revolver ( if pointing down range )
smith & wesson and has the s&w brand just below the cylinder release

right side barrel
38 s&w special 38 ctg

3 sets of numbers on the bottom of grip, inside cylinder where you load bullets in and on the frame ( 479795 )

1 other set of numbers on frame that read ( 35780 )

also on the back of the grip someone has carved the numbers 1866791. may be military number or police number i dont know. it may bring down the value but i dont want to mislead anyone that is willing to help me.

i would like to know the model number if possible and approx. value and any other info you can give on the gun please.

DCWilson · #2 03-10-2011, 10:36 PM

Welcome to the forum. You have a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905, Fourth Change. With that serial number, it was manufactured in the mid-1920s.

It looks to be in excellent condition. Unless it has been refinished, which I can't tell from the photos, it is probably a $400-450 gun. S&W made hundreds of thousands of the M&P in the prewar decades, so it is is not rare. But specimens in good condition, like this one, always bring a premium.

Nice one!

BigDaddy76 · #3 03-11-2011, 01:08 AM

Hey David, thanks for the info. that was very helpful.

mtgldr · #4 03-28-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCWilson

Welcome to the forum. You have a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905, Fourth Change. With that serial number, it was manufactured in the mid-1920s.

It looks to be in excellent condition. Unless it has been refinished, which I can't tell from the photos, it is probably a $400-450 gun. S&W made hundreds of thousands of the M&P in the prewar decades, so it is is not rare. But specimens in good condition, like this one, always bring a premium.

Nice one!

David you are very helpful.

Looking at getting first 1905 M&P 38 tomorrow.

I don't want to hijack the thread but you made a comment and it's right in line with my question. If that beautiful 1905 M&P had been refinished but it was done correctly, would that diminish the value? Also does changing from a 6" to a 5" barrel diminish the value much?

mikepriwer · #5 03-28-2011, 01:14 PM

Refinishing, to a relatively common gun, does more than diminish the
value. It makes a gun a shooter; ie, it loses most of its collector
value.

In the context that collector value is largely related to original
condition, then changing the barrel also diminishes the value. Perhaps
the effect is not quite as severe as refinishing, but the gun would
no longer letter properly, and so a lot of it collector appeal is lost.

Mike Priwer

mtgldr · #6 03-28-2011, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikepriwer

Refinishing, to a relatively common gun, does more than diminish the
value. It makes a gun a shooter; ie, it loses most of its collector
value.

In the context that collector value is largely related to original
condition, then changing the barrel also diminishes the value. Perhaps
the effect is not quite as severe as refinishing, but the gun would
no longer letter properly, and so a lot of it collector appeal is lost.

Mike Priwer

Got it, thanks. The one I'm looking at is very worn and has some pitting on the outside of the barrel. I'm not paying a bunch for it and thought it would be a good project revolver to tinker with. I have found a replacement barrel pretty cheap but it's a 5". It's originally a 1918 model 38 with a 6". Which is the lessor of the two evils, rebluing or rebarreling, I'm guessing rebluing but with the pits on the barrel it may look worse. I don't want to make it worthless but I did want to bring it back to resemble more of it's original / former appearence. I plan to use it in some "just for fun" competitions we have at the range for Revolvers. Everyone else has the 66 & 686 style Revolvers and I want to be a little different. I can use it the way it is but it seems a shame not to "pretty" it up a bit.

If I do reblue it with the orig barrel or reblue it with the 5" barrel do you have any idea what it would conservatively be worth? Are we talking $150 or closer to $300? Just curious.

handejector · #7 03-28-2011, 01:46 PM

BigD,
That is a very nice gun. The finish is factory and probably original. Cleaned up properly, if that is the orig finish, I believe the gun might bring $500. Condition sells!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtgldr

If that beautiful 1905 M&P had been refinished but it was done correctly, would that diminish the value? Also does changing from a 6" to a 5" barrel diminish the value much?

If refinished, then they lose ALL collector appeal, unless we are talking about a very rare variant.
If you are asking if there is a value difference on different barrel lengths, NO, as long as the gun is original. The exception is 2 inch PRE-war M&P's because they are very scarce. They bring much more money, depending on condition.

handejector · #8 03-28-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtgldr

Got it, thanks. The one I'm looking at is very worn and has some pitting on the outside of the barrel. I'm not paying a bunch for it and thought it would be a good project revolver to tinker with. I have found a replacement barrel pretty cheap but it's a 5". It's originally a 1918 model 38 with a 6". Which is the lessor of the two evils, rebluing or rebarreling, I'm guessing rebluing but with the pits on the barrel it may look worse. I don't want to make it worthless but I did want to bring it back to resemble more of it's original / former appearence. I plan to use it in some "just for fun" competitions we have at the range for Revolvers. Everyone else has the 66 & 686 style Revolvers and I want to be a little different. I can use it the way it is but it seems a shame not to "pretty" it up a bit.

If I do reblue it with the orig barrel or reblue it with the 5" barrel do you have any idea what it would conservatively be worth? Are we talking $150 or closer to $300? Just curious.

I was away while you typed this.
Unless you need something to do, leave this alone. NOT worth the money, time or effort.
There are too many nice M&P's in thje $275-350 range to do it. Just shop patiently.

mtgldr · #9 03-28-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handejector

I was away while you typed this.
Unless you need something to do, leave this alone. NOT worth the money, time or effort.
There are too many nice M&P's in thje $275-350 range to do it. Just shop patiently.

Thanks for the advice. I may just get it and shoot it until something else come along and then resell it. There are not a lot of these in my area, in fact this is the first I've seen in months. I am not buying it as a collector piece but was curious if refinishing it would help or hurt given the present condition. I have a friend that I can get to reblue it fairly inexpensively I just didn't want to turn it into *** something roughly the value of *** a paperweight. LOL

mikepriwer · #10 03-28-2011, 07:56 PM

I was going to suggest exactly what Lee did. If you remember which
way you came in, turn around and walk back out the same way -
figuratively speaking.

Old M&P's in relatively poor condition are not worth much at all, and
there is nothing you can do to it, to improve its value. Anything you
do will be lost money.

If you want shooter, and don't care what it looks like, then buy it
and shoot it. But don't think about trying to turn a sows ear into a
silk purse. Its not going to happen.

Mike Priwer

mtgldr · #11 03-28-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikepriwer

I was going to suggest exactly what Lee did. If you remember which
way you came in, turn around and walk back out the same way -
figuratively speaking.

Old M&P's in relatively poor condition are not worth much at all, and
there is nothing you can do to it, to improve its value. Anything you
do will be lost money.

If you want shooter, and don't care what it looks like, then buy it
and shoot it. But don't think about trying to turn a sows ear into a
silk purse. Its not going to happen.

Mike Priwer

Not hoping to make a profit, just curious if I did fool with it if I would make it completly worthless. No worries on the purse, no lipstick either

. If the pitting is too deep (doesn't sound like it's worth swapping barrels) I'll turn it into a project gun. Maybe get it ported, Hmmm wonder if it can get it threaded...

Thank you all for your responses & time.

Scott

Oh, BTW search widebuffalo on GB (have no affiliation with them). Just saw they had a couple 1905 M&P parts kits, barrels & sets of grips reasonably priced. Hope you can use the parts since I won't be. Take it easy.