Latest M&P and wisdom request.....

[Old Corp]

Hey fellas - wanted to put this out there cause I feel like I ran out to the end of the rope as far as learning about this piece using just the SCSW.

The combined wisdom here far exceeds that which is put in something in bound form. And, it's fun. I'm sure those who are in the more advanced stages of Smith-itis will be able to lend a hand and shed some light.

Monday I returned to the GS where I have my little p/t 'retirement job'. Had not worked since the Thanksgiving holiday and always do a 'once-over' to see if anything of note had floated in. A co-worker was going through some guns that had just been logged in, many were transfers and were being separated from new and used guns going out on display.
Saw a S&W K frame grip sticking out of a DeSantis holster in amongst the pile, and figured it was a transfer. Asked the co-worker if it was and was told, "No, came in on trade - it's going out for sale". I said, no, not yet.

Examination showed it to be a 4 screw M&P Pre-M10 with a *TAPERED* 3 inch, ramp front sight barrel. Square notch fixed rear sight. As shown in the pics, a 'C' prefix S/N.
There are no type of foreign, government or agency markings anywhere on it. It wears incorrect magnas. Smooth backstrap and forestrap.
No S/N on the barrel flat or the rear of the cylinder. However, the rear of the extractor does show a matching S/N.
Lettering on both sides of the barrel are perfectly centered (and yes, right side says ".38 S&W SPECIAL CTG."), pretty much ruling out that it's a chopped 4 incher.
Strong color case on hammer and trigger. Trigger is standard width, but smooth. If someone 'de-grooved' it, they did a very good job.
Inside was clean, and all stock-standard.

Of note is the rather large transverse hole near the bottom of the grip frame. I think SCSW mentions that that may be a leftover frame from wartime production of Victory's(?) Is that right?
Also, if you'll look at the pic, there is an 'R' stamped into the left side of the grip frame. Anyone know why or what that would be?

In the frame window there is stamped the encircled number '1' and then descending diagonally away from that the separated letters of 'R' and 'T'.
Would these just be some sort of assembly numbers, or what?

BUT - the SCSW seems to offer a bit of contradictory info: In one section for the pre-M10's it states that only barrel lengths of 2", 4", 5" and 6" were offered.
In a section on M10's, it states that the above were the standard barrel lengths, followed by a brief note that 3 inchers were available on 'special order'.

Does the S/N (C422853) place it at about ~1956 you think ??

Now - I JUST picked up a 3" M65 and had no plans to buy ANY guns in the near future. Same ol' thing - how often will I run into something interesting like this?
So, I'll have to work/hang out at the GS for about 2 days in order to pay for this M&P that I took home, since the boss set the price for me at $200. It's more hanging out than work.
No real money exchanges hands, just list it on the work-time sheet.

Any info ya'll can lend on this would be appreciated.
Thanks to all the guys that make the SWF a great place.

I'll make an additional post with more pics. Wife's not around to help me figure out the photobucket thing.

[Old Corp]

A couple more and one showing the distant cousin, the M65-3 3 inch.
Last pic is the barrel flat on the M&P.

[H Richard]

I believe your gun has been re-barreled. I have S/N's C402309, 2", shipped 9/57, and C459396, 4", shipped 10/59. Your gun would fit right in between these. Both have plain round top barrels, the 2" from 59 does have a round front sight, and the 4" from 57 has ramp front sight, but integral with the barrel. Yours appears to have a rib on the barrel and ramp front mounted on top of the rib. Since the barrel was not numbered to the gun, I would be pretty sure it is from a later model. I an "assuming" the 2" has the older style front sight as the 2" was less popular, and there were older style barrels left when it was built, it might be considered a transition. S&W never threw anything away if it could be used. The 4" is marked Mod 10, the 2" is not. They are both 4 screw.

[DCWilson]

That looks like a heavy barrel M10 to me. The lack of serial number stamping on barrel and cylinder make me think it has to be really late '50s at the earliest. I would expect to see a Model number. Perhaps the Model number stamp was simply overlooked in production?

A three-inch heavy barrel 10 is known from as early as 1959.

The photo on page 174 in the Standard Catalog shows a gun configured like yours in the middle.

What are the first two digits of you serial number after the C? That could help us nail down the probable year.

[Old Corp]

Thanks, David. My lack of photo skills neglected to show the barrel taper. In person, it's quite evident that it not a straight or heavy barrel, it is definitely tapered.
Just trying to get all the info on this I can before I spring for an actual letter. I also need some correct grips I suppose.

[DCWilson]

Sorry, I missed the serial number earlier.

That would almost certainly be a Pre-10 frame rather than a gun with a missed model stamp, though we are getting close to the point where model stamps appear. I agree that the gun has probably been re-barreled, but I'm not sure when. I don't know enough about the later M10s and their dash varieties to pick a possible barrel donor for this gun.

[Lee Barner]

which would be the correct diamond magnas: sq bottom or modified(PC) magnas? i can't remember when the changeover took place. lee

[Old Corp]

Good point Lee, I would also like to know and be able to get a pair on it without spending too much.
I'm still suffering sticker shock from looking for K frame RB Targets or Combats for the 65 I got.