When was the S&W logo moved from the the left to right side of the .38 M & P

charles64 · Feb 14, 2023

I have 2 M&P Target square butt 6in=the one in the box is labeled as ( Military Poliice Square Butt Target) serial#696xxx---My Shotter is 633xxx--
The 639xxx has the large SW logo on the right side--the 633xxx has the small logo on on the left side. there is also 3 screws in the rear sight of the newer one and only 2 screws in the rear sight of the older one. Any help when these changes were made--this would also help date them.

DWalt · Feb 14, 2023

Not sure exactly, but I believe it was 1937 or thereabouts. I am not close to my notes to give a precise answer.

Targets Guy · Feb 14, 2023

A 6", blue target model s/n 696xxx shipped Oct 1940. Are they both .38 specials? A .38 M&P target s/n 6408xx shipped Aug 1932. I'm a little confused in that you talk about two guns but list three serial numbers.
And s/n 6336xx, a .38 target, shipped Sep 1931.

charles64 · Feb 14, 2023

the 696xxx is in a numbed box ----the shooter is 633558 both are 38--sorry for the typos --thanks

DARE · Feb 14, 2023

Read that on the .357 Magnum the trademark moved to the right side about May of 1936. Did all models change at the same time?

VaTom · Feb 15, 2023

JADARE said:
Read that on the .357 Magnum the trademark moved to the right side about May of 1936. Did all models change at the same time?

Here you go. Quoting from the "book".

SCSW 4th Edition, Appendix C-Change Dates and Markings, Page 493[/B]

1936 - Frame Logo Stampings December

Logos on frames ordered changed from small logo on left side
of the frame to large logo on sideplate, for I, K, L frames.

Both logos are on models stamped in December 1936 and assembled in early 1937.

Small logos resumed on left side frame post war on I frames. When J frames were introduced in 1950 they had the same style logo marking. This marking continued into the 1980s.

glowe · Feb 15, 2023

Here is an approximate chronology of the logo stamping on pre-WWII S&W revolvers. The time from the issuance of an engineering change order to manufacturing start might make a year or so difference to what is listed below. Also, some frames could have set in inventory a couple of years before being assembled.

Logos started on the Model 1896 -1896
Large logo hand ejectors on right side prior through 1916
No-Logo" guns, all models 1917 to mid-1920 (K frame examples - sn 225,000-338,000)
Small logo on left side ran from 1920 to 1936 (except for the 32 Safety)
Large logo was moved to the right side - 1937 to WWII.

JSR III · Feb 15, 2023

From guns observed in my database of the I frame .22/32 HFT's and Kit Guns I find the following:

6/7/1911 small logo left
1/31/1914 medium logo right
4/14/1919 no logo
2/12/1921 small logo left
3/17/1939 large logo right
4/2/1952 small logo left

Again, these are not engineering change dates but shipping dates as observed on guns from my database. These dates could be plus or minus a few months as I don't have every gun S&W shipped and as we all know shipping dates and build dates can vary by a lot.

Green Frog · Feb 15, 2023

At some time in the distant past there was a statement made that in the post-War years even up to the present, if a revolver was intended for engraving it got the small logo on the left to leave more room for engraving on the side plate side. I’ve never known how widespread that was though.
Froggie

When was the S&W logo moved from the the left to right side of the .38 M & P

charles64

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DWalt

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Targets Guy

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charles64

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DARE

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VaTom

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JSR III

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