When did S&W starting offering 2"and 3" barrels on their m&p models?

When did S&W starting offering 2"and 3" barrels on their m&p models?

Curt,
Not sure when they started, but the earliest 2" gun in my collection dates to January of 1935.

As for the 3" guns, the earliest I've found is a pre-model numbered post-war gun that dates to July of 1959. I've not heard of any 3" guns that were made pre-war except for maybe the custom one-off guns that were shipped to Ed McGivern. Mike Priwer can possibly give you some perspective on those.

Rob (SmithNut) is correct, 1935 is the year where the earliest known 2" guns are found to have been shipped. If anyone owns a 3" pre-war it would have to be Mike Priwer, so.. Mikey where are you ??

David

1935 is the earliest year I am aware of for 2" M&P's.

I'm not aware of any 3" pre-WW2 M&P's, although McGivern did have a 2 7/8" gun.
There is a picture in his book. I have a 2 7/8" Mcgivern .38 target - it may
be the same gun. Its from the early 1930's.

Post-WW2, McGivern got a 3 1/4" .22 in Apr of 1951. There was a 3" .38 target
made special-order in Dec of 1956. Then there are the 3" model 19's, around
serial K622xxx .

Finally, there are the 3 1/2" 1899 .38 examples, in both target and M&P. This
is a picture of the 3 1/2" target barrel:



Later, Mike Priwer

Oh guys. You know how much I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but...

I have a 2" that letters as leaving the factory 2-09-34... It went to H.Goldstein in Tulsa, OK and was purchased by Jerry Campbell upon his joining the FBI. Immediately after he purchased it the FBI got permission to carry weapons and he went back to his tried and tested .44 HE 3rd Model and then to an RM in 1936. I don't think this gun was ever carried much, as you can see from the condition. I also got his holster and ammo strip.

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Dave Ballantyne

Thanks, Dave.
You know you really suck, don't you?

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John

Dave, Very, very nice gun! And, by the way, you may be getting an e-mail from LadyFed once she sees your post. Regards, Jerry

Dave,I 'm here in OKC and drive by a house"Jelly" Bryce lived in for alot of years.I think it would be correct to return that fine weapon to the Sooner state.So please forward it to me.

Dave

Have you ever measured that barrel ? That looks to be the shortest two inches
I have ever seen ! Please - measure it to see what the actual length is . Maybe
is just an illusion from the picture.

Later, Mike Priwer

Neal & Jinks, engineering order:
"June 29, 1933: Order to make 250 .38 H.E. 2" barrels for round butt blue revolvers per H. Wesson"

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Lee

That is a good piece of information. Wonder how long it took to sell that
first batch of 250 ?

Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike,
I would not be surprised if that was the ONLY batch made up pre-war. Back then, as you know, short barrels were not widely popular, and had a very limited market, like mainly plain clothes cops. After all, the M&P had been around 33 yrs by this time! Roughly 6 yrs after that eng. order, they were buried in BSR/Victory production, so they may not have sold 250 before the war. I rarely see any.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Lee

I've owned at least 5 of them. I sold the square-butt gun to Robby. I owned
694105 and 694106 ; one was shipped in 1938, and the other in 1946. So, that
might mean that they were slow selling ! I use to see a fair number of them.

Later, Mike Priwer

Must be just my ****** photography Mike. It measures exactly 2".

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Dave Ballantyne

Dave

Well then, that is what it is. And the picture is a very good one.

Regards, Mike

Nice snubby Dave (great pic too!),
How close is it to 614221 (another one from Mike, looks exactly like yours except for the grip adapter)?

Rob

Mine is 612577, so it's pretty close.

Yours looks in better condition than mine, just like new in fact. A beautiful example.

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Dave Ballantyne

Smithnut... very nice! I think I need one of those...

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Yes, it's a special revolver.... I was very happy to get it!

Dave, Thanks for the comments, it's in very nice condition but has seen some use - the backstrap has some wear, but the rest of the gun is pristine.

Anyway, here's another, this one even more special since it's a pre-War Square Butt version, I mean - everyone has a RB, right??




Thanks again to Mike Priwer, who sold this gun to me a few years ago to add to my meager M&P Collection.... Serial number 663950, this gun shipped to J.J. Baxter, Youngstown, Ohio on Sept 2, 1937.

Enjoy....

SmithNut, that square-butt M&P is a real jewel!

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John

So, Dave-what kind of holster came with that M&P ???
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member

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turnerriver

That Square Butt is drop dead gorgeous Rob, and the box looks like new!

John - the leather is a "Police Special" by "Lewis" of "L.A. Cal" and is marked "38 2" (presumably 38 Special 2 inch?). It's like new and has obviously, like the gun, seen very little use. This is a poor picture but it's the only one I can find of the leather. The ammo holder is for a different gun.

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Dave Ballantyne

Well it is post 45,but I picked up a 2"M&P today at the local gun show.More info posted on the post 45 forum.

Just for fun -


Something in the way of a 2 Inch 'M&P' Target Barrel

( But looks to me that it was adapted from a standard Barrel of the Round Sight Day, and provided with a half-moon inset cut and the two Pin Holes...but, kinda fun regardless...)