A friend of mine has a M&P 38 Special Model 1905, 1st Change that he and I have a question on. In front of the serial number on the barrel is an "S". He initially thought that it had something to do with the rebound safety modification. I told him if that was the case there would normally have been the expected stamps of a star and the date on the side of the grip frame, no such marks on this gun. So I appeal to the experts, what would the "S" only stamped by and obviously not part of the barrel serial number mean?

OK,
I am going to try this again, if I get it backwards I'll never answer a K-frame question again.

If the "S" is a part of all the serial number markings, then it is an early post war M&P. In about 1948, Smith switched from the pre-war "long action" to the current "short" action and began stamping the "C" prefix serial numbers. This was only done on the M&P fixed sight guns (prefixes I mean). According to some the short action actually started in the late "S" range (read Pace40's commentary).

If this is a post war "S" prefix gun then it would be a 4th or 5th change

Thanks Curtis and you can pitch in anytime. This is however as identified a 1905 1st change serial number 108201 about 1907 or 1908 I believe. The "s" is only marked on the barrel flat before the serial number with enough seperationfor me to believe it is not part of that number. It does not appear anywhere else on the gun that we have found.

Use a magnifying glass and see if its a "B" instead of an "S".

Means blued....

(Don't ask how I thought of this)

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Pace