1917 Transition Model?

[gjamison]

I purchased this a couple weeks ago and finally got my hands on it today. When I sent the serial number to the S&WCA I was told that S210464 was for a 357mag. This gun serial numbers in all the right places, it also went back to the factory in January of 1948. Any information would be great. Thanks y’all.

 

[Muley Gil]

Don must not have looked at the 1917 serial number range. These had their own series of numbers.

 

[DARE]

SCSW 5th Edition talks about the 1917 Army (Postwar-Transitional). Says fewer than 1,000 in the serial number range S209792-S210782. That sounds like your gun to me.

 

[mh51]

Those were built shortly after S&W went back into commercial production after WW2. They were built using surplus frames and parts not used in military production. As David said, there were less than 1000 produced, and yours falls into that serial number range.
Neat gun, and hard to find!

 

[Gun Relics]

I wonder what the factory did? If they refinished, it was a heck of a job. All the lettering is still crisp. Could the star have been added just to differentiate between the n frame serial number overlap?

 

[wheelgun610]

Could the star have been added just to differentiate between the n frame serial number overlap?

No. The star on the butt, along with the '1.48' as stamped on the lower left side of the grip frame indicate that the gun was returned for service of some sort in January 1948.