2 inch bbl, Model 1905, circa 1920-1922

[m-1911]

I just made a deal on this 38 M&P, 4th change, serial number 4072xx with an original 2 inch barrel. I serached the database on the S&WCA web site and could not find an earlier 2 inch gun. This one came from Cabella's and they came off of the asking price. I'll know more when I get it next week. I have never owned a pre war, 2 inch, M&P and this one looked kinda neat. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[m-1911]

I just made a deal on this 38 M&P, 4th change, serial number 4072xx with an original 2 inch barrel. I serached the database on the S&WCA web site and could not find an earlier 2 inch gun. This one came from Cabella's and they came off of the asking price. I'll know more when I get it next week. I have never owned a pre war, 2 inch, M&P and this one looked kinda neat. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Raider]

Very nice looking early M&P snubby. Looking for your comments when you receive it.

 

[pace40]

Now there's one you don't see every day.

 

[handejector]

Hi Gary,
I just took time today to look at the SWCA site for the first time in 3 weeks, and saw your post about that. I intended to post in answer later today. I was going to post a warning.....
Hate to rain on the parade, but, per Neal & Jinks, the engineering order for the first 2" M&P barrels was made on June 29, 1933. The early pre-war 2" guns were all round butts in my experience.
That gun would most likely be a 20's gun.
Did you ask if the barrel is numbered, and IF it is, did they check for service marks?? If it is numbered to the gun, I would suspect it is a factory refurbished gun.

 

[m-1911]

Lee

Thanks for the "heads up". I have the deal on hold, and may cancel it. I'll keep you posted

 

[Texas Star]

If this is a factory original, I bet that slow sales during the Depression kept a 1920's frame and grips on hand until someone ordered a sq. butt snub.

T-Star

 

[mikepriwer]

I was going to offer the same comment that Lee did. Its possible that it was
a special order, but, of course, only a factory letter could confirm that. That
would have been a big deal, at that time, so that is very doubtful.

The sales of K-frames was not slow, in the 1920's. This is about a 1922 gun;
s/n in the very early 600,000 are about 1930. This is about 200,000 guns in 8 years
or so, which is 20,000 to 25,000 guns per year. That is the average production
over the entire 40 period , from 1900 to 1940, so its very unlikely that this
was a late-shipped gun.

I would say that the original barrel has been replaced - at some point - with
this 2" barrel. The factory may have done it, and they may have serial-numbered
it to the gun.

The easiest thing to do is to post this on the S&WCA site, and maybe Roy can
give some indication as to how the gun was shipped.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[j38]

Ser. No. 4165xx was shipped in 1922.

Jerry

 

[Buford57]

Isn't the small head on the ejector rod also incorrect for that SN range?

 

[handejector]

Originally posted by Buford57:
Isn't the small head on the ejector rod also incorrect for that SN range?

The Pre-war 2" guns have rods like that. Otherwise, you would only have about a 3/8" stroke with the ejector.
I think the GUN is incorrect for that SN range.

 

[m-1911]

Since the gun seems to be about 10 years too early for a 2 inch model, I cancelled the deal with Cabella's. They have a strict policy to not divulge the last 2 digits of the serial number, so without this info I could not verify the originality through Roy.

 

[handejector]

Originally posted by m-1911:
Since the gun seems to be about 10 years too early for a 2 inch model, I cancelled the deal with Cabella's. They have a strict policy to not divulge the last 2 digits of the serial number, so without this info I could not verify the originality through Roy.

Probably a wise move. That Eng Order from 1933 would most likely have been the time that they first made the forging die for the 2". I really doubt they machined that barrel from blank stock to fill a one gun order.....
Did you ask IF it was numbered to the gun, and IF SO, are there any rework marks?

 

[m-1911]

I did not bother to ask them about the bbl number

I can give you the phone number if you want it

 

[robertrwalsh]

100% original or not, it's still a neat gun.