5 inch M&P

[j a]

Found this one last weekend. My first 5 screw S&W.
All numbers on the gun match and the grips number to the gun also. Not a collector grade gun but proud to have it in my very small S&W collection.
Found the box on fleabay. Is the box close to the right era? JA

PS. I forgot to add that my beautiful wife of 35 years let me pick this out as an anniversary present to myself. Although it does pale in comparison to what she picked out at the jewelry store for putting up with me for so long.
Guys let me just say that collecting S&Ws is an expensive hobby. But it looks pretty reasonable when compared to collecting small shiny rocks.

 

[Art Doc]

It's a beautiful transitional M&P.

 

[lowhog]

Hi, Looks like collector grade to me. I don't see much of a turn line, and I like the barrel length. Great find!

 

[JP@AK]

Hi JA
We've already discussed this gun, but in your pictures I think I'm seeing a different number than what you reported to me. Are the first three digits after the S 862 or 852?
Thanks.

Nice gun, by the way. And I don't think we would call this exactly "transitional" but it does represent a unique niche in the M&P evolution. These S prefix numbers only shipped between March, 1946, and the end of 1948. They represented the last of the long throw actions. That was replaced by the high speed hammer, beginning in early 1948, and the C prefix guns started coming off the floor in March of that year, setting the stage for the true Model 10, which started production in September, 1957.

 

[Engine49guy]

Nice 5"er,
One other place to check for a serial number is the inside of the right grip panel.

That style M&P is the first post war commercial M&P's after the WWII Victory revolvers and first to have the new post war style Magna grips but kind of the end of an era as they were the last of the long actions as JPO@K said also last of the large ejector rod knobs, the one line Made in USA frame stamp and last to have the barrel top with the patent date roll marks IIRC .

I have heard that the earliest M&P's were leftover parts from WWII and still have a hole for a lanyard loop set pin although mine is slightly higher than yours and does not.

Happy 35th anniversary !

 

[Old TexMex]

Mister, that is a very nice M&P, well picked.

 

[Jimmyjones]

Gorgeous M&P (& nice wife) !

I have S857xxx, a little later than yours, but no way as nice.

Enjoy it !

 

[jsfricks]

You did well on that one. A beauty!

 

[Bent-Twig]

I think your box looks to be correct vintage.

I have the same box 5" with the #on the bottom somewhere in the 940,000 range. I just need to find a 5" to fill the box.

Great looking gun. I like the whole package.

Congrats.

Twig.

 

[DWalt]

If the SN is S 852812 (that's what it looks like), it likely left the factory in November 1946. It would be called a postwar (or post-Victory) M&P. As earlier noted, the S-series was the last of the S&W long-action M&Ps, as a major engineering change was made to the action in April 1948. The grips are probably correct, but you may want to check if the SN is stamped on the rear side of the right grip panel. The box appears correct, even if not original to the revolver. A very nice piece.

There's really nothing transitional about it. The true transition occurred right around the change from the S-series to the C-series in the Spring of 1948.

 

[JP@AK]

If the SN is S 852812 (that's what it looks like), it likely left the factory in November 1946.

I agree that it looks like 852. It was previously reported to me as 862, which is why I asked the OP to clarify.

a major engineering change was made to the action in April 1948

Actually, factory records indicate that the decision to incorporate the high speed hammer into production was taken on February 11, 1948. It seems that it was first implemented on the late S prefix guns, although the exact serial number and date has yet to be established (it is often given as S990184 which may be accurate, but some revolvers with higher numbers were assembled using the old long throw action). The first of the C prefix guns (C1) was assembled on March 22, 1948, although we don't know when the first one was shipped. Most of these definitely had the high speed hammer, but there are unconfirmed reports of some having the old style long action.

There's really nothing transitional about it. The true transition occurred right around the change from the S-series to the C-series in the Spring of 1948

Agreed. I wrote earlier:

And I don't think we would call this exactly "transitional" but it does represent a unique niche in the M&P evolution. These S prefix numbers only shipped between March, 1946, and the end of 1948. They represented the last of the long throw actions.

I've actually recorded one that shipped as late as August, 1949, but this is clearly an exception.

 

[j a]

Thank you for the kind words. And box info.

And yes my wife is a keeper as long as I can keep her away from the jewelry store.
Sorry about the confusion with the serial number. I just went and pulled the gun from the safe. It is a 6 not a 5. The serial is #862812. JA

 

[383 magnum]

That is stunning! Thanks for sharing!