A very interesting piece

[reno]

This one is very interesting. I will probably have to send Mr. Jinks a request about this one. It has square butt grips on it as you can see but it is a round butt. 38 special. The barrel has also been shortened. It was done very well and the front sight has been done almost perfect. The absolute smoothest action I have felt. Not so light but very smooth.
It was done a very wealthy gentleman sometime back in the twenties or early thirties.
Any ideas? He passed away many years ago so there is no way to find out why.

 

[reno]

This one is very interesting. I will probably have to send Mr. Jinks a request about this one. It has square butt grips on it as you can see but it is a round butt. 38 special. The barrel has also been shortened. It was done very well and the front sight has been done almost perfect. The absolute smoothest action I have felt. Not so light but very smooth.
It was done a very wealthy gentleman sometime back in the twenties or early thirties.
Any ideas? He passed away many years ago so there is no way to find out why.

 

[50 target]

RENO, not into the pre war guns but always interested in alterations. Some observations and questions.

Has it been refinished. It does not appear so.

Is the bluing loss around the front sght due to silver soldering it back on. If so, a good job.

The end of the barrel on the outside diameter appers to be radiused. Is that so? If so, that is a nice touch you don't often see.

The magna grips are post was after the early fiftys I think. Is there a space in the front at the bottom and is covered by the grip adapter? Although a rb, maybe the owner had big hands and needed more purchase?!

Looks like something that was altered to fit the owner/user and a nice job at that. It would appear that it was altered for carry, although if it was , it wasn't much or was well cared for.

Interesting gun. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Art Doc]

Actually, there's no shortage of such guns around.

This one does look like the work was done more nicely than is usually seen, and the round butt conversion is somewhat unusual, but it's still a cut-up M&P.

Happened often to Victory Models in .38 S&W caliber after the war. Make sure you know the proper ammo to use in it.

 

[Rigmover]

Looks like .38 M&P Model 1905 3rd change they had the patent dates on the rightside of the barrel serial number range from 146900 to 241703 what your serial number to that gun probly would be able to help you better on the year of manufctured these ones were made between 1909 to 1915

 

[dinghysailer]

I have an early 4th change (1915) with the roll marks on the right side of the barrel. I don't think that's a sure way of telling.

 

[reno]

It does not appear to have been refinished. There may be some loss due to the fixing of the sight to the barrel.
The crown of the barrel is very nicely done.
I am not sure if it is a victory model or about the grips. There is no V in the serial n number. This was given to a lady when her husband went overseas during WWII in 1943. She had it until I obtained it. The grips are the same that came with it when it was given to her. I think it started out as a round butt.
The serial number is 115xx8. Very small numbers on the bottom of the grip frame. In looking at it very close, it appears that the barrel could have been changed or at least taken off while the work was done to it. There are a couple of tiny marks around the pin on the left side. I really appreciate all the information, it just keeps me digging.

 

[mikepriwer]

The grips are post-WW2, so there is some
inconsistency in the story about the grips.

The patent-date roll marking on the side of
the barrel started in 1904, and continued
up until about 1920, give or take a year or
two.

The gun , in the records, will be a 1902. There
is no such thing as a round-butt 1905, as the
defining characteristic of a 1905 is the
square butt, and that gun is a round butt.
Collectors will refer to it as a 1905 2nd
change, but --- .

You should try getting a pair of round-butt
grips - they should fit it just right.

Indeed, the barrel has been cut, and the front
sight remounted. Its a bit further back than
we normally see, but thats OK.

For me, its too bad that they cut that barrel.
Patent-date roll markings on the side are
not rare, but scarce, as they only appear on
4" guns.

By the way - I assume this barrel is somewhere
close to 3" ?

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[DWFAN]

Doc is right, more than a few of these were converted for CCW. I have one I carry every once and awhile just for the cool factor. 1905 early fouth change SN 291666, 3 3/4 inch barrel with the front sight reset by milling a slot into the top of the barrel and setting the sight into the groove. No apparent solder. Original grips. Single and double action slicker than a babys butt.

NOTE: Roll marks are on the top of the barrel.
DW

 

[reno]

The barrel measures three inches right on the money.
DW that is a fine looking piece.
Mike Priwer, that is great information. I will try and find a pair of round butt grips. I have to admit that a nice pair of vintage stag grips would look nice too. And thank you for the information also.
I will try and take a picture of the top maybe tomorrow. But there is a flat filed just behind the muzzle. The front sight is soldered there to the flat. The flat fits the base of the length of the sight perfectly but is a little wider than the sight bas. They probably took the front sight off of what they cut off to remount.

 

[opoefc]

As Mike and others said, It's a Model 1902 chop job, done by a good gunsmith/machinest to get to a 3 inch barrel, but that was only 1 in. shorter than the original 4 in. barrel. so it was a lot of work for only one inch! As you said, the original owner was wealthy so the cost of this "custom" gun work was not a concern - he just wanted a 3 incher!

 

[Raider]

Very nice revolver. Somebody knew exactly what they wanted and got a talented gunsmith to do the job.