An Old M&P .38 Find

[Sealevel]

This week I stopped by a LGS that caters to the high-tech, overwhelming force folks. Sometimes they receive some fine old S&W revolvers in trade for an AR15 look alike. That day I was pleased to see an old Smith sitting at the bottom of their used case. After assuring myself that it was in good shootable condition we agreed on $200 and I took it home.

I've read more than once on this forum that some members derive a lot of satisfaction from finding an old well worn Smith with character, then turning it in to a valued shooter. I count myself among those.

This nickel – finished M&P pre model 10 is about 1909 vintage I'm told. The serial number on the frame beneath the grips is 1547xx with a star symbol behind the number. The serial number is also found on the flat underside of the 6" barrel and at the rear of the cylinder. The finish has some pitting on the frame around the grips, which won't come out, but I have managed to get most of the nickel finish to a bright shine using Mother's Mag paste and elbow grease. The grips look to be the original service stocks with the smaller S&W medallion at the top. (I'm not yet able to post pictures, but the gun looks like the M&P .32-20 on page 6 of the thread titled "Type of S&W Stocks" by Oldfella. Great thread!) The checkering is still in good shape and cleaned up nicely.

After a thorough cleaning and a safety check by the local gunsmith I took it to the range for operational testing. Shooting 130 grain FMJ rounds on a 25 foot range, the old gun shot well with a tight (for me) grouping about 3" low and to the right of point of aim. The action is nice and tight, the trigger is smooth and she is a fine shooter. I'm happy with my find but would like some thoughts from the experienced members on the following questions.

1. During the real early 1900's who would most likely carry a 6" barrel nickel plated .38 S&W Special – police, military officers, the gentry?

2. Is this a gun to get refinished so that it looks like some of the prized revolvers shown here or keep it in its current form and just enjoy the character and pleasure of shooting an old timer?

Thanks for your input.

 

[DCWilson]

I would not refinish it -- just take care of it and shoot as the venerable old specimen it is.

The star next to the serial number indicates a return to the factory for work -- probably a refinish. If you pull the stocks and look on the left side of the grip frame, you may see a date stamp like, say, 11.46 for November 1946. That's when the service department would have worked on it.

Hard to be too specific about who would have bought a 6" nickel .38 before WWI. It might not even have been a carried weapon, instead living out its life under the front counter at a commercial enterprise, in a banker's desk drawer, or kept in a closet or wardrobe at home. Seems to me the military preferred blued finishes to nickel, so it probably wasn't a national service sidearm.

The price you got it for is a good one for a .38 M&P shooter. I would encourage you to shoot only low pressure ammo in it; certainly nothing zippier than standard modern ammo. Even though it is often pointed out that +P loads are softer than the established pressure tolerances for .38 Special, it remains the case that metallurgy a century ago was less advanced than it was even a couple of decades later. But it's your gun.

Technically it is not a Pre-10; that terminology should be reserved for the non-model-marked short-action M&P revolvers that were introduced in 1948 and produced until model numbers were introduced in 1957. This is instead properly called a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905, third change. You are right about the date -- 1909-1910 or thereabouts.

Can you show pictures?

ADDENDUM: Don't be surprised if a moderator moves this thread to the 1896-1961 forum; this is an older revolver.

 

[H Richard]

Look on the flat on the underside of the barrel by the S/N. If a "B" is there it was originally blue.

 

[Sealevel]

Thanks gents for your sound advice and sharing of knowledge. That is a real strength of this forum.

I was leaning toward retaining the old gun in its original state - just working at polishing off the worst of the rashy areas. Your advice corroborated those thoughts. David, I also appreciate your advising me on the correct name for the gun and on sticking to standard pressure ammunition. I'll do just that.

There are two dates on the left side of the grip frame - 3.24 & 9.45. On the flat on the barrel's underside there is what looks like a capital "P" inside a circle. It could be a "B". So, perhaps she was once blue then became nickel. There is also a number "14444" stamped where the model number of post 1957 guns is found.

For sure, these old revolvers all have a story.

I'll try and learn how to post pictures. For years I've been saying that same thing on my surf fishing boards. I think its a technophobia thing I developed in my mid 60's. Thanks again, Jeff