barrel question

[SFCRangerDoc]

Good morning S&W forum! I'm new to this board but no stranger to the Calguns and AKFiles boards.

I just recently inherited my great grandfathers .38 M&P model 1905 3rd change. I emailed S&W with serial number and they dated manufacture to appx late 1912 to early 1913. My great gpa carried this piece as his service weapon as well as my grandfather and his brother at different times. It started its life off as Nickel plated but my grandfathers brother had it stripped and blued. At one point the LAPD armorer cut the barrel down and re-crowned because my grandfather was doing undercover work but still wanted to carry his personal sidearm. As you can see in the picture below the finish is heavily worn but the action/lockup is still tight as can be and she should still be a solid shooter.

My question is this: I have been contemplating getting another barrel for it to return it to its more original state. I have been looking at these two:

Smith Wesson Model 10 6 38 Special Four inch Barrel | eBay

WWII Smith Wesson M P Victory 38 s w Cal 5" Revolver Barrel Pin Unused | eBay

Would either of those work? it seems like it would be a fairly simple process to swap the barrels out. Im no stranger to garage gunsmithing so I feel comfortable doing this. I just am not sure if the thread pitch will match, etc. They seem to be the right profile, etc. Thanks in advance for the information!

Doc

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

You need a barrel that dates from about 1905 to the mid 1920s. These have a different cut for the mushroom head ejector rod.

Also, it takes a frame wrench and inserts to properly remove the barrel. It is easy to twist the frame by using improper tools such as a hammer handle. You don't want to ruin your family heirloom.

Personaly, I'd leave it as is. It is a neat period alteration.

 

[red9]

Right now, it is as your grandfather wanted it. Replacing the barrel (assuming you know if it was originally 4, 5 or 6") and re-nickeling the gun may make it look more closely like its original condition, but at the loss of what is probably a matching serial numbered barrel. If you want to find out the original barrel length, finish and who it shipped to, invest the $50 for a factory letter.

Bob

 

[SFCRangerDoc]

Right now, it is as your grandfather wanted it. Replacing the barrel (assuming you know if it was originally 4, 5 or 6") and re-nickeling the gun may make it look more closely like its original condition, but at the loss of what is probably a matching serial numbered barrel. If you want to find out the original barrel length, finish and who it shipped to, invest the $50 for a factory letter.

Bob

Bob,

I wasn't planning on refinishing just possibly having a more shootable barrel. The inner part of the barrel isn't in the best condition. Just was seeing my options, thats all. All SN's do match at this point and I guess its probably better to just leave it alone.

 

[SFCRangerDoc]

Welcome to the Forum.

You need a barrel that dates from about 1905 to the mid 1920s. These have a different cut for the mushroom head ejector rod.

Also, it takes a frame wrench and inserts to properly remove the barrel. It is easy to twist the frame by using improper tools such as a hammer handle. You don't want to ruin your family heirloom.

Personaly, I'd leave it as is. It is a neat period alteration.

Yeah maybe that would be best. I would hate to screw it up. I was thinking if it was easy to swap them I could change it up if i so felt.

 

[Art Doc]

You want to take this $250 gun and spend $300 to turn it into a $300 gun and remove all physical connection to your ancestors? Really? This is what you have in mind?

I suggest you leave this one alone. Savor the history. If you want an original looking gun to shoot buy a shooter grade M&P for the same money you would spend "restoring" this one. Please.

 

[gwpercle]

I think it looks super cool and it has history. That history is a part of your family. Keep her just like your great grandfather carried it.
I have a few guns with barrels that looked real rough, a good scrubbing with bore brush, steel wool and J.B. Bore cleaning paste cleaned then up and even though not perfect they shot just fine.
By the time you buy a new barrel and pay to have it installed it's going to get pricy and you have removed the guns history.
Document all the history on the gun you can, write down the whole story and pass it along to a worthy relative when that time comes.
Gary

 

[DWalt]

What you have should best be left alone. But you already know that. If you want a better shooter, go buy another M&P. They're everywhere.

 

[chief38]

Not for nothing, but I'd be a bit hesitant about installing a new barrel in a gun that's 100 years old. Sometimes you wind up with irreversible damage and being that it's your GF's gun, I'd tend to leave it as is.

 

[flagman1776]

Leave it as is. Record the family history. If possible document the relatives who carried it & the PD they Worked for, dates of service. That will add to it's value & make it a better heirloom.
I agree with the forgoing suggestion on cleaning the bore properly. Shoot it with standard velocity lead ammo it was designed for. You might be surprised. If the accuracy is really bad you might fry fire lapping. A little goes a long way. Firelapping: lead bullets are dipped in fine lapping compound & fired. Every few, the bore is thoroughly cleaned again & accuracy tested. It's easy to over do...

 

[JSW]

Welcome to the forum. With the personal history this gun has with your family I would just leave the revolver as is and enjoy it.

 

[SFCRangerDoc]

Welcome to the forum. With the personal history this gun has with your family I would just leave the revolver as is and enjoy it.

THanks all...

I agree with this. I'll leave it as is. Thanks for all the input. I'll try the barrel cleaning process and see if i can clean out some of the roughness. Hopefully she shoots well

 

[bedbugbilly]

I think it's a great heirloom . . . and don't ever let it out of your family since it has a great history.

Personally, I'd leave it "as is" just to preserve the family history of it - something you don't find everyday.

If you are looking at shooting - use it as is and enjoy shooting it. If it isn't as accurate as you'd like - look around and find a nice M & P (pre 10 or a Model 10) in the barrel length you'd like. I have a 1952 M & P in 5" - one of the nicest revolvers I have to shoot - more accurate than I am. My goal is to eventually have a 4" and a 6". I also have a 6" M & P Target (1920 ish) that is a tack driver. If you look,you can probably find a good shooter for a little more than you'd put in to rebarreling your family pistol. The alterations to it were made for a reason and it would be a shme to loose the history of it by rebarreling it IMHO.

Thanks for sharing - great photos and great history! Enjoy!