Can You Help Me With This Pawn Shop Score

[mk70ss]

I bought this at the local pawn shop today for $400. It has all matching numbers (butt, cylinder, and barrel. Bore is mint as are the chambers in the cylinder). Action is tight and timed perfectly. Has minor holster wear, but is in excellent condition. Serial number is S 852203. It is a .38 Special. Can someone tell me exactly what model it is and a manufacture date? Thanks for any help!!

 

[delcrossv]

Early postwar .38 M&P (Military & Police) from the late 1940's. It's the precursor to the Model 10. Someone will be by to tighten the date up for you.

Your's looks in very nice shape, with I believe the correct grips. Congratulations!

 

[steelslaver]

Are you sure it is an S prefix? The only S prefix would be a N frame and the serial you give is from about 1952. Which should be a high speed hammer gun. High speed hammers had spur coming from lower on hammer while old style spur comes off close to top of hammer. Plus looks like the larger barrel type extractor rod end.

I might be wrong but delcrossy's description fits (K frame gun) and the S in front of serial does not fit.

 

[delcrossv]

IIRC the S designation was applied to K frames from '46-'48 (before the "C" designation in the 50's.) It just denotes the hammer block safety.

Hmmm.

 

[s&wchad]

IIRC the S designation was applied to K frames from '46-'48 (before the "C" designation in the 50's.) It just denotes the hammer block safety.

Hmmm.

Yes... and by the shape of the hammer, I'd say that's a long action.

Nice score mk70ss!

 

[delcrossv]

Yes... and by the shape of the hammer, I'd say that's a long action.

Nice score mk70ss!

Long action, one line address ... "Transitional" M&P.

 

[Babysitr]

I need to change pawn shops, all I find is other peoples junk!

 

[Absalom]

Are you sure it is an S prefix? The only S prefix would be a N frame and the serial you give is from about 1952..

Don't feel bad, this confuses a lot of people, but there were indeed two separate lines of S-prefix revolvers, and this one obviously belongs to the one you were not aware of

For the M&P K-frame, from 1946 to 1948, the S prefix completed the million of serials begun with the Victory model at V 1 in 1942.

PS: mk70ss:
If you change the thread title to something that includes "S-prefix M&P", our resident expert Jack (JP@AK) will know to look at it and can tell you all there is to know

 

[hkcavalier]

I need to change pawn shops, all I find is other peoples junk!

It's strange how some shops get great guns and others are full of Hi-Points and Lorcins.

Some get both. There's a shop here in town that had a very nice, honest wear prewar Colt .38 in between a Hi-Point and a pepper pellet gun.

 

[Oyeboteb]

I bought this at the local pawn shop today for $400. It has all matching numbers (butt, cylinder, and barrel. Bore is mint as are the chambers in the cylinder). Action is tight and timed perfectly. Has minor holster wear, but is in excellent condition. Serial number is S 852203. It is a .38 Special. Can someone tell me exactly what model it is and a manufacture date? Thanks for any help!!

Is this the "Humpback" Hammer?

Can you post a few images showing the Hammer from different angles?

 

[daddio202]

No not a humpback hammer. It is a long action hammer just like all the regular hammers on K frames pre war.

 

[steelslaver]

Well, I learned something today and something yesterday.
There are K frames with s Prefix to serial number

Yesterday I learned that real early hand ejectors had collars that were fixed on the rod.

 

[mk70ss]

Thanks for all the helpful replies!! Some smart folks here. That same pawn shop had a bunch of really nice prewar/postwar revolvers. Almost bought the S&W Model 15 no dash, and a prewar Colt .32 revolver. Both were in excellent condition. Little honest wear but real nice.

 

[chiefdave]

I'd say mid 1946. S820803 shipped 4/1946 and S871463 in 1/1947. Great looking revolver at good price. Some of the 1948 S prefix M&P's did get the short action hammer.

 

[mk70ss]

I'd say mid 1946. S820803 shipped 4/1946 and S871463 in 1/1947. Great looking revolver at good price. Some of the 1948 S prefix M&P's did get the short action hammer.

Thank you sir.

 

[BAM-BAM]

My Dad's 4" M&P S836xxx purchased on returning to the Police Dept after three years in the S Pacific with the Coast Guard......... lettered to.... Aug. 1946

 

[29aholic]

One of the reasons for S&W standardizing serial numbers and models is this exactly (well almost). The early post war fixed sight K-frames had an "S" prefix. Well so did the N frames. So, in theory you could have two different model guns with the same serial number. The K frame "S" was changed to a "C" for fixed sight guns but the adjustable sight guns had a "K" prefix since the post war era started. There were other fix sight gun prefixes as well, "D" comes to mind.


Also, for the most part serial numbers were done in blocks by frame size and even to the extent some sub categories had a block within a block.


That changed with the multi-alpha prefixes starting in the early 80's. I have a Model 29 and a Model 60 with the AFS prefix. It would not surprise me if you could have an auto loader with a consecutive number to a revolver.

 

[mk70ss]

Well this grand 'ol wheelgun is not going to be a safe queen. I cleaned her up, pulled out a vintage k frame holster, and we are going trail riding (we ride trail mules) in Tennessee over the Memorial Day weekend. It will be on my belt with the first round CCI snake shot followed by five standard .38 JHP rounds.

 

[delcrossv]

One of the reasons for S&W standardizing serial numbers and models is this exactly (well almost). The early post war fixed sight K-frames had an "S" prefix. Well so did the N frames. So, in theory you could have two different model guns with the same serial number. The K frame "S" was changed to a "C" for fixed sight guns but the adjustable sight guns had a "K" prefix since the post war era started. There were other fix sight gun prefixes as well, "D" comes to mind.


Also, for the most part serial numbers were done in blocks by frame size and even to the extent some sub categories had a block within a block.


That changed with the multi-alpha prefixes starting in the early 80's. I have a Model 29 and a Model 60 with the AFS prefix. It would not surprise me if you could have an auto loader with a consecutive number to a revolver.

It doesn't end there. I have a model 1899 in .38 Special and another member here has an 1899 in 32-20. Both are S/N 1215.


S&W collecting- pure entertainment.

 

[dlay]

Where do you ride mules in Tennessee? In Big South Fork it was illegal to carry arms, if there better hide it.