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.

 

[mk70ss]

Congress approved a new law allowing loaded firearms in national parks starting Feb. 22, 2010. That means people can openly carry legal handguns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms and also may carry concealed guns as allowed by state statute.Feb 22, 2010

We will be at Eastfork Horse Camp, just around the corner from Southfork.

 

[larryofcc]

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

Pardon me, but what is a mule? Is it like a 4 wheeler?
Here is my 1948 Long Action M&P # S 987266, shipped 4-13-1948. Big Larry

 

[mk70ss]

Pardon me, but what is a mule? Is it like a 4 wheeler?
Here is my 1948 Long Action M&P # S 987266, shipped 4-13-1948. Big Larry

There are 4 wheeler mules, ours have four hooves and are ACTUAL mules. Live animals you ride....

 

[Absalom]

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.

This is not limited to S&W. In fact, the letter prefixes make it a bit easier for S&W that for most other brands to place a gun by serial quickly.

Prior to 1968 and the GCA, serial numbers were at the factory's pleasure, and most manufacturers simply used numerical serials, starting at 1 for every new model. So with the large manufacturers, there can be a significant number of older guns with the same maker and same serial out there.

I've run into this while buying a gun. When the gun was run through NCIC during the transfer, it came back as stolen. The serial, let's call it 12345, matched, as did the description entered in the theft report, which said ".38 cal. S&W.".

The state police at my end and the reporting agency at the other end took a week to determine that it was a false alarm, as the stolen gun was a long-barreled blued .38 Special, while I was buying a nickeled Safety Hammerless in .38 S&W. But the three data points, S&W, .38, and #12345, were a match

 

[Muley Gil]

"... and we are going trail riding (we ride trail mules) in Tennessee..."

Ain't nothing like a good mule. Betty Boop loves her licorice.

 

[mk70ss]

"... and we are going trail riding (we ride trail mules) in Tennessee..."

Ain't nothing like a good mule. Betty Boop loves her licorice.

Nope, a good mule is a great thing. Ours like Cheetos on the trail....

 

[Art Doc]

K frames with S prefix 1946-48. N frames starting in 1950 and ending in 1968 with the Gun Control Act of 1968 mandating no duplicate serials so S&W went to the N prefix.

 

[Hondo44]

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!!

That is a real score, you have the most interesting .38 M&P IMO: a ".38 M&P Commercial Post War Transitional Model"

It has all the pre war/wartime features:

One line MADE IN U.S.A. frame rollmark,
'barrel' style/notched barrel extractor rod knob,
sharp Shoulder Magnas,
double pinch thumb piece,
sliding bar improved hammer block safety (post #SV 811832 from 1945),
and long action (pre # S 990184 4/7/48 short action, the Pre Model 10).

Enjoy!

 

[dlay]

Congress approved a new law allowing loaded firearms in national parks starting Feb. 22, 2010. That means people can openly carry legal handguns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms and also may carry concealed guns as allowed by state statute.Feb 22, 2010

We will be at Eastfork Horse Camp, just around the corner from Southfork.

I had forgotten, havent been in BSF in a few years, love that place. Have fun, saw the largest and prettiest mule that I have ever seen up there several years back.

 

[mk70ss]

I had forgotten, havent been in BSF in a few years, love that place. Have fun, saw the largest and prettiest mule that I have ever seen up there several years back.

Might have been mine, I ride a flashy, big Belgian draft cross mule. We ride there quite a bit.