Grip Question

[tenn67]

I just purchased a S&W revolver with a serial number S846574 it is a 5 screw I think and made in 1945. I think there are non S&W grips on it now. Did S&W ever make grips with a eagle emblem on them and no SW? Where might I get the proper grips and screw? What model or frame designation is this gun so I can order correct grips or aftermarket?

I truly appreciate any input.

 

[DWalt]

Your M&P (K-frame) would likely have shipped around Oct-Nov 1946, and would have been of post-WWII manufacture. S&W did not make any grips with Eagle emblems. It's likely yours had what are called "Sharp-shoulder" Magna grips when originally shipped, although there is a slight chance it could have had the pre-WWII style Magnas, differing mainly in the checkering border. Look on eBay.

 

[Inusuit]

Check the sticky "To Identify Your Gun" at the top of this thread. More information is needed to help you with your grip question: caliber, barrel length, finish, lanyard ring, etc. Clear pictures of the revolver from both sides and of all markings will provide valuable information. Is the serial number you provided found on the butt below the grips? Are you sure there's isn't a "V" in there? Because the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson Says the S serial Prefix ran from 1946 to 1970 and ended with S333454. How did you arrive at the 1945 date?

I suspect you may have what's known as a Victory model. S&W made these during WWII in .38 Special caliber and (usually) a four inch barrel for use by US contractors and rear echelon troops. They also made them in .38 S&W caliber with (usually) a five inch barrel for export to England. But a Victory would have a "V" in there somewhere.

S&W did not, to the best of my knowledge, make the grips you describe. Again, pictures. Once we determine what your revolver is, we can recommend sources of grips. If you want period correct grips, they occasionally show up on auction sites or in some cases reproductions are available. I've been using the term "grips." S&W refers to them as "stocks."

DeWalt posted while I was typing. He knows more about these revolvers than I do, so take his advice

 

[Absalom]

Sile imported aftermarket wooden stocks for S&W revolvers with eagle medallions. The attached picture of a round butt J-frame version was the best I could find on the web, but they had them for all frame sizes; do the medallions look like this? I think they came from the Philippines.

.... Because the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson Says the S serial Prefix ran from 1946 to 1970 and ended with S333454. How did you arrive at the 1945 date?
.....

Inusuit:
I hope you don't mind a little correction. You might want to re-visit the SCSW at your leisure as the S-prefix can be a bit confusing; it is not limited to one model. And you definitely got some things mixed up. For the M&P, it goes from roughly S 814xxx to S 999999. A "subcategory", the SV-prefix, can start in the upper 760xxx.

 

[JP@AK]

I just purchased a S&W revolver with a serial number S846574 it is a 5 screw I think and made in 1945.

Hi
Your revolver is a postwar .38 Military & Police. Serial #S846574 almost certainly shipped in October, 1946. It is in the midst of a group of revolvers that went to the NYPD. I show some in that range (one only two digits away) that went to the NYPD on October 11, 1946. It is entirely possible that yours was in that shipment, although only a letter can tell you for sure.

Does it have a 4" barrel? That seems most likely.

At that serial number, it would have shipped with Magna stocks having the sharp shoulder and the postwar style checkering. I'll include a photo. The original stocks on your gun would look like those on the bottom gun in this picture. The upper gun has the prewar style Magna stocks.

 

[tenn67]

It is a 4 inch barrel 38 special with a blue finish. The serial number is as I stated with no V. I did internet searches and found a list of serial numbers on some site I do not remember the site. The grips look similar to the grips that Absalam posted. I found some factory grips at Midway USA for $75 these do not have the diamond around the screw and might be a little lighter in color. This gun has a very good bore and a very tight lock up. It is a very good shooter very accurate. I paid $250 for it I do no think I hurt myself. I would say the finish is 85% or so with a couple of rust spots. This gun is 70+ years old and shoots as good or better than a new one.

I appreciate every ones input.

 

[Inusuit]

Inusuit:
I hope you don't mind a little correction. You might want to re-visit the SCSW at your leisure as the S-prefix can be a bit confusing; it is not limited to one model. And you definitely got some things mixed up. For the M&P, it goes from roughly S 814xxx to S 999999. A "subcategory", the SV-prefix, can start in the upper 760xxx.

I actually appreciate the correction as I am here to learn. I regret giving bad info to the OP. I did find the short section in the SCSW addressing the K Frame S prefix serials. Missed it the first time. So thanks for update and for providing an accurate response. This is not my first mistake and probably won't be my last.

 

[DWalt]

The K-frame SV-series came first. It incorporated an improved hammer blocking safety design into military (Victory) revolver production in early 1945. After WWII's end, leftover SV -numbered frames in inventory were finished in civilian style (blued, and with Magna grips) and sold on the commercial market beginning in early 1946. Meanwhile, S&W started producing revolvers for the civilian market again, and dropped the V prefix entirely, thereby resulting in the S-series, which went from about S811xxx to S999999, thereafter becoming the C-series.
Until around SN S990xxx, there was no mechanical difference between the SV-series and the S-series. But a change in the lockwork was made at around SN S990xxx (in early 1948) which resulted in the new K-frame "Short Action" (with High Speed Hammer).

There was also a postwar S-series in the S&W N-frame which began at S62489 (1946) and ran to S333454 (1969). There are no identical serial numbers between the S-series K-frames and S-series N-frames. So there should be no confusion between N-frames and K-frames.

 

[serger]

According to Mr RM Vivas the large order picked up from S&W by the NYPD was 500 M&P's on OCT 11 1946. The SN's range from 842xxx thru 848xxx.

I own 846346. It was refurbished in 1974 and the original grips were replaced.

Here's a link to that discussion. Maybe if you contact Mr Vivas he would be gracious enough to look and see who was the original owner of your revolver (assuming it was in that batch):

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/407619-nypd-1947-m-p.html

 

[JSR III]

Welcome to the forum.

As others have stated, the S series of S&W serial numbers can be confusing to the collector whether new or old. The thing to remember is that the high numbers like S 836000 to S 999999 will be post war M&P's on the K frame.

The lower numbers like S 67706 are N frames and were put on Heavy Duties, Outdoorsman's, Highway Patrolman etc.

Since the N frame S serial numbers never reached higher than the 300,XXX range one can usually tell what the gun is by number alone.

 

[jsfricks]

I found some factory grips at Midway USA for $75 these do not have the diamond around the screw and might be a little lighter in color.

Before I bought those I would post in the Want to Buy section for a decent pair of original grips for about the same money. Plus they are available on EBay.