Help Identifying S&W 38 Special M&P

[Bellemed]

My father recently passed away and I inherited the pistol he kept in the closet, probably not fired in 30+ years, a S&W 38 Special (Cartridge) M&P. Took it to Northern Virginia Gun Works where they performed a complete disassembly, cleaning and inspection and installed new grips. Serial number (?) 24625 located on the yolk, no other SNs noted on the gun. Has a K frame with round butt, hand ejector, fixed sights, and a 6.5" barrel. Would love to know the model number and an estimate of when it was built. Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[JP@AK]

The number you provided is not the serial number. Remove the oversized (and incorrect) stocks and look on the butt for the real serial number.

Absent the correct number, the features tend to indicate this .38 Military & Police model revolver is from the period prior to 1910. The barrel is undoubtedly the 6 1/2" version that was available up to about 1909.

 

[MSD2343]

Here’s hoping the gunsmith returned the original grips to you.

 

[Bellemed]

He did, thanks, although I think they were an aftermarket. Wood with a whole bunch of wood putty filling in spots. They look pretty rough.

 

[Bellemed]

Can confirm no SN on the butt of the gun. 6.5" barrel makes sense. If a violation of federal gun laws, what would I need to do to make it legal?

 

[Bellemed]

Prior to 1910 is a good start. Any way to get more fidelity on when this might have been built. Definitely no SN on the butt.

 

[gunbarrel]

Somebody, please, correct me if I'm wrong. See pictures. This is a 2nd Model (1902). Notice the S/N on the butt.

 

[gunbarrel]

Here’s hoping the gunsmith returned the original grips to you.

If the grips they gave you back happen to be the original grips, I would try to have them restored. I believe we have members that do that kind of thing. Otherwise, the new grips look really out of place, like the tires on the picture,

 

[DWalt]

Can confirm no SN on the butt of the gun. 6.5" barrel makes sense. If a violation of federal gun laws, what would I need to do to make it legal?

Not worth the attempt. Best to not advertise you have it, don’t get caught with it in your possession. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but it does destroy any collector value. No licensed gun dealer will touch it.

For sure, it is pre-WWI. If you can provide the SN stamped on the barrel or cylinder, it can be more precisely dated.

 

[handejector]

The original serial number was placed on:
Bottom of barrel
Back of cylinder
Front face of the extractor/ratchet
Back edge of the yoke facing the cylinder

The last two in that list don't usually get removed. Check those areas and tell us....

 

[Bellemed]

Do you have recommendations for replacement grips that don't look so out of place?

 

[Bellemed]

There's a number on the back of the cylinder and the front face of the extractor: 100326.

 

[DWalt]

The barrel caliber stamping should be .38 S&W Special and U.S. Service CTG at that SN. Sometimes called the dual caliber stamp. S&W would have also called it the .38 Military Model of 1902.
There are replica plastic round butt grips available, the original grips were probably black hard rubber, but they could have been wood.Might look on eBay for original type.

 

[Bellemed]

On the barrel there's no SN, but a series of patent dates (Apr 9, 89; Mar 27, 94; May 21, 95; Jul 16, 95; Aug 4, 96; Dec 22, 96; Oct 4, 98; Oct 8, 01; and Dec 17, 01. I'm assuming that means it was built sometime after Dec 17, 1901, right?

 

[Bellemed]

"original" grips

Here are pictures of the grips that were on the gun when I got it. Note the amateur wood puddy "repairs"

 

[Bellemed]

Would be happy to have someone restore them if you had someone in the group that does that kind of work.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I understand the butt numbers are the correct numbers, but 1) if there were any, and the old stocks were in poor condition, but is it a possible guess that in "messing" with the old stocks, the Serial numbers may have been compromised during the stock replacement with the old stocks that may have somehow made the serial numbers go away? Grinder, Dremel, alcohol, etc.? The gun went to someone who cleaned up the gun's innards and put some different stocks on the gun, so if he/she had those capabilities, would they not have suggested, or brought to the attention of Bellemed? My M&P 38, shipped postwar, has serial numbers on the back of the cylinder, too, and perhaps elsewhere. If so, would those numbers be illegal, also? I have an older 20 gauge pump shotgun with no numbers anywhere, so maybe that "any gun shipped before '68 law" requiring the serial number only pertains to long guns?
And, Bellemed, welcome to the Forum! Do you plan to hang out for a while? Hope so. Lots of information in this joint!! If you think you'd like to hang around, please consider becoming a contributing donor. At the very least, you get rid of ads popping up on the side of the page. At the top of the page is a link for Donations. If you have any issues, cash or personal, you're still welcome!
Peace, Jeff T., Pittsburgh

 

[glowe]

Somebody, please, correct me if I'm wrong. See pictures. This is a 2nd Model (1902). Notice the S/N on the butt.

Your revolver is a very early Model 1902 easily identified by the straight barrel and lack of cylinder stop screw. The serial number range ran from 20,976 to 33,803, so your revolver was certainly made in 1902. There appears to be another stamp ahead of the serial number, but cannot make it out. Not sure how this helps the OP, since apparently his is a later gun, over 100,000 serial number, made around 1907 or 1908.

 

[glowe]

On the barrel there's no SN, but a series of patent dates (Apr 9, 89; Mar 27, 94; May 21, 95; Jul 16, 95; Aug 4, 96; Dec 22, 96; Oct 4, 98; Oct 8, 01; and Dec 17, 01. I'm assuming that means it was built sometime after Dec 17, 1901, right?

That last serial number on a gun in the 100,000 range should be 1906 patent date?? I have, however, serial number 100,007 that shipped in June 1907 that also has a last date of 1901. By the way, that serial number should make your gun a Model 1905, 1st Change according to collector speak, but with the round butt, the factory called them a Model 1902. Ths round butt revolvers of the day mostly had black hard rubber stocks, but there was also walnut available. The concave top walnut stocks are very difficult to find and quite expensive. Both are shown below.

 

[Gun Relics]

This is from a brochure I just picked up - early 1900's catalog, most likely 1905 - 1907 time period.

The catalog is hard to read, but easier to view on this link: Main