Help with pre-model

[Cej51]

Hello All,
Can someone provide the year of mfg. It's a 5 screw S&W 38 spl ctg. s/n on bottom of grip frame is 9114XX. Many thanks.

 

[OFT II]

Likely late 1941 or early '42. Experts will be along soon. 38 special or 38 S&W?

 

[Daniel Howe]

I would guess about 1935 - 38

 

[Absalom]

Hello All,
Can someone provide the year of mfg. It's a 5 screw S&W 38 spl ctg. s/n on bottom of grip frame is 9114XX. Many thanks.

Likely January 1942. I have a 910-range M&P that shipped Jan. 27th.

Interesting that yours still has the medallion stocks and a 5“ barrel. Do the stocks number to the gun? Mine, even though lower, already has smooth walnut. There was a transition period, even though the change officially happened Jan. 1st.

 

[DWalt]

Concur with Jan-Feb 1942 as the most likely shipping period. At that time, most were made in .38 S&W caliber (not .38 S&W Special) and being shipped to the British Commonwealth. And most of those had 5" barrels, as yours does. Most chambered for .38 S&W Special had 4" barrels. What is the exact caliber stamping on the barrel? Have you tried chambering a .38 S&W Special cartridge? Be aware that many of the wartime British revolvers were later (late 1950s-early 1960s) re-chambered to .38 Special. Smooth grips were used starting in early 1942, but the earlier 1930s style checkered grips like yours could be correct and original. Is there a matching serial number stamped on the back side of the right grip panel?

You could call it a pre-Victory model.

 

[Cej51]

Thanks everyone for your response. The revolver belongs to an elderly friend living out of state from me. I will visit him at the end of this year and will take some HD photos and post them with more accurate information. Cheers.

 

[chiefdave]

Hello All,
Can someone provide the year of mfg. It's a 5 screw S&W 38 spl ctg. s/n on bottom of grip frame is 9114XX. Many thanks.

I have s/n 912361 that is identical in configuration and letters as a commercial shipment on 2/2/42. Your friend may want to letter his revolver as it is an unusual caliber/barrel length/stock combination for the time period. You might ask him to let you remove the right stock to see if it is numbered to the frame.

 

[Cej51]

Hello & Happy New Year to all. Visited my friend out of state and examined the revolver. Here are some more detailed pics for discussion. I can only post 5 pics at a time and have several more if needed. Thanx.

 

[Absalom]

Thanks for the follow-up!

Those pictures confirm what we discussed above about this being somewhat unusual in terms of the timeline.

Chief, I forgot, did your commercial-shipped gun have the swivel like this one does?

 

[Kansasgunner]

I have #920215 4” blue with factory lanyard ring, all numbers matching. Roy says it shipped Feb. 1942. Chambered 38 S&WSpecial.

 

[raljr1]

That old revolver has lived a full life. Lucky for you I run a retirement home for old revolvers and would be happy to offer our lifetime care program for this old workhorse. Just send the revolver, along with $10 to cover administrative expenses, and we will keep it safe and warm for the rest or our days.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Art Doc]

No expert but I suspect in 1942 only cops and security outfits at big factories could even get a new revolver. May explain the swivel. Very cool gun.

 

[chiefdave]

Thanks for the follow-up!

Chief, I forgot, did your commercial-shipped gun have the swivel like this one does?

Yes, 912361 has a lanyard loop and letters as such. I hope the OP gets the revolver lettered. It has all the makings of another post DSC commercial shipment. The configuration is just too odd for it not to be.

 

[DWalt]

At that time, I'd guess that what few commercial guns which were shipped probably used frames off the assembly line having lanyard swivel holes already in the butt and the swivel installed.