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Identify date of my revolver
- Thread starter engnman
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Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! It likely is a .38 Military & Police hand ejector built on the fixed sight K frame. It has the long-throw action that was replaced in 1948 with the short-throw "speed hammer." .38 M&P's with serials near yours were shipping in late 1946. Don't throw the box away. It is worth $150 or more.
We like pictures. How about posting some of your M&P and the box?
We like pictures. How about posting some of your M&P and the box?
Guy is correct. You have a postwar .38 Military & Police model that most likely shipped in November 1946. At that serial number, it should have either a 4" or 5" barrel. Post some photos if you can.
The gold K-22 Masterpiece box could be from as early as 1947, but they were in use well into the 1950s. Look on the bottom to see if a serial number is written there with a grease pencil. It could be black or white. That serial number will start with the letter K. The number will help us determine when, approximately, the box left the factory. As Guy noted, the box has value of its own, even though it isn't correct for your M&P.
The gold K-22 Masterpiece box could be from as early as 1947, but they were in use well into the 1950s. Look on the bottom to see if a serial number is written there with a grease pencil. It could be black or white. That serial number will start with the letter K. The number will help us determine when, approximately, the box left the factory. As Guy noted, the box has value of its own, even though it isn't correct for your M&P.
DWalt
Member
One characteristic of the late WWII and postwar K-frame revolvers is that they were the first to incorporate an improved hammer drop safety design. That is, the revolvers were much less likely to fire if accidentally dropped on a hard surface. That is the meaning of the ”S” prefix in the serial number. Some refer to those postwar revolvers as being “transitional” but S&W did not. Nor do I.
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Thanks for the pictures. A nice example with the 5" barrel and the barrel shaped extractor rod knob.
In my collection, there is one at S853105 with a 6" barrel (the least common length in the S prefix period). It shipped in November 1946, and I have the original gold box with it along with the original wrap and Helpful Hints brochure.
In my collection, there is one at S853105 with a 6" barrel (the least common length in the S prefix period). It shipped in November 1946, and I have the original gold box with it along with the original wrap and Helpful Hints brochure.
cgt4570
SWCA Member
It appears to be wearing pre-war style very early post war 'magna' grips (all I'm going by is the shape of the top boarder. I could be wrong). They have a different style checkering patterns than the grips used from circa 1947-1968. Please post a pic of the entire grip panel. It also has the pre-war barrel shaped large ejector rod knob. That also went away pretty early post-war in favor of the rod with a knurled tip the same diameter as the rod. You have an excellent shooter!
DWalt
Member
Pictures of the rear surface (inside) and outside of the grip panels could be interesting. We can’t really tell much about the grips from your pictures.
As DWalt mentioned, we can't say too much about the stocks with what we can see. But I'm pretty sure those have the postwar checking pattern. It does not appear to be extensive enough at the top to be of the prewar style. A better photo would confirm that.
November 1946 would be VERY late for the prewar style. I've never seen any that shipped later than April 1946.
This picture shows the difference. The five inch unit is wearing original prewar style Magna stocks. That revolver shipped in March 1946.
November 1946 would be VERY late for the prewar style. I've never seen any that shipped later than April 1946.
This picture shows the difference. The five inch unit is wearing original prewar style Magna stocks. That revolver shipped in March 1946.
Guttering around the checker and the small medallion indicate postwar sharp shouldered Magnas.
