Identify S&W with no model number

[taylorh1077]

Got a hand me down revolver this past month and was told this was the place to get it identified. It does NOT have a model number by the yoke. I think I have followed all the guidelines to make it easier for yall. Pics are attached. IF you need anything else at all, please let me know, and thank you so much ahead of time for the help. barrel states .38 S&W. Special CTG
Serial: SV 810731
Yoke Number(if you need it) 74140

 

[ImDrRich]

Caliber?

 

[taylorh1077]

So sorry, barrel states .38 S&W. Special CTG

 

[jbtrucker]

Post War 1944 Military Police ( M&P ) 5 screw. They are called Pre 10's model numbers didn't start till 1950's. The Smith & Wesson 4th Edition catalog has all the information ,purchased mine from Amazon.com. Nice revolver you did good !

 

[taylorh1077]

Post War 1944 Military Police ( M&P ) 5 screw. They are called Pre 10's model numbers didn't start till 1950's. The Smith & Wesson 4th Edition catalog has all the information ,purchased mine from Amazon.com. Nice revolver you did good !

You guys were so fast! Thank you so much for the response!! any chance you know the date of MFG?

 

[jbtrucker]

You guys were so fast! Thank you so much for the response!! any chance you know the date of MFG?

Can't help with exact date book says the V in serial number was dropped 1945

 

[JP@AK]

Hi and welcome to the S&W Forum.

You have a postwar .38 Military & Police model. It almost certainly shipped from the factory in either March or April 1946.

The stocks it is currently wearing are much later than the gun. That style is no earlier than about 1967. The management order requiring elimination of the smooth diamond at the screw location was issued on January 11, 1966.

 

[taylorh1077]

Thanks yall so much. Made my day!

 

[Goony]

I'd just add that from a collector's standpoint, these earliest postwar Military & Police models (identified by "SV" prefixed serial numbers but finished to commercial standards, with the butt swivel hole plugged, and fitted with magna grips) are especially interesting as they represent a shortlived practice of using up surplus, leftover "Victory" frames from wartime production. According to the company's advertising of the period, these initial guns were intended to be preferentially supplied to law enforcement agencies.

 

[JP@AK]

According to the company's advertising of the period, these initial guns were intended to be preferentially supplied to law enforcement agencies.

Yes. The earliest shipment I've been able to identify was to the Cleveland PD, in February 1946. After that, a ton of them went to the NYPD.

 

[Tom Garrett]

VERY cool revolver. I don’t think i would run +P ammo in it. A piece of history. A whole bunch of victory models were butchered up. Turned into snubbies, nickel plated, etc. The extended ampersands on both sides of the barrel are a dating tool also. That thing bleeds history. S&W made like, 6 million revolvers for the war. This one was at the tail end of a very long line.

 

[taylorh1077]

Out of curiosity now that I have the complete biography of this weapon, whats the value? Judging from the comment, this may be one to clean up really well, put in a display box and get some paper work to display with it