Hello all! I'm new to the forum, but I've been told this is THE place to be, to get all of the answers on everything S & W. I want to thank everyone in advance for the expertise, and assistance in helping me identify the model and year of my father's S & W 38 Special, that he carried in Korea. I'll include pictures of key numbers and stampings, and if any other pictures are needed, I'll gladly take some more. Thank you so much!!!!
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Identifying My Father's Service Revolver
- Thread starter OlSmitty
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pantannojack
US Veteran
That is a nice well cared for piece. I would like if my 10-5 were as finish clean.
I don't know squat, let me say that up front.
Looks like a pre-Model 10, a M&P model.
Had you done a pic showing the entire gun, it'd get a more precise guess, IMO.
Looks like a pre-Model 10, a M&P model.
Had you done a pic showing the entire gun, it'd get a more precise guess, IMO.
Looks like your father packed an M&P, Military and Police, as it was known prior to 1957. After that it was called a model 10. Classic piece.
DWalt
Member
It is a postwar .38 Military and Police (M&P), ca. 1947. As previously stated it later became the Model 10 in the late 1950s after some mechanical changes were made to the action. The numbers stamped inside are just assembly matching numbers and have no significance. It differs from similar revolvers made prior to 1945 in its incorporation of an improved hammer drop safety. That is what the S prefix to the serial number indicates.
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Welcome to the Forum.
Please post pictures of the entire revolver. Does it have a 4" or 5" barrel, measured from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel?
Please post pictures of the entire revolver. Does it have a 4" or 5" barrel, measured from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel?
Welcome to the S&W Forum, OlSmitty
It is a postwar .38 Military & Police model and it very likely left the factory in September, 1947. Many of them in that serial range shipped that month, mostly with 5" barrels.
Like Gil, I'd like to see a picture of the entire revolver. In one of your photos, it looks like it might have a 5" barrel, maybe 6". It appears to be longer than 4". It would also be good to see what stocks are on it. With a good photo we can make a pretty good guess as to whether they are original. We can tell you how to find out for sure, but a picture might make clear that they are not.
If your dad carried it in Korea, it was likely a personally owned item. It would not have been (normally) an issue weapon.
It is a postwar .38 Military & Police model and it very likely left the factory in September, 1947. Many of them in that serial range shipped that month, mostly with 5" barrels.
Like Gil, I'd like to see a picture of the entire revolver. In one of your photos, it looks like it might have a 5" barrel, maybe 6". It appears to be longer than 4". It would also be good to see what stocks are on it. With a good photo we can make a pretty good guess as to whether they are original. We can tell you how to find out for sure, but a picture might make clear that they are not.
If your dad carried it in Korea, it was likely a personally owned item. It would not have been (normally) an issue weapon.
DWalt
Member
I had intended to mention the same thing earlier. It is not likely to have been government military issue. The military already had large numbers of similar revolvers left that had been made during WWII, and would not have been buying postwar-manufactured M&Ps. Personally-owned handguns were not uncommon among soldiers at that time. I once has a friend who carried and used his own S&W .38 Combat Masterpiece while he was in the Army during the Korean War. Not allowed today, at least not officially.
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Welcome aboard.
The way the grips fit I bet they are original.
I have a couple of questions-
1- What's in the grocery bag behind Pic # 2? Any goodies?
2- Do I see the holster your Dad used inn Pics 1 and 4?
It would be nice to see the whole rig.
The way the grips fit I bet they are original.
I have a couple of questions-
1- What's in the grocery bag behind Pic # 2? Any goodies?
2- Do I see the holster your Dad used inn Pics 1 and 4?
It would be nice to see the whole rig.
He never said it was military, only his dad carried it in Korea.I think it shipped in December, 1947.
The bottom line is it is one of A BUNCH (millions as I recall----7+ of them (??)) of essentially the same model which came to be in 1899-----and kept right on going. That which contributed in large part to the large numbers is the so-called Victory model-----produced for the U.S. and its allies during the time of WWII.
Ralph Tremaine
Ralph Tremaine
Skeeter Skelton took a pair of .38 M&Ps to Japan at the end of WW II.
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Thanks for the pics. It is a 6 inch.
It appears to have a 6" barrel, but a good photo of the full right side of the revolver lying flat would help us to be sure. The oblique shots aren't particularly helpful.
The Magna stocks are of the sharp shoulder variety, which was standard at that time. If you remove them, you should see the gun's serial number impressed into the wood on the inside of the right panel. It will not include the S.
Edit: You added two more pictures. Thanks. That affirms the 6" barrel.
The Magna stocks are of the sharp shoulder variety, which was standard at that time. If you remove them, you should see the gun's serial number impressed into the wood on the inside of the right panel. It will not include the S.
Edit: You added two more pictures. Thanks. That affirms the 6" barrel.
OlSmitty
S943660, very close to yours, also had a 6" barrel. A fairly large run of 6" M&Ps went from those numbers well into the S944000 range.
One thing I observed in your pictures is that the mainspring tension screw seems to be backed out a bit. You should use a proper, hollow ground, screwdriver and snug that up. It should be tight to the grip frame.
S943660, very close to yours, also had a 6" barrel. A fairly large run of 6" M&Ps went from those numbers well into the S944000 range.
One thing I observed in your pictures is that the mainspring tension screw seems to be backed out a bit. You should use a proper, hollow ground, screwdriver and snug that up. It should be tight to the grip frame.
I'll tighten that screw up until flush. Good catch! That firearm is actually my 86 year old mother's home defense gun. She likes shooting it. Thanks!!!
I'll add that it should be a 'long action' which in my limited experience feels a bit different than the slightly later revolvers (such as the Model 10 someone mentioned). Also, the hammer spur somewhat obscures the rear sight when shooting double action.
