Info needed on 5 Screw 38sp

[Chubbs G]

Hi,

I recently purchased this hand ejector revolver.
The serial number is S 815XXX. Its chamber in 38 special with a 5 inch barrel. It has fixed sights and is a 5 screw.

I would like to know a possible year of manufacture and rarity of this revolver since I have not found any others like it on the internet.

Thank you for your help,
Chubbs

 

[bobsguns]

Here's my puzzlement: There's no model number stamped on the crane, yet it has a trigger lock on the frame.

So..............

Where I to see this exact gun at a shop or show, *I* would conclude at least the crane had been swapped, if not the cylinder asy itself.

In short, something is not kosher here, IMO. I'll let others opine on my theory there.

My .o2

 

[AudieMurphy]

turn it in to a buy back program...if they'll take it and then run like heck

 

[Lee Barner]

Bob, what you are seeing is the end of the hammer stud right under the cylinder latch. Lee

 

[Wingmaster]

That's a post war M&P. It doesn't have an internal lock. Like Lee said What Bob is refering to is the end of the hammer stud.

Someone will be along to give you an estimate of the shipping date.

These are great guns.

 

[JP@AK]

It is a postwar .38 Military & Police revolver. It probably shipped in March, 1946.

The front sight has been altered, otherwise it appears to be in good shape and will probably make a good shooter.

These are not at all rare. Approximately 180,000 of them were produced with the S prefix serial numbers, starting in late 1945 and ending in March, 1948.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome to the Forum! As you now know, you have an early post-WWII .38 Military & Police revolver. There were millions of M&P revolvers manufactured over many decades, so they are not rare or particularly valuable, but they are great and dependable shooters. Except for a replacement front sight, yours appears to be in VG condition and 5" bbl. are popular. I think it's worth perhaps $450-$500. Enjoy!

 

[DWalt]

Its main interest is that it is an M&P which is among the very earliest produced for civilian sale after the end of WWII. Too bad someone messed with the front sight. That s a significant defect. Most collectors would call it a “Postwar M&P.” That specific design was produced for a few years, then the action and hammer design was changed. The S prefix to the serial number indicated that it had an improved hammer drop safety first used on M&Ps made for military use beginning around very early 1945. What happened to the grips? Having its original grips would increase its value somewhat. I can’t say with certainty, but it appears that it may have possibly been refinished. The finish just doesn’t look quite right to me. I would say that $450-500 is a generous value estimate.