M&P 1905 Question

dossne

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
For a S and W model 1905 with serial 491373 and a 2 inch barrel chambered in 38 spl: When would this firearm have been manufactured and what change is it? Also how common are 2 inch barrels? It has square butt walnut grips (hand checkered)

Thanks!
 
i guess it would be a 4th change. i would think a 2 inch barrel would be pretty scarce. can you post up some pics?
 
Please check the serial number on the butt to see if there is a letter prefix . . . possibly a "C". Even though spaced apart from the number, it is part of the serial number and changes the date significantly.
 
That SN would be ca. 1924, and if memory serves the 2" barrel was not available until mid 1930s. With a C prefix makes it about 1961 and would be fairly common. 1961 would be either a 10-2 or -3 and it will have a ramp front sight wither 1/10" (-2) or 1/8" (-3) wide.
 
Snapfish problem. The links take me to a registration page, but even after I register I can't get to the specific images you describe. I'd like to see the pics, but the snapfish software is keeping me from doing that.
 
The circa 1924 date would be correct but this gun appears to have been modified for the commercial market by one of the U.K. companies like Parker-Hale. The barrel has been shorted to 2" as evidenced by the missing front locking lug on the barrel for the ejector rod.

Others are more knowledgeable than I am about these modifications and hopefully they'll be along to add to our understanding.

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the Forum!

Russ
 
Russ is correct. You have a mid-1920s revolver that originally had a longer barrel (probably 5", as many M&Ps of that era had barrels that length).

I'm not sure that the short barrel now on the gun now is a portion of the original barrel. The flared portion where the barrel mates with the frame has a profile that looks slightly off to me. The underside of the barrel, where the proof stamps are, would be completely flat from frame to ejector knob cut if that were original. Perhaps the original barrel was further milled to create a place to stamp the marks, but that's conjecture. I would also expect to see remnants of caliber label stamps or patent dates on the barrel, but those are gone. Polished off? Or simply never there because this was not originally a S&W barrel?

Given the date of the gun, this would have been chambered in .38 Special originally, so despite the Commonwealth proof marks it has not been rechambered from .38/200.

The stocks on the gun now appear to be from the late '50s judging by the shoulder profile. Your gun would originally have had the smaller service stocks with half-round tops and no medallions.
 
Thanks

Thanks for looking at the pictures and helping me figure out exactly what/when this gun is. The smaller grips that you mentioned...Would you happen to have a picture of these do that I may try to find a set?

Also, do these modifications to the barrel length affect the forecasted values in the books? How common are these modifications? I purchased the pistol at a swap meet for $200...Did I do okay?

Thanks again,

Nick
 
Last edited:
I think $200 is an okay price for what you have there as it will make a good shooter and is collectable. It's tough to come by a decent shooter for $200 these days.

If you do a quick search on victory revolvers you will find lots of pics of the stocks you are looking for.
 
I can't see through all the British graffiti, but does the barrel appear to have the same serial number as the one on the grip frame? I'm wondering if that barrel might be a transplant from a hacked Victory model....

The barrel and cylinder would have had the serial number stamped on them.

The grips you need look like these - checkered, with no medallion.
 

Attachments

  • 1920's 'K'-1.jpg
    1920's 'K'-1.jpg
    163.3 KB
Thanks

Thanks for the information Dacoontz and Wheelgun! I will check to see if the numbers match and get back to you.
 
Barrel S/N

Under all of the British markings there appears to be the remnants of a serial number. They stamped the "3 1/2 tons" portion of it right over the old number. I had never noticed that before...but the numbers that are remaining (and there are only two of them legible) are a 6 and a 9..neither of which are in that order within the serial number as it appears on the grip frame. So dies this perhaps mean that a separate barrel was modified and then mated with this pistol?

Thanks again for the information.
 
Back
Top