M&P 2 inch bbl. round butt

[Malysh]

I found a nifty companion for the 1954ish M&P 2 inch bbl. round butt of mine. The 1954-56 one is unused. There is a 1.5mm dot of finish wear on the left side of the barrel at the front. It seems the gun may have sat in the same position in a box or whatever for years, although it was cleaned and oiled and kept in a controlled climate. This gun was just too nice to carry and shoot. It's SN C 324752
So it sits in the safe.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...18941-m-p-2-bbl-round-butt-circa-54-56-a.html

Recently I bought 1949 2 inch bbl. M&P SN C 70809. The seller did not have the original stocks but he was very generous. He was intending to ship it with Goodyears. I hate Goodyears. Instead he shipped the gun with a brand new set of post 1968 Magnas. This worked out well since I didn't have a set for my Mod 13-2. Usually I use a set of Spegel's boots for that revolver.

Thanks to Hand Ejector, DWalt, and Saxon for leading me to the approximate date of the gun. I thought it might be a 1948 because I forgot how to read a simple chart in one of Mr. Jinks' books. I thought the gun would have shipped with magnas. Most were by 1949, but another member informed me he has the same round butt M&P about 20 numbers lower than mine that shipped with round top stocks serialized to the gun. A few more knowledgeable members also mentioned that for an unknown reason some of the M&Ps around this time were shipped with the older style round top stocks even though they had already been superceded by the magna stocks.

I found a very nice set of post war round tops. I dithered about cleaning them up, as they were pretty dirty. C 70809 has some minor wear. Eventually, I hit the stocks with some warm water and Dawn on a nylon bristle toothbrush, rinsed and blotted with paper towel, then air dried them. Unless there's something atrocious present, I don't clean the backs since they are not finished. I did NOT soak them.
They look even better now but not so new as to be a mismatch for the overall condition of the gun. I also got a new old stock set of diamond center magnas just to have all bases covered
I have no problems shooting accurately or carrying a K Frame with round tops but I admit that magnas are easier to use.

So, this is my carry M&P snubby. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

 

[jjbrewst1]

Love It!!!!!!!!!

 

[RussellD]

Looks great-This same model is on my grail list

 

[JSW]

Very nice little M&P.

 

[gaucho1]

I also just received a round top grip M&P snubby.

Not as nice, but still as cool.......

 

[crsides]

Very nice. I have a square butt early post war 2", but would have preferred a round butt. Love the grips.

That baby looks like an early Terrier on steroids.


Charlie

 

[Hondo44]

A few more knowledgeable members also mentioned that for an unknown reason some of the M&Ps around this time were shipped with the older style round top stocks even though they had already been superceded by the magna stocks.

Mike,

Very, very cool. It's great to have a user and a same model minty version.

It was very common for older parts like round top stocks, pre war LERKs (large extractor rod knobs) and other 'old inventory' parts to be seen on post war guns, and shipped later than some with the newer style parts like Magna grips. Just another verification that parts were not assembled in order of vintage nor were guns shipped in order of vintage.

 

[Malysh]

Mike,

Very, very cool. It's great to have a user and a same model minty version.

It was very common for older parts like round top stocks, pre war LERKs (large extractor rod knobs) and other 'old inventory' parts to be seen on post war guns, and shipped later than some with the newer style parts like Magna grips. Just another verification that parts were not assembled in order of vintage nor were guns shipped in order of vintage.

Same thing with the Colt revolvers, Jim. Most firearms manufacturers use up parts that have been replaced unless the older parts are defective or dangerous.

I like having a minty example of guns I like and also a shooter grade. I have 5 Walther PPKs. Three are new or like new and the other two are shooters.

I like that "LERKS" tag

 

[Muley Gil]

Nice. IMHO, a much better choice for concealed carry, as opposed to a square butt M&P.

 

[JP@AK]

Mike,

It was very common for older parts like round top stocks, pre war LERKs (large extractor rod knobs) and other 'old inventory' parts to be seen on post war guns, and shipped later than some with the newer style parts like Magna grips. Just another verification that parts were not assembled in order of vintage nor were guns shipped in order of vintage.

True enough, Jim, but what is particularly cool about this example is it happens to be a C prefix gun. That's quite a way down the road on postwar M&Ps for prewar style stuff to show up. The farther away you get from March, 1946, the less common this stuff becomes. What a nice find!

The only thing that would be more cool would be if it had a long throw action!!!

 

[Malysh]

Nice. IMHO, a much better choice for concealed carry, as opposed to a square butt M&P.

I have observed, in my limited way, that the earlier the S&W and Colt snubs, the more square butts made and sold. With Colt, only a square butt was made from the pre Detective Specials in 1926 through the end of 1933 when Colt standardized the classic round butt model.

I can't speak to the pre war M&P snubs as many of the ones the members display are round butt. However, in the early post war period, square butt M&P snubs seem to outsell the round butts by a very wide margin.

I could never understand carrying a 2 inch barrel snub, ostensibly for concealment, with a large square butt printing under your clothing. Even in an era when loose clothing was stylish. In addition, if carried IWB, the square butt is less comfortable.
As time went by, my observation is more M&P and Mod 10s snubs were sold with round butts. They make a lot more sense to me given the tactical usage snubs are intended for.

I wouldn't turn down a deal for an early M&P snub square butt, but I'm always looking for the round butt version

 

[Malysh]

Very nice. I have a square butt early post war 2", but would have preferred a round butt. Love the grips.

That baby looks like an early Terrier on steroids.


Charlie

Interesting observation.
Or, one could say the Terrier looks like the little brother of the round butt M&P

I had never thought of it before.