M&P pre Model 10 questions

[shovelhead]

Just picked up a blued 5” M&P revolver awhile ago. S/N C392XXX which I think puts it between 1954-56 from the information I have. Can anybody get me closer to the year?

Second, the grips on it. They are aftermarket, tried to figure out the maker but all they have on the back as an identifier is “20” with no name. I’m assuming that it was probably delivered with Diamond Magna grips with emblems. No box, no papers or tools nor the original grips.

I’ll probably get this gun lettered by S&W, I’m assuming due to a number of clues this was a LEO gun at some point in its life.

 

[DARE]

Think you are right that diamond magnas are the grips it shipped with. A picture might help identify the grips you have on it.

 

[Hawg Rider]

You are correct, the "SCSW 4th Ed." puts your s/n in the 1954-56 timeframe. Extrapolating, I would suspect 1956. It would have been shipped wearing checkered diamond walnut stocks with S&W medallions I'm sure that some of our S&W Forum gurus will be along shortly to better date your .38 M&P. Enjoy!

 

[JP@AK]

Just picked up a blued 5” M&P revolver awhile ago. S/N C392XXX which I think puts it between 1954-56 from the information I have. Can anybody get me closer to the year?

It very likely shipped in 1957. Here are some comparables:
C391014 shipped in June, 1957
C391660 shipped in August, 1957
C392038 shipped in July, 1957
C394011 shipped in June, 1957

 

[shovelhead]

Thank you for the responses. I’m going to assume that mine was shipped around the July to August 1957 timeframe as my S/N is close to C392038.

I’m probably going to get a S&W letter on this one as my assumption is that it was a PD duty gun due to the slight bluing wear on the muzzle and greater bluing wear on the back strap together with a number stamped at the bottom edge as it turns towards the butt.

This is probably going to sound stupid but were 5” barrels that common or popular from the 50’s back in the civilian market or were those more common in the military and police markets?

 

[Swissfan]

Assuming the grips are wood, the grips may be Sanderson's. Is the "20" stamped into each panel? Is there an opening in the front of the grips at the strain screw?
Pictures of the grips would help.

 

[MajorD]

Back in the 40’s 50’s and into the 60’s 5 and 6 inch barrels were pretty common in police use. As time went on with the transition of cops ( in cities anyway) moving from walking a beat to being in cars, the 4” took over due to being easier to sit in a car while carrying.
The CHP and LAPD and a lot of other agencies issued 6” guns during this time.

The 5” is a bit more unusual “odd duck” as it was one of the less popular barrel lengths over the years. ( the British service guns of WWII being the exception)
Will be interested in how it letters. Some guns back then were shipped directly to agencies, but just as often to big gun shops or distributors who then sold to agencies. In a lot of cases, if sold to a shop or distributor may not identify the end user.

 

[JP@AK]

The 5” is a bit more unusual “odd duck” as it was one of the less popular barrel lengths over the years. ( the British service guns of WWII being the exception)

My data on immediate postwar M&Ps would indicate otherwise. In the 1946-1948 period, 5" barrels on M&Ps shipped from the factory represented the second highest number of units, behind only the 4". Both 6" and 2" units are far behind.

5" barrel popularity does seem to decline, beginning in the mid-1950s and into the 1960s. But prior to and including the 1940s, it was a quite popular length.

 

[shovelhead]

Back in the 40’s 50’s and into the 60’s 5 and 6 inch barrels were pretty common in police use. As time went on with the transition of cops ( in cities anyway) moving from walking a beat to being in cars, the 4” took over due to being easier to sit in a car while carrying.
The CHP and LAPD and a lot of other agencies issued 6” guns during this time.

The 5” is a bit more unusual “odd duck” as it was one of the less popular barrel lengths over the years. ( the British service guns of WWII being the exception)
Will be interested in how it letters. Some guns back then were shipped directly to agencies, but just as often to big gun shops or distributors who then sold to agencies. In a lot of cases, if sold to a shop or distributor may not identify the end user.

Yes on the distributor dead ends. The only other pre Model 10 I had was lettered by S&W. 1923 ship date,.38 SPL nickel plated. When I got it in 1985 it was in a swivel patent leather holster, dried and mildewed so I tossed it. With the nickel peeling on the butt strap it was indicative that someone’s hand had rested on it a lot. Factory records show it was sold to a wholesaler in Birmingham Alabama and that’s all.

 

[Mbrgr1]

C388814 6" Nickel shipped Oct 1957, must have been in the safe!

 

[JP@AK]

C388814 6" Nickel shipped Oct 1957, must have been in the safe!

Not uncommon.

C387406 shipped in April, 1957
C388814 shipped in October, 1957 (yours)
C388879 shipped in June, 1957

They all went into the vault after assembly and were pulled at random when orders came in.

 

[Mbrgr1]

Not uncommon.

C387406 shipped in April, 1957
C388814 shipped in October, 1957 (yours)
C388879 shipped in June, 1957

They all went into the vault after assembly and were pulled at random when orders came in.

Interesting, but the ones you posted earlier don't look terribly random.


C391014 shipped in June, 1957
C391660 shipped in August, 1957
C392038 shipped in July, 1957
C394011 shipped in June, 1957


Is there a wider sample with serials for 1957?


Just curious, not trying to be unusual, although sometimes I am.

 

[JP@AK]

Is there a wider sample with serials for 1957?

The lowest number I show in 1957 is C379765.

The highest is C394011 (June, 1957), but some that shipped later have lower serial numbers. For example, C391660, which I also listed earlier. It shipped in August, 1957.

But it is a small sample size. I have only recorded 10 M&P units that shipped in 1957 (out of a total list of about 270 units with the C prefix for which I have ship dates).