Military and Police 38 special questions

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GT_80

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Hey everyone, been a while since I posted...

I just picked up a retired Police "Military and Police" 38 special revolver yesterday, and I was hoping to get some clarification on year of manufacture and a few other things. It is a 5 screw model.


I was told it is a 1926 Year of manufacture, and also that it was refinished (which is obvious), and I believe it has much newer target style grips on it.

What I want to know, is it really a 1926, has the front sight been changed (looks different than the standard barley corn I have seen on most - Mine is pinned in place and has a flat leading edge like a Patridge sight).

The barrel, frame, and cylinder serial numbers all match.

The action is buttery smooth, and maybe only a touch heavier than my model 15-2 4" K frame (Which was also a retired police or highway patrol revolver I believe)

What can you all tell me about this gun?

Serial is 555384

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That SN would place it as shipping in the 1926-27 period. A 1925 manufacture date is possible, but there is no way to tell for sure. I show close SNs in both years. And the grips are targets, and definitely not original to the gun, in fact, nothing like the originals. Also definitely refinished by someone.
 
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DWalt said:
That SN would place it as shipping in the 1926-27 period. I show close SNs in both years. And the grips are targets, and definitely not original to the gun, in fact, nothing like the originals. Also definitely refinished by someone.
Click to expand...

Well, that definitely confirms a few things... What about the front sight? it definitely seems to have been worked on by someone that knew what they were doing. Wonder how expensive original grips would be, or maybe I should put some standard K frame grips on it...
 
NYPD records show that range as having been on hand and sold around January 1930 but others in same range as having been sold 1926/1927:
555309 1/0/30 Book 26-39 p. 11
555323 check book Book 26-27 p. 156
555326 check book Book 26-27 p. 156
555342 check book Book 26-27 p. 156
555342 1/0/30 Book 26-39 p. 11
555402 check book Book 26-27 p. 156
555402 1/0/30 Book 26-39 p. 11

RM Vivas
 
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The mushroom shaped ejector rod knob ended in 1927, so it can be no later a ship date than early 1927. The Made in USA stamp was added in 1922. As stated above, the target stocks date from the early 1950s. The front sight was re-done and was originally a half-moon forged front sight. Someone ground off the sight blade and installed a target type front sight, but definitely not original. Finish looks like parkerizing, not done by S&W until WWII.

Guns from that era were what was called long action and did not change until WWII. The old action was very smooth, but a longer pull of the trigger than in model numbered guns.

Shoot it and enjoy it for what it is.
 
glowe said:
The mushroom shaped ejector rod knob ended in 1927, so it can be no later a ship date than early 1927. The Made in USA stamp was added in 1922. As stated above, the target stocks date from the early 1950s. The front sight was re-done and was originally a half-moon forged front sight. Someone ground off the sight blade and installed a target type front sight, but definitely not original. Finish looks like parkerizing, not done by S&W until WWII.

Guns from that era were what was called long action and did not change until WWII. The old action was very smooth, but a longer pull of the trigger than in model numbered guns.

Shoot it and enjoy it for what it is.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

I plan to enjoy it, it's a very nice tight gun, and the police dept markings definitely added to the appeal for me.

I may get some other grips for it, some standard K frame non-target grips, but then again, I may not. These are worn just right and have a great fee in the hand.

I paid $400 for it, I think I did well. Newer K frames and even another Military and Police in the same shop were $200-400 more than this one, and the parkerized refinish will last a long time. Only a few minor scratches by the front sight, and on the left side of the barrel from being stored wrong most likely. The bore is amazing, gun is super clean. Almost like it was never shot after it got refinished…
 
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The grips would be desirable to some one with a 1950's K frame. If you wanted to find appropriate grips for your gun you might find those targets will sell pretty easily. I paid $200 recently for a like new set.
 
1920s standard walnut stocks are often found on online gun sites as well as many on ebay. They would look like the image below. I always have tried to find period correct stocks, even if I shoot a gun with targets installed, I have the option of showing the gun as it left the factory.

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I took it out to the range this weekend, and boy is it a sweet shooter. Its like a scaled up J frame to me- the trench sites are perfect, the front sight modification works well. I hit way more than I missed at a 10" steel plate at 10 yards.

I ended up putting my model 15 factory grips on it to take to the range because the big target grips are actually a bit large for my hands.

Boy oh Boy- I had been missing out on a fantastic gun though. I always liked the bull barrel 4" models like a 15 or a 19, but man this is such a good shooter! I love it!
 
My revolver is also a great shooter with a very tight lock up and exceptional action. I bought a set of diamond magnas off ebay for about $10.00 a few years ago... seller tried to stain them... didn't work out. It resides by the front door as a guardian.

20211231_092119.jpg 20211231_092138.jpg 20190309_104223.jpg 20190309_085057.jpg
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DevilDog72 said:
I also have a pre-war M&P .38 Spl that has the same front sight. It does not apear to have been " ground down " It looks factory to me. Was told by a factory S&W gunsmith here in Texas it was a " semi target" mdl

sn-541214

View attachment 570749
Click to expand...

Whatever the case, it definitely is a professional install. Could be factory by the looks of it.
 
The NPD question has come up before. There are lots of suggestions, but Newark NJ is known to have used S&W sidearms to arm its officers, and some of those guns -- though apparently not as far back as 90-100 years ago -- are known to carry the abbreviation NPD.

What's interesting here is the single-digit rack number (if that is what it is). Newark eventually bought hundreds of guns from S&W, and we have to ask if this one was part of a Newark order in which rack numbers were stamped for the first time. One might reasonably suspect not. Perhaps we should be looking for a City beginning with N that doesn't have an enormous population, and which needed only a compact police force of maybe 10-20 officers.

I too would like to call your attention to the post by Mr. Mundell, Assistant Historian of the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation.
 
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