This is my grandfather's 38, my brother was able to by it from another family member. I haven't seen it for years and he doesn't know anything about it. The handles aren't the original it had wood on it last time I seen it. All help to identify the model and information well appreciated. This is my first post, hopefully I've got the picture attached correctly.
Need help to identify this 38
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Jim Watson
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Smith and Wesson Hand Ejector Military and Police.
Can't say more without seeing the serial number on the bottom of the butt and the caliber roll mark on the right side of the barrel.
Those plastic "stag" grips are very common on guns of that age.
Can't say more without seeing the serial number on the bottom of the butt and the caliber roll mark on the right side of the barrel.
Those plastic "stag" grips are very common on guns of that age.
It is a postwar M&P. It will have a serial number that begins with an S. It shipped no earlier than about February, 1947.
Hello js and welcome, cant tell if hammer and trigger are nic. plated?
Pic of butt with Sn. needed.
Pic of butt with Sn. needed.
Welcome to the forum! That serial is on the extractor rod flat. It is S914539. The N indicates it was nickel plated at the factory.
.38 M&P S914075 shipped in July 1947. So, it might have shipped a few months after that but S&W didn't ship in serial number order. Maybe Jack has some other ship dates in his database.
.38 M&P S914075 shipped in July 1947. So, it might have shipped a few months after that but S&W didn't ship in serial number order. Maybe Jack has some other ship dates in his database.
All of the units in my database from S913000 to S915000 shipped in either June or July, 1947. I show 2", 4" and 5" barrels in this range.
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Good for you.
Ask the family member if he still has the wood grips!
Ask the family member if he still has the wood grips!
As an aside, the frosty appearance of the nickel finish MAY be remedied with a good rub down with some bronze wool (0000) and oil---any oil---it simply reduces friction, and carries off the crud. I had one with a much worse case of frosty, and it ended up looking like brand spanking new less than an hour later-----like a mirror!
Ralph Tremaine
Ralph Tremaine
DWalt
Member
Even without knowing the serial number, the hammer shape and the knurled extractor rod tip would suggest that it was from sometime around 1947, making it a postwar .38 M&P.
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Thanks everyone for all the information, very well appreciated. From looking at pictures my brother sent me it's sure been mistreated from when I last seen it. It hardly had any scratches at all on it back then. Now it looks to me that's it's took a long slide on pavement and knowing who had it that's very possible and more than likely why the wood handles are gone. Again thanks everyone for the information.
