Newly acquired .38 M&P Special

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bigmacque

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I don't know which forum this belongs in, as the reason for coming to this forum is to find out what gun I've got. It looks like a Model 10, but the box it came to me in is very old and the brochure contains some very old pictures. Not sure how old though, so here I am.

The number on the butt of the gun is 911XXX, the number on the crane, when I pop open the cylinder, is 51XXX. There are no alpha prefix's on the gun.

As soon as I figure out how to attach a pic I'll do that.

Thanks in advance for any and all information. This is my third S&W; the first handgun I bought is a Model 66 that I dearly love, and I rely heavily on my Sigma 9.
 
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Is it a 6 shot cylinder? What caliber is stamped on the barrel?

If it's a K frame 38 it could be a Military & Police from the early part of the WW II. Could be a 38 Special made for domestic use (likely a 4" barrel) or a 38 S&W made for great Britain (usually a 5" barrel).
 
bigmacque said:
The number on the butt of the gun is 911XXX . . . There are no alpha prefix's on the gun.
Click to expand...
Odd. Seems to me there should be an S in front of this number. You said it looks like a Model 10, by which I assume you meant it has a fixed rear sight. the 911xxx number seems to make it a post-war gun, but it would have had the internal changes made during the war and, I think, should have an S prefix.
I guess we'll have to wait until you can post some pictures.
Regards,
JP
 
Here's an attempt at a pic:

2011-03-11_19-45-15_655.jpg
 
bigmacque,
Your Revolver is what is referred to as a .38 M&P Model of 1905 4th Change. Also if I am seeing it right it looks to have a Lanyard Ring which possibly could put this into the Pre-Victory category as well. It looks to be in Exc. Condition!! Yearwise is really hard to lock down,but judging by the Grips I would say it's a Late Production Revolver in the Very Early 40's. Only a Research Letter from Roy will verify exactly when. If you remove the Grips there should be a Serial Number stamped into the backside of the Right Grip Panel that matches the Serial No. on the Butt. Posting some more photos will help to correctly identify it. It would also be nice to see some photos including the Box as well. As far as the Forum it's in it should be in the 1896-1961 Forum,but Lee or another moderator will probably move it when they see it. Great find by the way!!
 
With that serial number, very possibly a USDSC contract gun. One of the Victory guys may know for sure. Certainly worth a letter in that condition. Nice find.
 
I did remove the grips and found the same serial number on the right hand stock as the one found on the bottom of the butt. I'll take more pictures -- the more I hear from you guys the more excited I get -- but while a picture may be worth a thousand words, no picture can describe the condition this gun is in. It doesn't look like it ever went back to the range after the first box of ammo went through it.

Pardon my ignorance, what is USDSC? I don't think you meant United States Dance Show, which is the best thing Google came up with.
 
bigmacque said:
Pardon my ignorance, what is USDSC? I don't think you meant United States Dance Show, which is the best thing Google came up with.
Click to expand...

:D United States Defense Supply Corporation. This group contracted directly with S&W and Colt during WWII to provide civilian needed 38s. Usually going to plants involved in the war effort for security or stateside law enforcement agencies. I shot a note to ordinanceguy to stop in on this thread. He is one in the know.
 
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I checked my Springfield Research Data,but couldn't find too many revolvers in this Serial Number Range or their Shipping Destinations. I'm sure if ordnanceguy replies to the thread he'll surely have some answers for you. Could you post a photo of the Shipping Box it came in? This may help us as well in narrowing down the period it was shipped.
 
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I'll take some more pictures and a picture of the box tonight and get those posted.

I really appreciate all the comments. I was told you guys were friendly over here, now I know it. Thanks for the help.
 
bigmacque said:
Thanks in advance for any and all information.
Click to expand...

Hello Big

That is a very nice example. As Pace40 suggested it may well be one of the pre-Victory guns shipped under DSC authorization. Only a factory letter can tell you that to an absolute certainty, but with the complete serial number I could probably make an educated guess for you based on the information in the Victory Model Database.

Send me a PM or post here with the complete serial number and I will be able to the estimate the ship date and whether it is likely a DSC gun. (Frankly, it is in such nice shape that it looks like it has been sitting in a vault somewhere for the past 70 years.)
 
Well the Box & Paperwork are definitely Period Correct even though I see the Box does have some condition problems!! Does the Box have a Serial No. written on the bottom in Grease Pencil? If it matches as well you've got a "Killer" Revolver on your hands!! I couldn't tell from the Original Photo just how nice of condition this was in. Now I can see it doesn't even look to have a Turn Line on the Cylinder. Also judging by the S&W Logo Stamping it sure hasn't been refinished!! It's hard to believe it survived so long in this Pristine Condition!! You definitely have to get this "Lettered" to find out where it went!! If it turns out to be a Police or Military Destination it will surely be a big boost to it's value. Not saying it isn't valuable as a Super Nice Condition 4th Change 1905 M&P. Alot of collectors of these have searched a long time to find this fine of an example. Keep us posted if you decide to get it "Lettered"!! It will be very interesting to see where it went.
 
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bigmacque,
I keep forgeting to ask,but I know everyone here is dying to know!! Where,When & How did you stumble across your Revolver?? Please don't tell us it's another one of those "Florida Pawn Shop" acquisitions we've heard so much about!! If so,I think everyone should go to Florida and clean out all the Pawn Shops & Second-Hand Shops so these Revolvers all get into collectors hands!! You didn't "Steal" it did you?? Ha!Ha!
 
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Recently hired a new employee, and in discussions around the office she realized I enjoy my shooting irons very much. She broached the subject: her mom had a gun or two in her closet, left over from her dad's passing away six years ago, that mom just did not want laying around the house, especially since my new charge's 10 year old son tends to be at grandma's a lot. So she asked me if I wanted them.

Well, duh.

She gave this and a H&R Arms Sportsman's Model 999, from the serial number on that it was made in 1969. The condition of the H&R says it was used a bit more than this one.

She has no details at all of her father's acquisition of this gun, just that she wanted to get rid of it. She was willing to give them to me, but after seeing this I couldn't just take it, so we've made a deal.

It didn't occur to me to look on the bottom of the box, but there it is: the full matching serial number. How do you guys know all these details? :)
 
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