No Model Number K-Frame .38 S&W Special CTG

[kfeltenberger]

Hi!

I recently closed an estate I inherited and am now trying to figure out any details on one of the three handguns that were part of it (the other two were a Colt Vest Pocket and Baby Browning, both .25ACP). Here is the information I have (pics at the end) based on the questions in the To Identify Your Gun thread:

1. Hand Ejector
2. Serial Number: S 946496
3. Caliber: 38 S&W Special CTG
4. Barrel Length: 5 1/2 inches
5. Sights: Fixed

It appears to have a strain screw on the front of the grip and appears to be a five screw model (I think one screw is covered by the grips, I took the grip screw out but they didn't want to come off, so I didn't force the issue).

The pistol was stored in a black leather flap holster by Bradley E Grimes Co, with the following numbers stacked from top to bottom on the belt loop: 3, 22, 6.

Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

(Click on the thumbnail for a larger version)

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

You have a post WW II transitional .38 Military & Police revolver with a 6" barrel. The barrel is measured from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel. It still has the pre WW II long action. Model numbers were not assigned by S&W until 1957.

 

[JP@AK]

Muley has it right.

This is a .38 Military & Police revolver from about October, 1947. It has the nominal 6" barrel (often the length is not exact). S prefix revolvers were only in production from early 1946 until March, 1948.

This one is in very nice condition.

And yes, it has five frame screws.

 

[DWalt]

It was another 10 years before S&W started using model numbers. Yours is a postwar Military and Police model. Fewer than 200K S-series M&Ps were made.

 

[Targets Guy]

Hi!

I recently closed an estate I inherited and am now trying to figure out any details on one of the three handguns that were part of it (the other two were a Colt Vest Pocket and Baby Browning, both .25ACP). Here is the information I have (pics at the end) based on the questions in the To Identify Your Gun thread:

1. Hand Ejector
2. Serial Number: S 946496
3. Caliber: 38 S&W Special CTG
4. Barrel Length: 5 1/2 inches
5. Sights: Fixed

It appears to have a strain screw on the front of the grip and appears to be a five screw model (I think one screw is covered by the grips, I took the grip screw out but they didn't want to come off, so I didn't force the issue).

The pistol was stored in a black leather flap holster by Bradley E Grimes Co, with the following numbers stacked from top to bottom on the belt loop: 3, 22, 6.

Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

(Click on the thumbnail for a larger version)

S944068 shipped 11/47.

 

[JP@AK]

S944068 shipped 11/47.

Yes. But that one seems to have been a fairly late shipper. A whole bunch with slightly higher serials left the factory in October. One can't ever tell for sure without having someone check the records.

 

[jhnttrpp]

Muley has it right.

This is a .38 Military & Police revolver from about October, 1947. It has the nominal 6" barrel (often the length is not exact). S prefix revolvers were only in production from early 1946 until March, 1948.

This one is in very nice condition.

And yes, it has five frame screws.

Just looking at his measuring tape it looks like 5 9/16". That seems like a long ways from 6 inches. I'm not disagreeing because I don't know enough about this to disagree. I'm just looking for further education. Thanks

 

[JP@AK]

Hi jhnttrpp

I hate to repeat myself, but I'll do it here, with emphasis:

It has the nominal 6" barrel (often the length is not exact).

When the barrel is fitted to the frame, sometimes the length is reduced to enable proper tightening and gap adjustment, not to mention pin alignment. Hence, barrel lengths are always nominal.

A common example of the nominal length is on the J frame Chiefs Special. Always listed as a 2" barrel, but the actual length is 1 7/8".

 

[mikepriwer]

It could also be that there was a problem with the forcing cone, and they had to re-configure that end of the barrel, that resulted in it being almost a half-inch short.


Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[Muley Gil]

A former partner of mine at the PD had a 4" M28 that measured 3 3/4".

 

[kfeltenberger]

Thank you all for the replies! It's added some history to something I never knew he had. I was giving it a closer once-over last night and realized that it was either never fired, or fired only a few times and then meticulously cleaned; the bore looks like it's a mirror and the chambers/cylinder/forcing cone don't show any signs of powder residue or buildup.

Thanks again!

 

[jhnttrpp]

It could also be that there was a problem with the forcing cone, and they had to re-configure that end of the barrel, that resulted in it being almost a half-inch short.


Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike thanks for the info. I understand the concept of a nominal length and the need for it. It's a result of threading a barrel and trying to reach a certain tightness with a certain orientation.

Your explanation of recutting the forcing cone, covers the reason for it being off by as much as a half inch. But I wouldn't expect it to come out of the factory, as a new gun. I can see it being half inch short if it was sent back to customer service later in it's life for factory repairs.

I guess my question to Jack was when does it cease being a 6 inch barrel and it becomes a nominaly 5 1/2 inch barrel, unless it was not offered in 5 1/2 inches. Is/or was that normal from Smith and Wesson.

 

[JP@AK]

I guess my question to Jack was when does it cease being a 6 inch barrel and it becomes a nominaly 5 1/2 inch barrel, unless it was not offered in 5 1/2 inches. Is/or was that normal from Smith and Wesson.

No. The S prefix M&P was never offered with a 5 1/2" barrel. Lengths were 2", 4", 5" and 6". Period. I am quite certain that if you lettered this gun, it would come back as shipped with a 6" barrel.