Old (new to me) S&W 38

[RoyK]

Hi all. Very new to the Forum. Looking for help. Just got this from my (deceased) father in law; Ex Navy. Ex NYPD. 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG. This 38 has no model # on the frame yolk. Just the matching assembly number. It is a hand ejector. Serial # S 968XXX on the frame and under the barrel. 4" barrel. Fixed sights. It does have the strain screw. No butt swivel or lanyard ring. 5 screw frame. Marked "38 S&W SPECIAL CTG" on the right side of the barrel. "PATENTED FEB. 6. 06. SEPT. 14. 09. DEC. 29. 14." on the top of the barrel. "SMITH & WESSON" on the left side of the barrel. S&W Trade Mark on the right side of the frame. This pistol is DA & SA. Some wear marks on the end of the barrel, cylinder, trigger guard and on the ejector rod. It also appears to have been lacquer coated or clear nail polished (by brush!) some time in the past. Grips look original. Barrel is bright. Rifling is distinct. The trigger and hammer are not blued and may be replacements. No corrosion to be found. This pistol also came with a holster stamped "JAY-PEE". This pistol appears sound and just needs a light cleaning/lube job. Any ideas as to the date of manufacture or intended (NYPD?) use? Oh yea...my HKS MARK 3A speed loader seems to bind against the grips. I apologize in advance for the lengthy post. Thanks for reading. Semper Fi! Roy.

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

Sounds like you have a post WW II Military & Police, shipped in the late 1940s.

 

[P&R Fan]

Welcome to the Forum.
You have a post war Military and Police revolver. It was made in about 1947. This would later become the M10 in 1957. They were very popular law enforcement weapons.
The Jay-Pee holster was a common one in LE work.
Show a pic if you can.
Jim

 

[shouldazagged]

Welcome aboard. Stick around, you'll like it here.

 

[Art Doc]

I think the speed loader you have is for the Colt Python/Trooper and is too big for the K frame S&W. You want the one with 10 stamped on it.

 

[JP@AK]

Just got this from my (deceased) father in law; Ex Navy. Ex NYPD. 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG. This 38 has no model # on the frame yolk. Just the matching assembly number. It is a hand ejector. Serial # S 968XXX on the frame and under the barrel.

This is a .38 Military & Police revolver that most likely shipped from the factory in January, 1948. It is old enough that it almost certainly has the old, long action. The high-speed hammer came along a little bit later, and that is the configuration that became the Model 10 in 1958.

I collect data on these S prefix K frame revolvers. If you would be kind enough to send the full serial number to me in a PM, I can add this one to my tracking database to assist in my research on these revolvers that were only made for two years in the 1946-1948 period. I will not retain ownership info. The serial number and features will only be listed for statistical purposes.
Thanks, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[JP@AK]

The trigger and hammer are not blued and may be replacements.

S&W did not blue these parts. They were simply case hardened. It is highly likely that your trigger and hammer are original. Photos would probably help us determine that.

Grips look original.

They might be, but without a picture it would be hard to say. The shoulder on the originals is sharp, not tapered like the later Magna stocks. You could remove them to see if the serial number (minus the S) is stamped on the inside of the right grip panel. If that number matches your serial number, the stocks came with the gun.

Any ideas as to the date of manufacture or intended (NYPD?)

As noted in my previous post, your revolver probably dates to January, 1948.
I don't show any in that serial range that were shipped to the NYPD. However, that does not mean it wasn't. A letter could tell you, but we can't be certain of it even with a letter.

 

[DWalt]

Jay-Pee holsters were used by the NYPD, but probably by many others also. I have run across several police-type holsters made by Jay-Pee. If you really want to know where your revolver was first shipped and exactly when, you could invest $50 in getting a factory letter.

As previously stated, the S-series M&Ps were the first postwar .38 Special revolvers made by S&W, but not the first sold. Some wartime Victory frames with a SV-prefix were assembled and finished as civilian revolvers and sold by S&W in 1946. At about SN S 990000, there was a major lockwork design change. Yours would have the old long action, not the newer short action.

 

[RoyK]

S&W did not blue these parts. They were simply case hardened. It is highly likely that your trigger and hammer are original. Photos would probably help us determine that.


They might be, but without a picture it would be hard to say. The shoulder on the originals is sharp, not tapered like the later Magna stocks. You could remove them to see if the serial number (minus the S) is stamped on the inside of the right grip panel. If that number matches your serial number, the stocks came with the gun.


As noted in my previous post, your revolver probably dates to January, 1948.
I don't show any in that serial range that were shipped to the NYPD. However, that does not mean it wasn't. A letter could tell you, but we can't be certain of it even with a letter.

JP. Pulled the grips off of the frame. The right grip does indeed have the frame SN stamped on it. However, the SN on the grip is in two lines of 3 digits each. 968 on the top line and XXX on the bottom line. Does this seem legit? I am amazed with the forum!

 

[JP@AK]

the SN on the grip is in two lines of 3 digits each. 968 on the top line and XXX on the bottom line. Does this seem legit?

Yes. This is the way it was normally done at that time.

 

[bananaman]

Welcome to the FORUM! There is so much to read, learn, and beautiful pics to look at & DROOL!
Friendly WARNING!...... You will want more Smiths! It happens. Bob

 

[RoyK]

Saxon. Thanks. I just tried the speed loader on a very old (might be 100+ years) "Colt Army Special 38" SN 9XXX (yes - 4 digits) I received at the same time. Works fine in the Colt. Again, Thanks!

 

[Jimmyjones]

Welcome to the forum !

I have a couple S series M&P's my self, it's my favorite vintage, long action 5 screw with the improved hammer block. Fun to shoot !

 

[RoyK]

Saxon. Thanks. I just tried the speed loader on a very old (might be 100+ years) "Colt Army Special 38" SN 9XXX (yes - 4 digits) I received at the same time. Works fine in the Colt. Again, Thanks![/QUOTE]

 

[jhde69]

Welcome. You will find a need to return here each day.

 

[Buford57]

The Army Special Colt was made through about 1926 when it was renamed the Official Police. Next to the .38 M&P the most common police revolvers of the first 3/4 of the 20th Century. The MK III series had different lockwork, but the same size cylinder.