Please Help Identify

[whiskeylima]

I believe I have a 38 M&P of 1905, 4th Change. Serial # is 573XXX

Is the front sight a factory model ?
On the bottom of the grip frame are the numbers "2230" stamped in the opposite direction as the serial # and in a different font. Does this mean anything ?

Thank you all the help

 

[22hipower]

Better (closer and sharper) pictures of the front and rear sights would be helpful. Someone will be here to weigh in on the front sight question, doesn't appear factory to me, at least not like what is on mine, but there are others with much more knowledge about factory sights who will confirm one way or the other.

The additional numbers have no significance from the factory perspective as far as I know. You are probably aware the stocks are not factory. Nice gun though and period correct stocks show up here on the Classified Forum, eBay and elsewhere occasionally.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[whiskeylima]

Here is a better pic of front and rear sights

 

[CZU]

Looks like you have a "hard-to-find" 1905 4th change target model, lucky you! I thinking somewhere in the time frame of 1923.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! The sights don't look right to me for the 1920 decade. I suspect this one may have been created outside the factory. But, I'll wait for the experts to weigh in.

 

[murphydog]

It does not appear to have the standard front sight blade of a .38 M & P Target of any era, but these were fairly easy to replace.

I think the 570000 SNs would have shipped closer to the end of the 1920 decade, but since the Target models were not strong sellers (and the Depression thing) it may not have shipped until the early 1930s.

The stocks appear to be Sile (Italian). A stamped number may have been an inventory or rack ID.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

What about the rear sight, Alan? Didn't the back 2 screw sight (elevation) come along later than the middle 1920's?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Well I found this excellent post about the evolution of the rear sight. It appears the OP's gun has rear sights that were implemented in 1932.


See this post.

 

[whiskeylima]

Thank you very much !
Any chance someone has a pic of the likely type of grips that came from the factory for that era ?

 

[JP@AK]

Any chance someone has a pic of the likely type of grips that came from the factory for that era ?

Here is a pic of an M&P from the 1920s wearing correct stocks. This one isn't a target model, but the stocks would be the same.

The stocks shown on your revolver weren't even made by Smith & Wesson. They are much later aftermarket stocks.

As for serial number 573XXX, it is probably from the mid- to late-1920s. Alan's caveat about target models is applicable. But the revolver shown in my picture is 5315xx and it shipped in February, 1926.