Please help me ID this revolver

[coltlover66]

Guys, please help me identify this revolver. My Grandfather left this to my father. I believe it may be an M&P Model 1905 38 S&W Special, but I'm not sure. I plan to send request to Mr Jinks for documentation, but curiosity is killing me. Would appreciate any info on model and manufacture date. Serial number is 329464

 

[Lee Barner]

that's what it is. just off the top of my bald head I would guess mid to late teens. some of the guys with data bases will be along with a closer estimate. make sure it's clean and shoot it and enjoy it. probably made before cylinder hardening so standard velocity lead load should be fine and a lot of fun. lee

 

[Alk8944]

Your gun was well after the beginning of heat-treated cylinders at 316648. I have numbers on both sides of yours that shipped in 1920-21.

 

[DWalt]

The closest M&P SN on my list is 3380xx which shipped in 5/1920. As gun demand was fairly high after WWI, it probably did not sit in factory inventory very long. From other SNs on my list, as a rough guess, it seems S&W was shipping about 3500 .38 M&Ps per month during that time period, I'd say your M&P may have shipped around two to three months earlier, say sometime in February to March 1920.

Do the grips have a matching SN? It's probable those on it are correct, but it's also possible they may have been of the later 1920s style without the S&W medallions.

 

[coltlover66]

Thanks so much for the feedback. I wish I had taken the grips off while I visited my parents over the weekend. Am anxious to see what Mr Jinks may reveal. My Grandfather was born in 1914, so he likely was not the first owner of this pistol. He owned a general store in the 40's. Owned a drive in movie theater in the 50's to early 80's. I fondly remember this pistol and a 32 J frame Grandmother carried daily @ the theater when I was growing up. Damn, how time flies!