Post War M&P 5 Inch (1946?)

[Elvis Ray Bob]

Hey Ya'll!

I'm digging out some stuff out of my collection to show off and get some comments. I'm trying to figure this camera thing out so I should be getting progressively better with the photo presentations. I will post better closeups shortly. I need some activities in the Western Michigan Winter.

This what I believe to be a 1946, post war, transitional M&P with a 5 inch barrel. I initially thought it was a "Humpback Hammer" but now I'm not so sure. I'm also not sure if this is the right box even though it came with the M&P when I aquired it. Are gold boxes a later than 1946 or can this be the correct box?


The S/N is 8786**, the box and waxpaper came with the M&P but no S/N is written on the box. There was not a bore mop or screwdriver. I've had this for 8 or 10 years and It needs to be shown. It's not very scarce, but it's in new condition so I decided to post it and find out about the "Humpback Hammer" and gold box.
More revolvers to follow!
Regards,

 

[OIF2]

An absolutely beautiful revolver. My dream find... love the 5" M&Ps. More photos!
Bob

 

[j38]

ERB,
That is a truly beautiful example of a transitional M&P! I don't believe that's a HBH, but have been mistaken before. Can't help with the box question, but can assure you that many are envious looking at your fine photo of that 5" M&P.

Regards,

Jerry

 

[DCWilson]

That's really nice. Congratulations on that one.

This gun has the standard hammer for this revolver, not a humpback hammer. Most of the time you will see HB hammers on target revolvers, though an owner could put one into a fixed-sight revolver if he wanted to.

There should be an S in front of the serial number on your gun; the S is actually part of the serial number. Though the S-prefix is mostly associated with N-frames,it was also placed on late wartime and postwar Model of 1905 production to indicate the presence of the improved hammer block.

The gold box may be original. The factory began shipping some models in these boxes in 1946, but I don't know if late Victories and Pre-10s were among those so packaged.

I note that this revolver does not have the visible hammer stud end under the cylinder release, nor does it have the knobbed ejector rod. Is it then a short-action revolver? I don't know enough about 1905s and Pre-10s to speak to that question.

Though the number you cite is consistent with a 1946 date, remember that S&W did not deliberately observe a policy of shipping in serial number order. Your gun may have sat in inventory for a while, then shipped in 1947 or even later.

Have you pulled the stocks to see if the serial number (without the S this time) is pressed into the inner surface of the right panel? And I assume the number is also found in the usual places on the gun -- rear cylinder face, underside of barrel, etc.

That's really a beauty. Anybody would be proud to have that one in a collection.

EDITED TO ADD: I would not expect a screwdriver to have come with this gun. The screwdriver is actually a "sight adjustment tool" in S&W parlance, so I believe it would not have accompanied a gun with fixed sights.

 

[handejector]

Not a humpback hammer.
It is a long action.
The gold box is totally proper for this serial range. The number would have been written in black grease pencil on the BOTTOM of the box.

 

[Elvis Ray Bob]

The S/N does have an S prefix but a big gap space between S and S/N. I missed that on the initial posting. I removed the grips and the S/N w/o prefix is stamped in the right stock and S/N matches the revolver (That's Good!). The extractor rod end is straight (Headless) and no little knob as on my Victory model. No visible hammer stud in side like the Victory.

What determines long and short action? Feb, 1948 is when the short action was introduced? This hammer has really fine checkering and a shallow thumb cut. That's common sense about the sight tool, No adj. sight, no tool.

I will get some detailed close ups with the grips off and the cyl. open but need to get a light box set up. Good pictures answer a lots of questions.

I have a paperback book about M&P's only called "America's Right Arm" The S&W Military and Police Revolver, by John Henwood, published in 1997. 290 pages with lots of B&W photos of M&P's and accessories. Is anyone familar withthis book?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[mikepriwer]

That gun should be the long action of pre-WW2 and WW2 guns
Its just the continuation of the WW2 production, after the war ended.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[bigun]

I have two 5-screw M&P's(A 2" and a 6")that had shipped on October 28 and on November 18, in 1946. The 2" s/n is S844168 and the 6" s/n is S844874. I hope this helps.