S Prefix M&P Ship Dates

[Oldengineer]

I am interested in the approximate shipping dates for my two S prefix Military and Police revolvers shown in the attached pictures. Their serial numbers are S866716 and S880234. Any information is much appreciated.

Tom H.

I might be pushing things a bit here —- what box would Smith have used in late 1946 and early 1947; maroon or gold colored?

 

[larryofcc]

Not too close, but I have #S819469, shipped to the Mershon Grip Co. 6-5-1946. It's just about mint in a maroon box numbered to the gun. Stocks are numbered to the gun and have the blue, machined, stock circles. Big Larry

 

[JP@AK]

serial numbers are S866716 and S880234.

Hi Tom
S866716 likely shipped in December, 1946, or January, 1947. Numerous examples of 4" units in the S866000 serial range are recorded as shipping in one of those two months. Most of them shipped in December.

S880234 likely shipped in March or April, 1947. The majority of recorded units in that serial range also had the 4" barrel, although a few with 5" and 6" barrels do appear.

I hope this helps. Keep in mind that some will ship out of order, but at that time demand for the M&P was high, so they tended to ship pretty regularly.

 

[Oldengineer]

A big thank you to larryofcc and JP@AK for the information provided. This was exactly what I had hoped for. While comparing the two revolvers side-by-side, I see a slightly higher polish and a “button” ejector rod end on S866716. S880234 is the higher condition example.

 

[JP@AK]

a “button” ejector rod end on S866716. S880234 is the higher condition example.

Yes. Your revolvers are on either side of the change in the extractor rod. S866716 would still have the barrel-shaped knob with the machined relief in the barrel flat. My research shows that the knurled end starts showing up at about S874000. The earliest example in my database of a unit with the knurled end shipped in February, 1947. Serial number S874114.

 

[DWalt]

The M&P snubbies of the pre-war period also used the knurled extractor rod tip, but they were made in small numbers.