Here are 3 more with C prefixes. The 4" gun in the middle is the oldest with a 4 digit ser.no.: C 26xx - from May of 1948. The 2" snubby is C102xxx from Feb 1950, and the 5" gun is C 148xxx from Feb. 1951. I'm very fond of these guns with their half-moon front sights and "fishhook" hammers.
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I have the big brother to your 5 inch. I picked up this 6 inch in R.I. on my C&R it had the original box and grips number to the gun.
It is s/n C195xxx from Aug 1952
Here is one I already have a photo of. It is from 1948 and shipped to the King's Gun Sight Co. in San Francisco. It is wearing the King's Super Police Night Sight package.
This has been posted before, so some of you might have already seen it.
The first one (Left) is an M&P Model of 1905 3rd Change with 6" barrel and a "custom" target hammer and a refinish. Just got the Model of 1905 back from my gunsmith. He informed me that it's in excellent condition. And that itsn't just for a revolver that is 95+ years old either
The second one (Right) is an S prefix Post-War Transitional M&P with 5" barrel and original finish.
Both are great revolvers and in very good condition. Both prefer the classic 158 grain LRN load.