Very handsome, congrats!!

 

She is a beut!

 

Nice I-frame, and in .38 Special instead of .38 SW.

also that serial number should be much earlier than 1941. Should be around mid-1920s to maybe 1930s.

 

Beautiful

Congrats!

 

Very nice 5 Inch K frame, Congrats!! You may be interested to know that the grips are not correct for that year mfg. You did good because those grips on your gun are the Gold Washed large brass medallion grips made between 1911 and 1920. I have the same grips on
my 1946 M&P. They're very collectable and worth $300+ in good shape.
.

The large silver medallion (first) magna stocks were used between 1935-1946.

 

Those larger grips seem like they would look nicer (to my eye) that the grips currently on it.

 

I think your K frame is the .38 M&P Model of 1905, 4th change. The grips may be correct also. Without more study it is difficult to pinpoint the year, which is in the range of 1915-1942. I would guess somewhere about the mid 1920s. Very nice. I can't tell if there is a trademark or not.

 

Thanks for all of the replies guys. I am not a S&W expert or a collector. This revolver does not have the S&W trademark logo on the side. Would a copy of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition help me understand the correct grips and give me the date this revolver was manufactured?

It seems that I should have tiled this thread Pre-War Military and Police 38 Special. It is a six shooter.

 

Thanks for all of the replies guys. I am not a S&W expert or a collector. This revolver does not have the S&W trademark logo on the side. Would a copy of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition help me understand the correct grips and give me the date this revolver was manufactured? Should I clean the medallions?

It’s definitely a Military Police and not a Regulation Police. The 26xxxx serial number should put it between 1915 and 1920. The 5” barrel really sinks it in as a 4th Change. 3rd Change model was not offered in 5” and your gun isn’t old enough for 1st and 2nd Change models.

the SW logo should be on the right side plate. This logo usually was very shallow and easily got buffed over during a rebluing process. Speaking of which, this gun looks like it’s been reblued to me.

After 1922, “MADE IN AMERICA” is stamped onto the frame on the front right side. This stamp is deeper and tougher to polish out during a refinishing process. Your gun doesn’t look like to have this stamping, ergo it was made before 1922.

the gold grip medallion looks right for the vintage. You can clean it up or leave it as-is.

if you really want to know the exact year of production and other details then you’ll have to contact SW and pay for their fancy Letter.

 

The Standard Catalog is a wealth of info but does not pinpoint the exact year of mfg. unless some significant change or special issue is present.

 

Beautiful. Hard to believe it is around 100yrs old.

Please let us know how it shoots.

 

Nice find, congrats. From my copy of the S&W Standard Catalog, it does appear to be a .38 M&P Model of 1905, 4th Change. The book says they were made from 1915-1942, with S/N range from 241704-1000000. So if yours was 261---, I'd guess it is pretty close to 1915. Then again, with Smith & Wesson, who knows.

Hard to tell from the pics, but wondering if it has been refinished? A letter from S&W would confirm some or all of this, if you care enough to do all that. I only have 1 old Smith & it is a gun I inherited, so I got it lettered to help get more of the story of the gun. Was worth it to me for any info at all.

 

I am almost certain that it was refinished. The finish is just too good. When I look through the M&P Model 1905 completed listings on Gunbroker, the triggers and hammers are case hardened, not blued. The hammer and trigger on mine are blued. I will buy the S&W standard catalog for future reference. I assume that the refinishing eliminates this revolver from having any collector value. I may take it to the range today and try the trigger adjustment screw.
I found one completed listing on Gunbroker with a serial number that is about 4100 higher than mine, so be should be close in age. The markings match mine. It also does not have the S&W trademark logo.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872657271

 

just shoot it with standard velocity ammo and enjoy the old school craftsmanship.

it might not have any collectibility left thanks to the rebluing but you can still enjoy the heck out of it.

Maybe splurge for some nice leathers from Milt Sparks.

 

I am almost certain that it was refinished. The finish is just too good. When I look through the M&P Model 1905 completed listings on Gunbroker, the triggers and hammers are case hardened, not blued. The hammer and trigger on mine are blued. I will buy the S&W standard catalog for future reference. I assume that the refinishing eliminates this revolver from having any collector value. I may take it to the range today and try the trigger adjustment screw.
I found one completed listing on Gunbroker with a serial number that is about 4100 higher than mine, so be should be close in age. The markings match mine. It also does not have the S&W trademark logo.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872657271

I wonder why they blued the trigger. If trying to fool anyone, that blew it

Great gun. Are you going shoot it? I would, lots, LOL.

Oh, don't know if it matters much to you, but the pre-war II drop safe design was weak. During the war they fixed it, so post-war design was stronger in that respect.

 

I suspected that it had been refinished. I was surprised to learn it is ~100 years old. No plans to carry it, but suppose leaving the top chamber empty would be prudent. I will be shooting this revolver. I found out the screw in the trigger guard is not for trigger adjustments but is the cylinder bolt spring screw.

 

I suspected that it had been refinished. I was surprised to learn it is ~100 years old. No plans to carry it, but suppose leaving the top chamber empty would be prudent. I will be shooting this revolver.

Why? Honest question, I am ignorant on this.

 

Sweet old revolver right there......

 

“ I may take it to the range today and try the trigger adjustment screw.”

If you’re referring to the screw on the lower front portion of the grip that is the mainspring tension screw. It should be snug. If too loose you can get failures to fire. If too loose the screw can back out and become lost in the grass.

 

"Why? Honest question, I am ignorant on this."

Old revolver designs, had no hammer block, so it was possible for the revolver to fire after being dropped and the hammer was impacted. It was a common practice to leave the top chamber empty on revolvers going well into the 20th. century.

"If you’re referring to the screw on the lower front portion of the grip that is the mainspring tension screw. It should be snug. If too loose you can get failures to fire. If too loose the screw can back out and become lost in the grass."

I certainly wanted it to be an adjustment for trigger pull. I had just found out that it has something to do with the cylinder bolt spring. Thanks.

 

She’s a beautiful old gal. You’ll enjoy shooting her. Great find!

 

As you've learned, you have a 1905 Military & Police 4th Change. The grips would be pre 1920 per the brass medallion. 1920s saw no medallion, and silver medallions appear at the end of the decade. Hammer/trigger would have originally been color case hardened. In 1957 this K frame platform was renamed the Model 10, and was produced into the 1990s.

They were offered at various times in 38 Special, 32-20, and most rarely in 32 S&W Long in 2", 4", 5", and 6" barrel lengths, blued or nickel. Adjustable sighted Target models were also offered. While production numbers of the fixed sight M&Ps are in the millions, and since 1896 this is one of S&Ws most prolific models, original pre war specimens are finally starting to get collectors attention.

Below is my mid 1920s 6" in about 95+% condition. It's a very accurate and balanced revolver. Enjoy yours, I surely do mine. Thanks for sharing it.

 

I would recommend shooting it only with lead bullets, not Jacketed. The barrel steels on the older guns were not made for jacketed ammo.

 

I would recommend shooting it only with lead bullets, not Jacketed. The barrel steels on the older guns were not made for jacketed ammo.

I'm pretty sure that even back in 1920s, the barrel steel were harder than copper jacking.

 

Even so, a barrel that you shoot only swaged or cast bullets out of will last a lot longer than a barrel that shoots jacketed bullets.

I'm not saying that jacketed bullets will completely wear a barrel out, but the edges of the barrel's lands will get rounded off and that can effect accuracy. With an older gun, I think it's best to "Baby" the gun and be as gentle with it as possible.

 

I received my Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson yesterday and wanted to post a little background on this pistol from the book. It is .38 M&P model 1905 4th change and the serial number is 2915XX. The 3rd. change ended with serial number 241703 in 1915. The most significant difference from the 3rd. change was the addition of small hammer block. "Heat treated cylinders began at approximately serial number 316648."

One of the variations noted in the book, dates my revolver to 1919. "Army Ordinance Special Order of 50 revolvers, all with target sights and 6-inch barrels, blue, turned over to an Army Ordinance courier on June 3, 1919, carried directly to the dock in Hoboken, New Jersey, and transported to France via S.S. Kroonland for use by U.S. Pistol Team in Inter-Allied Games held in France June 22-July 6, 1919. Some, but not all, of these revolvers were later inscribed and presented 'as trophies' to members of the U.S. team, which won the pistol competitions. At least three three of these inscribed revolvers have surfaced 291024, 291046, 291132. See U.S. handguns of WWII: The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers by Charles Pate (1998) pp. 85-87."

I'll hold off on shooting the pistol until after I change the caliber on the reloading press. My 38 special reloads are on the warm side and will want something lighter for this one.

 

Hope you enjoy ownership and shooting this old classic. Not to rain on your parade, but you should have gotten 2 revolvers for the amount of money you paid! A refinished 38 special K frame is a $300 gun at the very top

 

I agree that my purchase was not a good financial investment. Far too common and antiquated. I bought a pair of used NJ corrections model 64 revolvers, with scribing, a couple years ago for $500. In my locale, older S&W revolvers, in good condition, command a high price.

 

I

I wasn't planning on buying anything at the gun show today. I noticed this revolver because the bluing looked so good. I seldom see older revolvers in this condition. I was really looking for a nice N-frame. I apologize for the poor pictures. There is a faint turn ring on the cylinder, the medallions are tarnished, and there are a couple small chips on the bottom edge of one wood grip. Other than that, I see no flaws or wear. The dealer said it was made in 41. There are no letters in serial number 2615XX. It is a 38 Special, there was no box and my out the door price was $650.

I have a British lend lease Smith that’s early 40$. It was originally a .38 S&W but somebody drilled it for .38 Special. Its a 5 inch. It’s nowhere near the beautiful condition of yours though. That’s a beauty!

 

I agree that my purchase was not a good financial investment. Far too common and antiquated. I bought a pair of used NJ corrections model 64 revolvers, with scribing, a couple years ago for $500. In my locale, older S&W revolvers, in good condition, command a high price.

I've overpaid on guns before. Who cares, right? As long as you got the gun that you really, that's all what matters.

None of our money saving is going to make us Bill Gates, so might as well waste it on the things that make you happy.

An example of overpaid gun is my 1950 Target .45ACP revolver. It was reblued and I knew it, but I still wanted it and willing to pay a bit high for the gun.