[22lrfan]

I dropped by one of the local shops Thursday just to visit and spotted this S&W .38 sitting there. I knew it was an older one and it had a 5” barrel which isn’t too common. He made me a great price on it so it had to be rescued. Based on the markings it appeared to be a .38 M&P Model of 1905 4th Change. This model ended in 1942 with the introduction of the Victory model. I called S&W and they said it shipped in 1945 which didn’t make sense because the markings weren’t correct for the model introduced in 1945, the .38 M&P (postwar) “Pre-Model 10”. After doing a bunch of reading I found that S&W didn’t waste any parts. After the war, when they started back production on the civilian models, they started by using up leftover parts from the pre-war 4th change and the Victory models so I’ve ended up with a post-war gun with pre-war markings.

It has some wear on the bluing which should be expected for a 73 year old gun but it locks up tight and shoots great. It's hard to see in the photos but a good bit of the case coloring is still on the hammer and trigger. The grips are worn and I figured I would replace them. When I tore it apart to clean it I found they are serial numbered to the gun so they will be staying right where they are.

 

[fordpkup]

Another nice find..

 

[Cliff731]

Marty... Congrats on adopting this beautiful S&W... and you should have bought some lottery tickets the same day... just saying!!!

:101010::101010::101010::101010:

Yes... I would be very reluctant to change those factory grip stocks!!!

I've read before that S&W didn't waste parts. Such a practice even extended to the factory boxes their revolvers shipped in. This is mentioned in the Supica & Nahas book...

 

[Twang]

. . . I found that S&W didn’t waste any parts. . . .

The same could be said for Browning. I have an Auto-5 Light Twelve from 1977 (the second year of production at Miroku in Japan), but the butt plate is marked "FN".

It's also true of Fender Musical Instruments. Leo Fender would purchase parts whenever he got a good deal. Potentiometers for instance (the controls for volume and tone) would be purchased by the boxcar load. You may buy a 1965 electric guitar, but the potentiometers date to 1948.

 

[rigrat]

LOL, boy you are like a bloodhound and can sniff out great finds. Excellent revolver.

 

[7557]

Great find and save!

 

[cottonmouth]

Nice Smitty!

J.B.

 

[cottonmouth]

Nice Smitty!

J.B.

 

[2DARK2C]

really nice !

I thought I read/heard that in the past S&W stockpiled models adding serial#'s when they ship not when they were made.

 

[22lrfan]

From what I have read on the S&W forums the frames were completed in batches and put in bins/baskets. Later they were pulled out and finished, not necessarily in serial number sequence. There are no records on the dates of manufacture only the ship date. By serial number this one should be a '46 but the lady at S&W said it shipped in '45. I may go ahead and get a S&W letter on it. The '45's are much less common than the '46-'48's.

 

[Cliff731]

...There are no records on the dates of manufacture only the ship date.

There are a few other gun manufacturers who do the same... and record the shipped date rather than the actual manufactured date...

 

[45flattop]

Very nice, its good to see that the screw heads haven't
been buggered up from the wrong type of screwdriver too.
Congratulations.

 

[DEADEYE 1]

Considering the age and it being blued, that revolver is in good shape.

 

[Cliff731]

Just for full disclosure... I should state that S&W Model 10 revolvers... a.k.a. - Military & Police, Victory revolvers, Pre-Model 10 or any variation of the same... are JUNK!!! Made with pot metal and crudely assembled, ya'll. About all these are good for is a trot line weight!

In the spirit of being magnanimous and truly helping others with the coming holiday season upon us, I will for the remainder of this year accept and take any of the above revolvers you wish and desire to cull from your collections... FREE OF CHARGE!!!

That's right... I'll forego my usual fee for such service for a no doubt selfless act of kindness... but can do this only thru the end of this year!

So... hurry and gather up what you have and shoot me a PM... I'll be in touch with you to arrange a courteous and prompt pick up (at no cost to you) of a said poorly built and dangerous firearm... and also save you the considerable risk of a potentially huge embarrassment with your family, friends, and neighbors knowing you actually had one in your possession!

Accept no substitutes... there is only one genuine "Cliff's S&W Model 10 Reclamation Service".

Act now!!!



(After January 01, 2019... my normal fee of $1.98 will apply for this service!)

 

[22lrfan]

Ain't Cliff great!!! We have some of the best people in the world on MSGO. :lol6:

 

[Cliff731]

Ain't Cliff great!!! We have some of the best people in the world on MSGO. :lol6:

Thanks, Marty... I'm just tryin' to give back to our MSGO "community"...!!!

 

[DEADEYE 1]

He also volunteered to test the Holiday spirits early.