Reply With QuoteMy guess would be about a WWII era.
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Hey all seems like there are a lot gun people on here so I am seeing if someone could tell me the model and approx. years made of this old Smith and Wesson. I can find any model number on it but it could be worn off. The barrel is much thinner than todays guns. Its is actually made thinner because I can still read Smith and Wesson on it. I bought it around 25 years ago and shot it a few times over the years but haven't fired it in at least the last 10. If anyone has any idea what these are going for it would be nice also. I am debating selling it or making a wall ornament out of it if its not worth much. thanks, Steve
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My guess would be about a WWII era.
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Saturday Night Special.
Take out the firing pin.
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I did forget to mention but it is a 38 special but what I always considered a Saturday night special was a stubbie. If I do make a wall hanger out of it, It will be dis-abled. Thanks for the replys. SteveOriginally Posted by Devils Horse
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Don't disable it...do do anything to it that would take it from where it is right now, which appears to be all-original.
I know for certain that what you have is pre-1957. I think you have a 3" barrel (maybe 4", can't tell from pic) S&W Military and Police .38 Special, which is arguably the most successful revolver of all time. The M&P was born in 1889 as a .32 caliber, had a later variation that was a .38 Long Colt, which was eventually stretched into the .38 Special we all know. The finish looks parkerized, which first led me to believe it was a "Victory" model produced by the gobs during WWII, but those had lanyard loops at the bottom of the grips and were usually smooth wood. I'm wondering if the finish is actually nickel, which was an option back then, and has just tarnished really bad?
The M&P became the Model 10 in 1957 when S&W went numeric on their models. (I have a pristine condition 60's era Model 15-4 that my Grandfather bought from a Firestone Tire Store that he passed down to me when he died - My most cherished gun. The Model 15 grew out of the Model 10 lineup.)
The thing is - I just don't know how old your gun is. It could be really old...really old. It has a square butt, which wasn't available until 1904 on the M&P...the first M&Ps were all round butt. Also, if it's nickel finish on top of that, you've got two things there adding value. Square butt and nickel finish was not the norm on those guns in the early years. I'm just not sure on the nickel finish - It's probably blued. I doubt it would have tarnished that black and that uniformly. It has pinned barrel, old style extractor, hammer looks like it's steel with a nose-mounted firing pin, all to be expected on the old guns. The big fat/round ejector knob points to the 1920's era maybe...but I'm thinking they didn't use medallions in the grips until the 30's/40's. Is that a medallion in the grip? Also, does it say "Made in the USA" under the S&W Logo anywhere? (That's a clue for dating one.) Are you sure there are no markings on it anywhere, like bottom of the butt/grip? The older models had them on the bottom of the grip, I'm pretty sure. (See attachment) If the grips are original (look to be), the serial number may also be stamped on the back side of one of the grip panels if you can get them off carefully.
May be worth $250...maybe $500...maybe $1000...never know until you nail it down.
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Any kind of number and we could dial it down. S&W will even do a history for you, which is really cool.
I love a challenge like this.
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Oh, and here's my 15-4...
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Good call on checking the butt. Serial number 457570 with Odin Lorton VA below it. Looking under my lighted magnifier, the barrel seem to have : Pat feb 8-08, sept 14-09, dec09-14 on the top of the barrel. Like I said it is well worn but that is what I made of it. The side of the barrel says something like 38 s & w special cto" I can make out the 38, w, special, ct for sure. Somewhat guessing at the other. Funny you should call it an m&p because I always called it a Barney gun because it and the holster it came in looks just like the Barney Fife gun. I can't find the holster right now but I know I have it. It is black leather with a leather strap with a snap. The barrel is 4 inches overall, 3 1/8 from the frame forward. Thanks, Steve
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I have an old S&W snubby "chief". I think it was a 1954 manufacture date. It's shoots great and feels good. I keep it loaded and ready for action. Yours looks alot like mine aside from the 4" barrel.
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Looks like an old police model 10. To me.
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You have a 4" S&W Military & Police Revolver...it would appear to be the 4th change (edition, if you will) that was released in 1905. Based on the serial number, and everything I'm reading online, I'd peg it late 1920's production. S&W started putting letters at the beginning of the serial numbers in 1940, so I know it's older than that and pre-WWII. I see a guy online with one that has a 454XXX serial number that S&W dated 1927, so yours is close to that.
The Lorton, VA stamp is interesting. I see others online with older revolvers, not just S&W, that have that stamp. There's not a ton of info, but it appears to be an importer's stamp. There was an old company called Odin International, based in Lorton, VA that was an importer of firearms. I'd suspect that the gun was made here in the states late 1920's, went to a foreign country (military contract?) and was later imported back into the U.S. by Odin International in Lorton, VA.
There's history in that gun. I'd spend $50 and send off for a certified production letter from S&W if I were you!
Hard to say on value. There were a lot of that model made...from serial numbers of about 250,000 to 1,000,000. Let me see what I can find later when I get a chance to look at a book...
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I was just searching S&w message board and found some serial numbers close to mine that were 1922-1925. I found some pictures of older model 10's that look exactly like it. I believe what I read as cto on the side is actually ctq and the last patent number is Dec 29-14 not Dec 09-14 thanks again Steve
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I'm going to go with a value of about $300...just a guesstimate, based on what I see on Gun Broker, etc. I can't see the finish real well (on my phone), but I'm guessing it's pretty badly worn. I have a gun value book somewhere in this basement, but we just moved and all of my crap is in boxes, so who knows! LOL
Regardless of $$ value, I just really like old guns with history. There's nothing like an old Smith and Wesson.
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