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LHS
01-31-2015, 07:54 PM
Today I went to see a friend of mine to buy some powder. He mentioned that he had recently come into ownership of his great-grandpa's old snubby revolver. Apparently the old gentleman was a county sheriff somewhere back east, and toted an old snubby most of the time. I said that I'd like to see it, so my buddy brought it forth.

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It's a very snub-nosed K-frame square butt. No model designation (I'm assuming it's a pre-M10 M&P of some sort), and the serial numbers are kind of odd. On the bottom of the butt, and the rear of the cylinder, there's a number in the 943xxx range. On the frame where you'd expect to find a model number on a modern Smith, it says "S N 17xxx". It's got a narrow but grooved trigger, and the action is slick as you'd expect from such an old S&W.


Even more interesting to me was the holster. At first I thought it was a pocket holster, but it appears to be a spring-loaded front-break belt scabbard of the type I saw poo-pooed in "No Second Place Winner". There are no maker's marks on the holster that I could find.

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Dagga Boy
01-31-2015, 09:56 PM
Dear Mother of God.....genuine cool stuff. I would love that holster for my Pre model 10 snubby that is a twin of that. I put some prewar grips on mine to make it look even older. Sort of the quintessential 1950's cop, detective, mobster revolver.

1slow
01-31-2015, 10:56 PM
Looks like a Berns-Martin holster, or similar. If memory serves they could not be pulled out from behind but had to be drawn front break style, sort of an early retention.

LHS
01-31-2015, 11:15 PM
Looks like a Berns-Martin holster, or similar. If memory serves they could not be pulled out from behind but had to be drawn front break style, sort of an early retention.

The gun did need to be tilted forward and drawn slightly to the front to get it to release, yes.

baddean
02-03-2015, 05:34 PM
LHS,
I hope I'm not stepping on your thread but I thought you and Nyeti would enjoy.
I have a C series K frame that my Dad bought to use as his off duty gun just after joining the force. Model 10 mfg in 1956 based on the serial number (C 380XXX).
Like the gun in your pics mine has no model designation on it just the C number on the butt and assembly numbers in the cylinder hinge area.
Did the gun you saw have a letter in front of the 943XXX on the butt?
He also gave me his S&W model 65-1 that was his duty gun from 1974 until he retired in 1981.
As you said the actions on these are silky smooth.
http://baddean.smugmug.com/Other/Firearms/i-Rb4VkgM/0/O/Model%2010%20rt.jpg

http://baddean.smugmug.com/Other/Firearms/i-nzX894N/0/O/Model%2010%20left.jpg

Thanks for sharing those pics. Yes, very cool stuff.
Dean

Trooper224
02-03-2015, 06:19 PM
Nice! Especially with the old B-M holster included. A while back I had to pass on a nickel plated version of that due to lack of funds, it made me sad. Not as sad as the .44 Hand Ejector I had to let get away not long ago, with a B-M holster too. :mad: Yesterday I snagged a Colt Police Positive Special as a consolation prize.

Dagga Boy
02-03-2015, 06:56 PM
While we are sharing.....

LSP972
02-03-2015, 07:35 PM
Yesterday I snagged a Colt Police Positive Special as a consolation prize.

Consolation prize??? Seriously??? I… never mind.;)

.

LSP972
02-03-2015, 07:36 PM
While we are sharing.....


Dude, that's just mean.

What a beauty…

.

baddean
02-03-2015, 08:22 PM
Very nice Nyeti, very nice

Trooper224
02-04-2015, 02:16 AM
Consolation prize??? Seriously??? I… never mind.;)

.

Well, I was tryin' not to brag or anything. ;)

Jim Watson
02-04-2015, 10:01 AM
The OP's friend's great grandpa's revolver bears closer examination.
If there is a letter S or C on the butt... it might be clear across on the other side of the butt; then it is post WWII. S 943000 would be 1947-1948.
If there is no letter prefix then it is late prewar or even wartime. A 2" that old is pretty scarce.
If the serial number is stamped or written in pencil on the inside of the Magna grips, that is a big plus.

LHS
02-04-2015, 12:16 PM
There was a letter on the other end of the butt, I think it was S but will check and confirm.

Neat guns in this thread!

LHS
02-04-2015, 12:27 PM
Got some corrected backstory on the owner:

"He was a detective in Newport, Kentucky. He was involved in a lot of raids on illegal gambling in Campbell County, Kentucky and at one point had to testify before a Senate committee in DC led by McCarthy. My mom still has his badge and handcuffs."

LHS
02-04-2015, 12:30 PM
Confirmed with my buddy that it's an S-prefix gun. He'll check inside the grips when he gets home from work.