5", Barrel, 6 Screw M&P

[Brian T]

I have long had a fascination with revolvers sporting odd number inch barrels. Dont know why. 3", 3.5", 5" barrels. They just appeal to me.

A pawn shop local to me took in 3 pre-WW2 M&P revolvers. 2 are 4", 1 a 5". All of them a finish lacking, but the metal is good as are the actions. I had to have that 5" model, so I ended up payong $267 out the door.

I think I wanna re-blue this fella. Who would y'all suggest? Also what type of bluing would this guy have come with; something in matte or gloss?

With regard to the grips, are those original? Is it possible to find a replacement easily?

[Lester Polfus]

I can't answer your question about bluing, but I think that thing is awesome.

[rainman]

Nice find. I would not re-blue.


-Rainman

[Trooper224]

The grips are original. I'd caution against shooting the gun with them mounted. That old Gutta Percha rubber gets pretty brittle and you run the risk of breaking them. Replicas should be available from Vintage Grips. Leave it as is. If you need a pretty gun get a new one.

[BN]

Leave it the way it is and use that money to go back and buy the other 2 revolvers. Go right now or they will be gone.

[Stephanie B]

That's pre-'29 or so with the button-head ejector. You might want to check the serial number to make sure that it was one of the guns that was heat-treated.


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[Stephanie B]

I agree with you others: I wouldn't reblue that gun.


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[Stephanie B]

That's pre-'29 or so with the button-head ejector. You might want to check the serial number to make sure that it was one of the guns that was heat-treated.

Heat-treating of the cylinders began in 1919 at Serial 316648 for .38s. If yours has a lower SN, I wouldn't shoot anything other than standard-pressure lead rounds, or better yet, wadcutters.

[Brian T]

That's pre-'29 or so with the button-head ejector. You might want to check the serial number to make sure that it was one of the guns that was heat-treated.


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It's from around 1905-06. I dont know that I am planning on shooting it much, I just wanted it. If I shot it, I would purposely load some super mild .38specials, in the 650fps ballpark.

The sights are pretty much unusable as the blade is super thin, and the rear notch is tiny. Even in the bright light of day it is difficult to make them work.

[Lex Luthier]

I had a 4" barrel version of that pistol- 4th change, mode of 1905. It was a finely made machine. Mine dated to 1912.
Do your research on the serial range, and be careful with the loads. Try some of the repro grips- with wadcutters & such, they are comfortable to use. It appears to me that you'd have to take away an excessive amount of metal to get a gloss finish blue on that revolver now. I'd leave it.