Fixed sight .38 Special Cop Guns

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  • Last Post 29 October 2018
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Ed Harris posted this 27 October 2018

I could not help myself.  I have a bunch of Colt and Ruger 4" blue .38 Specials and .357s, but until now no S&W M&P in a 4", only a 6".  So when an S-prefix, "transitional model" S&W Military and Police .38 Special 4," produced in the year of my birth, 1948, showed up on GunBroker on my birthday, I took it as an omen and decided that my .32-20 M&P needed a "big brother."

Very little holster wear, mint bore, cylinder gap 0.006 pass/0.007 hold, cylinder throats .3585ish, original diamond Magna grips serial numbered to the gun.

This gun will never see +P, but will be wedded to my full charge wadcutters with 3.5 grains of Bullseye or possibly Accurate 36-159H, depending on which shoots closest to its fixed sights.

I also have a 6" C-prefix M&P made about 1950 which can keep this one company.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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GP Idaho posted this 27 October 2018

Ed: We all have our favorites, but to my eye that is one of the nicest models of revolver ever built. I passed on one that was unfired with box and papers ten years ago and have kicked myself for it since. Nice find!  Gp

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RicinYakima posted this 28 October 2018

Nice S&W Ed! Those early short action M&P's were always well made and well finished. When I grew up in the 1950's every small town constable and police office had a 4" M&P and state trooper had a 6" Heavy Duty. Bet it will shoot to the sights with the 36-159 and 3.5 grains of Bullseye.

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David Reiss posted this 28 October 2018

They will always melt my heart. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
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Ed Harris posted this 28 October 2018

Robert Mika makes the old school NYPD style pocket holsters for a 4" M&P which are intended to fit into an overcoat pocket, from back in the days when they didn't wear a Sam  Browne Belt outside the wool Patrolman's duty coat.  Photo below shows a Ruger Service Six, but the M&P fits in there also, so if you happen to wear Duluth Trading Co. "middle management chinos" or fire-hose work pants, the hip pockets are deep enough that the gun butt is not visible, and their side-clip suspenders support the weight of the gun so that wearing full-cut or pleated trousers the gun doesn't print.  Standard West Virginia fall and winter carry.  https://mikaspocketholsters.com/

  

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 28 October 2018

Nice S&W Ed! Those early short action M&P's were always well made and well finished. When I grew up in the 1950's every small town constable and police office had a 4" M&P and state trooper had a 6" Heavy Duty. Bet it will shoot to the sights with the 36-159 and 3.5 grains of Bullseye.

I think it will too, for those unfamiliar, posting pic of Accurate 36-159H which is my "Go To" bullet for both .38 Special and .38 S&W

 

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Gregor posted this 28 October 2018

Great find, Ed!  I have also had premonitions  on finding a firearm and have been drawn to a store to find one I was interested in.  I enjoy the "treasure hunt" almost as much as shooting them.  It certainly has found a good home with you.

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Eutectic posted this 29 October 2018

Absolutely beautiful Ed! Looks like it has hardly been fired and was well cared for. Made back when Smith had people who assembled them right.

The M&P and Model 10 on the K frame are my all time favorites. They are a perfect personal size revolver, big enough to shoot accurately and small enough to carry all day. With 38 loads they will last forever. 

My all time favorite is the model 10 4 inch heavy barrel, the heavy barrel made my poor double action groups better. I always liked the 148 wadcutter for accuracy and small game shooting, but they seldom shoot to the fixed sights, usually about 2 inches low at 15 yards.

I solved that problem by buying an Accurate 36-160W mold. Use the crimp groove on either end which puts the front band outside and seating depth OK for any 158 grain SWC load. It shoots to the sights in my guns with a little more recoil than the 148 WC. A good solution, I always hated filing the sights. 

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M3 Mitch posted this 29 October 2018


That gun looks almost new.  Looks like somebody bought it in 1948, put it in a drawer, and forgot about it for a long time. 

A great find. 

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Tom Acheson posted this 29 October 2018

Ed,

Is the S&W Model 10 in .38 Special with a 4" bull barrel and fixed sights, considered a "cop gun"?

Tom

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Ed Harris posted this 29 October 2018

Ed,

Is the S&W Model 10 in .38 Special with a 4" bull barrel and fixed sights, considered a "cop gun"?

Tom

 

ABSOLUTELY!  Better impact weapon than the skinny barrel too!

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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