The Military & Police Target came out almost as soon as the original Hand Ejector. Standards & Variants M&P revolvers with 3-inch heavy barrels, shown here with a round butt, are considered ideal concealed carry handguns by many revolver aficionados. Midway through the first decade of the 21st century, the one and only small-frame (J-frame) Military & Police revolver appeared, the M&P340 in. 357, and in both chrome-moly and stainless steel variations a 3-inch-barreled Model 13 would be the last standard-issue FBI service revolver before the Bureau switched to semi-automatics. A 3-inch heavy barrel would prove to be a popular variation in both. The Model 347 was offered in 9mm, but didn’t last long. This would soon be augmented with a stainless variation, the Model 65. 357 Mag that had begun as a variation produced at the request of the New York State Police. In 1974, introduced the Model 13, a heavy-barrel Model 10 chambered for the. 38 Special stainless steel, an instant hit in the police community. Later came the Model 64, a standard K-frame M&P. The first and only large-frame, fixed-sight M&P, the Model 58 in. The aluminum-frame Smith & Wesson Airweight version introduced in 1952 was designated the Model 12. The Military & Police became the Model 10 in its standard format of all-steel construction. In roughly the same timeframe, S&W started assigning numeric designations to its handguns. S&W began offering an un-tapered “heavy barrel,” 4 inches in length, which most felt improved handling and recoil control, adding about 3.5 ounces of weight up front. In the late 1950s, two major events occurred with the Smith & Wesson M&P line. 357 Mag “Registered Magnum” of 1935, these stocks improved the handling of the M&P revolvers when added during the postwar years. Originally created for harder-kicking guns like the. S&W’s “Magna” stocks, upswept toward the horn at the back of the grip frame, distributed recoil more comfortably to the web of the hand. The post-WWII years saw subtle changes in the action mechanism, with S&W going to a shorter version, which inevitably resulted in collectors calling the older models “long action” guns. RELATED: Smith & Wesson M&P Combo Training All of those WWII guns were known as Victory Models, made quickly with smooth walnut stocks instead of S&W’s usual fine checkering, and with gray Parkerized finishes instead of the lustrous commercial blue that characterized an American cop’s or citizen’s S&W M&P. Bush, later to become President of the U nited States, was carrying one when he was shot down in the Pacific during that conflict.) Before WWII was over, S&W also manufactured more than a half-million M&Ps for the British chambered in. Throughout World War II, the company manufactured a huge number of them in. M&P Warriors “The military & police was and is extremely accurate 1-inch groups with the best ammunition at 25 yards are more norm than exception.”īy 1942, Smith & Wesson would produce its millionth M&P revolver. By 1915, there was a snubnose version with a 2-inch barrel. A square butt was added at the same time, which would be the most popular configuration. It didn’t have a locking lug at the front of the ejector rod, but that was added in 1902 with the Second Model. The First Model, as collectors know it now, had a round butt. That would be its primary caliber from then on, and the M&P revolver would be largely responsible for the huge and enduring popularity of the. 38 Long Colt, Smith & Wesson’s Military & Police would soon be the first revolver chambered for the. I have not yet cleaned the gun nor have I put the slight bevel on the frame above the barrel.Introduced in 1899 as the Hand Ejector in calibers. The photo shows the gun as just returned today from Smith and Wesson. While no longer "original" it was created by the factory. Since it had no collector value, however, I do feel good having the factory do the work. Since there were no factory Model 64s with the round butt and 4 inch tapered barrels, this is now a custom Model 64. Note - the total includes shipping and FFL fees of around $125. New Ejector Rod & Pin and return shipping $35 Model 64 from J & G (4in heavy barrel DAO) $240įed Ex overnight shipping to Smith & Wesson $54 For those interested - here are the numbers. I knew going into this project that I would invest more than it would be worth. I sent the parts to Smith & Wesson and they did all the barrel work and installed a new ejector rod and pin. The gun also had heavy scratches and marks on the ejector rod end. I wanted a stainless round butt with the 4 in tapered barrel that was both single and double Action and this is the result. It originally had a 4 inch heavy barrel and was Double Action Only. This was one of the used Model 64s from J&G sales.