Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 Fourth Change, 5-inch .38 Special, Pre-War K-Frame DA/SA Revolver
This pre-war Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 Fourth Change was manufactured between 1925 and 1927. It features a 5-inch tapered barrel on the K-frame with fixed sights and a six-shot .38 Special cylinder. Blued carbon-steel construction, walnut service stocks, and the long-action S&W lockwork define this example. It retains its casehardened hammer and smooth-faced trigger with visible colors, and it comes with a leather basketweave belt holster.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair - Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The exterior shows widespread rust and pitting. There is extensive scratching and blemishing throughout. There are added engravings on the left side of the frame. Non-factory hand-scratched characters are present on the right side of the frame above the trigger guard.
What’s Included
- No case included
- Leather basketweave belt holster with retention strap
The Model of 1905 Fourth Change represents the final and most produced iteration of the early S&W M&P line before World War II. This example follows the classic fixed-sight, six-shot K-frame pattern with a round-butt grip frame and a 5-inch tapered barrel chambered in .38 Special.
It uses S&W’s pre-war long-action lockwork and a double-action/single-action mechanism. The ejector rod is unshrouded with a knurled tip, and the under-barrel/front locking lugs provide the traditional S&W lockup. Controls include the pre-war checkered cylinder-release latch, a casehardened hammer with a checkered spur, and a smooth-faced, casehardened trigger.
Sight regulation is by a fixed half-moon front blade and an integral top-strap groove/notch rear. The revolver wears checkered walnut service stocks secured by a single screw and without S&W medallions. Markings include the MADE IN U.S.A. legend, and the top-of-barrel address/patent line is present.
As a direct ancestor of the post-1957 Model 10, this Fourth Change captures the features that defined S&W’s service revolvers for decades. For identification, the assembly number found in the yoke cut is a factory fit-up number and not the serial. U.S.-made, blued carbon-steel construction ties it to the 1920s pre-war production era.