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Title:	REVOLVER -  SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER M&P FIRST MODEL (M1899) .38 SN# 13845
Maker/Manufacturer:	SMITH & WESSON
Date of Manufacture:	1901
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 2296
Measurements:	OL: 26.6C 10 1/2" BL: 15.2C 6"

Object Description:

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER M&P FIRST MODEL (M1899) .38 SN# 13845
Manufactured by Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Ma. in 1901 - Smith & Wesson military version of the S&W first model M&P revolver. This is earliest S & W model with swing-out cylinder in this caliber. Blued finish, 6-shot, single or double-action, checkered walnut grips and rounded butt with lanyard ring. This is one of 1,000 marked U.S ARMY MODEL 1899. Serial number range for these 1,000 runs from 13001-14000. Cartridge: .38 Long Colt.

Markings:
Frame: S&W logo. K.S.M.
Buttstrap: U.S./ARMY/MODEL/1899.
Grip: J.T.T. 1901 (left grip). K.S.M. (right grip). JTT = John T. Thompson. KSM = Kelly S. Morse.
Gripstrap: 13845.
Barrel: S&W .38 MIL. (Top): SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS U.S.A. PAT'D JULY 1. 84/APRIL 9. 89. MAY 21. 95. JUL. 16. 96. AUG. 4. 96. DEC. 22. 96. OCT. 4. 98.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 5 August 1935.

Exhibit label: "Smith & Wesson M1899 Army .38 caliber 1899-1902 20,975 made. In the 1890s the military adopted a .38 caliber double action revolver made by both Colt and Smith & Wesson. Although the pistols were well liked, experience in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection proved the caliber to be too small."

Notes: "Like the Navy, the Army was also becoming somewhat disgruntled with Colt and thought it advisable to obtain an alternate source of revolvers. After testing the new .38 caliber S&W, the Army followed the Navy's lead and contracted with S&W for 1000 .38 caliber Hand Ejector revolvers, the first of the famous and very successful Military & Police line. Unlike the Navy, however, the Army issued these revolvers primarily to state militias. A small number of these revolvers were still in inventory in the 1940s." - Rick Nahas

"As Colt's major competitor, Smith & Wesson had also seen the virtues of the swing-out cylinder, solid-frame revolver. In 1894, the Springfield arms maker introduced the Hand Ejector model, so named because, unlike the top-break American and Russian Smith & Wesson models that ejected the cartridges when opened, the cartridges had to be hand-ejected. In the first Hand Ejectors, the cylinder-crane assembly was unlocked by pulling forward on the extension of the cylinder pin. Two frames were available - a small .32 caliber (7.65mm) and .38 (9mm) caliber frame (called the K frame). The I frame revolver, the .32 (7.65mm) and Hand Ejector Model 1896, was the first to be commercially marketed by Smith & Wesson. The Smith & Wesson revolver tested by the Ordnance Board in 1899, along with the Colt New Service Series, was the .38 caliber (9mm) K frame Military Model 1899 (later known as the Military and Police Model). This model had a push-forward latch on the left side of the frame to permit the release of the cylinder latch. The handguns examined in 1899 had been improved to meet the specifications required by an Ordnance Board of 1898, which had reported on the suitability of the caliber of the revolvers, the swing-out cylinder feature, the desirability of a double-action weapon, and self-loading pistols versus revolvers. Finally, the army had also wanted to know whether to replace the carbine with a new handgun. The 1898 board had also recommended that the .38 service cartridge be retained, that the swing-out cylinder and double-action features were desirable, and that the self-loading pistol was not sufficiently mature as a concept to warrant adoption in place of the revolver or carbine.
In addition, the 1898 board had suggested that the handspring and bolt spring of the Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers be strengthened and that the revolvers be 'provided with a lanyard and means of attachment.' Major John E. Greer and his colleagues on the 1899 Ordnance Board noted that Colt had not followed any of the recommendations but had instead 'submitted a practically new revolver,' which resembled the service revolver in general outline but was different in a number of respects - the cylinder revolved in the opposite direction (clockwise); the handspring had been omitted, its functBased on these two pistols at Springfield Armory, the board reported that both revolvers, while not perfect, were generally satisfactory, 'except that the Colt revolver was slightly defective in the fitting of some of its parts, and some difficulty was experienced at various times, due to the fact that the cylinder revolved past the proper point before firing.' It did not experience a misfire, however. The Colt tested in 1899 was an improvement over the service pattern, the board agreed, and had stronger and fewer parts. As for the Smith & Wesson, the board believed that the test results showed it to be more complicated than the Colt, but satisfactory as a potential service weapon. If adopted, it would 'present the advantage of furnishing an additional source from which to obtain revolvers in cases of emergency.' The report continued: 'The claims of the makers of this revolver (Smith & Wesson) seem to be pretty well born out by the results of the tests, and the substitution of spiral for small flat springs is thought to be advantageous.' In concluding, the examiners noted that the Smith & Wesson was 103 grams lighter than the Colt New Service and 75 grams lighter than the Model 1894 New Army revolver, which weighed a total of 936 grams. The rounded butt accounted for the decreased weight.
The first military purchase of the .38 caliber (9mm) Smith & Wesson Military Model 1899 came on 25 June 1900 when the U.S. Navy ordered 1,000. In February 1901, the army bought 1,000 Smith & Wesson revolvers for trial. Military orders for the .38 caliber (9mm) Colt New Service, however, were not forthcoming. The adoption of the .45 caliber (11.43mm) version in 1909 was the result of a reevaluation of the caliber required by American military personnel." - Ezell

References:
Ezell, Edward C. HANDGUNS OF THE WORLD. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1981.
Jinks, Roy G. HISTORY OF SMITH & WESSON. Revised. Beinfeld Publishing Co. North Hollywood, Ca. 1992.
Supica, Jim & Richard Nahaus. THE STANDARD COLLECTION OF SMITH & WESSON. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 1996.