View Single Post
 
Old 03-19-2017, 11:01 PM
Absalom's Avatar
Absalom Absalom is offline
SWCA Member
Absent Comrade
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,834
Likes: 10,103
Liked 27,995 Times in 8,452 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niner19 View Post
This one has no British proof marks, no import marks and no extra marks other than the "United States Property", the flaming bomb proof and the letters "WE" or WB" and a very small "P" (the last 3 are all on the other side of the lanyard ring from the serial number which is in the 981XXX range.....
The only exceptions are the Austrian Police marks which consists of the Ostereich eagle Polizi mark and unit number stamps.
.........
Oddly enough... 357 Magnum will also chamber into this gun. I will make sure I never make that mistake.
..........
The markings you describe are all standard and to be expected on a late "pre-Victory" Lend-lease BSR from likely late spring 1942. It's WB for Waldemar Broberg, the US ordnance inspector-in-charge until June 1942. And the Austrian police stamp explains the absence of British proofs, since those were all applied upon being surplused out for commercial sale in Britain; a gun retired by the Austrians could have made its way back here by different routes.

As for the .357 fitting, not too odd if someone just ran a reamer into the chambers without bothering too much with micro-measuring; the length difference isn't that dramatic. Just remember never!

Last edited by Absalom; 03-19-2017 at 11:04 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post: