Quote:
Originally Posted by red9
Just received the letter on #5788. It letters as a commercial shipped to Hurd & Co, like Jim Fisher's, but on June 4, 1915. Part of a shipment of 5 guns. Didn't catch the mistake before, but the barrel is 6.5". So we have a Canadian military marked shipped commercially. Could the military have required the owners of personal guns to submit them for approval to carry?
Great survey with a lot of work on your part and a lot of participation by the Forum.
Bob
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Hi Bob,
Thanks very much for the followup information on your #5788. The order of 5 guns in the shipment is also very helpful.
I'm not that versed on the military markings but some here are.
The variations of the British Service revolver stampings seem almost endless.
These 455s can have Import, Proof, and Export stamps; just one or up to all three. The stamps also vary with the period in which they were done due to British changes in stamping requirements over the years, and whether or not they moved thru official channels.
We also find 455 revolvers which were not initially sold to the British military, but originally sold on the commercial market and only later entered military service.
These links are to threads that will help you with the various non-factory stampings on your 455:
Google images and definitions of British marks:
british proof marks - Bing images
Identify Hand Ejector Birmingham Marks - in the S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 section of Smith & Wesson Forum. This thread is located at:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-han...-new-post.html