I just picked this up because I had to to get a colt i wanted. Any idea of value cause I dont collect S&W. US Propery marked under the barrel. Thanks

one more

The most striking things about the gun are that the cylinder was refinished and the grips are not original. Is the rear of the cylinder marked with the serial number? The grips, while not original, are quite valuable being pre-war Magnas. The gun might bring $ 300-500 and the grips an equal or bit higher value depending upon there condition as the right grip is not pictured so the condition cannot be evaluated.

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John. SWCA #1586

Hi thanks.. yes the grips are perfect both sides. So you think the gun 300-500 and the grips are worth? And yes the cylinder does have a SN.. doesnt match the gun.

With a non matching cylinder the gun would be at the low end of the values I posted, possibly even lower. If the grips are in good shape they could easily fetch $350-500 I would think.

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John. SWCA #1586

The "Not English Make" marking on the right side of he frame indicates pre-1955 British proof, which was required for guns being exported. I believe some M1917's were sent to England at the beginning of WWII, but this could also be a gun that just passed through England via a surplus dealer.

More than one of the guns stripped from our Navy during the Batttle of Britain, summer of 1940.

The 'Not English Make' was stamped during the proofing. The mark itself was used from 1925 to 1955. It was put on any firearm that was not of English manf'r. Not an export mark.
A small 'England' marking appears on some firearms that were exported from Britain. You'll see the same small country of origin mark on arms from Spain, Italy, Germany, ect that went primarily to the USA.
None of this to be confused with the 1986 demanded 'Import Markings'. That's a different thing altogether.

The proofs are London Proof House if I'm seeing them correctly. Usually the proofing was done at Birmingham on arms such as this.
They are the standard proof marks you'd expect to see on a firearm that was perhaps put up for commercial sale. Before it could be sold, Brit law demanded (and still does) that it be proofed.
It would also need to be proofed (re-proofed) if certain repair work was done to it, such as a re-bbl. This would be done before returning the piece to it's owner or putting it up for resale, what ever the case.

The proof marks being inside the small circles also designate that the arm is not of English make.
Each chamber of the cylinder was 'View' marked,, checked for dimensions before and after the proof firings.
The individual chamber stamp marking is something you don't always see done. Especially just before, during and after WW2.,
But perhaps London Proof/House just wanted to make a tidy job of it.

Thanks for the info!