You guys enjoyed my first post, and I really appreciated the comments. Perhaps you could all tell me more about this gun. It was also left by my father-in-law, who served in WWII as a bomber pilot. I know the Marines began the war (my father) with WWI weapons, so maybe he did carry this in the cockpit.
Here is a description:
Smith & Wesson DA 45 SN 103460
I measure the barrel at 5-1/2 inches. The front sight is a large blade and the rear sight is fixed and milled in. The barrel is marked on the left side "S.&W. D.A. 45" and on the bottom at the muzzle end "United States Property" which appears in quotes. On the top of the barrel in smaller characters is "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS. , U.S.A." and underneath that "PATENTED DEC. 17.1901 FEB.6.1908 SEP.14.1909". On the left frame top left side just forward the hammer is the bomb mark. On the same side bottom just aft of the trigger guard is a small mark thet looks like a bird, annd a mark which may be "S2." On the butt is marked "U.S. ARMY MODEL 1917" AND "No 103460". With the cylinder swung out on the frame under the crane is "74501" and "S2" under the bird mark. The same 103460 and S2 mark is found on the underside of the barrel just forward of the frame. "103460" is also stamped on the rear face of the cylinder.
The gun seems to be in very good working condition. (I have only dry-fired it.) The DA is smooth and the trigger light and crisp. The bore and chambers are bright and clean. There is a light amount of pitting on the right side of the frame -- two spots each less than 1/2" across and visible in the photos. There are also a few wear areas in the bluing, which is almost entirely intact. The grip panels are a bit rough, with a few chips and scratches.
Best regards,
David
S&W Model 1917 DA Revolver
Linear Mode
