Looks pretty standard you say? OK, but there's this:

These USNCPC guns all shipped to the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. where many of them went to England. There was also a batch that went to Bethlehem Steel as guard guns. Originally they had a blued finish and commercial S&W grips/stocks with medallions. This one apparently stayed stateside (no British proofs) and was refinished by S&W. It got the new hammer block and Victory grips.


And it came with one of the unmarked flap holsters.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Wow! I like it; wish it were hanging on my wall.

"Kinda" different but interesting to a much greater degree. Thanks for continuing my education when it comes to unforeseen variation in contract production.

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David Wilson

Your gun has been refinished to the dull wartime "Black Magic" finish. Probably when the conversion to the new safety hammer block was done. Originally all the USNCPC ( United States Navy Civilian Police Corp ) were standard commercial blue finishes, circa 1940 era. The ones sent to Britain were shipped with their commercial blue finishes. I suspect your gun was returned to the Navy by the DSC recipient and then received it's dull refinish and the "S" stamp. Interesting variation of this model. Ed.

There is a little mystery regarding exactly what the USNCPC was, and if you search the forum using that, you will find several threads about it. The USNCPC revolvers are found in the 748xxx-760xxx SN range, and shipped in the early 1941 period. The latest USNCPC M&P I have listed has SN 759xxx. They originally had a blued finish and the typical pre-war wooden checkered grips with the smaller silver medallion. Therefore, yours has been altered sometime in its life. The smooth wooden grips did not exist at that time (they started in early 1942), and I am surprised they are SNed to the frame. They could have been later un-stamped grips later stamped to match the frame, and in fact that's about the only way that could occur. I would be a little surprised if it has been modified to the 1945 improved drop safety design, but it's not impossible. Did you check the hammer to see if that modification has been made or not? At that time, the factory would have called the phosphate finish "Military Midnight Black." "Black Magic" was an earlier oxide hot blue process used for a short time prior to phosphate finishing, which started in early 1942. The two names are often confused, even in factory letters, but they are nonetheless completely different.

A factory letter would tell you how yours was configured when originally shipped, and to where, but would probably not tell you anything about how or when it ended up looking the way it does now. It could even have been done by S&W. Is there a service date stamped on the grip frame?

Actually, there's not much mystery to the USNCPC marked guns any more if you follow Charlie Pate's research. That stood for the US Naval Civilian Police Corps which never quite developed. So, these guns were redirected to the British and DSC, notably Bethlehem Steel, and some stayed in Navy service. This one went back to the factory for the refinish, new grips and hammer block safety as explained (poorly, I guess) in my first post.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Dredging up an old thread with another modified USNCPC Pre-Victory.

Was the side plate replaced to accommodate the newer hammer block safety?

I just bought this one that retains original blue finish except for the side plate that was replaced when the new internals were installed for the later hammer block.

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SWCA: 3154
SWHF: 552

Does it have the S stamped on the sideplate above the back screw hole? That would indicate war or near-war. Or is there a rework date on the frame?

No S on the side plate and I believe it wasn’t factory replaced due to the seams and finish. Not service stamps on the frame. The hammer looks to have had some impact in the notched area (pictured). Also added a picture of the side plate attached.

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	BF55A998-2CA5-457F-86E3-3C78C2DBD12A.jpg (42.4 KB, 127 views)

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SWCA: 3154
SWHF: 552

Lloyd:

I agree that the newer sideplate was not installed at the factory.

What's the serial number?

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

759369. Shipped May 1941. Could be the 10th or 28th. Probably won’t letter this one since I know it went to the Washington Navy Yard.

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SWCA: 3154
SWHF: 552

Thank you, Lloyd. We did not have your revolver in the Victory Model Database but it is there now. I agree with you that, in this particular case, a factory letter is probably not warranted.

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215