I just acquired this old war horse and would like to share it with the Forum and seek any available knowledge on it to include approximate production timeframe.

It has a 5" barrel with possible Lend Lease type markings of "UNITED STATE PROPERTY" on the left side of the top strap. It is a .38 S&W with serial number V 245640. The serial number is shown on base of the butt, on the flat under the barrel, on the face of the cylinder, and underneath the extractor.

It was a trade-in from the Lafayette, Alabama Police Department. Not a collectible grade revolver by any means but a good solid gun mechanically.

I will place it in the rack next to my Union of South Africa Pre-Victory.

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Interesting. The circular abrasion on the left back frame conforms to the location and size of either a Canadian property "broad arrow in a C" or alternatively the post-war "Österreich Polizei" marking of the Austrian police. Either one could explain the apparent absence of post-war British commercial proofs.

Since it was Lend-lease, it would letter to Hartford Ordnance and its further destination would unfortunately not be available. I wonder how a police dept. came into its possession.

I list two Victories with SNs just on either side of yours. Both shipped in 3/1943, so yours probably did also. It looks as though it has been through considerable rough treatment and/or neglect. Regarding how the PD got it, there are numerous possibilities. Could have been a seizure, an evidence gun, or maybe some widow brought it into the police station because she didn't want it in the house.

After reviewing the additional information provided by Absalom and DWalt, I went back to Pate's book "U.S. Handguns of World War II" for some additional reading.

It seems based upon the likely ship date of 3/1943 the revolver may of gone to the Royal Canadian Air Force per Table 6-8 on page 124 of Mr. Pate's publication.

This might explain why the absence of post-war British commercial proofs mentioned by Absalom. It also has me thinking that the Canadian ownership mark as shown in the top right picture of a pre-Victory revolver on page 108 of the Pate's book may of been purposely ground off at some later date. This curiosity spot was also questioned by Absalom in his response post. A close-up of this area on the revolver is shown in the picture below.

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I'd never looked at that footnote in Pate, but I think you're likely correct; the timeframe and serial match. Whatever was in that spot appears to have been removed too thoroughly to discern any identifiable traces.