I picked this one up today ser #846836, 5" bbl., barrel, cylinder and frame serial numbers match. Some sort of aftermarket grips I guess. Has been re-blued but fairly nicely done as you can see by the sideplate picture. Per stamping on the bottom of the barrel it was re-chambered to 38 Special with the British proof marks there and on the cylinder at each charge hole. No other markings of any kind that I can see. I got it in a 3 Smith package deal so maybe I don't have too much in it!

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Nice looking indeed !

IF that is a re-blue, it does indeed look very good. I tend to think not. The switch from bright polish blue to brush blue, at least according to our available documentation, happened around serial 860,000, putting this safely before then, in later fall 1941. It could have just dulled a bit over time, but definitely did not have the Victory utility finish originally.

The stocks are the British post-war style, as used by firms like Cogswell & Harrison, but interestingly someone took the trouble to insert S&W medallions.

I'd like to see a picture of the barrel stampings and proofs, which you say are underneath.

Here is a shot of the underside of the barrel with the markings. One thing that made me suspect a re-blue is the fact that the very front of the beveled edge of the ejector rod is blued. So I'm not sure.

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Actually, looking at that last photo I'm leaning more toward a re-blue also; none of those stampings shows the least bit of metal, which would be unlikely had they been hand-struck into the original finish. It's more likely they were blued over.

I would have to see how it shoots. Looks like someone worked hard to keep it looking good.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

My British Purchasing Committee revolver 811739 was shipped Aug. 20, 1941 to them in NYC. It has a blue finish similar to the above revolver and was never proof marked.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

I can bracket you.

s/n 877679 shipped 12/41

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and s/n 765111 shipped 4/41

upload gif from url

plus I know s/n 8447xx shipped 10/41 and s/n 8490xx shipped 11/41

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Thanks for all the info guys, looks like I can assume this one likely shipped in the last half of 1941.

It is reblued.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

It looks good since the original finish was the bright polish Carbonia blue, so not much prep/buffing was necessary and the stampings survived quite crisp-looking. Refinished Victorys are usually much more obvious due to the rougher surface underneath.

This is the second ex-BSR we’ve seen here recently that was converted in Britain, but with unusual restraint. Whichever company did this seems to have converted the cylinder and sent the gun to be proofed for .38 Special before the re-blue and new stocks, but no barrel shortening and different sights as is usually seen.

I am likely in the minority, as I care much more about the quality of the job (blueing in this case) than the provenance of the job. To my eyes this appears to be one of the most beautiful BSRs I have seen. Congradulations.

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Certified Curmudgeon

Thank you!

846836 very likely shipped sometime in 10/41. I have numerous others listed having SNs all around it which did. No question in my mind that it is a reblue.