Hey Guys, new to the forum so don't haze me if too hard. Looking at a 4" Pre-Model 10 sn#- C 20xxxx. Seller says it was a USMC issued pistol and I'm curious how one could confirm this. There is no US Property marks or anything like that. Anyone know the serial number range? Thanks guys, any info is appreciated.

It's absolutely impossible to tell without the complete serial number. Anyone that answers is guessing.

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Don Mundell

Alright well, I guess I'm not terribly concerned with keeping it secret C 204363

A stretch at military police maybe.
We carried 1911 A-1 in the infantry.
Adam

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Adam-12

Got it, I'd like to purchase it however I'm a firm believer in buying the gun, not the story, is there any such way to validate it without sending out for a letter?

Nope. I would ask the seller how he knows, because short of a letter no way of knowing for sure.

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Randy

Just to help you make your decision the gun with your serial would be from the early 50s. Any C prefix gun would be well after ww2 as they did not even start with the C prefix until 1948.

You'll notice Don Mundell is the Assistant Historian of the S & W Historical Foundation; he may be able to give you a clue as to its authenticity. If he responds with "interesting gun, you should obtain a letter" here is the link to do this:

http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_letter.pdf

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

There were some .38 M&Ps built for the Marine Corps:

USMC "Victory Officer's Model"

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

In my time in the USMC, all I ever saw issued were 1911-A1’s. Some aviators may have been issued 38s, but I don’t recall ever seeing one..I was in ‘69-71.

While I was in Vietnam I saw helicopter crew carrying .38's, .357's, (most common) and 1911's.

Standard issue for USMC aviators was the S&W Victory. In the mid-1950s the USMC bought just over 4,000 "Officers Victory Model" revolvers that you could call pre-Model 10s. However, they are easy to identify because they are marked "U.S. Property" on the back strap. The SN mentioned by the OP is a little early for this contract and, if not marked, is probably not one from this group.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Without a property stamp and no lanyard swivel, the probability of it being genuine military issue decreases greatly. Only a letter would establish where it went.

I don’t know whether we have anyone here with experience in Marine Corps aviation, but I’d be curious whether Marine pilots in later years did receive an actual “standard-issued” sidearm, or whether the WW II Navy and Marine aviation practice was continued of handing out revolvers before a mission which were turned back in afterwards. Of course in WW II there was no difference between Navy and USMC guns.

This would explain the large number of first-hand accounts about non-standard personally acquired sidearms carried especially during Vietnam.

Thank you guys for the information, the gentleman says it belonged to a family member and was his service pistol as a Marine in Korea. The era matches, however there is no property mark nor a spot where a lanyard loop would have been. I think I'm going to attempt to purchase the pistol at a price where I won't be terribly upset if it turns out to not be USMC issued. If I get it I'll put in for a letter, being a Marine myself I think it would be quite cool to have a USMC used revolver. And worst case scenario I still have a very cool old revolver. I'll make sure to keep you guys in the loop and eventually post pictures, cheers.

During my AF time in Washington DC in the early 1970s I lived close to Quanico MCB. I recall seeing Female Marince Gate Guards carrying S&W revolvers, even a few RB that I assume were K frame.

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Keep Shootin' and check 6

It’s probably the gun this Guy is wearing.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

In this case, “Buy the gun, not the story” is probably a reasonable maxim to remember.

A former Marine owned it?
That maybe the ruse the gun shop is playing up to sell a gun.
Adam

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Adam-12

The seller is a family member of the Marine that owned it.

Sounds more like a gun a Marine owned and less likely a Marine issued gun.
I have owned a lot of guns but that doesn't mean any of them were USAF or USA issued guns.
Sounds like they're selling a story and not fact.

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183rd FBINA

Known serial number ranges are
C233XXX-C238XXX no US Property marking.
C261xxx-C269xxx with US Property marking.
As mentioned above a letter is recommended.

At one time not so long ago, soldiers (including Marines) often unofficially took a personal handgun into combat with them. That is much more difficult to do today. I once had a friend who had been in the Army and saw a lot of action during the Korean conflict. He carried a personal K-38 Combat Masterpiece, and still had it. He also claimed that he had to use it on several occasions.

If it was a personally acquired gun of the Marine who carried it in war, likely if the story is true as Uncle Sam was not in the habit of just letting service members keep issued guns after they separated from the armed forces, it all comes down to how much you trust the seller’s word.

We can’t help you with that.

Why, it's Capt Ted "Teddy Ballgame" Williams, Boston Red Sox and USMC Aviator!

Good catch .

OP hasn’t been here in over two years. Thread left open in case he comes back.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

This Thread needs some Drift.
Met a Dude here trying to sell a 1911 in a GI Rig.
He claimed he was SF down in Bolivia involved in the hunt for Che Guevara.
And of course I know Dude who carried his Model 19 in SEA.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

AKA, The Splendid Splinter. Fine Marine Aviator and one of the best ball players to EVER play the game. Yes, I am from Boston. Big Larry

Ted is visiting the AF at K13 Suwon after surviving a Fire Ball crash landing.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Many sports writers of the time considered Ted Williams to be a first-class jerk, and that is being polite.

Lots of folks in the Corps during WW II carried handguns they got from home. would imagine the same held true for Korea. By Viet Nam they had tightened up some. The Air Crews could carry personal weapons if they chose to do so. I was allowed to qualify with my personal M1911 and have an entry in my Service Record Book stating so.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

When I was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey back in the late 80s, I ran into a retired USMC Gunny who told me he used an issued Combat Masterpiece to great effect in Korea.

The USAF definitely issued CMs, but I was not aware that the other services did.