This is a very unusual S&W pre victory lend lease 38 modified by Parker Hale of England.

This is a very unusual S&W pre victory lend lease 38 modified by Parker Hale of England.

I have seen several of these . chopped barrel with ramp front sight and cylinder chambers bored out to 38 special depth in front of the larger 38 S&W chambers. sometimes stamped "not english made" 38 Special as well as with lots of proof stamping. I would suggest using the 38 S&W if you want to shoot it. The .38 special may be safe but it also may split the cases in the oversized 38 S&W part of the chamber.


PS I just read your other post that states that you cannot insert a 38 S&W cartridge. Parker Hale must have sleeved the chambers or replaced the cylinder which is a big improvement from the run of the mill conversions. It is therefore a candidate for using 38 Special rounds of NON +P variety. Jim

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Gun Safety is no accident.

Jim,

The cylinder is not lined. It is a 38 Special cylinder. If it has been replaced the serial number is stamped on it in the same script as the barrel and butt!

Very unusual!

I have a five digit (482xx) S&W 38 V Model, It has a Parker Hale stamp on a ramped "5" Barrel, the serial numbers on the frame and inside cylinder hinge are the same, while the numbers on the cylinder and butt are V 5943. Does this frame & Cylinder indicate a conversion to 38 Special?

No, not as such. The numbers on the yoke and hinge are assembly numbers and are NOT related to the serial number. Your butt and cylinder number match, so it is the original cylinder.

Parker-Hale also manufactured sights. If the name is just on the sight ramp, that does not say anything by itself about the gun. But they could still have worked on the gun.

Does the gun have any British proofs? To check whether the gun has been converted, you can also just try which live round fits the chambers. Conversions usually just involved reaming out the chambers to accommodate the longer .38 Special, although Parker-Hale in particular is known to have sleeved chambers to ensure a perfect fit for the slightly slimmer Special. If a standard .38 S&W round won't go in, that would be the case.

If it has been converted, I think both the .38 S&W and the .38 S&W Special cartridges will chamber in the cylinder charge holes. If has not been converted, the .38 S&W will chamber but the .38 S&W Special will not go all the way in as the .38 S&W cartridge is both shorter and fatter than the Special.