6" BSR Arrived Today.

[policerevolvercollector]

This BSR arrived today (Serial # 707872).

I replaced the 1910-20 "deep dish" gold medallion stocks with the correct ones (they number to 749xxx) and added the missing lanyard ring. The pin was still there. I see that quite often and can't explain why one would remove the ring and reinstall the pin?? I guess someone knew I'd need it several decades later!

I'm clear on the British proofs except I don't recall what the "crossed swords" indicate.

Best,
Charles

[Targets Guy]

Nice one. They are good shooters.

[Targets Guy]

Birmingham, England. 1950-1974

Letter at left of intersection, B at right. Inspectors # underneath.

[policerevolvercollector]

Originally Posted by Targets Guy

Birmingham, England. 1950-1974

Letter at left of intersection, B at right. Inspectors # underneath.

Thanks, Mike!

[M_conrad_0311]

Great pistol, I love my 4"BSR. It also needs new stocks.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by policerevolvercollector

I'm clear on the British proofs except I don't recall what the "crossed swords" indicate.
....

It's called a view mark. It goes with the post-war proofs on the barrel and indicates the rank of the inspector, year and place of the proof inspection. The literature describes them as either crossed sceptres or swords.

To narrow down Mike's info, your gun was proofed at Birmingham (B) in 1957 (H) by an inspector 2 (the lower the number, the higher the rank, acc. to Charles Pate).

[policerevolvercollector]

Originally Posted by Absalom

It's called a view mark. It goes with the post-war proofs on the barrel and indicates the rank of the inspector, year and place of the proof inspection. The literature describes them as either crossed sceptres or swords.

To narrow down Mike's info, your gun was proofed at Birmingham (B) in 1957 (H) by an inspector 2 (the lower the number, the higher the rank, acc. to Charles Pate).

Very interesting. Does tnat mean '57 was when it was removed from service? I don't see the "FTR" markings on it.

Best,
Charles

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by policerevolvercollector

Very interesting. Does tnat mean '57 was when it was removed from service? I don't see the "FTR" markings on it.

Best,
Charles

At least that's when the surplus dealer who bought it sent it to the Birmingham Proof House to get it proofed for resale. Most British-sold BSR's seem to have marks from the late 50s. Yours looks original, so I would not expect any other stampings. FTR marks on non-Australian guns do exist, but are very rare, and of course the Aussies are easily identified by their refinish and stamps.

[H Richard]

With that # and those stocks, it may be better identified as a "Pre Victory", and the stocks might be original. Did you check the #'s on the stocks? Look about what I had on a Aussie Pre Victory which had shipped in 41.

[DWalt]

It probably shipped originally in the late 1940-early 1941 period based on other nearby SNs. Hard to say when it was removed from service. It may have sat in military storage for many years before it was sold off. Based on advertising of these for sale by surplus dealers, it seems shipments of these BSRs to the USA began sometime in the mid-1950s and continued for at least ten years. The British sold these for essentially scrap metal prices.