My dad passed a little over a year ago and left me his S&W 38 Special that he had...

I believe it had been gifted to him by a dear friend's wife after that friend had died many years ago.

Any information will be very much appreciated, I will include some photos I have taken.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11275...76561866376065

Let me know if you cannot access the pics online. Thanks so much.

Dave in BNA

Welcome to the Forum.
I was not able to access the pics.
Tell us sbout it. Open the cylinder and tell us if there is a model number. Also look on the butt and tell us the serial number, including letters. What is the barrel length? Does it have adjustable or fixed sights? Blued or nickle?
We can fill you in with this information.

Sorry about your Dad.
Jim

Sorry, access to album denied.

No pictures for me either.

I actually had the daughter sign in to google for me, but the access was restricted.

Ditto.... it's not like we didn't try

One must be a subscriber to Google in order to access your pictures. It would be better to post them directly on this forum. You can provide a brief description including how many chambers the cylinder has, what barrel length (measured from the front face of the cylinder to the muzzle), whether the rear sight is fixed or adjustable, and the serial number (including any letter prefix) taken from the butt (the bottom of the grip). That will enable a somewhat reliable identification as to what you have.

I am so sorry everyone, I posted my question and then my stupid computer's hard drive crashed and I just got it back over the weekend!

I think I fixed the picture's share settings, it is set to public now but I will try to upload here to! Thank you ALL for your responses and your patience... I will "like" each so you know I have seen your reply! Thanks again!

Dave

It is an early 1940's Military & Police (pre-model 10 or pre-Victory). The serial number, 907xxx puts it in the 1941-1942 timeframe (DWalt will be able to give you a closer estimate). I'm not sure what the "WB" after the serial number on the butt of the gun represents, but "W.B." can be the acceptance mark of Ordnance officer Waldemar Bromberg.

It looks like it has been reblued in the past. The original finish would have been either blue or a military finish (phosphate/black magic/parkerized/ etc…).

I hope this is helpful.

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Ash

I tried to upload a photo here on the forum but it just asks for the URL.

Anyway, I will describe here just in case y'all still cannot access the link above.

My Dad's "pistola" as he called it is a 4 inch, 38 S&W Special CTG with fixed sights. It has some patent numbers on the top of the barrel with dates; Feb.5.06, Sept.14.09 & Dec. 29:14

On the bottom of the handgrip it S/N is "907086 WB"

It is blued and has 5 screws plus the strain screw. The swing out ejector also has 49959 stamped on it and the yoke has 3056 stamped on it. Overall I think it is in pretty good shape. Thanks again.

Dave

Dave, it's a "Pre Victory" British Service Revolver that shipped around 1941. It has been modified. The orig 5" 38 S&W barrel has been replaced with a 4" 38 Special barrel. The hole drilled in the frame for the lanyard ring has been filled. The revolver has been heavily polished and refinished and the grips have been replaced. If you examine it closely you will note the "WB" and "flaming bomb" ordnance acceptance/inspection marks on the butt, and the British export mark stamped on the left frame just behind the barrel when they sent it back. Note: the cylinder should have been bored to accept 38 Spec ammunition (because the barrel is so marked) but that should be verified.

Lots of these came back after the war, many were modified. I have an original mail order invoice for an unmodified BSR, which sold for $29 in 1959.

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Cy

As I can see the pictures now, a better assessment of what your revolver is can be made. First, it is what a collector would call a "pre-Victory" model of the S&W Military and Police (M&P) revolver, and a likely shipping date based upon the butt serial number would have been February 1942. If in caliber .38 S&W Special, as stamped on the barrel, it would probably not be a .38/200 British Service Revolver. But the barrel could be a replacement (see the serial number discussion following). Original British barrels would have been 5" long, and stamped .38 S&W CTG. Its appearance indicates that it has been re-finished, and the grips on it are from long after WWII. As the assembly numbers in the yoke area on both sides do not match, it is nearly certain that the yoke, and possibly the yoke and cylinder have been replaced. Besides the butt, there are four other areas which should have matching serial numbers, namely, on the rear face of the cylinder, on a flat on the bottom of the barrel, on the back side of the extractor star, and on the rear face of the yoke (you need to look through a chamber using a flashlight to see that one). All must match the SN on the butt in an original revolver. Any SNs which do not match must be replacement parts. Notice on the butt there is a plugged hole. This was for a lanyard swivel, which has been removed. That is also a strong indicator that the revolver has been re-finished. The "WB" stamp on the butt is that of Waldemar Bromberg, an officer with U. S. Army Ordnance. You do not indicate if there is a "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" stamp on the frame topstrap (the area above the cylinder). If not, it could have been polished off during refinishing, or it may not have been for military issue.

In any event, its greatest value is to you as a memento of your father.

Thank you Ash, Dwalt & Hardscrabble for your replies...

I am not able to find any "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" stamp but I do see "ENGLAND" stamped sideways on one side of the cylinder as well as what looks like "BNP" stamped over each chamber. As I do not find the S/N anywhere except the butt I will have to assume as you say this weapon has been heavily modified, polished and re-blued.

I certainly will keep it for it's sentimental value and I'll print out the information you have given me and pass it on to my eldest son, Joshua, along with the revolver when the time comes!

Thank you all so much, I am amazed at your knowledge of this subject!

Dave

Without matching SNs on all components, the revolver has been assembled from an assortment of parts. The stampings on the cylinder are British proof markings, so at least that part of it came originally from a British .38/200 Service Revolver. Those were originally chambered in .38 S&W caliber, so if a .38 Special cartridge can be completely inserted, the chambers have been rebored. The lack of any serial numbers other than the one on the butt is a puzzle - they should be there unless removed. They are very small.