Here for your perusal is Smith&Wesson Canadian Lend-lease revolver Serial #943947 chambered in 38 S&W (.380/200), 5 barrel with an excellent, bright bore. This revolver has matching numbers on the frame, cylinder, yoke, extractor, and barrel. The revolver has a US Ordnance Flaming Bomb on the butt with C (Broad Arrow) Canadian property stamp just behind, as well as on the left side of the frame at the knuckle just behind the hammer. The smooth walnut grips are numbered on the interior: 94347. The C arrow under Made in USA is the Canadian ownership mark, C Broad Arrow. On the butt strap are found the serial number, the initials WB for the US Army ordnance officer Col. Waldemar Broberg, the US flaming bomb ordnance mark and the P proof stamps.
Canadian Lend-Lease Smith and Wesson 38/200 revolver
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Very nice specimen.
However, one thing: Given your thorough description, you would have mentioned it if it had UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the topstrap.
So assuming that it does not, it is not a Lend-Lease gun, but a late Canadian direct purchase contract gun; thus the Canadian ownership marks.
This makes it less common and more desirable from a collecting point of view. We don‘t see these often. Several months after Lend-Lease started, S&W was still working to complete these purchasing contracts from the year before.
Absolom; thanks for comments; doesn't have United States Property stamp on top strap. So were the Canadian direct purchase S&W pistols first checked out by US Army Ordnance officers and marked as such?
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Stamping patterns in 1941/42 changed over time. And there are exceptions to everything. Earlier direct purchase guns to Britain got the military P proof, but no flaming bomb. Yours seems to have gone through the regular Ordnance inspection process in place at that time, like the Lend-Lease guns, just without getting the property stamp.
The whole process occurred at the factory before packing and shipping, not at an Ordnance facility. There were inspectors stationed at the factories and this was all part of the production process, so it could be easily adjusted. On your gun, only the Canadian mark was done later, in Canada.
The whole process occurred at the factory before packing and shipping, not at an Ordnance facility. There were inspectors stationed at the factories and this was all part of the production process, so it could be easily adjusted. On your gun, only the Canadian mark was done later, in Canada.
ordnanceguy
Member
Yes, there are. While there are many published works in my opinion the best published sources are the following books:
U.S. Handguns of World War II by Charles Pate. This includes information on the U.S.-made British and Commonwealth pistols.
Canadian Military Handguns 1855-1985 by Clive Law. Published in 1994. An excellent work.
Accurate information on these guns is difficult to find on the Web. Most of what you read on other sites are recycled myths and half-truths. However, I will say that this Forum is far and away the best source of information on the Canadian issued pre-Victory and Victory guns of WW2.
Hope that helps you. Thanks for posting the letter on your revolver.
Charlie
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Hm. Interesting that it lettered as shipped to Hartford under a Lend-lease contract without the UNITED STATES PROPERTY stamping. The finish is clearly original, so it should be obvious if removed. Some collectors are satisfied with the idea that it just “slipped through”, although I tend to find that more a convenient excuse rather than a convincing explanation.
Charles Pate seems to indicate in a footnote that there might have been some overlap, with direct Canadian orders fulfilled with Lend-lease contract guns in 1942.
At any rate, a very interesting specimen for any collection.
Charles Pate seems to indicate in a footnote that there might have been some overlap, with direct Canadian orders fulfilled with Lend-lease contract guns in 1942.
At any rate, a very interesting specimen for any collection.
I have one with a 6 inch barrel that letters to the British Purchasing Commission that shipped November 25, 1940. It has no proofs at all.
