I picked up this today. It is in great shape. The bluing is 85%ish, the lockup is quite tight, and the trigger is fantastic. A couple of weird things though. There appears to be odd markings (Cyrillic writing?) underneath the barrel. The number on the yolk matches the number on the side of the handle when I take off the grips but there appears to be a hole cut through the bottom of the handle where the serial number is. It begins with AWA3 and then a hole. (entire serial # found on backstrap) Reading around it looks like it may have been for a lanyard.. Little help?

Beats me. But since you have one of the all time finest defense .357s ever made, all that weird stuff can only add to it. I'm curious what the experts here have to say. I have the same gun minus the strange features you mentioned and it is such a practical and desirable piece.

Its kind of funny. I didn't see any of this till I got home with it and you know, I have more S&W firearms than any other maker and have an affinity for combloc weapons. This is pretty cool. Looking forward to finding out more.

It looks like FFX VA in the upper right so maybe Fairfax VA which would make sense since many of the 13-3s were made for the FBI,, and maybe England on the bottom. IDK.

The FFX VA looks like an importer's marking so the gun is very likely a "re-import". Where it went and how it got the other markings I can't guess. And I could be totally incorrect.

I'll take a crack at it.

The cursive "L" in a circle with a flaming bomb on top is Liege, Belgium. That, I'm certain. It's a major port of entry into the EU and you see that proof on most every S&W that's taken a European vacation.

The star, "Y", large "P" with a line under it, I think is French. Stars and the letter "P" are used on a lot of French proofs. But, I'm more iffy on that one. It might actually be two different proofs.

The other stampings, one says "ENGLAND", which is self explanatory. Another I think says "APPLETON FFX. WI" which I believe was in importer in Wisconsin in the '90's (they are mention once in the SCoSW), but I couldn't find anything else on them. Perhaps there's a connection to the current Fox Valley Firearms.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

It's definitely not Cyrillic. Thai (Siamese), perhaps?

Wow - looks like that gun has done a bit of traveling! Betcha it has its own Passport

I had a M18 that had the same importers mark in the same place. It was imported back to the U.S. from Great Britian, it had British proof marks all over it. I would need better pictures but those do look like Belgian and French proofs on yours and then you have the England stamp as well. Are the cylinders marked in any way? The British stamped each cylinder with a proof mark. I wish that I still had my M18 but that is one of the ones that the Ex got in the Great Divorce Sell off and collection split.

Thanks folks! I have a high resolution camera at the office. When I get in this afternoon I will take some clearer pics and post them. Sure is interesting! What does this do to the value on it?

The value of your M13 is really driven by the fact that it is a 3" barreled M13, they are scarce and highly sought after by those that want them. The fact that it has travelled around a bit does not really add anything to the value, if it was stamped InterPol or Scotland Yard, maybe., but as it is, it is an interesting 3" M13, shoot it and enjoy it!

Cool gun, but...with the (presumed lanyard ring) hole on the bottom of the grip frame, what is the full SN? Hopefully it is stamped elsewhere on the gun, but if not that is a serious legal issue.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Alan, I was sweating the same thing. I found the complete serial # on the backstrap. AWA36...


I just checked the cylinder and there is the same symbol on it as the crown and the other symbol just underneath the P- pictured above. as well as a 5. The same symbol is etched just forward of the trigger guard as well.

The value is just for curiosity. I likely won't ever sell it. It is for the permanent collection. LOVE IT!!!!

S&W historian says it was made in 1987 and shipped to Parker Hale LTD in England. He said he thought that the stamp with the crown is the Birmingham House Proof mark but wasn't 100%. (Per Kernel it is Liege Belgium and I concur) Said I'd need to get a Proof Mark Book. I dig it. Very cool.

Good thing someone knew the SN rules. Enjoy!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Additional info. I've found that the John M. Appleton Company of Fairfax, Virginia, was an importer of British firearms in the early 2000's. Based on this new information, I revise my earlier comment regarding the stampings to:

"APPLETON FFX. VA"

I had assumed Wisconsin, for obvious reasons, Appleton being a major city, and perhaps Fox Valley Firearms because it's name contains two "F"'s and an "X". But those things were just coincidences.

Sic semper tyrannis.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I've seen several 13s wearing CAI marks lately