1937 Brazilian Contract

[1srelluc]

I came across this 1937 Brazilian Contract revolver today. I suspect it has been refinished as the Brazilian seal is pretty washed out. Serial # 187141.

Flat top bridge. 1937 under the Brazilian star. Navy Arms import stamp located under the stocks.

I know the stocks are M1917 replacements as the serial does not match.

The serial on the frame, barrel, cylinder all match. Assembly numbers on the frame/yoke match.

One odd thing I noticed when looking at some other '37s during a search was some showed the cylinders/ejector rods going to plum like my example. Like mine they looked to be in better than average condition for '37s. I'm wondering if some business refinished and then sold them?

BTW....It has the number of 5305 on the backstrap which I suspect is a inventory number of some sort.

 

[Jack Flash]

The markings on the barrel look a little fuzzy too, indicating a reblue. The 5305 was probably a rack number for some particular unit. Neither of my Brazilians have such a mark.

Your revolver is from the first group and probably shipped to Brazil early in 1938. The flat top further supports this ship date. Who knows what it went through over there or once it was re-imported back here. One interesting note is that the First Group of Brazilian M1917s went to Italy in WWII. So yours may well have seen action in both civilian and military roles.

from Roy Jinks:
FirstBrazilian Contract Group (25,000 units), 1938, Serial Number Range: 181,983 to 207,043

 

[1srelluc]

One interesting note is that the First Group of Brazilian M1917s went to Italy in WWII. So yours may well have seen action in both civilian and military roles.

I looked-up some pics of the BEF when they were in Italy during WW-2 to see if I could find a pic with them wearing a '37.

I did not find any but read up a bit on the BEF....I had no idea that they sent a 27K man force there thinking that the Brazilians only helped with the Battle of the Atlantic in a small way so at least I learned something...Thanks.

 

[SuperGoat]

The information on these things are hard to come by in my case. Great revolvers though, mine is very fun to shoot, recoil is lighter than what I expected but the grips feel too small for me.

 

[Jack Flash]

There was a thread five years ago that included quite a lot of history of these fine revolvers, especially about their use in WWII with the BEF. The Original Poster ("Douglas Jr.") is a Brazilian. See below for a link to the entire thread:

Link to thread:
S&W 1917: remembering the Brazilian Expeditionary Force