22 mag marked BNP
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Is it marked "BNP" or "BPD"? Was the serial number taken from the butt? Is there a lanyard loop or a hole, empty or plugged, in the butt? What is the barrel? Are these markings on the barrel and/or the cylinder?
Offhand, it sounds like a converted .38 S&W (NOT special) M&P made for the Brits during the Second World War.
Pictures would help too.
Offhand, it sounds like a converted .38 S&W (NOT special) M&P made for the Brits during the Second World War.
Pictures would help too.
I'm not sure which .22 Magnum you're talking about. It could be a Jet, or it could be a .22 Magnum Rimfire (M.R.F.). The serial number is on the butt. If it's preceeded with a "K", it's about a 1969 gun and it should be model marked in the yoke cut. The other markings sound like a British Nitro Proof.
Link to proof marks:
http://www.riflebuilders.com/proof1.pdf
Link to proof marks:
http://www.riflebuilders.com/proof1.pdf
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Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
The info you provided is a bit confusing. The sword markings sound like British military but they never used a 22 Magnum revolver. It may be a converted military pistol from WW II but more info is needed.
Here is where to find the serial. Letters are part of the number if present. For some reason I never understand some people ignore letters in the serial and don't mention them causing problems with identification.
S&W began stamping model numbers on the revolvers in 1957. If the gun has a model number it will look like MOD 48-3 (or another number) and will be stamped on the frame under the cylinder crane. You must swing the cylinder open to see it, as in this photo:
If there is no model number then the gun was made before 1957. This will be a problem if in 22 Magnum as that cartridge wasn't introduced until 1959 so no S&W revolver so chambered was made without a model number. If it is stamped with a model number then we know exactly what it is. If not, then a guess might be a converted "Victory Model" sold to Great Britain.
They look much like this (mine is in 38 Special but the outside appearance is the same):
S&W sold hundreds of thousands of K frame Military & Police revolvers in 38 S&W (not Special) caliber to the the British during WW II. After the war many of these were converted to other configurations (like chopped off barrels and different sights added) and many were altered to other calibers (although I have never seen one in 22 Magnum). Your gun may be one of these. If it has a lanyard ring on the butt or a plugged hole where one used to be this would suggest a military gun origin.
Photos always help.
Here is where to find the serial. Letters are part of the number if present. For some reason I never understand some people ignore letters in the serial and don't mention them causing problems with identification.
S&W began stamping model numbers on the revolvers in 1957. If the gun has a model number it will look like MOD 48-3 (or another number) and will be stamped on the frame under the cylinder crane. You must swing the cylinder open to see it, as in this photo:
If there is no model number then the gun was made before 1957. This will be a problem if in 22 Magnum as that cartridge wasn't introduced until 1959 so no S&W revolver so chambered was made without a model number. If it is stamped with a model number then we know exactly what it is. If not, then a guess might be a converted "Victory Model" sold to Great Britain.
They look much like this (mine is in 38 Special but the outside appearance is the same):
S&W sold hundreds of thousands of K frame Military & Police revolvers in 38 S&W (not Special) caliber to the the British during WW II. After the war many of these were converted to other configurations (like chopped off barrels and different sights added) and many were altered to other calibers (although I have never seen one in 22 Magnum). Your gun may be one of these. If it has a lanyard ring on the butt or a plugged hole where one used to be this would suggest a military gun origin.
Photos always help.
My nephew said there is a hole in the butt end and the seral no. has no letters and is located on the butt and on the cylinder. All markings are on the barrel except for 6 crowns located on the cylinder by each flute. The barrel also is marked 22 magnum. The numbers 9822 are where the model no. usually is on the yoke. He is going to try and send me pichtures to show. Also it is BNP
strayhorse1990
Member
check out the post i have going my help you
The proofs are British and became law in late 1954 but did start actually stamping onto guns in the proof house till early 1955.
They're from the Birmingham Proof House. They will be seen much more often than London Proof House marks though they both follow the same criteria and law.
The Crown/BNP is for Birmingham Nitro Proof (shows both 'view' and 'final' proof).
The 1.062" is the cartridge case (only) length. (appears to be 22WRF cartridge,,Winchester brought it out in 1958 or '59)
The 'NC' is the type of powder used in the proof. That line should have a weight in grains(grs) before it.
The next line is the bullet weight used in the proof. Also listed the weight in grains.
That line ends with the word 'bullet' so if part of the proof markings are missing/polished off, you may only be seeing the NC and the word bullet underneath it.
Each chamber was proofed if it was sleeved and will have the proof mark over it on the outside of the cylinder and probably another on the frame somewhere.
This practice (cylinder/each chamber-proof marks) was done earlier on all revolvers but was later dropped but I'm not sure exactly when.
The 'Not English Make' mark was eliminated in 1954 Law change
They're from the Birmingham Proof House. They will be seen much more often than London Proof House marks though they both follow the same criteria and law.
The Crown/BNP is for Birmingham Nitro Proof (shows both 'view' and 'final' proof).
The 1.062" is the cartridge case (only) length. (appears to be 22WRF cartridge,,Winchester brought it out in 1958 or '59)
The 'NC' is the type of powder used in the proof. That line should have a weight in grains(grs) before it.
The next line is the bullet weight used in the proof. Also listed the weight in grains.
That line ends with the word 'bullet' so if part of the proof markings are missing/polished off, you may only be seeing the NC and the word bullet underneath it.
Each chamber was proofed if it was sleeved and will have the proof mark over it on the outside of the cylinder and probably another on the frame somewhere.
This practice (cylinder/each chamber-proof marks) was done earlier on all revolvers but was later dropped but I'm not sure exactly when.
The 'Not English Make' mark was eliminated in 1954 Law change
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deadin
US Veteran
Sounds like a "double" conversion to me.
First conversion was when the Brits sleeved it to .22 LR and proofed it for export. The second would be when someone, probably in the US rechambered it for .22 Mag.
First conversion was when the Brits sleeved it to .22 LR and proofed it for export. The second would be when someone, probably in the US rechambered it for .22 Mag.
strayhorse1990
Member
22 mag
i have a .22 mag conversion that im getting great anwers for it may want to take a look. it was a victory 38 converted in to a 22 mag. look under "my fathers 22 mag. can anyone help me"
i have a .22 mag conversion that im getting great anwers for it may want to take a look. it was a victory 38 converted in to a 22 mag. look under "my fathers 22 mag. can anyone help me"
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