.38 S&W M&P

[JohnboyO]

My wife knew I was looking for a .38 S&W and purchased from her cousin her uncles revolver. It is an older M & P with serial number 7045xx, nickle platted, 4 1/2" barrel, and faux stag grips. The gun shoots the .38 S&W and has never been bored to accept .38 specials.

Two questions:

* Does anyone know the ship date or how old the weapon is?

* What is the approximate value of the weapon?

Will appreciate any information ya'll can provide.

 

[m-1911]

From a quick glace I would guess that it is a pre Victory Model made for the British. Does it have a hole for a lanyard swivel? Looks like an after market nickel or chrome job. Probably made around 1940-41

 

[mikepriwer]

The barrel is measured from the front face of the cylinder, to the very end of the barrel. This should be a 5" barrel, +/- an 1/8". Check it out. The factory did not make any 4 1/2" barrels, in these revolvers. One thing you can do is check for the presence of the serial number under the barrel, on the flat area, and on the rear face of the cylinder, as well as on the butt.

Like Gary, the finish looks suspect, although that may be the lighting and/or the photography. This makes it hard to estimate a value. If it is a refinish, then the gun was probably originally blue.

Its probably a 1940 gun.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[JohnboyO]

From a quick glace I would guess that it is a pre Victory Model made for the British. Does it have a hole for a lanyard swivel? Looks like an after market nickel or chrome job. Probably made around 1940-41

Thank you for the quick reply. There is a hole where the lanyard ring went and it has been plugged.

 

[JohnboyO]

The barrel is measured from the front face of the cylinder, to the very end of the barrel. This should be a 5" barrel, +/- an 1/8". Check it out. The factory did not make any 4 1/2" barrels, in these revolvers. One thing you can do is check for the presence of the serial number under the barrel, on the flat area, and on the rear face of the cylinder, as well as on the butt.

Like Gary, the finish looks suspect, although that may be the lighting and/or the photography. This makes it hard to estimate a value. If it is a refinish, then the gun was probably originally blue.

Its probably a 1940 gun.

Later, Mike Priwer

Thanks Mike, the serial number is 7045xx.

John

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Well refinished or not it's a good looking six-gun! Guess I watched too many westren's when I was a kid but I like the grips! The .38 S&W is a hoot ta shoot. Factory ammo is expensive these day's, but if you reload it's worth the effort. Hard to guess a price but Id pay $250.00 if in good working order.

 

[carguychris]

Like Gary, the finish looks suspect, although that may be the lighting and/or the photography. This makes it hard to estimate a value. If it is a refinish, then the gun was probably originally blue.

+1. (+2?) The finish doesn't look crisp enough to be a S&W factory job. FWIW factory nickel S&W revolvers have blued finish on the ejector star and ejector rod, and the hammer and trigger will have color case finish (appears grey with green and purple swirls). It looks like your revolver has a nickel-plated hammer, trigger, and ejector rod, although it's hard to see for sure in the pictures.

Furthermore, I'm positive this is a British pre-Victory due to the proof marks on the LH side of the barrel and behind the LH side of the trigger guard. Although the pictures are a bit blurry, the trigger guard proof mark looks almost identical to a British proof mark on a non-refinished British Victory I used to own.

The stocks are aftermarket. I'm also guessing they're plastic, as they look too shiny and uniform to be genuine staghorn.

Regarding the value, it's probably in the $125-$200 range depending on your local market. Many thousands of former Lend-Lease British Victory revolvers were sold as surplus on the American market after the UK switched to 9mm pistols in the 1950s. Most of these guns originally had ugly matte greyish-black finish and drab-looking plain walnut stocks, so importers often dressed them up with nicer finish and aftermarket stocks to increase their marketing appeal. However, this hurt their values as collectibles.

 

[JohnboyO]

Well refinished or not it's a good looking six-gun! Guess I watched too many westren's when I was a kid but I like the grips! The .38 S&W is a hoot ta shoot. Factory ammo is expensive these day's, but if you reload it's worth the effort. Hard to guess a price but Id pay $250.00 if in good working order.

Thanks Vulcan Bob, I like the finish also. It does shoot good and was extremely clean when we got it and in great working order.

 

[JohnboyO]

+1. (+2?) The finish doesn't look crisp enough to be a S&W factory job. FWIW factory nickel S&W revolvers have blued finish on the ejector star and ejector rod, and the hammer and trigger will have color case finish (appears grey with green and purple swirls). It looks like your revolver has a nickel-plated hammer, trigger, and ejector rod, although it's hard to see for sure in the pictures.

Furthermore, I'm positive this is a British pre-Victory due to the proof marks on the LH side of the barrel and behind the LH side of the trigger guard. Although the pictures are a bit blurry, the trigger guard proof mark looks almost identical to a British proof mark on a non-refinished British Victory I used to own.

The stocks are aftermarket. I'm also guessing they're plastic, as they look too shiny and uniform to be genuine staghorn.

Regarding the value, it's probably in the $125-$200 range depending on your local market. Many thousands of former Lend-Lease British Victory revolvers were sold as surplus on the American market after the UK switched to 9mm pistols in the 1950s. Most of these guns originally had ugly matte greyish-black finish and drab-looking plain walnut stocks, so importers often dressed them up with nicer finish and aftermarket stocks to increase their marketing appeal. However, this hurt their values as collectibles.

I apologize for the poor quality photographs. You are right about the grips, they are plastic. I knew they weren't original, but have seen others just like them posted in other forums. I didn't think this was a British Lend Lease, but I could be wrong. That's why I wanted to get some expert advice.

I'm thinking about getting a letter from S&W, but thought I would post here first.

I appreciate your input.

John

 

[bgrafsr]

In the last photo the trigger looks like it is color case hardened. Hard to tell on the hammer.