BSR candidate ?

[Donald Paul]

... looks to be all original {matching}, and fair / nice condition.
No markings that indicate war-bound.
SERNO and letter S on bbl flat.
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Any interesting comments or information ?
As always...
Thank you.
-Donald

 

[chiefdave]

I'd letter that one, just too odd not to. Likely shipped in the summer of 1941.

 

[Dave_n]

It looks like one of the standard S&Ws chambered in 38 S&W (aka the UK revolver cartridge) and before the beginning of the Victory series. 5" barrels would standard for those. Dave_n At the time the UK was buying any revolver they could find. Pre lend-lease. Dave_n

 

[DWalt]

Nothing particularly odd about it, just a pre-Victory BSR if chambered in .38 S&W. SN indicates it probably shipped around autumn 1941. It's quite possible that it has been refinished from its appearance. At that SN, I would expect the shinier bright blue Carbonia finish. I show some BSRs on my list having lower SNs with the the UNITED STATES PROPERTY topstrap stamp indicating L-L. Does this one? Any other markings we can't see from the pictures?

 

[Donald Paul]

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No sir, no other markings.
Thank you all for your comments.
- donald
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P.S. - it is a .38 S&W, not a .38 spl.

 

[scooter123]

Based on the sideplate seam and the blackened rust pitting on the grip frame and the white hammer and trigger IMO it's dead certain to have been re-finished. Actually it looks like the re-finish was a backyard job of rust bluing. I would suggest boiling the frame for a good hour and then a long dip in some hydraulic oil. That will put a stop to the red rust that is starting to blush and the oil will both protect and pretty up the finish a bit.

 

[Absalom]

Nothing particularly odd about it, just a pre-Victory BSR if chambered in .38 S&W. SN indicates it probably shipped around autumn 1941. It's quite possible that it has been refinished from its appearance. At that SN, I would expect the shinier bright blue Carbonia finish.

Indeed. It’s a few months too early for a finish other than the standard pre-war polished blue, and this isn’t that. In addition, the case color has been intentionally removed from trigger and hammer.

I think I do see the P proof in the shadow of the swivel. If not Lend-Lease yet, a standard BPC-shipped BSR would have had no other factory markings, although in that case the presence of either Enfield or Canadian property/acceptance marks would usually be expected. But with a comprehensive refinish, any or none could have been removed.