ID help

[sqzdog]

Good morning, I am trying to ID the model and manufacture year of this revolver I bought years ago from a neighbor's estate. Thanks in advance!

 

[s&wchad]

Welcome aboard!

You’re probably not going to like this...

It’s WWII vintage. I’ll move this to the S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 section for you.

It appears to be a British Service Revolver (Victory Model), that had the barrel shortened, the lanyard loop removed/plugged and was later nickel or chrome plated. It was originally chambered for the .38 S&W cartridge, which is not the same as .38 Special. It’s possible that the cylinder was later reamed to accept .38 Special cartridges.

It also appears that the serial number was altered. The last digit was added and the “V” prefix seems to have been partially obliterated and stamped over. It’s a crime to possess a gun with an altered serial number, so I wouldn’t accept that as a gift.

 

[sqzdog]

Well darn! Thanks for the info.

 

[s&wchad]

That’s just my opinion and best advice. Others who specialize in Victory models and know more should be along shortly.

 

[handejector]

I think the last digit is original and just buffed heavily. Check the back of the cylinder and the bottom of the barrel for the same number.

 

[JP@AK]

I think Chad is dead on target. I agree with all that he wrote. I'm sure this is disappointing, but it is the truth.

 

[JP@AK]

I think the last digit is original and just buffed heavily. Check the back of the cylinder and the bottom of the barrel for the same number.

Lee
You might be right, but it looks to me like the 9 is smaller and a different font. Perhaps it was buffed off and the person restamped it. If it matches the one on the cylinder and the barrel flat, that would be my opinion.

 

[Absalom]

Whatever happened on the left is also odd. At first I thought somebody overstamped the V with a P proof, but that can‘t be it.

 

[s&wchad]

I think the last digit is original and just buffed heavily. Check the back of the cylinder and the bottom of the barrel for the same number.

Lee
You might be right, but it looks to me like the 9 is smaller and a different font. Perhaps it was buffed off and the person restamped it. If it matches the one on the cylinder and the barrel flat, that would be my opinion.

Yes, it would be interesting to know the number stamped on the back of the cylinder, the barrel flat and on the yoke arm in front of the cylinder.

Whatever happened on the left is also odd. At first I thought somebody overstamped the V with a P proof, but that can‘t be it.

Looks to me like a small letter “D”, stamped perpendicular to the right side of the “V”.

 

[sqzdog]

Here are some more photos. Hope this helps.

 

[s&wchad]

Here are some more photos. Hope this helps.

One more photo please. Swing the cylinder open and take a picture of the bottom the barrel (flat portion). It’s the part of the barrel directly over the ejector rod when the cylinder is closed.

If you’d willing to remove the front sideplate screw on the right side of the gun, you can swing the cylinder open, hold the cylinder with one hand and pull the yoke out the front. There’s a serial number on the inside of the yoke arm (hinge) that’s hidden by the cylinder. You may be able to se it by aligning one of the chambers in the cylinder with the arm and shining a flashlight in from the side.

 

[handejector]

Lee
You might be right, but it looks to me like the 9 is smaller and a different font.

Punches are tapered. When you punch a digit deep, it makes it larger at the edges. If you now grind the surface away, the digit gets smaller as you approach the bottom of the tapered grooves. Grind the top half of this V groove off-- V , and you get this- v.

 

[sqzdog]

One more photo please. Swing the cylinder open and take a picture of the bottom the barrel (flat portion). It’s the part of the barrel directly over the ejector rod when the cylinder is closed.

If you’d willing to remove the front sideplate screw on the right side of the gun, you can swing the cylinder open, hold the cylinder with one hand and pull the yoke out the front. There’s a serial number on the inside of the yoke arm (hinge) that’s hidden by the cylinder. You may be able to se it by aligning one of the chambers in the cylinder with the arm and shining a flashlight in from the side.

Here you go. There appears to be no markings on the flat part of the barrel.

 

[sqzdog]

I've taken a few more pics of the serial number close up. Maybe that will help with whether this is altered or not.

 

[Absalom]

Here you go. There appears to be no markings on the flat part of the barrel.

It appears so, but your photo misses most of the critical area. As an example, here is what we should see:

 

[sqzdog]

It appears so, but your photo misses most of the critical area. As an example, here is what we should see:

There is nothing there. It is blank.

 

[Absalom]

There is nothing there. It is blank.

So the number was either polished off (unlikely since there is no point with the other numbers remaining), or they shortened and installed a not-yet-serialed surplus factory replacement barrel. Those were and still are available as parts.

 

[sqzdog]

So how old do you think this is? It's not the best of shape. I'm stripping it down now to clean the insides. Youtube is amazing for that!!

 

[handejector]

Your gun was built during WW II.


He meant to slide the cylinder to the rear of the yoke and look at the back edge of the yoke for the serial number--

 

[Absalom]

So how old do you think this is?...

I think with the cylinder number confirming V 286109, that's likely it regardless of butt oddities. So manufactured as a British Service model in spring 1943.

Everything else, barrel, finish, etc., happened after re-import in the 50s/60s.

 

[sqzdog]

Your gun was built during WW II.


He meant to slide the cylinder to the rear of the yoke and look at the back edge of the yoke for the serial number--

Thank you for clarifying that with the illustration.

Here's a pic of that number.

 

[s&wchad]

Thanks for the extra photos. Handejector was correct (no surprise there)!

It appears the serial number wasn’t altered, so there’s no problem owning the gun.

I’ll stick by my other statements. The barrel was shortened from 5” to about 4” (BSR’s had 5” barrels and note the crude re-soldering of the front sight). No doubt it was refinished.

Your can certainly shoot .38 S&W cartridges through it. See if you can find a .38 S&W Special cartridge and try it in a chamber. If it drops in fully, the gun was altered to accept them.

 

[sqzdog]

Thank you. I actually shot this gun right after I bought it and I remember getting power burns on my hands and face when I fired it. I was firing 38 specials then, I believe. I just put a 38 special in the cylinder and it fits just fine.

 

[s&wchad]

That tells me the chambers were bored out to accept .38 Special. It was common on surplus guns after WWII. The .38 S&W cartridge is shorter and fatter than the .38 Special cartridge. Shooting .38 Special cartridges in a modified gun originally chambered for .38 S&W can result in bulged/split cases and venting of gasses.