INFO NEEDED: Pre-Victory

[Nickjc]

Hi !

Need some help I am confused - easy to do lately.

So what I believe I have here is a Pre-Victory model in the 900K range. Phosphate type finish. Non Checkered walnut grips. Doesn't look like a lanyard ring was installed.

In all my reading - the 700K-1M were as I can understand to be Brit lend lease guns - in 38 S&W.

This gun bares no markings to indicate as such and it is chambered in .38 S&W Special and is not a V series.

What do you think the story is here?

 

[Waveski]

Needs to surface oiled pronto.

 

[murphydog]

There were a fair number of .38 Special M & P revolvers made in the SN range you mentioned, most in 4" but I have seen 5 and 6" as well. As you might imagine there nearly all are documented to have gone to military or defense related destinations. It probably had the butt swivel, easy to find and install one.

Ordanceguy and kwill1911 are the local experts on these and should be along at some point with more information.

 

[Absalom]

I think by the upper 900-thousands, late spring 1942, the 5" and 6" were pretty much done in .38 Special. But substantial numbers of 4" guns were produced for the Navy and the DSC.

Stamping was somewhat unreliable in 1942. Generally, revolvers without a topstrap property stamp should have shipped to the DSC for sale to approved civilian recipients, but we have members with unstamped Navy-shipped guns, and both frame inscriptions and topstrap stamps indicating Navy property were used.

So the gun has plenty of possibilities. DSC, US Maritime Commission, maybe Navy. Calls for a letter if you're interested enough.

 

[tenntex32]

My 985xxx s/n pre-Victory is a 4" example. It has no topstrap marking but has the red letter PROPERTY OF U.S. NAVY left frame marking.

A true matching 5" or 6" .38 Special pre-Victory example would be a great addition to the collection for a meager guy like myself.

It looks to me as though the OP's example did have a lanyard ring installed from the factory and was simply removed at some point...….possibly very early in it's life.

Dale