My First BSR

[Vettepartz]

And wanting to know more about it. This was advertised as a K38, but was not so. Anyway, I got this for cheap, and have some questions. It is a 5" barrel, and is not marked "Special" anywhere. It is missing the lanyard ring, and has the wrong grips which are oversize. Also, the cylinder holes are reamed to accept the 38 special cartridge, but there is still a little bit of the original shoulders in the charge holes.
There is no "US Property" on it or flaming bombs. The only extra markings I see is a "P" on top of the left side of the frame and the same "P" on the bottom of the barrel after the serial number. Anyone have thoughts on those? It looks like both P's were made with the same stamp.
The serial is in all of the right places except the grips. It is V 517839, which I think puts it around 1944, my birth year. Any comments or more information would be appreciated.

 

[DWalt]

That SN would suggest that it shipped in early 1944. Your other observations are correct - no lanyard swivel and incorrect grips. The P stamps are proof marks. I have no explanation why the U. S. PROPERTY topstrap stamping is missing on a BSR other than it appears to have been blued, and it is possible the property stamp has been buffed off prior to bluing. This is a site I usually attach to provide general information on Victory revolvers. http://www.coolgunsite.com/pistols/victory_model_smith_and_wesson.htm

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Looks like someone put 1917 grips on it.

 

[DWalt]

That was also what I first thought - replica M1917 grips. Not too difficult to find replica or original Victory grips on E-Bay. Or any other K-frame grips will also work.

 

[Absalom]

.....
There is no "US Property" on it or flaming bombs. The only extra markings I see is a "P" on top of the left side of the frame and the same "P" on the bottom of the barrel after the serial number. Anyone have thoughts on those? It looks like both P's were made with the same stamp.
....

There should be a third P proof on the cylinder face. Sometime in late 1943 the triple-P stamping started being applied to all Victorys, BSR, US military and DSC/Maritime Comm. Earlier, only one P was used on the butt.

The removel of the topstrap marking is unfortunate, but not unheard of, usually committed by owners nervous about having a gun marked US property.

 

[DWalt]

Over the years I have seen many former military guns which have their property markings, and sometimes serial numbers, ground or filed off or otherwise defaced. Not sure who they were trying to fool. In the case of the BSRs, the U. S. property stamp was there because the revolver was actually U. S. property "on loan" to the British under the 1941 Lend-Lease Act.

Some time ago, I was offered a .30 M1 Carbine with the receiver serial number filed off. The guy selling it told me that it was his gun when he was in the Army, and the Army gave it to him when he mustered out, but they made him file off the SN first. A very likely story.