Navy .38 question

[deadin]

I've been corresponding with Aussie and he mentioned the following in one of his emails:

When I was posted to Papua New Guinea in 1965 my side arm was a Smith and Wesson 0.38 manufactured in 1917 for the USN (even had the stamped anchor on the base).

Anybody ever seen a .38 with an anchor on the butt other than the 1,000 M1899 1st Models made for the Navy?? Especially on a M&P 1905 4th change from 1917??
I know the U.K. was taking anything they could get early in WW2, but M1899's?

 

[mikepriwer]

Dean

Try to get a serial number, if possible. The US Navy ordered 1000 1899's, and another
1000 1902's. Both have the anchor on the butt. I'm not aware of any other special
Navy orders.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[deadin]

Mike,
I'll try but I think the gun is long gone. I figured his memory of the manufacture date was in error.
(Or it was a Victory with a USN marking and he "misremembered" the anchor.)

(I'd forgotten about the 1902's....)

 

[deadin]

Mike, This might be of interest to you. It turns out that the gun was a M1902 Navy Contract, with a Navy Serial of 1917.
He thinks it may have been one of the guns purchased from the U.S. when Australia was gearing up for WW2 and had set in the armory until 1965. (I wonder if it may have been WW1)
He thinks he may have the S&W serial number in his military records somewhere. If he can find it I will let you know.

What I find interesting is that this gun may have been in military service from 1902/03 until 1967 at least. (64 years has got to be some sort of a record....)

If you are would like our emails I can forward them to you..

 

[Muley Gil]

"What I find interesting is that this gun may have been in military service from 1902/03 until 1967 at least. (64 years has got to be some sort of a record....)"

When I was in Kosovo in 2002-2004, the Fiji Island police, part of the UN police force, were carrying WW II BSR Victory model revolvers in .38 S&W.

Even better was the Greek Army officer who was carrying a Colt 1911 that dated to 1915!