Oddly colored slide

[hkpv70z]

I think that this was likely reblued, the cyl and ejector rod are an odd color and it has BNP proof marks? Any ideas? Lend lease maybe?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! It appears to be a British Service Revolver from around 1940, pre-lend lease. What cartridges does it chamber and what cartridge (CTG) is stamped on the right side of the barrel? It is possible the cylinder and extractor rod were replaced with the cylinder chambered for .38 Special. Originally, it would have been chambered for a variant of .38 S&W called the .38/200 used by the British.

 

[hkpv70z]

It chambers38 special as the barrel says. Do you think that the rebluing would have caused the discoloration?

 

[Muley Gil]

It chambers38 special as the barrel says. Do you think that the rebluing would have caused the discoloration?

Yes, it could.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Okay. If the cylinder chambers 38 Special and the barrel says 38 Special then what do the serial numbers under the barrel on the extractor rod flat and on the rear face of the cylinder say? Are they the same number as on the butt? If those all match, it is likely in original configuration and was likely refinished when it was released from military service by the British.

 

[stansdds]

The cylinder and ejector rod are the same color, but neither match the color of the frame nor barrel. Refinished? Most definitely. Replacement parts? Could be.

 

[hkpv70z]

Under the barrel, genius! That and the cylinder are all # matching. If the cylinder and/or barrel were replacements, they couldn't (?) have the BNP proof marks?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Well, as a .38 Special, it is not a typical BSR chambered for .38 S&W. However, its serial number is quite low and. early in WWII, I have read that the British were buying up just about any guns they could get. So, it may have been in those early purchases. The US did not implement Lend-Lease until 1941 so the early guns do not have U.S. Property stamps or military ordnance and proof stamps, and received commercial finishes and grips. The Birmingham Nitro Proof stamps indicate it was in British military possession and was proofed when it was sold into the commercial market. I'm not an expert on these or any other S&W guns so perhaps someone who is can give you more relevant and specific information.

 

[hkpv70z]

It's already more than i knew!

Now to "find" paperwork proving that it belonged to field marshal Montgomery.

 

[Absalom]

…. The Birmingham Nitro Proof stamps indicate it was in British military possession and was proofed when it was sold into the commercial market….

Indeed. Absent a lanyard loop, I doubt that a 1940 gun was actually made for the British; it started out as a standard commercial M&P and then made its way to Britain, either by being bought up by the British Purchasing Commission or maybe even the private donation effort undertaken by committees here. Since the Birmingham proofs are post-1955, we can be pretty sure it was not a commercial export.

 

[hkpv70z]

Could a wise man, given good pictures, determine whether a proofmark was applied and then reblued? I'm thinking that the cylinder locking notches look to be below the blueing.

 

[hkpv70z]

Clear enough???

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Proof marks were stamped through the original Bluing. So if there's blue down in the proof marks, it was re-blued over them.

 

[handejector]

Which part is the slide?

The cylinder is definitely reblued. The rest of the gun, maybe not. Small proof punches don't often show a lot of white metal, and they fill up with grime, varnish, and rust.