Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
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First S/N V496557, 4 inch, 38 spl.
A nice, apparently all original US military shipped gun, early 1944.
Second.....S/N 288699, 6 inch, barrel marked 38 S&W, left side frame stamped. 38 special. U S property marked on top strap, without P stamp.
The number 81 stamped on bottom on left side gri.p
A British Service model from spring 1943. I believe its serial puts it into the time period where the P proof was no longer applied to the butt, but not yet applied on the frame (also cylinder and barrel) like on your other one. The front sight appears modified, and the cylinder was reamed to accept .38 Special. We have not identified yet which converter it was who stamped the caliber on the frame; we see this exact style of stamping occasionally, but most so converted were not marked.