S&W 38/200 US Property
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If that's a 1941 example, it was originally blued and with checkered grips with silver medallions. Many were refinished after the war. Australia re-did a bunch in the 1950's and they were sold here.
Yours does look nice. Does it fit that US shoulder holster well?
The dull gray finished guns with smooth grips replaced the commercial look about April, 1942 on both US and British orders.
Yours does look nice. Does it fit that US shoulder holster well?
The dull gray finished guns with smooth grips replaced the commercial look about April, 1942 on both US and British orders.
OP
OP
MJ
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Do you have an exact date the change took place? There is a gap in the numbers when I looked them up between late '41 and early '42. The pistol seems original with the numbers are all matching including the grips but who really knows after all these years. No UK proofs and still in .38/200.
rcmodel
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According to the SC of S&W, the first .38/200 British Service revolver (Model K-200) was made in 1940, and production continued until 1945.
Beginning at around serial number 680,000, about 110,379 guns were sold to the British with lanyard rings and smooth walnut grips.
After serial number 1,000,000 numbering was restarted, the V prefer was added and numbering started over at V1.
Early Lend-Lease British guns were marked 'United States Property', or U.S. property.
But, at the time of the V-1 serial number change, the British guns used the same serial number block as the U.S. .38 Special Victory Model.
There is no breakdown by year on the serial numbers.
My own research on my Victory model shows V1 shipped 4/24/42.
My S-693,xxx was on board the USS Franklin aircraft carrier when it was outfitted in 1944.
SV-769000 on 1/15/45 was the first with the new hammer block safety.
Without your partial serial number (11xxx) or whatever, that's all I can guess at.
In the condition your gun is in, it might be worth paying for a factory research letter to learn it's true history.
rc
Beginning at around serial number 680,000, about 110,379 guns were sold to the British with lanyard rings and smooth walnut grips.
After serial number 1,000,000 numbering was restarted, the V prefer was added and numbering started over at V1.
Early Lend-Lease British guns were marked 'United States Property', or U.S. property.
But, at the time of the V-1 serial number change, the British guns used the same serial number block as the U.S. .38 Special Victory Model.
There is no breakdown by year on the serial numbers.
My own research on my Victory model shows V1 shipped 4/24/42.
My S-693,xxx was on board the USS Franklin aircraft carrier when it was outfitted in 1944.
SV-769000 on 1/15/45 was the first with the new hammer block safety.
Without your partial serial number (11xxx) or whatever, that's all I can guess at.
In the condition your gun is in, it might be worth paying for a factory research letter to learn it's true history.
rc
Last edited:
"After serial number 1,000,000 numbering was restarted, the V prefer was added and numbering started over at V1.
Early Lend-Lease British guns were marked 'United States Property', or U.S. property.
But, at the time of the V-1 serial number change, the British guns used the same serial number block as the U.S. .38 Special Victory Model."
Not after 1 million, just before. S&W's numbering machine only went to six digits, so they went to 999999, then to V1. The V (and later the S) was stamped on all frames when the frame was made, then the rest of the serial number added later (that is why the V is sometimes separated from the number). Reportedly, they planned to use an A, but when "V for Victory" was suggested they went with it. The Military always called it simply the M&P Model.
The USP stamp was used to maintain the legal fiction that Lend Lease items were sold to the U.S., then loaned to the Allies. Since one cannot loan what he does not own, those guns became officially "U.S. Property."
Guns made for England and later other Allies in .38 S&W were called the Model K-200 or 38/200 by the factory; technically only the ones for the U.S. were ever called the Victory Model, leading to a lot of confusion for folks reading information from factory records. However, they were all numbered in the same series, the normal M&P series up to 999999, then the V (or VS) series from there on. There were no separate number blocks.
Jim
Early Lend-Lease British guns were marked 'United States Property', or U.S. property.
But, at the time of the V-1 serial number change, the British guns used the same serial number block as the U.S. .38 Special Victory Model."
Not after 1 million, just before. S&W's numbering machine only went to six digits, so they went to 999999, then to V1. The V (and later the S) was stamped on all frames when the frame was made, then the rest of the serial number added later (that is why the V is sometimes separated from the number). Reportedly, they planned to use an A, but when "V for Victory" was suggested they went with it. The Military always called it simply the M&P Model.
The USP stamp was used to maintain the legal fiction that Lend Lease items were sold to the U.S., then loaned to the Allies. Since one cannot loan what he does not own, those guns became officially "U.S. Property."
Guns made for England and later other Allies in .38 S&W were called the Model K-200 or 38/200 by the factory; technically only the ones for the U.S. were ever called the Victory Model, leading to a lot of confusion for folks reading information from factory records. However, they were all numbered in the same series, the normal M&P series up to 999999, then the V (or VS) series from there on. There were no separate number blocks.
Jim
MikeJackmin
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That's a nice looking gun.
I'm no expert but I'll take a wild guess - I bet that's the original finish. The screw heads are immaculate and it just has the right look. If you letter the gun they can probably tell you if it left the factory that way.
I'm no expert but I'll take a wild guess - I bet that's the original finish. The screw heads are immaculate and it just has the right look. If you letter the gun they can probably tell you if it left the factory that way.
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