S&W .38 Revolver Questions

[Nevyan]

*** Removed old image. Scanned with Avast 4.8 and uploaded to different image hosting site. Opened image on two different computers with no virus warnings. If there are still problems I'm not sure what else to do to fix it....***


I purchased a used S&W revolver at a gun show recently. I would like to know the year, model type, correct ammunition for it and anything interesting about the pistol. I am supplying an image at the bottom of the post of the right hand side of the pistol.

Thank you for your time and interest in my pistol.


The pistol has wooden grips which are very dark and worn with lots of nicks. The screw and hardware holding the grips in place are brass in color. The pistol retains most of its bluing.

The serial number on the bottom of the grip, under the extractor rod on the bottom of the barrel and on the cylinder face is 912XXX with NO letters preceding it.

On the opposite side of the grip Serial Number it is marked "W. B. O" with a small superscript "P".

The top of the frame is marked "UNITED STATES PROPERTY".

The right side of the barrel is marked "38 S&W CTG".

The left side of the barrel is marked "SMITH & WESSON".

The top of the barrel is marked "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS, U.S.A." and under this "PATENTED FEB. 6, 06, SEPT. 14, 09. DEC. 29, 14"

Forward of the extractor rod on the underside of the barrel you can make out "NA" then something worn away and then "RIDGEFIELD, NJ".

Above the grips on the frame, but below the hammer, it is marked "N Z" with a subscript arrow pointing up and below that "2216".

With cylinder open there are markings on the frame which I believe is an assembly number of "51004" with a "Q 4" above it.

There is a swivel attachment at the base of the grip for a lanyard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66069375@N04/6015771901/

 

[Old Fuff]

Nevyan:

Your attached photograph may, or may not, be contaminated with a virus. I can identify your revolver, and will do so after the virus question is resolved.

 

[Sam1911]

(Looks like we're clear of virus issues now. Report again if subsequent scans pick up something.)

 

[Sunray]

"...marked "N Z" with a subscript arrow pointing up..." Indicates New Zealand issue. So it's a Smith revolver chambered in .38 S&W that ended up in New Zealand under Lend/Lease.

 

[Jim K]

It is a Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolver, made for the British under Lend Lease (hence the "US Property" mark). It is one of a type often called the "pre-Victory Model. When S&W serial numbers approached 1 million, they realized their numbering machine only went to six digits, so they added a prefix letter, using "V" ("V for Victory" was a common slogan at the time.) They went from 999999 to V1 and the Victory Model was born. They were made both in .38 S&W for the British and in .38 Special for U.S. forces.

Jim

 

[Jim Watson]

You show a Smith and Wesson Military and Police. Technically a Model of 1905, fourth change.

It is marked US Property because of the "lend lease" program which let us furnish weapons to Great Britain (and apparently the British Commonwealth, from the NZ - New Zealand marking) before we were at war with Japan and Germany. Later guns were simply sold or given.

Caliber is as marked, .38 S&W (CTG is the secret code for Cartridge), not .38 Special (unless rechambered for surplus sale as a lot of these guns were.)

The Na... Ridgefield NJ is probably Navy Arms, who would have been the surplus importer.

 

[Nevyan]

I appreciate the responses! It's pretty neat that this pistol left the US during the war and served overseas only to make it all the way back home and into my collection some 70 years later.

Wow.

 

[Old Fuff]

AVG provided the following concerning the virus mentioned in post #2.

It was blocked, and a subsequent scan showed nothing new.

Online Shield findings
"Infection";"Object";"Result";"Detection time";"Object Type";"Process"
"Virus found HTML/Framer";"a.tribalfusion.com/j.ad?site=imageshack&adSpace=ros&tagKey=665847689&th=12717219328&tKey=undefined&size=728x90&flashVer=9&ver=1.21&center=1&p=14818647&a=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimageshack.us%2Fphoto%2Fmy-images%2F696%2F20110806182438.jpg%2F&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fad.yieldmanager.com%2Fiframe3%3FgowAAD4VHwAzNZ8AAAAAADNDJwAAAAAAAAD8AQYAAAAAAP8A.wD..8-QMgAAAAAAqV4zAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACqshIAAAAAAAIAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAA4D8AAAAAAADgPwAAAAAAAOA.AAAAAAAA4D8AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";"Object was blocked";"8/6/2011, 4:54:41 PM";"file";"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"