kfields Posted November 22, 2020 Share #1 Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) I bought this old pistol at the local flea market 2 weeks ago for a good price. Obvious wear to the finish but it is all original and the mechanics and bore are excellent. I fired 18 rounds through it last week without a hitch! There are no other markings on it other than what was originally put on it when it was made. It has the 5 inch barrel and is all matching including the grip. Shipped to the British in I assume August-September 1942. Kim Edited November 22, 2020 by kfields Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 27, 2020 Share #2 Posted November 27, 2020 Nice, are you sure it’s lend lease? I can’t see any British proof marks? Maybe it was one that never crossed the ditch? Here’s a few pics of mine, Australian property marked but used by New Zealand in the 1950s. Link to post Share on other sites
SARGE Posted November 27, 2020 Share #3 Posted November 27, 2020 I think Kia Kaha is correct that this is not a British used "lend lease" revolver. It is the later style so called "Victory Model" due to the "V" that was added to the later version of this revolver made with added safety features and an easier to manufacture "military finish". These revolvers were used by the US military during the war and were not shipped to the Brits. Link to post Share on other sites
kfields Posted November 27, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted November 27, 2020 More knowledgeable folks than me over at the Smith & Wesson forum are certain this is one of the British Lend Lease revolvers. Apparently not all were marked with British acceptance marks. Also this one is in 38 s&w. The Americans used the 38 Special caliber. Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 27, 2020 Share #5 Posted November 27, 2020 Well done, is this revolver still in the U.S. if it is it would be a rare bird. As lend lease most of these would have been destroyed after the war, or were they sent back? Link to post Share on other sites
kfields Posted November 28, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted November 28, 2020 Yes I am (and the revolver) is in the U.S.. My understanding is that the vast majority of these revolvers in 38s&w and with the added "United States Property" markings were lend leased to the British. Markings were added by the respective countries during the war or after. After the war, I think the vast majority of these continued to be used and rebuilt by the respective Armies or by the territories they were occupying where additional markings may have been added to the revolver. Once they were determined to be obsolete and superseded by newer pistols, I suspect a lot were destroyed or sold off onto the commercial market in the 1950's. Makes me wonder if my particular revolver avoided those additional markings/stamps because it was some sort of bring-back or souvenir? I guess I'll never know. With regards to what I wrote above, I am certainly no expert and in most cases repeating what other folks have told me. Kia kaka: Yours is a nice pistol! What country are you in and have you shot it yet? Your serial number is about 13,000 after mine so I would guess yours was made in September-October 1942? Does it have any U.S.Property stamp on the upper strap? Kim Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 28, 2020 Share #7 Posted November 28, 2020 Kim Yes it has the US Property stamp, the Brits are/were very particular about proofing any imported firearms so maybe yours never left the States? Maybe worth some more research? No I haven’t fired my one as the terms of my collector’s license is no shooting, in New Zealand you need an endorsement for pistol shooting and you have to a current member of a pistol club. these pistols where used by the N.Z. Army from the 1950s. Pistols being a limited issue and only carried by officers as a mark of office. The double D and arrow mark is the Australian Army property mark and all N.Z. Victory Pistols seem to have it indicating that the N.Z. Government Purchased these from Australia sometime in the early 50s. Link to post Share on other sites
kfields Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted November 29, 2020 Neat picture! Not sure how to research it anymore. Any ideas? Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 29, 2020 Share #9 Posted November 29, 2020 Keep reading I guess!! And keep shooting of course. cheers Tony Link to post Share on other sites
SARGE Posted November 29, 2020 Share #10 Posted November 29, 2020 13 hours ago, kfields said: Neat picture! Not sure how to research it anymore. Any ideas? You can write Smith & Wesson a letter with the serial number of your revolver and they will research it for a fee. They will then send you an official S&W letter telling you how it was configured and the date it left the factory. It will also tell you who it was shipped to so you will know if it was lend lease or not. Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 30, 2020 Share #11 Posted November 30, 2020 Cool Sarge, thanks Link to post Share on other sites
Kia kaha Posted November 30, 2020 Share #12 Posted November 30, 2020 Here is a couple of instruction cards I found in the local Army Office Link to post Share on other sites
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