S&W 38 SW

Question
Seeking info for S&W 38 SW (not special) s/n 725093 mod. #60849.  Barrel markings:  BNP .767" 3 1/2 tons.  There appears to be what looks like a crown above BNP.  There is a lanyard swivel mounted on the base of the grip.  The grips are checkered and may be ivory.  I imagine this may have been a military issue.

Answer
George,

OK...here is what I can tell you about this gun.

My guess is that it is a S&W Military and Police (M&P) model that was manufactured and exported to England just after 1940.  Smith & Wesson sent a large number of these revolvers over in 1940-1941 for use by the British military.  Since there are no really good serial number references available to me, I can't validate that with a serial number, but it is consistent with the chambering of the gun which is .38 S&W.  The lanyard swivel also confirms the time frame for me.  The number you reference as a model number actually isn't.  It is simply an 'assembly number'.  There were no model numbers for these guns, they were simply referred to as M&P.

The BNP with the crown over it is a commercial proof house mark from a Birmingham proof house.  This mark is only present on guns that were released for commercial sale in England.  The .767 is the case length of the cartridge, which is consistent with the .38 S&W cartridge.  The reference to 3 1/2 tons is the proof pressure that the barrel was tested with.  The BNP with the crown over it was not used as a proof mark until 1954.  My guess would be that these were WWII issue guns that were released for commercial sale sometime after 1954.  That would account for the proof mark.  Ivory grips would have been very unusual on a military issue gun.  I suspect they were added after the fact.

That's probably about all I can tell you.  I can't even begin to guess at a valuation without detailed photos or inspecting the gun, but it is definitely a bit of history...

Hope this helps you out a bit...

Doug Little