Found another S&W M&P Revolver

G

GaryED50

New member
Second Smith and Wesson M&P but Victory model this time

I stopped by my LGS and found this in 38 S&W
IMG_0040_zps37f8400b.jpg


This was stamped on the barrel by someone other then S&W
IMG_0041_zps4afb2717.jpg

did some research and those are British proof marks I believe.

across the top strap it says US Property G.D.H.

Gary
 
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It reads GHD, not GDH. The initials are those of BGEN Guy H. Drewry, head of the Springfield Ordnance District. He didn't himself inspect guns, but his initials showed it passed government inspection. All lend-lease goods were purchased by the U.S., then "loaned" to the Allies, a legal fiction to evade the Neutrality Act when the L-L Act was passed in March 1941.

The British proof marks are commercial proofs, put on when the gun was sold out of British stores; most were bought by U.S. importers (e.g., Interarms) but some went to other countries or were bought by Britons, who at that time were still allowed to own functional handguns.

The .767" is the case length, so the gun is chambered for .38 S&W. The cartridge is still made, but is scarce. Many of those guns were reamed to convert them to .38 Special. Cases may bulge slightly, but it is a perfectly good conversion, since the barrels for both calibers appear to be the same, even though in theory, the .38 S&W should be slightly larger.

Technically, it is not an M&P, as that term was used by S&W only for the ones in .38 Special; the ones in .38 S&W for the Allies were called the ".38/200 Model".

Jim
 
t reads GHD, not GDH. The initials are those of BGEN Guy H. Drewry, head of the Springfield Ordnance District. He didn't himself inspect guns, but his initials showed it passed government inspection. All lend-lease goods were purchased by the U.S., then "loaned" to the Allies, a legal fiction to evade the Neutrality Act when the L-L Act was passed in March 1941.

The British proof marks are commercial proofs, put on when the gun was sold out of British stores; most were bought by U.S. importers (e.g., Interarms) but some went to other countries or were bought by Britons, who at that time were still allowed to own functional handguns.

The .767" is the case length, so the gun is chambered for .38 S&W. The cartridge is still made, but is scarce. Many of those guns were reamed to convert them to .38 Special. Cases may bulge slightly, but it is a perfectly good conversion, since the barrels for both calibers appear to be the same, even though in theory, the .38 S&W should be slightly larger.

Technically, it is not an M&P, as that term was used by S&W only for the ones in .38 Special; the ones in .38 S&W for the Allies were called the ".38/200 Model".

Jim
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Click to expand...

Thanks Jim I didn't know any of that. what does the 3 1/2 ton mark mean?

Gary
 
I reloaded this cartridge with a friend one time, he bought the dies and we used my press. It was very easy to reload, we just used .357 plated bullets and Bullseye, which produced very good groups, easy recoil and low extreme spreads. The revolver was an old double action Enfield.

According to my records, a 125 grain plated bullet at 753 fps with an extreme spread of about 20 fps. I didn't bother writing down the powder charge, but I imagine it was a starting load from the Speer 13 manual.

Assuming you purchase your own bullets, not cast them, I'm guessing you could reload a case for $5 - $7 per 50 rounds or whatever it costs to reload .38 Special, since you're using the same primers, powder and bullets.
 
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