I've recently collected my latest 'restricted' purchase from the convoluted Courier-Dealer delivery process now imposed by NZ Police management.
-The current ruling here is that the seller cannot send any firearm directly to the buyer .. but has to take it to a nearby friendly dealer who will then courier the piece to another dealer - for the purchaser to collect it from, so that she/he can then take it in a locked container to a Police Firearms Office to be checked & registered to their file.
'DIG THE RIG?' or 'CALL ME OLD FASHIONED?'
Coffee with three old service friends in 38 S&W
- The Canterbury South Island roads were busy .. and the central Christchurch roads are still somewhat uneven & rough following the earthquakes some ten and a half years ago (in 2011).
- But the three hour plus return safari was worth while both to observe the range of 'clients' at the Central Police Station and to complete the transfer of this old WWII revolver - only 48 days after arranging to buy it.
U S PROPERTY Marking Indicates This Victory Model S&W Revolver* - Was Built (1943) Under The U S "Lend Lease" Program.
*As bought, those early replacement Pachmayr rubber grips are much better for shooting than the original stocks - but maybe I'll look for a wooden set closer to original issue eh .. The old gun is an interesting un-original, mismatched, battered and corroded mess - BUT it is tight as a drum and was bought for a very reasonable cost .. considering that it's OK functionally.
The 'G H D' is the Military Inspector's mark for Guy H. Drewry Lt. Col., USA, who was the inspector for Smith & Wesson .38 Revolvers from 1930-1946.
- The stamp that looks something like a number 8 is the US ' Flaming Bomb' ordnance mark. The Shell and Flame (a.k.a. Flaming Bomb) has been used by European armies for several centuries before adoption by the U.S. Army. In fact, it is still used by many countries in Western Europe, i.e. the Grenadier Guards in Britain. The mark represents an iron hand grenade with a powder charge and a fuse which was lit before throwing.
The "Lend-Lease" policy, formally titled An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States was a program under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom (and British Commonwealth), Free France, the Republic of China, and later the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, and materiel between 1941 and 1945. Lend-Lease effectively ended the United States' state of neutrality which had been enshrined in the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s. It was a decisive step away from non-interventionist policy and toward open support for the Allies.
Being one of 59,305 Victory Models supplied during WWII - this grey "Parkerized" wartime collectable will join my two other valued .38 S&W caliber revolvers so it ought be happy eh.
All three old 38 S&W caliber guns are well travelled .. as the British 5 inch Webley is a Singapore Police Model and the 4 inch Webley has an Israeli Military issue stamp .. I suppose this now opens a gap where an Enfield No. 2 Revolver should be?
An interesting observation on the registration of firearms in New Zealand .. This & many other S&W Revolvers were originally registered here - all with the same number found stamped inside the cylinder crane .. a factory assembly-part number rather than the actual SERIAL NUMBER that is under the grip frame.
Note: Anyone researching & working with older British firearms may come across the abbreviation FTR among many .. there are countless possible meanings for this acronym but the one we need to know here is - FACTORY THOROUGH REPAIR - where equipment is recalled for service replacement of faulty components - while other parts may be substituted with later designed improvements resulting in '*' or '**' stampings before re-issue from 'Arsenal Overhaul'.
Note 2: This S&W will be the only one of that brand that I currently own - and it reminds me of another bigger 44" MAGNUM S&W revolver .. a big Model 29, that was handed to me - open and fully loaded with six rounds - on range by an old friend. This heavy long barreled 'gat' was beautifully dark-blued fitted with original slim timber "wood splinter" stock slabs and in as-new unworn condition. The skinny frame had no 'grip adaptor' nor other after-market padding. - In the 40 plus years I'd known this guy - NEVER had I seen him shoot this pristine pistol. - That is known in some circles "as a clue" - well it's a 'man thing' eh - so with him hovering at my shoulder I took a firm two-handed grip, aimed and loosed off one only stinging shot .. opened the cylinder and handed the piece back to rest mostly unfired for maybe another 30 years.
Two Poms and a Yank
Marty K.
That's an interesting 36/38 Cartridge box eh. - That's what this outfit called the .38"S&W.
Here's an interesting ' end of the line' piece from a Field & Stream "Gun Writer" ..
- I'm happy to bet this joker $500 that in twenty years time we will still be able to buy these cartridges 45 GAP, 41 Magnum, 32 H&R Magnum, 25 Auto, 40 S&W, & 32 ACP.at your friendly local Gun Shop .. plus some .38"S&W short too.
Marty K.
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