WWII S&W .38 REGULATION POLICE RARE BRITISH SURVR

SERIAL NUMBER: 53379. BARREL: 4". CALIBER: .38 S&W. MANUFACTURED: 1939. This Smith & Wesson .38 Regulation Police double-action revolver is a beautifully preserved, numbers-matching piece of firearms history manufactured at the absolute tail-end of the pre-World War II era, circa 1939 to 1940. Built on Smith & Wesson's small, solid I-frame platform with a 4-inch barrel and a 5-shot swing-out cylinder, this revolver fires the standard .38 S&W cartridge (marked .38 S&W CTG on the right side of the barrel). The top of the barrel features the model's textbook patent time line reading: "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS. U.S.A. PATENTED FEB.8.08 SEPT.14.09 DEC.28.14". It features the distinct, factory-extended wooden stocks that wrap entirely around the bottom and back of the frame to create a squared-off grip, a unique design choice that forced Smith & Wesson to stamp the serial number (53379) onto the front strap of the grip frame rather than the butt. The configuration of this specific revolver tells a vivid story of emergency wartime production expediency rather than standard contract specifications. While built on the compact I-frame, the main body, frame, and barrel retain their original factory blued finish, beautifully accented by the traditional case-colored hammer and trigger. Crucially, the bright nickel-plated ejector rod creates a striking contrast against the dark blued steel. Smith & Wesson did not intentionally design a blued service revolver with a contrasting nickel rod for military contracts; instead, this represents a documented factory "parts mix" anomaly. During the chaotic manufacturing rush of 1940-1941, factory workers cleared out remaining commercial parts bins to complete builds when blued parts were temporarily unavailable. Because the serial number stamped on the underside of the cylinder star and the inside of the right grip panel perfectly match the rest of the gun, it strongly indicates this unique combination was a factory-born anomaly rather than a typical post-war surplus repair. This firearm's physical journey across the Atlantic is officially documented by the British proof marks stamped into the left side of the frame. The presence of a crown directly over what appears to be an "E4" inspector code, with an "M" underneath, serves as the official certification from a United Kingdom proof house. While the massive, standardized British military contracts were exclusively for the larger, medium K-frame (.38 Military & Police/Victory Model) chambered in .38/200, the desperate shortage of arms following the 1940 evacuation at Dunkirk forced the British Purchasing Commission to look elsewhere. They aggressively bought up non-standard, existing civilian commercial inventories directly from S&W and U.S. distributors. This I-frame Regulation Police was swept up in that emergency procurement, passing rigorous UK safety and pressure testing upon arrival before being deployed to arm the British Home Guard or military officers. Having survived the war completely intact with its original barrel, cylinder assembly, and hand-fitted wood grips, this all-matching revolver stands today as an incredibly rare and highly desirable artifact of World War II history. CONDITION: Very Good. 98%. The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is a faint cylinder line but no discernable carbon rings. Metal retains original finish with some small spots of wear on frame toward barrel and at the muzzle. Operates normally. C&R 27-546