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need enfield revolver info please

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  RJay 
#1 ·
Was cleaning up the safe and noticed that this one enfield revolver i have has a hammer spur, while the couple others i have don't.
functions as da or sa
lockwork feels good.
this is 38/200 or 38sw right? thought i remembered others saying 38/200 but i don't have them with me.
no2 (crown crest ) mk1 1933
also on right side on bbl says 767' 3.5 tons
np
38
lots of crown proofs all over it.
sbn 143 on side of the cyl flat area, not in a flute area
top strap has an * ( part over he cyl ).. on the top of the bbl, ,33 2 proofs and maybee a small arrow between the proofs, then cal .38.
left side has a D on the bbl above and front of thr cyl.
on butt, looks like the lanyard ring? broke off, and there is
l
LNL
96
any info is appreciated, thanks.
didn't see any on the auction sites i'm signed up on, so was wondering on value... i see the ones with no hammer spurs, etc.
 

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#2 ·
38 S&W. The actual British military caliber was 38/200, which was a 38 S&W loaded with a 200 grain bullet, instead of the 145 that is used in this country.

The arrowhead on the top of the barrel is a Broad Arrow. British government mark. The * on the top strap is actually two Broad Arrows, point to point -><-. That means it has been declared "redundant to needs" (surplus) and can be sold off.

The .767 is the length of the cartridge case. The 3.5 TON is what it was proofed to. British tons, which are heavier than US tons, so it's not 7000 psi, but 2250 times 3 and a half - 7840 psi.

The various proof marks and the TON statement show that it was sold on the civilian market in England. Government guns did not need to be proofed, but once it was made available to civvie street, it had to be.

The hammer. They all had hammers spurs and were SA/DA. Then someone decided - whether it was really happening or someone in authority thought it COULD happen - that tank crews might catch the hammer spur on something, with disastrous results. So comes along the Mark 2, which had no spur and was DA only. I believe that, for a while, they had both types, but eventually decided it was easier to just issue Mark 2s, as there would be no worries about a Mark 1 accidentally being issued to a tank crew.

And yes, the lanyard ring has been broken off.

I am a little puzzled, though. On the barrel rib I see a proof with crossed swords, which is the Birmingham proof house. But on the right side, under the 3.5 TONS, it looks like an arm holding a scimitar, which is the London proof house. :confused:
 
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#3 ·
this baby has proofs all over it. I bet there are 10+ proofs I dont even have pics of.

I'm tickled its matching numbers, didn't realize it was, and didn't realize it was my only with a spur. I have a 38 webley and for years thought they were both the same gun till I was holding both at the same time.

many thanks for the info.

I was leaning towards military acceptance, and release to civies

think I'm gonna go shoot it tho week :)
 
#4 ·
And just to muddie the water a little more, the official military load was the 38-180 ( FMJ ) because it was felt that the 38-200's soft lead bullet would contravene the Hague Accord , However the 38-200 was still the official police load. Now, having typed that , the truth of the matter is that when the fecal matter hit the rotating cooling device, the Brits issued what ever they had or could scrounge, even ordering an American load called the 38 S&W Super Police which of course had a 200 grain lead bullet ( not to be confused with the later .38 Special Super police with a heavy bullet ) . Actually IIRC the military load was really 38-178.:)
 
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