At the end of the last year I was searching for a S&W Victory.
Victory are not easy to find out there. I found one for sale on internet and asked some questions, but when I asked if assembly numbers and serial numbers were matching, the seller just told me : Have a good day.
Seriously ?!
So, I told him, well okay good luck with the sale.
Time flies... and 1 month later I was following a live auction and I was placing a bid on a Baby Russian with pearl grips and leather holster but I don’t know why it didn’t work and the Baby Russian was sold for only $250.
I was so upset, but surprisingly at the same time I had a message from the seller of the Victory. I couldn’t believe that ! He said he was sorry, he didn’t noticed I asked him about the numbers, and said assembly and serial numbers are matching.
Here in France we can’t buy a handgun as easily as you, we need to ask for an authorization to have one, it takes approximately 1 month where I live to have this paper.
So 1 month has passed and I finally got my authorization, the gun was still for sale but I found the price a little to high and I planned to make an offer to the seller. On the afternoon I had a message from the website where the gun is for sale, the seller made a $100 discount.
Well, I guess this Victory was waiting on me all this time !
So, here it is !
S&W Victory K200 British Service revolver .38S&W 5 inch #3461XX.
All assembly and serial numbers matching, pristine bore and chambers, looks like it didn’t fire too much.
Sometimes timing is not perfect and need a very little extra turning, but I didn’t remove the side plate yet and I bet it just needs to be cleaned.
No english or other proof marks.
On the right hand grip there is the « Parti Populaire Français * (French Popular Party) logo but I don’t know if it’s « original * or if a scammer made it at some point to increase the value of the gun. If the gun was owned by a P.P.F. member, it could explain that it didn’t have been shot a lot though.
Maybe the only way to be sure would be to ask for a factory letter but I don’t think I’ll do.
I don’t know if it’s a sandblast Black Magic, bright blue, or a sandblast brush blue finish though.
Also, there is a small P stamped on the butt frame just before the V.
I was searching for a .38spl Victory but it’s almost impossible to find here, I guess they were bringing back to the U.S. after the WW2.
If someone could tell me when it was approximately shipped it would be very appreciated, thanks.
Can’t wait to shoot it.
Thanks for watching
C.
