I just purchased this S&W 'Victory' 4" revolver yesterday at a gun show (I paid $525).

The S/N is V3742xx.

I would like to know the date info that you might have in your collector's database (If you would). Any chance it was shipped to the Navy? I intend to send for a letter soon from Roy Jinks, but would like to know as much as you can tell me now (others are welcome to chime in here too!)

Here is a bunch of pictures that I took that may help with identity. It appears to me that all parts are original except that the right grip number does not match the serial number.

Anything you can tell me about it will be much appreciated - I am an avid S&W collector, but this is not only my first Victory revolver, but my first older than 1945 S&W.

Here are the pictures:



























Thanks very much in advance!

RonJon

Hello RonJon:

Nice to hear from you.

Your excellent photos and description make it very easy to diagnose your Victory. Based on the information in the Victory Model Database, maintained by my pal LWCmdr45 and me, I can tell you that your revolver likely shipped from the factory in the August, 1943 time frame. I can also say that chances are very good that your revolver was shipped to the Navy.

While only a factory letter can give you a precise ship date and destination with certainty, I think these estimates here are pretty solid. If and when you get a factory letter I hope that you will post back here and let us know the particulars. The more information we have for the Database the more accuracy we can achieve.

Finally, we would love to include your Victory in our Database on a confidential basis. Perhaps you could email me with the complete serial number. I can be reached at cflick@seippflickNOSPAM.com and remove the NOSPAM, of course.

I hope that this information is helpful to you.

Regards,
Charlie Flick
S&WCA #729
NRA Life

quote:

If and when you get a factory letter I hope that you will post back here and let us know the particulars. The more information we have for the Database the more accuracy we can achieve.

I certainly will!

And thank you very much for your quick response and (apparent) good news Re: That it was shipped to the Navy - and I am a Navy vet too!

I had a hunch that Aug, 1943 was about right based only upon interpolation of other serial numbers ship dates mentioned in this forum by others.

I will now set about to email my full serial number to you for use in your database - So look for it!

Thanks again!

RonJon