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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 08-03-2011, 01:20 PM
FoxRacing1653 FoxRacing1653 is offline
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Default Need help identifying my grandfathers revolver

Hey guys & gals,
My name is Adrian and I'm new to the forum.
Recently my mom handed down my grandfathers revolvers to me. One is a S&W .38 Special & the other a 1970 Ruger BearCat .22lr.
I would like to find out more about the year the S&W was made and any other interesting facts that come along with it. From what I've found on the net I'm pretty sure its a 'Victory' model.
Here's the numbers I've found on it.
Butt-V81XXX
Swing out throat?-24316
and some other markings on the gun as well. Ill see If i can post the pictures i have of it.
(I'm trying to resize them smaller, but its not cooperating right now. Think ill post the links instead.)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5584.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5585.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5586.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5587.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5590.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5592.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5594.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5599.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5600.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5603.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5604.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5605.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5606.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5607.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...3/IMG_5608.jpg

Last edited by FoxRacing1653; 08-03-2011 at 01:26 PM.
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Old 08-03-2011, 01:55 PM
haggis haggis is offline
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Welcome to the forum.

You are correct in your identification. Production was during WWII, probably 1942. Charlie Flick (Ordnanceguy) is the resident expert on these and he will probably chip in and give you a better date.

Buck
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Old 08-03-2011, 02:01 PM
FoxRacing1653 FoxRacing1653 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haggis View Post
Welcome to the forum.

You are correct in your identification. Production was during WWII, probably 1942. Charlie Flick (Ordnanceguy) is the resident expert on these and he will probably chip in and give you a better date.

Buck
Thanks, That may mean that its really my great grandfathers original revolver. He served in WWII in the USAF.
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Old 08-03-2011, 02:08 PM
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Beemerguy53 Beemerguy53 is offline
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Originally Posted by FoxRacing1653 View Post
Thanks, That may mean that its really my great grandfathers original revolver. He served in WWII in the USAF.
Welcome to the Forum, Adrian! What did your great-grandfather do in the USAF? Did he fly, or was he an MP, etc.?
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Old 08-03-2011, 02:11 PM
FoxRacing1653 FoxRacing1653 is offline
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Welcome to the Forum, Adrian! What did your great-grandfather do in the USAF? Did he fly, or was he an MP, etc.?
I'm really not sure, I never met him or my grandfather. My grandfather was also in the USAF, he was an Electrical Engineer for SKUNKWORKS, helped develop the F-117 Nighthawk. My uncle might know. Think I'll give him a call.
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Old 08-03-2011, 02:18 PM
opoefc opoefc is offline
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Your GF's Victory Model was shipped from the S&W factory in August 1942. The stocks now on the gun are a replacement pair, originally made for S&Ws manufactured in the 1920s. If you post the full serial number, I might be able to tell you the WW2 history of the gun. Several of the V81XXX range of .38 Spl. caliber serial numbers were issued to the NY Police Dept. Ed.
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Old 08-03-2011, 02:21 PM
FoxRacing1653 FoxRacing1653 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by opoefc View Post
Your GF's Victory Model was shipped from the S&W factory in August 1942. The stocks now on the gun are a replacement pair, originally made for S&Ws manufactured in the 1920s. If you post the full serial number, I might be able to tell you the WW2 history of the gun. Several of the V81XXX range of .38 Spl. caliber serial numbers were issued to the NY Police Dept. Ed.
The full Serial is V81011
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Old 08-03-2011, 06:46 PM
mikepriwer mikepriwer is offline
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I find the grips curious. At first glance, they look like the 1920- 1930
convex non-medallion grips. Its the trim, for lack of a better word,
that is curious. I'm referring to the demarcation line, running all
around the perimeter of the grip, that outlines the checkered area.
These grips have a treatment to the line, or edge, that that factory
did not do.

It's certainly possible that these are earlier grips, and someone
did a bit of work on the edge. I think its also possible that these
are the original Victory grips, and someone did a complete job of
checkering them. Check them carefully, in a bright light,and see if
there is anything written in pencil on the inside of the right grip
panel. I could not tell from the one inside picture of the grips.

Mike Priwer
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Old 08-03-2011, 07:14 PM
FoxRacing1653 FoxRacing1653 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikepriwer View Post
I find the grips curious. At first glance, they look like the 1920- 1930
convex non-medallion grips. Its the trim, for lack of a better word,
that is curious. I'm referring to the demarcation line, running all
around the perimeter of the grip, that outlines the checkered area.
These grips have a treatment to the line, or edge, that that factory
did not do.

It's certainly possible that these are earlier grips, and someone
did a bit of work on the edge. I think its also possible that these
are the original Victory grips, and someone did a complete job of
checkering them. Check them carefully, in a bright light,and see if
there is anything written in pencil on the inside of the right grip
panel. I could not tell from the one inside picture of the grips.

Mike Priwer
Yes I noticed that too, Its looks to be a gold or brass chain that was set into the groove. there's a section of the chain missing from one grip. I've seen these checkered grips but not with the 'chain inlay'.
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22lr, ruger, victory, wwii

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