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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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  #1  
Old 11-28-2009, 11:30 AM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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Hi everyone.

I just bought a curious 6 inch checkered grips Victory (V36862). It's in .22lr with british 'BNP" markings. Same sn on cylinder and frame, but the name "smith and wesson" doesn't figure on the barrel.

Does anyone knows about .22lr Victory?
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Old 11-28-2009, 11:38 AM
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Welcome.
It's a post war conversion,done in Britain.
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Old 11-28-2009, 11:40 AM
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Hello, many of the Victory's shipped overseas in 38 SW caliber were converted to 38 Special or 22 lr and resold to the civilian market after the war. There were no Victory's made in 22 lr. Some photos would help pin it down.
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Old 11-28-2009, 11:55 AM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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Thank you for your quick answers. I will try to get some pictures.
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Old 11-28-2009, 12:35 PM
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that would be cool to have, a victory in 22lr. thats a great find...
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Old 11-28-2009, 01:35 PM
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I wonder how they changed the firing pin? Can you show us a photo? (My first thought is a hammer change.)
Russ
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Old 11-29-2009, 12:19 PM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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Here some pictures. I did my best.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg S&W Victory cal.22lr-1.jpg (42.2 KB, 571 views)
File Type: jpg S&W Victory cal.22lr-2.jpg (41.3 KB, 508 views)
File Type: jpg S&W Victory cal.22lr-3.jpg (59.9 KB, 539 views)
File Type: jpg S&W Victory cal.22lr-4.jpg (48.2 KB, 472 views)
File Type: jpg S&W Victory cal.22lr-5.jpg (54.3 KB, 492 views)
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Old 11-29-2009, 12:36 PM
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Interesting. I had heard of .22 Victory conversions, but somehow I had not realized that the mods involved adding adjustable sights as well as the changes to bore, cylinder and hammer and (I presume) firing pin hole in the frame. Looks like it took a fair amount of work to bring off the change.

Does anyone know what these cost when they were available? It had to compare favorably to K-22s, or there would never have been a market for them.
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Old 11-29-2009, 12:45 PM
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My guess is they would be quite a bit less than a K 22. Sleeved barrel, sleeved cylinder, modified extractor and modified firing pin and fining pin bushing. I haven't heard of any being done in the US, but all were from England. There could have easily been some done in the US. After the war, Victories were selling for like $10 -$15.
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Old 11-29-2009, 01:37 PM
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VERY COOL Old Gun!!
Ya gotta LOVE all the work they did to convert it!
I had NO idea these even existed until I saw this thread.
What a great website!
After over 40 years of collecting S&W Revolvers, and 30 as an FFL, I learn something new every time I come here!!
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Old 11-29-2009, 03:54 PM
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I have a nearly identical .22 Victory conversion in my collection. Ser. # is V749985. Frame top strap milled out to attach an adjustable rear sight. The firing pin bushing has been modified to a verical slot to fit the changed firing pin rim fire type face. The cylinder is sleeved to .22RF. the barrel is a .22RF, six inch replacement, and is stamped 22LR .610" 8 tons per sq.in." with British Birmingham proofs ( crown over BNP ) & inspectors mark. The proof marks are also stamped on the frame and on the cylinder The grips are checkered, like above picture, plus have a silver colored medalion inserted with a 5 pointed crown symbol. (Parker-Hale?) They were made for the gun and are not Victory Model smooth grips with checkering added. Grip screw is blued and has British metric threads. The gun has about 95% of the rebluing done when it was converted and is a very accurate shooter. Landyard swivel removed but hole was not plugged. Somewhere in my files, I have copies of the ads for these guns, circa 1950s-60s and the prices were about $25 to $35 dollars from US importers like Kleins, Hunters Lodge, Dave's guns, etc. Paker-Hale and Gogsworth-Harrison in England did many of these conversions and the workmanship was very good. Ed #15
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Old 11-29-2009, 07:21 PM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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Thank you all for the precious informations.

OK, it is not the real collector Victory item, but I like it very much. I took it yesterday to the range. It really is an accurate shooter, probably as good as a K22 Masterpiece.
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Old 11-30-2009, 12:06 AM
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I've seen some Enfield 38/200 revolvers converted in a similiar fashion. I don't remember adjustable sights, however.
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Old 11-30-2009, 09:35 AM
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Well, it's still a piece of history. Even if those who collect unaltered guns may not find it desireable, there may be others now or in the future who appreciate it's place in history turning a weapon of war to sport.
Very nice. It's a shooter, already been shot so shoot her & enjoy her. Just give her proper care & storage so her condition remains as good as it is today...
Russ
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Old 11-30-2009, 09:51 AM
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Very Cool - thanks for sharing!
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Old 11-30-2009, 03:04 PM
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I have one of these, as well. The conversions were mostly attributed to Vickers.
Wiley
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Old 11-30-2009, 07:13 PM
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In the post-war era Foreign Exchange controls meant that dollar imports were both scarce and expensive in England. If you wanted a K-22 the Treasury probably wouldn't let you send the dollars out of the country so converted war surplus revolvers were an alternative. Parker-Hale did a variety of ones in .22 and (later) .38 Sp when .38 S&W production here dried up.



I well recall that a bunch of these revolvers were issued to the cadets from the Public Schools for their meeting in July every year. It was about the most dangerous place on the camp with revolvers being waved in all sorts of unsafe directions. Yours appears to be one of the ones with the semi-flange around the chambers - ones without this tended to have the fired cases back out and freeze rotation.
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Old 12-02-2009, 12:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flagman1776
Well, it's still a piece of history. Even if those who collect unaltered guns may not find it desireable, there may be others now or in the future who appreciate it's place in history turning a weapon of war to sport.
How many years must pass before "Bubba" becomes the "The Right Honorable Mister Bubba"?
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Old 12-03-2009, 03:11 AM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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Cogswell & Harrison, Parker-Hale, Vickers? Who did it?

I just found photos of british converted Model 1905's.

Hereunder

1. 4 pics of a conversion by Cogswell & Harrison.
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Old 12-03-2009, 03:21 AM
leon5 leon5 is offline
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2. pics of a Parker-Hale conversion :


Anybody has pictures of a Vickers converted model?
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Tags
22lr, 610, checkering, extractor, k-22, k22, masterpiece, mister, smith and wesson, victory

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