Greetings and thank you for the add to this fine forum. I thought to add to another thread but after reading the FAQ it is evidently customary and suggested to start a new thread so here goes.

I've come into a Victory .38 special passed from Gandpa to Dad who just passed so I have it. Per the FAQ, it is SN V 2794** which according to what I've read was shipped in 1942? Could have been one for the Navy but not marked as such? It's a bit confusing doing research so I've come to the experts for some clarity :-).
I've seen estimates of value from $300-$850 which seems a crazy range to me. The details in addition to SN are as follows...4" barrel, blued finish, basic marks for Vicorys on the top strap. It seems to be in excellent shape inside and out.

I know about the inside because the mainspring broke shortly after I got it when I was cleaning and dry testing it. Hopefully this info will help others.

I contacted S&W to inquire about a replacement mainsping and as nice as they were, I think they sent me a mainspring for the .22 Victory (see photo). I then tried Wolfe springs for a kit that fit a K frame and that didn't work either. It bound up when trying to cock the revolver, so I didn't want to force anything.

I again contacted S&W and asked for a mainspring (hope I'm using the correct term) so I'll soon see about that. I also see now that Numrich may have the spring, but they were not the easiest place to find.

To close, I'd appreciate a ballpark value of the revolver (it's not for sale though) and let me know if I can provide any details to help someone else replace their mainspring in this awesome old wheel gun. If I missed any info needed just let me know.

Thank you.

T

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	victory1.jpg (60.5 KB, 182 views)
	victory2.jpg (48.7 KB, 169 views)
	Victory3.jpg (41.9 KB, 159 views)
	victory4.jpg (55.1 KB, 189 views)

V2794xx would have shipped in May 1943, and would not have the U.S. NAVY topstrap stamping (that ceased about SN V265xxx). However it could well have gone to the Navy if the topstrap stamping said U. S. PROPERTY and it has a 4" barrel and was chambered in .38 Special. A high percentage of such revolvers went to the Navy. Yours appears to have been blued and is missing its original grips. Therefore it has no collectible value, and is worth only what anyone is willing to pay for it as a shooter. Sorry. Any M&P/K-frame mainspring will fit, should be very easy to find one.

Welcome to this forum.

What do you mean by a 22 Victory?

There are no Smith revolvers that use a coil spring like that with a stud in one end.

Looks like the hammer spring from a 1911. Was it mis-packaged?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Welcome to the &W Forum. The gun has no value as a collectable Victory model, as it has been refinished and the grips are incorrect, as stated above. As a shooter, after it's repaired, it's a $250 gun ( approx. ) Are you sure what you say broke is the mainspring? The pictured spring does not seem to have anything to do with a Victory model. The main spring used in a Victory model is the standard K frame main spring, a common item on Ebay or from Numrich ( Gun Parts Corp. ) S&W currently makes a .22 cal. semi auto pistol they have named the "Victory". It's a fine gun, but has no connection to the WW2 Victory model, however the customer service people at S&W that you spoke with probably never heard of WW2 - all they heard was "Victory" - meaning to them the current .22 Auto. Ed.

Ah hah,

Ed, you're the winner!

I especially loved this part: "...however the customer service people at S&W that you spoke with probably never heard of WW2..."

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim, Unfortunately, that seems to often be case in trying to communicate with the newer hires at the factory. 0h the burden we must bear as S&W collectors! Ed.

Thanks for the info, it does have the 4" barrel, and is .38 spc. It also has the correct US property GHD on the top.

Regarding the repair, perhaps I'm using the wrong term for the barlike spring in the handle...is it a hammer spring? I've always called that a mainspring and maybe that's why they sent me the coil spring. I did tell him it was an old Victory, so that's where I made the assumption that spring goes in a 22 Victory.

I did order the Wolff kit and the mainspring is about a 16th" shorter than what broke. I have attached a photo of both with the original part separated to tell them apart. When I install the Wolff it binds up and the tension screw will not tighten down enough to install the grips. It is the Power Rib kit for the K, L and N frame revolvers per the package.

I did call S&W again to have them send me another spring, if this one doesn't work I'll move on to Numrich and order one. I don't want to keep bugging S&W as they are very nice and don't charge anything.

Hopefully this info may help someone else, and I appreciate all you guy's input.

Tom

Attached Images

Victory springs.jpg (72.5 KB, 69 views)

Send me your address in a PM and I'll send you one.

I've never been happy with the fit of the "Power Rib" hammer springs, the strain screw seems to slide into the hollow of the spring and isn't long enough.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

The U. S. Navy was by far the largest U.S. military user of the Victories (and even some pre-Victories). One of the primary uses of the revolver was for arming Naval aviation flight crews, not so much for use against enemy personnel but as emergency signalling devices using red tracer bullets. Looks like you are getting the correct spring. The springs are very common, I have a couple of them myself - somewhere. Haven't seen them for a long time. Regarding your revolver's target grips. They alone could be worth maybe $75-$100, possibly more. But I couldn't see the left grip panel to tell if it has the football-shaped cutout or not.

You are exactly right on both counts, that's what I ran into. I don't care much about trigger pull, I just want it to work right.

T

If you mean the indent on the outside of the left for a right-handed guy's thumb, yes it does. It's amazing the grips could be such a large part of the value, but I can tell you fit is superb...much better than some of the aftermarket stuff you see, especially the rubber ones. I would guess they are walnut but there are no markings inside, just the S&W emblems on the outside of each.

T

Attached Images

left grip.jpg (67.9 KB, 60 views)

Yes, that is a pair of the "Football" type diamond target grips, used from ca. 1956 to around 1972. The earlier non-relieved target grips, beginning about 1952, did not have the football, and are somewhat more desirable and valuable. For the most part, target grips are not stamped inside. Some of the later ones will have an ink-stamped date.

Just FYI, the indent or cut out on the left grip known as the 'football cutout' wasn't for the thumb. It's clearance for ejected cases.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks to both of you guys for your input, I appreciate it.

T

I just wanted to thank H.Richard for the spring I received today, it fit perfect (unlike the Wolff spring that I bought for a S&W K, L, N frame) and installed easily getting my revolver ready to shoot again.

Just to close out this thread and maybe help others, is that a spring you sent me that fits any K frame such as a more modern model 10 or was it Victory specific? It has a strong but smooth pull to cock but when cocked it has a very smooth trigger release and I'm looking forward to putting some time in with this classic when I can.

T

The hammer spring I sent you is a standard K Frame spring. It was one of maybe a dozen I acquired in a box of parts I purchased at an estate sale. The same spring fits almost every style of K Frame ever built, from the early 1900's to the present day. There is no way to know what gun that individual spring came out of. The double action pull should be in the 10-12 lb range, and the single action pull should be in the 3-4 lb range. As you read through many posts in the past, you may find several on how to "modify" the spring, by bending it just so or grinding the edges down, etc. I don't recommend doing so except on a "target" gun that would never be used for self defense purposes. Hope your gun shoots well.
Dick

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I always thought mainsprings were different in the pre war "long action" revolvers vs the later "short action". Just going from Kuhnhausen's shop manual pg27. I've been looking for a couple of mainsprings to get a ratty old victory and a slightly less ratty model 1905 4th change working again. Both had broken mainsprings. I tried one from Numrich, which is a flat K frame mainspring. It works in single action but doesn't work properly in da. Am I wrong in my longtime assumption that earlier k frames require a curved mainspring?

I would definitely unload the firearm though. Just saying.

Normally, the amount of "curve" in a spring is put there by the tightening of the strain screw. Some people "pre curve" their springs by gently bending it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Wow! Good catch! I didn't notice.

If you want something a little closer to original type grips, SARCO had these at this link: S&W Victory & M10 Uncheckered

Others can give you a better idea if they are worth obtaining.