I just purchased this revolver and am hoping someone can help me identify it and possibly a year it was manufactured.
I have attached some photos for reference. The Serial # appears to be V 621177 and is found on the butt and under the barrel between the ejector rod. The caliber on the side of the barrel says, "38 S&W Special CTG." Is this a Victory model and does anyone have an idea of the year? Thanks for the help.

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Yes, it is. It is a US Victory likely manufactured in June/July 1944. You may be aware that it has been refinished; the standard finish would have been a dull phosphate.

It also is missing its lanyard swivel, and the stocks actually appear to be two different styles, the left one a pre-1910 concave and the right one a 1920s convex top style. Originally, it would have had smooth walnut stocks without any checkering.

Since I notice the flaming bomb ordnance mark on the butt, it likely has no US PROPERTY stamp on the topstrap and is a gun originally shipped to a state-side authorized civilian recipient like a police agency or defense contractor through the Defense Supplies Corporation.

Attached a picture of what it would have looked like when it left the factory.

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Absalom, thank you for the info. I was assuming it had been refinished from what I was reading online. The gun only cost me $100 and thought it would be fun to have and sometimes shoot. thanks again,

Is that an optical illusion, or am I seeing a serious bulge in the barrel right around the ejector rod latch boss?

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TEAM DNF

That was the first thing I noticed too. Sure looks like a bulge to me.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Yep, the barrel definitely shows a bulge. You just never know whether that's the classic Victory "bulge" that resulted from sloppy external barrel shaping and isn't a real bulge, or an actual issue. I've got a BSR in the serial vicinity with a non-bulge, V604454. See pictures, and an official document relating to it, originally contributed by Peter.

The one on the OP's gun seems a bit more forward and elongated than what we usually see, so it may warrant closer inspection.

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Maybe that's why it was only $100 ? I've seen bulged M&P barrels shoot just fine.

Larry

Welcome to the forum.


The 3 1/2" barrel isn't as common as the longer barrels.

Nice old V model but it is bulged. You'll never know it from shooting it however, it'll shoot just fine.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thank you all for the info. I had not noticed that bulge and appreciate you pointing that out. So if this is a common thing with these models, is it ok to shoot or do I need to have it inspected by a gunsmith first?

There are various home-made methods to check first. Start by shining a flashlight into the barrel at various angles and look for irregularities ringing the inside at about the location of the bulge outside; beware of shadow effects, though. Then try pushing really tight patches through the barrel. If it's a serious internal bulge, you should feel the difference in resistance as you push past the spot. You can also try feeling for an irregularity inside the barrel with a pointy wire like a bent-open paper clip. If none of this produces anything noticable, I'd assume it's the outside production issue and shoot the gun without further worry. Even if it shouldn't be, there would be no danger.

The production issue which is only a finishing/polishing issue only occurs close to the frame, it's a bulge. If you look down the barrel with a flashlight or bore light you'll see a black ring.

As long as the bore is clear, and there's no remnants of a bullet jacket left in the bulge, a gunsmith won't be able to tell you anything other then it's safe to shoot, and now you already know that.

Thousands of guns with bulged barrels, many of them posted on this forum have been shot safely.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim, even though that's where most of the irregularities occurred, it's not an absolute rule. We have even had a specimen presented here with a "fake bulge" almost underneath the front sight.

It's not a common thing, and since it hasn't been specifically mentioned yet, the reasons barrels bulge is because they were subjected to great stress in excess of design limits. The typical cause is a bullet left in the barrel by a squib load, followed by a normal round.

The book answer is don't shoot it, period. Personally I'd go through the evaluations that others have recommended, and if I thought it wasn't too bad, I'd keep shooting it with normal or low pressure lead bullets. Just depends on your own acceptable risk level.

Even with the bulge, you still got a decent deal for a functioning firearm. $100 territory is usually reserved for wall-hangers.

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TEAM DNF

But Dude, seriously, ya gotta replace those stocks!

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TEAM DNF

Well I never say never.

The 'fake bulge is only a result of the polishing transition from straight barrel to barrel flare to form the shoulder where it meets the frame. There's no polish transition near the front sight.

All factory documentation I've ever read or 'fake bulges' I've ever seen confirm the 3/4" from the frame location only, as also documented in your above post.

Though I'd like to see that 'fake bulge' and to know how that was confirmed. I'd appreciate a link to that post if you have it? Was it a factory finish or a re-finish?

I'm always open to learn something new.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Discussions about barrel bulges usually deteriorate into “the sky is falling” discussions. Everyone should of course make up their own mind and make a decision according to their own comfort level, about whether or not shooting a bulged barrel is safe. But please base it on some science and not myths.


1. Every time you fire a round especially in a rifle, the chamber and barrel swell a little bit from the gas psi inside them. Gun makers know that this is going to happen and use steel that's elastic enough to return to its original size. That swelling and return is called “elastic deformation” and is similar to how a spring works.

2. When a barrel is bulged it exceeded its elastic limit and was permanently deformed. That's called “inelastic or plastic deformation”. By definition, you've exceeded the design limits of the barrel steel. The metal of the bulge is now like a spring that's been stretched too far.

3. The myth: the tensile strength has now been decreased and may subsequently fail catastrophically.

4. The reality: steels that are of low hardness like barrels, can be "cold worked" (inelastic/plastic deformation) safely, in most cases enhances hardness and strength, and often increases fatigue strength. Plastic deformation of parts specifically to enhance strength properties on airplanes, for example, is common knowledge. So unless the barrel is split open, it has now become the strongest point of the barrel.

5. In addition: recognize that when a bullet passes thru a bulge, it loses contact with the barrel bore resulting in rapid dissipation of gas pressure around the bullet at the point of the bulge. In other words, the point of danger was at the time the bulge was created and long since gone once the obstruction is removed, and subsequent rounds are fired.

6. Rule #1 when buying a firearm, taught to me by my dad over 50 years ago: Make it a habit when you first pick up a gun, to always run your thumb and forefinger down the barrel. You can feel the slightest bulge in a barrel much easier than you can see it and especially when you can’t even see it.

Difficult to do in an online auction, I know. But you can always ask if the seller feels any deformation with their fingers. If you subsequently buy the gun and find a bulge, then you have recourse with the seller.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I presented these images last year. I concluded that the bulge was present prior to the impression of the markings - note the depth of the stamping. No evidence in the bore.

That said , the bulge in the OP barrel looks rather "squib-ish" ...

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Jim:
Waveski's is the one I was remembering. Obviously not nearly as pronounced as what the OP has on his barrel, but noticable, and I should think Waveski's contention that this was not a squib is correct.

Codenamdave, yes I am looking online for replacement stocks for sure. I really appreciate all the responses and would have never picked up on the bulge myself. This was a gun that was going to get turned in to be destroyed, so i payed $100 to help it live on. i figured a cheap price to have an old revolver. i looked down the barrel and can see a slight darkness, but hard to tell if its a shadow. i am getting the feeling if i shoot standard .38 special rounds, it should shoot fine?

Yes.

Carefully read Jim's post #16 again; that really explains all.

Basically, danger comes from an obstruction of the barrel, not any deformation remaining after the obstruction has been cleared, unless the barrel itself failed.

thanks again sir for all the help and info.

Absalom and Waveski,

Yes I agree 100%, clearly a finishing error and not a bulge. Military finishes do create some strange anomalies, don't they? I have seen minor similar finishing issues just behind the sight but that is extreme.

I appreciate the photos and I did learn something once again!

Thank you,

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Jim
S&WCA #819