S & W 4 inch Victory

nuguy · #1 07-13-2017, 10:53 PM

Need some help/opinions from the Experts. Picked this one up on the way home today. It appears to be one of the Unmarked 4 inch Victory's in 38 special that were sold to (defense plants and Post offices) It does not have any US property of inspector marks anywhere on the gun. It does have what looks like a brand centered on the inside of the right stock (picture attached). Has anyone seen this mark before? The letters seem to be backwards. The gun is in good condition, the serial numbers match at all 6 places including the stocks. It shows use and handling, but is a good solid Victory. S/N V10027 (V & 5 numbers). This is my first 4 inch Victory, bore and timing are good I will find out next week how it performs at the range.

Targets Guy · #2 07-13-2017, 10:57 PM

Not an expert but smart enough to know you got a good one.

DWalt · #3 07-13-2017, 11:24 PM

It has sort of an odd-looking hammer - overly long spur. Maybe a humpback hammer? Does it look original? A close-up picture of it would be good. That SN indicates shipment should have been around October 1942. No idea what the brand is. Without any topstrap stampings it is very likely a DSC gun. DSC was a government agency which operated during WWII, one of its duties being distribution of firearms to essential civilian users - defense plant/shipyard guards, law enforcement agencies, etc. Ordinary civilians could generally not purchase new firearms during the war. as all production effort was devoted to military defense products. Factory letters will often indicate who the original owners were. Government contractors, police/sheriff departments, etc.

nuguy · #4 07-14-2017, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWalt

It has sort of an odd-looking hammer - overly long spur. Maybe a humpback hammer? Does it look original? A close-up picture of it would be good. That SN indicates shipment should have been around October 1942. No idea what the brand is. Without any topstrap stampings it is very likely a DSC gun. DSC was a government agency which operated during WWII, one of its duties being distribution of firearms to essential civilian users - defense plant/shipyard guards, law enforcement agencies, etc. Ordinary civilians could generally not purchase new firearms during the war. as all production effort was devoted to military defense products. Factory letters will often indicate who the original owners were. Government contractors, police/sheriff departments, etc.

The hammer looks just like the hammers on my other victorys. I think the angle I took the picture at makes the hammer look long. thanks.

Absalom · #5 07-15-2017, 02:37 AM

Nice standard DSC Victory. Your photo cuts of part of the butt; it should have a flaming bomb there.

That "brand" looks like someone's individual fancy, likely applied after the gun was surplussed out of whatever service it was enlisted to perform. It would be an interesting coincidence if someone here recognized it.