Any info appreciated new to Smith and Wesson I have a victory 4" with a England stamp on the cylinder s# v3xxx

With a four-digit serial, your Victory would be from about June 1942, not too long after the start of V-prefix production.

Guns shipped to Britain normally were the 5” British Service model in .38 S&W. But 4” US models also ended up in Britain, so if your gun says 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG on the barrel, that’s what it likely is. Is anything stamped on the topstrap, or the butt besides the serial?

Kko
10-40
On the backstrap

Welcome to the forum. We love photos.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Attachment 33560720180407_222753.jpg

Thanks. Looks nice. Not sure the grips are original but they look nice on the Victory.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

No, those are not the correct or original grips. The stocks on it now are from the early post-WW1 period. They are 20 years older than your gun.

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

Found what I believe may be another serial # under the yoke where the model # would be on any newer models 43251 with a (y) above it Can anyone tell me what this is

That number is probably an assembly number.

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NRA Range Safety Officer

That's an assembly number used during manufacture. The correct serial number is the one on the bottom of the grip frame.
Mike

[ATTACH]20180413_204112.jpg[/ATTACH]
Thank everyone for all the information

20180413_204020.jpg and another

The proofs (BNP) show Birmingham, so all I see confirms what I said earlier.

There seems to be a British military property broad arrow on the upper frame behind the cylinder, although it's quite thin and faint.

As others said, the stocks are 1920s-style, so not original. Please show a photo of the other side or at least confirm that the barrel says SPECIAL on the right, which I’m pretty sure it does.

The backstrap marking “Kko 10-40” doesn’t ring a bell. I’d like to see a nicely focused close-up of that, too.

backstrap.jpg

barrel.jpg

side.jpg

Thanks for the additional photos. So it is definitely an original .38 Spl. 4" barrel.

The gun has been refinished in commercial blue. A V-prefix gun would have the dull utility sandblast finish. Most obviously, your gun is missing the large S&W logo on the sideplate (right side). It may have been buffed off, or got a new sideplate.

See attached example of an unissued 1942 Victory.

If my identification of the broad arrow is correct, the backstrap marking could be a British unit marking. Alternatively, it could be a post-war mark, for example by German police who got Victory revolvers during the occupation. But I can't positively identify it.

Attached Images

	V5.JPG (43.2 KB, 22 views)
	V1.JPG (40.8 KB, 22 views)

[QUOTE=Absalom;.

As others said, the stocks are 1920s-style, so not original. QUOTE

My latest acquisition, a 5 digit navy stamped, also came with the 20's style round top grips that were unmarked either by stamp or pencil. Most likely they were added at a later date but stranger things have happened.

Possibly the revolver was rejected for a cracked or otherwise damaged grip and the service department installed whatever was on hand to meet the 100 unit per day contract shipping requirement.

Eye candy for a revolver being shipped directly to a senior officer.

Good enough reason to request a letter, I don't need much of a reason to break loose with the $75 anyway.

Well, nothing is impossible with S&W.

But it is a bit of a stretch. For 12 years prior to the smooth walnut and this gun, they had used the silver-medallion small service style, and while S&W is known for “using up” old stock, after more than a decade that style would be unlikely to still be around.

But let’s see what the letter says.

I don't have the extra $ right now for that��

In case of your gun, the interesting part of its history would likely not be reflected in a letter anyways. At that serial, the gun would not have originally shipped to England; it likely went to a US destination and ended up overseas later thanks to the “winds of war” somehow, and the S&W historian has no info on that kind of stuff.

This being my first Smith and being apart of this forum for only a few days I'm very impressed with the knowledge and willingness to help someone you don't even know thank you all for the help