Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Revolvers > S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961
o

Notices

S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-20-2018, 06:37 PM
chiefdave's Avatar
chiefdave chiefdave is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Warsaw, Missouri
Posts: 952
Likes: 1,347
Liked 2,103 Times in 538 Posts
Default Open s/n Victory

I requested a ship date on this revolver and here is the reply I got.

"Dave, sorry cannot help it is open on the records. It appears it could have been a Defense Supply Corporation shipment, but that is just a guess. Roy"

All numbers match except grips, had a set of unmarked 20's service grips when I got it. Came from the estate of a WWII Navy vet.

Mr. Jinks didn't elaborate as to why he thought DSC and I neglected to mention Navy on the top strap. There is a large S on the grip frame (service department?). Lunch box special?

Anyone care to take a guess?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_1555[1].jpg (74.8 KB, 84 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_1557[1].jpg (48.3 KB, 82 views)

Last edited by chiefdave; 09-20-2018 at 07:17 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #2  
Old 09-20-2018, 06:45 PM
Camster Camster is offline
Member
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 3,795
Likes: 993
Liked 1,923 Times in 956 Posts
Default

Not an expert, but the S is probably just an inspector's mark.
If it had gone back for the late war upgrade to make it safer, I think that a S would have been added as a prefix to the V.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-20-2018, 07:03 PM
Muley Gil Muley Gil is online now
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The SW Va Blue Ridge
Posts: 17,472
Likes: 88,957
Liked 24,780 Times in 8,482 Posts
Default

The US Navy marking is on the top strap, not the back strap. It could be that the serial number is in amongst several DSC shipped Victories.

I would send him a message, in the Questions for Roy section, with the additional information.
__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #4  
Old 09-20-2018, 08:35 PM
chiefdave's Avatar
chiefdave chiefdave is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Warsaw, Missouri
Posts: 952
Likes: 1,347
Liked 2,103 Times in 538 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Muley Gil View Post
The US Navy marking is on the top strap, not the back strap. It could be that the serial number is in amongst several DSC shipped Victories.

I would send him a message, in the Questions for Roy section, with the additional information.
Thanks for correcting my nomenclature. Spent 4 hours getting poked and twisted at the VA today.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #5  
Old 09-21-2018, 12:08 AM
DWalt's Avatar
DWalt DWalt is offline
Member
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,480
Likes: 236
Liked 28,943 Times in 14,013 Posts
Default

It could well have been a DSC revolver initially and later found its way back to the factory, then was shipped to the Navy. In the early period of WWII, that sort of thing was not unusual. Pate's book talks about such swaps.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #6  
Old 09-21-2018, 01:19 AM
Absalom's Avatar
Absalom Absalom is offline
SWCA Member
Absent Comrade
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,834
Likes: 10,103
Liked 27,995 Times in 8,452 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by chiefdave View Post
Mr. Jinks didn't elaborate as to why he thought DSC and I neglected to mention Navy on the top strap. There is a large S on the grip frame (service department?). Lunch box special?

Anyone care to take a guess?
Not mentioning the Navy stamping is a bit like not mentioning that the animal you’re trying to identify has a trunk and tusks

So Roy would have assumed an unstamped gun, which would have made a DSC gun most likely.

Given the thousands that went through the books every day, I don’t think it’s too surprising that one serial might not get recorded. I don’t know exactly how the guns were physically channeled, but I think a lunch box special is unlikely as the stamping shows it was in the pipeline for the Navy and went through the ordnance inspection process, so should be on record.

Last edited by Absalom; 09-21-2018 at 01:22 AM.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #7  
Old 09-21-2018, 04:33 AM
chiefdave's Avatar
chiefdave chiefdave is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Warsaw, Missouri
Posts: 952
Likes: 1,347
Liked 2,103 Times in 538 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Absalom View Post
Not mentioning the Navy stamping is a bit like not mentioning that the animal you’re trying to identify has a trunk and tusks

So Roy would have assumed an unstamped gun, which would have made a DSC gun most likely.

Given the thousands that went through the books every day, I don’t think it’s too surprising that one serial might not get recorded. I don’t know exactly how the guns were physically channeled, but I think a lunch box special is unlikely as the stamping shows it was in the pipeline for the Navy and went through the ordnance inspection process, so should be on record.
No inspectors initials or flaming bomb present. I did send Mr. Jinks the additional info in hopes he can solve the mystery.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-21-2018, 07:53 AM
cmansguns's Avatar
cmansguns cmansguns is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hanover, Virginia
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 3,164
Liked 5,635 Times in 1,398 Posts
Default

Chiefdave;

My Victory is also US Navy marked and does not have any other inspector or proof marks, just like yours. There were thousands evidently, just like these.

"open on the factory records" means just that as far as I understand it. The serial number is there but where it went was not recorded.

Absalom is right on the money with regard to Charles W. Pate's book "U.S. Handguns of World War II". Whether you have one or many WWII pistols, revolvers, Colts, S&W, Hi-Standard, etc. this book is chock full of verified info. The Victory section alone spanning many pages with photos reflects several choices of what could be on yours and my Victory Navy. For example: Pg 128 during the Navy contracts there was no inspector stationed at the factory so thousands may have left without Ordnance marks. or the info that in May 1945 S&W was awarded a contract to rebuild 40,000 Navy Victories to be shipped by January 1946, or the interesting photo and description of a Navy Victory s/n V 338275 that was listed (like yours) as "open on the company records" but the letters "VF8" were on the backstrap, which Pate traced to a fighter squadron operating off of the famous carrier Hornet.

Bottom line in my opinion is that you may never find additional info on your "open on company records" Victory, but grab a copy of Pate's book and you'll have hours of fun reading as well as a craving for more WWII pistols and revolvers which in turn allows the rest of us to fulfill our "enablement" goals on this Forum!
__________________
Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-21-2018, 07:59 AM
cmansguns's Avatar
cmansguns cmansguns is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hanover, Virginia
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 3,164
Liked 5,635 Times in 1,398 Posts
Default

Sorry............it was Dwalt that referenced Pates book, but Absalom is for sure another of our "Resident Experts" and I'm sure either one would highly recommend grabbing a copy of Charles Pate's book!
__________________
Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-21-2018, 04:38 PM
chiefdave's Avatar
chiefdave chiefdave is offline
US Veteran
Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory Open s/n Victory  
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Warsaw, Missouri
Posts: 952
Likes: 1,347
Liked 2,103 Times in 538 Posts
Default

With the Navy info Mr. Jinks was able to provide a likely ship date of Sept, 1942.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is the Victory Data Post still open? hudson 1 S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 5 04-25-2017 10:26 PM
Victory failure to lock action open for last shot zeroed4x Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols 3 02-15-2017 09:38 PM
Victory hard to open cylinder on one chamber Ben Cartwright SASS S&W-Smithing 1 07-13-2010 12:06 PM
FS: Glock .40 Open top holster and open top double mag pouch PO2313 Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 2 05-14-2009 05:25 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:13 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)