Need Advice on Victory model Grips...!!!

[gerhard]

Hey guys...just when Ive lined up an almost mint S&W .38 Special Victory Model..and put some $$$ down on it.....(thank God for layaways...probably caused some divorces tho anyway...another dealer that I had been talking to ...just sent me some photos this morning....its a .38 Special (marked on right side of barrel) Victory model With the Government stamping on top left side......only thing that puzzles me is instead of the plain wooden grips....it has the brown checkered.? standard S&W Grips.....however one of the guys just posted a photo of his and it was Beautiful with same grips...believe it had a 5" barrel...sitting on top of ammo.......cant remember name......anyway....fairly good price on it....and just wanted you guys opinion on the checkered grips instead of plain wooden ones.....and hes offered me a good deal.....so let me know what you think........I need some good news as today at 1400 is my root canal....I appreciate as always you guys giving good advice......Hans Fischer

 

[Camster]

Certainly not an expert,but I think the odds favor the fact that the grips are not original-most would have uncheckered grips.
The serial number would help a lot,photos would be the clincher.

 

[TAROMAN]

Mine had the old checkered stocks, too. Not numbered to it (guess they didn't do that in the war). Experts here advised me that they were not original, so i located the smoothies and sold the checkered ones.
I had guessed that S&W was just "emptying the parts bins" in the war.

 

[SWKilroy]

Only the very first "Victory"'s shipped by S&W before february 1942 (roughly) had the standard commercial checkered walnut stocks with S&W medallion; later revolvers had smooth walnut stocks (serial numbered to the gun, but often mismatched in service).

So if your Victory has a very low serial number, its present stocks may be the original ones. But then they will be serial numbered to the gun, and of course should be the correct type used by S&W in 1941.

 

[gerhard]

Serial # on Victory with Full S&W Grips

Hey Guys....heres the serial # of the Victory model Im making a deal on......it has the 4" barrel....no lanyard ring...so I will be asking someone for an original lanyard ring it looks like....the hole is still there....but no ring.....and it has the Government marking on top left frame.....the serial # is V337001 I really appreciate your guys help on this.....and as I said...if the deal does go thru...will be looking for an Original Lanyard Ring.......Thanks again for all your fine help and advice....its appreciated.........Hans Fischer

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Mine had the old checkered stocks, too. Not numbered to it (guess they didn't do that in the war). Experts here advised me that they were not original, so i located the smoothies and sold the checkered ones.
I had guessed that S&W was just "emptying the parts bins" in the war.

to the best of my knowledge S&W did number the grips to the gun during the war. I have 10 Victory's and they all have numbered grips, granted only a few actually number to the gun.

 

[Retired W4]

I'm wondering if your gun has a small "s" near the rear sideplate screw and by the serial number on the butt. That would indicate the gun was fitted, after manufacture, with the hammer block safety. I looked for a primo military Victory Model, .38 special for a long time. I finally found one that met the standard I wanted. It looks just like the one (or two) I was issued in RVN. Good luck finding the correct lanyard loop. If there is one around, someone here would know. The smooth stocks would make it better for that serial number, I believe.

 

[opoefc]

V337001 would have been shipped with the smooth walnut stocks, numbered to the gun. The checkered stocks now on the gun were added lated by a subsequent owner. Ed.