Victory data base

[TontoKowalski]

There are several Victories known having SNs fairly close to yours which shipped in February 1943, and there are many Navy-marked specimens known around that SN. So yours is likely original. Smooth grips and lanyard rings are not too hard to find and not expensive. That's a great item to find at a "ridiculously low price."

Thank you very much for the information.

Yeah, the seller was asking around $240 before coming down. About the best price I could hope for. I don't usually bargain hunt at shows, but sometimes they are out there.

 

[DWalt]

You could easily triple your investment, if not more than triple it.

 

[mkultracanidate]

Smith and Wesson Victory model.

Hello! I have a seemingly early victory model with a serial number of V224xx. it is a 38 special. Everything has matching serial numbers including the smooth walnut grips. Would anyone know when this gun was produced? I am thinking about early 1942 or late 1941. It is a US Navy model. It is in excellent condition.

 

[mcpilot]

Another for the list...

I recently acquired V393926

It's a .38 special

Any info appreciated...

Mike

 

[DWalt]

For some reason I cant put pictures of it on here but the revolver is in excellent condition it still retains 95% (if not more) of its finish. the bore is in excellent condition. and mechanically it is very solid. I have done some research and it seems the revolver has some rare features to it, for instance, according to the serial number... the 38 specials were not to common, and also sense its a navy marked revolver, the "P" marking and the "S" marking on those type of guns is more rare. Again everything has matching serial numbers and that includes the grips.

All Navy-marked Victories were in .38 Special. I don't know of any with the S marking, and certainly they never came from the factory originally with an S, as that did not start until early 1945, long after Navy marking ceased. It is possible that some of the early Navies may have later been factory-modified with the addition of the improved hammer safety, and an S stamping added to the sideplate to indicate the change. You may want to pop off the sideplate to see if that has been done. I'm not sure that would have any significant effect on value or not.

Nonetheless, in the condition you describe, and assuming originality, you shouldn't have much of a problem in realizing about $1000 for it.

 

[Jay Tate]

The first thing to say is that my Victory Model has been utterly desecrated – as a retired Army Officer with 26 yrs of service am not responsible enough to own a live hand gun in the UK! However, I have a keen interest in this historical piece.
It conforms to all the requirements for an original Victory Model; serial numbers are all consistent (including right hand grip). Calibre is .38 S&W, but there are some things that confuse me. There are no British or Commonwealth markings of any sort (except for the deactivation mark below the cylinder on the right hand side), but there is a flaming bomb on the left top strap.
Condition is awful, and the pistol seems to have been re-parkerised at some stage. I attach some slightly “dodgy” images of the only markings visible.
Can anyone help me find out where this little beast came from?

 

[DWalt]

It's not unusual to find .38/200 BSRs having no apparent British military markings. I believe the military required them to be proofed only prior to postwar civilian disposition sale, and if they were "Duffle Bag Specials," they would, of course, not have received those stampings.

Nearby SNs to yours were shipped in mid-1944.

 

[almarz]

Victory model

Hi! I've got one marked US property HGD. Ended up in Norway with an American sailor in the 1960s. S/N V 564270.

 

[DWalt]

Hi! I've got one marked US property HGD. Ended up in Norway with an American sailor in the 1960s. S/N V 564270.

First - what caliber is stamped on the barrel?

V 564270 would indicate likely shipment in March or April 1944. The U. S. Property stamping would indicate it was Lend-Lease if it's the British version chambered in .38 S&W (AKA .380 Revolver Mk2), or simply that it was U.S. property if chambered in .38 S&W Special, as used by U. S. military forces. The initials should be G.H.D., not H.G.D. That inspection stamp stands for Colonel, later General, Guy H. Drewry, the commander of the U. S. Army Springfield Ordnance District.

Posting pictures might elicit a better assessment.

 

[almarz]

Victory model

The caliber is .38 spl. The text on the right side of the barrel is 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG. And - you're right. It is GHD

 

[DWalt]

The caliber is .38 spl. The text on the right side of the barrel is 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG. And - you're right. It is GHD

Yours looks to be correct, and in very good condition. As it's chambered in .38 Special, it is not Lend-Lease. From what I can see, the grips are of the correct type. Does the right grip panel have the same SN as stamped on the butt? You are missing the lanyard swivel loop, but those can be found and easily replaced (at least in the USA).

 

[kevinofborg]

SN: SV772938 on three metal parts an 352331 on back of right grip
Left side of barrel: Smith & Wesson
Top of barrel: Smith & Wesson Springfield Mass. U.S.A. Patented FEB.6.06.SEPT.14.09.DEC.29.14
Right side of barrel: 38 S&W Special CTG P on frame near hammer
Right side: S&W trademark and MADE IN U.S.A
S by screw

Has seen better days.....

Kevin

 

[DWalt]

A late war SV Victory. Without a factory letter, pinning down a shipment date on an SV is difficult, but this SN is likely to be from early 1945. SVs started at the beginning of 1945, allegedly at SV 769001 or thereabouts. Many left-over SV-prefix frames were finished in civilian form by S&W and sold on the open market in early 1946. Yours is apparently in military style, but you did not mention if it has the U.S. Property stamp on the top strap. I think that one would be an ideal candidate for a do-it-yourself Parkerizing job and refinish/replace the service grips. At least that's what I wold do with it - Bead blast and Parkerize.

 

[kevinofborg]

A late war SV Victory. Without a factory letter, pinning down a shipment date on an SV is difficult, but this SN is likely to be from early 1945. SVs started at the beginning of 1945, allegedly at SV 769001 or thereabouts. Many left-over SV-prefix frames were finished in civilian form by S&W and sold on the open market in early 1946. Yours is apparently in military style, but you did not mention if it has the U.S. Property stamp on the top strap. I think that one would be an ideal candidate for a do-it-yourself Parkerizing job and refinish/replace the service grips. At least that's what I wold do with it - Bead blast and Parkerize.

With all the pitting up there I can see no writing.
I think I will keep it as it. It is my 1st and only US side arm.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[almarz]

Thank you for the information. And - yes,it's matching numbers all the way round. I found a web site that sells what they claimed to be NOS lanyard rings and original cleaning sets (in original boxes), so I ordered one of each. I posted more pictures on the "Early hand ejector" pages a couple of days ago.

Almarz

 

[joec61]

I have recently received a 38 special victory serial # v 702436
My father was issued this as a pilot in WW2 flying fighters off the USS Suwannee. serial numbers match on the cyl. and the frame it has on the top strap US PROPERTY GHD On the barrel is 38 S&W special CTC Any info you have would be helpful
Thanks
Joe C

 

[DWalt]

Nearby SNs have lettered as shipping in October 1944. Early Navy revolvers were stamped as U. S. Navy property, but that stopped at about SN V 267000. After that, the "U. S. Property" stamp on the topstrap was used, the same as all other military Victories. Yours is in very nice condition, and the leather is a real bonus. A great prize and a valuable family heirloom.

By the way, one of the major purposes of issuing these revolvers to Navy flight crews was for signaling, using tracer bullets.

 

[joec61]

DWalt
thanks for the info. I had not heard of the use as for tracer bullets. I had a gunsmith go through it and reports were that it was in great condition.
thanks again
Joe

 

[mkultracanidate]

All Navy-marked Victories were in .38 Special. I don't know of any with the S marking, and certainly they never came from the factory originally with an S, as that did not start until early 1945, long after Navy marking ceased. It is possible that some of the early Navies may have later been factory-modified with the addition of the improved hammer safety, and an S stamping added to the sideplate to indicate the change. You may want to pop off the sideplate to see if that has been done. I'm not sure that would have any significant effect on value or not.

Nonetheless, in the condition you describe, and assuming originality, you shouldn't have much of a problem in realizing about $1000 for it.

Do you think it would increase the value if I got a letter for it form Smith and Wesson?

 

[DWalt]

Do you think it would increase the value if I got a letter for it form Smith and Wesson?

I'd have mixed feelings about lettering it. I would assume you might be able to get your $50 back, and possibly a little more, if the letter accompanied the revolver. It probably won't tell you much beyond the shipping date, and that it was sent to some Navy depot, plus the usual boilerplate background babble.