Victory data base

[s&wchad]

I didn't know about the database on my last inquiry. If those who maintain in can give me any info on mine, I'd appreciate it.
V 393573. Yolk numbers 47321 with an S below. Grip looks period but is oversized and hides the SN. Barrel has been replaced with a 6" slabside under a full length Bo-Mar sight rail.
Deep blue color.38 special. Very light single action trigger pull.
I've been told the modifications are most likely a PPC conversion but I know little about the guns early history.

The gun probably shipped in late 1943. Yes, it was modified to use for PPC shooting. I can just make out the last three digits of the serial number on the back of the cylinder and it appears to “373”, which doesn’t match the number you listed. It it doesn’t match, the cylinder was also replaced.

 

[Absalom]

I’m not up on these enough to tell if your gun was originally chambered in .38 Special or the British .38-200 (.38 S&W), but they’re not interchangeable. .

Indeed. And unless there are British markings visible (I can’t see any), the frames are identical, as are the cylinders from the outside. Since the short barrel requires a different ejector rod, the cylinder may have been replaced with a .38 Special cylinder if it wasn’t one. Is there a serial on the cylinder face?

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Picked up my first Victory Model over the weekend.

Serial # V452486 (all matching numbers, no re-work marks)
Flaming bomb on butt
4" .38 Special
No top strap markings

I believe this is a DSC contract gun from late 1943. The finish looks original to me and it shows little signs of use, just some holster wear and spotting from poor storage. It's out of an estate and came in a strange unmarked IWB holster.

Does a letter generally identify the end user, or do they just show DSC?

It will show you who it was shipped to. Neat gun, neat destination!

 

[CincyRoy]

Indeed. And unless there are British markings visible (I can’t see any), the frames are identical, as are the cylinders from the outside. Since the short barrel requires a different ejector rod, the cylinder may have been replaced with a .38 Special cylinder if it wasn’t one. Is there a serial on the cylinder face?

yes there is, amazingly I didn't even notice it and it was staring me in the face, it's a 6 digit serial that doesn't match any of the other numbers on the gun.
edit- can anyone tell from the "V" serial on the butt when the majority of my Frankengun was made?

 

[Gutshot1]

I believe I have a Victory Model

I believe I have a Victory model It belonged to my Grandfather who died in 1969. It is as follows. S# V305605. 5 screw. Lanyard hole bottom of grip frame. 4" barrel. 38 special fixed sights. Looks like the pictures posted here. BUT it has what I assume are plastic "stag" grips. The grips have been on it since I got the gun after G-pa death.
Any info on this gun would be appreciated.

Jeff

 

[Absalom]

I believe I have a Victory model It belonged to my Grandfather who died in 1969. It is as follows. S# V305605. 5 screw. Lanyard hole bottom of grip frame. 4" barrel. 38 special fixed sights. Looks like the pictures posted here. BUT it has what I assume are plastic "stag" grips....

It’s from mid-1943. With a US PROPERTY stamping on the topstrap, it would have originally shipped to the military, without to a stateside authorized civilian end user.

Aftermarket stocks in various styles and materials, like you describe, were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Any more info about condition or originality of the gun would require some photos.

 

[Gutshot1]

G-pa V Model

Thank you for the info, I forgot to mention no military markings. I would love to post some pictures but that is beyond my ability at this time. It looks to me that it say SW-MP on the inside of the grips it is very faint and even with a magnifying glass is had to make out. Thanks again for the info. Jeff

 

[Absalom]

..... It looks to me that it say SW-MP on the inside of the grips...

That would make sense. I think it simply indicates that the stocks fit the Smith & Wesson - Military & Police line of revolvers. The Victory is just a wartime utility version of that model, with the same grip frame size, so these would also fit any pre- or post-war M&P or later Model 10 with a square butt. The best-known trade name for composite stocks like these was Franzite, but they usually had that name on them somewhere.

 

[CorditeCrazy]

Vic Data base

Hi All

I'm hoping you can assist with some info on a couple of S&W Victory models, all are in 38 S&W
The serial numbers are:
C500420
V733370
V316548

They are all in South Africa

 

[Absalom]

Hi All

I'm hoping you can assist with some info on a couple of S&W Victory models, all are in 38 S&W
The serial numbers are:
C500420
V733370
V316548

They are all in South Africa

Welcome to the right place

Based on just the caliber and serial, the latter two should be standard Lend-lease Victory British Service models, the V316- from mid-1943, the V733- from late 1944. They were likely shipped to Britain and then ended up in SA hands.

The C-prefix gun is not a Victory. In .38 S&W at that serial it would be a Model 11 Military & Police, from the late 1950s/early 1960s. These were produced for foreign police contracts, like SA. They are rarely seen in the US.

 

[CorditeCrazy]

Welcome to the right place

Based on just the caliber and serial, the latter two should be standard Lend-lease Victory British Service models, the V316- from mid-1943, the V733- from late 1944. They were likely shipped to Britain and then ended up in SA hands.

The C-prefix gun is not a Victory. In .38 S&W at that serial it would be a Model 11 Military & Police, from the late 1950s/early 1960s. These were produced for foreign police contracts, like SA. They are rarely seen in the US.

Ah thank you, this is good to know, much appreciated

 

[Jimboecv]

Here's mine;
SN: V44216
Right side: On bbl "38 S&W CTG" and on the frame under cylinder "MADE IN USA" Under grip, appears to be a "D" and also a "S" below that.
Left side: Under grip appears to be a "L" or and "I" and on the lower part of the frame "6" or "B" but it's hard to tell.
5" bbl that is blued, frame is parkerized. Barrel also has a banded front sight. Based on appearance alone I'd guess the barrel is off something else but that's a hunch.

 

[Absalom]

Here's mine;
SN: V44216
Right side: On bbl "38 S&W CTG" .....

5" bbl that is blued, frame is parkerized. Barrel also has a banded front sight. Based on appearance alone I'd guess the barrel is off something else but that's a hunch.

The serial puts it originally in mid-1942.

If you swing out the cylinder and look at the flat underside of the barrel, the answer about your barrel’s originality should be there: If there is a matching serial, it is original and was just refinished when that interesting non-standard front sight was installed. If the number is different or there is none, the barrel was replaced.

Al those numbers and letters under the grip panels are just assemblers’ marks and meaningless to us.

 

[CorditeCrazy]

Hi Folks, my cousin has 2 Vic’s, one is a 4 digit V serial number and the other has no letter prefix at all. The serial numbers are V3192 & 722003. Any idea when they were made? Both are in 38S&W

 

[chiefdave]

Hi Folks, my cousin has 2 Vic’s, one is a 4 digit V serial number and the other has no letter prefix at all. The serial numbers are V3192 & 722003. Any idea when they were made? Both are in 38S&W

I can help you out a little. The next revolver in line, V3193, is a 38 spl. DSC shipped to a US munitions plant on 6/19/1942.

 

[CorditeCrazy]

I can help you out a little. The next revolver in line, V3193, is a 38 spl. DSC shipped to a US munitions plant on 6/19/1942.

Thanks Dave. Much appreciated

 

[Absalom]

Hi Folks, my cousin has 2 Vic’s, one is a 4 digit V serial number and the other has no letter prefix at all. The serial numbers are V3192 & 722003. Any idea when they were made? Both are in 38S&W

The V-prefix would be a Lend-lease Victory. The other one is what we nowadays call a pre-Victory from early 1941. It likely shipped to the British Purchasing Commission, which bought such goods before Lend-lease.

I can help you out a little. The next revolver in line, V3193, is a 38 spl. DSC shipped to a US munitions plant on 6/19/1942.

Well, I’ll be ... Consecutive numbers in different variants.

 

[CorditeCrazy]

The V-prefix would be a Lend-lease Victory. The other one is what we nowadays call a pre-Victory from early 1941. It likely shipped to the British Purchasing Commission, which bought such goods before Lend-lease.



Well, I’ll be ... Consecutive numbers in different variants.

Thank you!

 

[walkcubs]

Just picked up a British Service Revolver with NO British stamps on it. 5" barrel, US Property marking, 38 S&W CTG on the barrel. SN V398448.
Any idea about manufacture date and why not given to the British?

 

[austintexas]

7 Victorys

I'm going to list my Victorys here. I don't have all the information you would like on hand and I don't have the time today to dig thru my gun safes, I'll PM you when I get the extra info.
SWCA 892

M&P Victorys:
V 20457 38 S&W 5"
SV 323862 38 Special 4"
V 326648 38 S&W 5"
V 383443 38 Special 4"
V 470707 38 Special 4"
V 471637 38 S&W 5"
V 641709 38 S&W 5"

I think (I'll have to look ) what I call Pre Victorys, do you track the pre V marked revolvers? I also have a .38 M&P HE Target that was sent to England ( one of 1000 I think)