Help w/ID, nickel plated Victory?

FraggerCrue · Jun 12, 2025

A friend inherited this from his wife's dad. I have tentatively identified it as a Victory, but I'm not at all certain. V serial number on the butt and plugged lanyard hole, it looks like. These are the only pictures I have.

Who is/are the resident Victory experts? There is one little detail about this revolver I'd like to discuss via PM.

Retired W4 · Jun 12, 2025

No expert but the 4" Victory's chambered for 38 special were made in great numbers and went to many different military and civilian users. Of course they did not come from the factory with a nickel finish.

moosedog · Jun 12, 2025

What he said. The trigger and hammer appear nickeled too. They should be case colored.

FraggerCrue · Jun 12, 2025

Retired W4 said:
No expert but the 4" Victory's chambered for 38 special were made in great numbers and went to many different military and civilian users. Of course they did not come from the factory with a nickel finish.

Yes. If this is a Victory, much of the value is gone. It has several modifications from factory.

Goony · Jun 12, 2025

In the early 1950's, Victory revolvers were chrome plated by the USAF, fitted with plastic faux stag grips, and issued to the SAC Elite Guards. I believe the butt swivels were not removed, however.

444 Magnum · Jun 12, 2025

Also not an expert.
After WWII, many were surplused out of Britain. Private companies chopped them, bored them from .38/200 to .38 special, nickel plated them and installed the faux stag grips. My father bought this altered one sometime around 1957 while stationed at Camp Pendleton.

SGT ROCK 11B · Jun 19, 2025

FraggerCrue said:
Yes. If this is a Victory, much of the value is gone. It has several modifications from factory.

The Serial Number prefix with the letter “V” makes it a Victory Model for sure.

After WWII a lot of great deals on military surplus.

DWalt · Jun 20, 2025

Black out most of the SN on the butt, but show it all on the underside of the barrel.

jimmyj · Jun 20, 2025

In the 1960s era thousands of these revolvers were imported into the USA. One company in Miami, Florida (Miami Gun Traders) bored out the chambers to accept .38 Special ammo, nickeled plated the revolver, plugged the lanyard hole, and added fake plastic grips. Retail price was $29.95. Some had the barrels cut back to two inches and sold for $5.00 more.

Help w/ID, nickel plated Victory?

FraggerCrue

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Retired W4

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moosedog

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FraggerCrue

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Goony

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444 Magnum

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SGT ROCK 11B

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DWalt

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jimmyj

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