Hello everyone,

Im a new member, and a proud new owner of a S&W Victory model which I just purchased today.

It is a 5" barrel and chambered in 38 S&W. It has a parkerized finish, and smooth wood grips. It has no import marks, nor any foreign proof marks (that I can find). It is marked along the top strap "US Property GHD", and has a serial number of "V424754".

If I have read elsewhere correctly, I believe it to have been sent to England under the Lend Lease program. It appears to be numbers matching, and doesn't appear to have been re-chambered to 38 Special. Unfortunately it is missing the lanyard ring (hopefully I can find an original replacement).

Is there any way of finding out a date of manufacture or shipping on this particular pistol?

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Welcome to the forum.

You have your gun correctly diagnosed in all aspects. The serial places it around October 1943. We have no manufacture dates, but for an exact ship date you‘d need to buy a history letter from the S&W Historical Foundation.

Your gun does indeed look all original, and the absence of any post-war British proofs or importer marks enhances its collector appeal. Original and reproduction swivels can be found on auction sites such as e-bay, Gunbroker, or ordered from Numrich.

Hey Absalom, do you have any idea what the typical daily production was during this period (mid-late '43)? Or at least the monthly averages?

I don‘t know if there are actual records about that, but extrapolating from the numbers produced in the two final years of regular full production, 1943 and 1944, you‘re looking at a number in the 20-thousands per month.

I'd agree with that. My figures indicate that during 1943 and 1944, average monthly production would likely have been very close to 20,000, or +/- 4500 per week.

Thanks! Now I have to kick myself even harder for letting one get away that was <1,000 off the S/N of the one I have. Had been sitting on GB for a while, thought it was overpriced, then one day it disappeared.

I have a Victory model- serial number V622958. Smooth wood grips, US Property GHD on top left strap. Non-glare / matte finish. Any info on date of manufacture, final destination? Any info would be appreciated. Thx.

It was made in mid-1944.

We need to know the barrel length and/or caliber stamped on the barrel (SPECIAL or not) to determine whether it was a US version shipped most likely to the Navy or a Lend-Lease British Service model. Those are the two possibilities.

Indeed, as Mike says, mid-1942, and a direct US Navy purchase. These were used primarily for Naval and Marine aviators, but also ship-side guard duty, shore facilities etc.

The CD almost certainly stands for Civil Defense and is a relic of the Cold War. Military surplus revolvers were transfered to CD organizations after WW II, and since there was no marking standard, these tend to be haphazard and often impossible to attribute to a specific place.

The missing swivel is easy to replace; look for an original or replica on e-bay, Gunbroker, or at Numrich/Gun Parts Corp.

Awesome, thank you guys for the info. I will definitely be looking for a replacement swivel.

Hello. I just bought a Smith Wesson Victory revolver from a member on this forum. The revolver is still at my FFL but I was hoping someone might have info as to when it was made or shipped. I'm going to the the letter as well... It's a standard 4 inch .38 Special US Property GHD marked gun. The serial number is V 52119X.

Sorry for the delay, but I got my letter back from Smith and Wesson. It was shipped from the factory on 2-9-44 and delivered to the US Navy at Norfolk, VA. The pistol is marked US Property but not US Navy. Is that something typical ?

Yes. Early Navy-shipped Victorys (until mid-1943) were stamped US NAVY, but since ultimately the Army Supply Program took over handling all revolver contracts, including for the Navy, all military-shipped guns were stamped US PROPERTY by the time of yours.

With my pistol having been sent to an East Coast Naval base, as supposed to a West Cost base can I possibly guess my pistol went on a naval ship going to the ETO ?

You cannot assume anything and there is no way to find out what happened to it after it left the factory, beyond to where it was first shipped.

Serial number V113466 and still in functional use. One of my home defense guns. What year was it made?

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Ronald Carl Bloom II

Hello Phillies:

I can help you with that. Your Victory likely shipped from the factory in the January-March, 1944 time frame. That is based upon the information contained in the Victory Model Database.

Regards,
Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Ok thanks ! When I get my letter in 10 to 14 weeks I'll post what the exact dates are here.

Hi all! Recently picked up my first ever Victory model and I had a few questions, along with the standard query on generally when it might have been made? It is SN # V123572:



Standard 4" bbl in 38 special but it lacks the US Property or GHD etc stamps on the top strap, which is entirely bare instead. It does have those poorly stamped mark on the back of the grip however:



(full resolution here: https://i.imgur.com/4QZxtb7.jpg) It's hard to tell but it looks like it says B BRINKS or something like that?

It also has what looks like maybe a rack # above the rearmost screw on the right side of the frame:



and these very amusing grips, whose authenticity I have no idea about. (What's an M. SQT.?)





Full album here: S&W Victory Model - Album on Imgur

I think it was made in 1942 and M. SGT stands for Master Sargent.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

That's what I thought at first but its a Q not a G lol - it could be a simple typographic error tho since the last S in LEWIS is backwards, so who knows whats going on exactly!

It likely shipped in 1942.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Thank you for your help

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Ronald Carl Bloom II

US Navy Marked on top strap V166313 ?

Yes, US Navy marked.

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Ronald Carl Bloom II

Hello DKM:

Your revolver likely shipped from the factory in the November-December, 1942 time frame.

Hope that helps you.

Regards,
Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

I celebrated a Birthday this last week. My son gifted me what appears to be a Smith & Wesson puzzle...errrr...I mean Victory!

I'm not real savvy with these older revolvers, but I've performed my due diligence with a few hours of research, and I'm just not making sense of the serial number and date.

It is a parkerized revolver, smooth grips, 4" bbl. Marked "38 S&W SPECIAL CTG" on the left side of the barrel, "SMITH & WESSON" on the rigjt side of the bbl. It has the patent info on top of the barrel.

The left side of top strap is marked "US PROPERTY GHD"

The SN# is SV 795838 on the butt of gun. The underside of the barrel, cylinder, and inside of the smooth walnut grip bear this number as well.

The side plate bears an "S" mark. The other side of the frame has a "P" at the top of the frame near the cylinder window.

The ejector rod appears to be blued, and there is a tiny dark spot above the grips that look like it may have been blued?

Any thoughts or assistance y'all could lend on the matter would sure be appreciated!

Edited after reading this thread again. It all makes much more sense after a short nap and letting the information soak in a bit. Apparently, it would been later...June...July in 1945? Like...one of the last to go to the miltary?

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Hello Shrek:

Yes, your date of shipment would most likely have been in the June-July, 1945 time frame. Not very far from the end of Victory production. Your Victory likely shipped to the US Navy. The blued ejector rod is correct.


From the excellent pics and description you provided it appears to be in excellent condition. Your son has given you a wonderful gift. Enjoy it.

Regards,
Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Hi S&W Experts, I have read this entire post and some of the additional links, and have learned a lot. Thanks for the detailed responses. I am considering this Victory to add to my "Aussie Collection" but can't inspect in person and would appreciate any observations. V378957 serial number so I guess late 1943/1944? 38S&W with no indication it was rechambered - I have seen other Aussie versions with clear stamps where rechambered to 38SP. "US Property GHD" on top strap which seems appropriate given serial number. I can't see Flaming Bomb on butt - could it be on top strap? It was FTR in Australia in 1954, and has the broad arrow stamps. I can't find the three "P" proof stamps from the photos. Matching serial numbers. It is import marked by Vega. It also appears to have a heavier-than-normal parkerized finish - is this factory, Aussie FTR, or bubba? Thanks so much.

Hello Naglo68:

The Victory you are considering appears to be typical of the large lot of Australian guns that were brought back to the USA in the 1990's.

The flaming bomb (called the "Shell and Flame" insignia by the Ordnance Department) was applied on the left top strap. It sometimes is difficult to detect after a refinish.

The finish is indeed a refinish. The original was Black Magic. The FTR process employed by the Aussies appears to have resulted in most of them getting a new type of finish that is similar to parkerizing, but seems a bit darker, almost charcoal in color. The finish appears to be correct for the Australian FTR process.

The stocks are probably not numbered to the gun based upon the way they fit in the photo you supplied.

I hope that information is helpful to you.

Regards,
Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Hi Charlie, Thanks for review and the history lesson on Aussie finishes. I also noticed the grips seemed to sit high, but didn’t know. It is nice to have a visual baseline. Cheers,
Geoff

I received my 5 inch Victory model today in .38 S&W. Left top strap is stamped *UNITED STATES PROPERTY*
On the front of the bottom of the Butt is a very small P a flaming bomb and what looks like a B the long straight portion of the B is parallel to the left side of the grip frame. The serial Number is V127026 and is on the back end of the Cylinder and on the bottom of the barrel between the cylinder pin lock and the frame when the cylinder is open. I do not see any other marking other than the import stamp S&W Crest Made in USA and the standard Barrel marking. Are any other proof marks or acceptance stamps likely to be under the grips?

I'm not sure I'm following the questions correctly but the spelled out "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" is correct on a BSR. If it is a U.S. military gun it will be marked "U.S. PROPERTY" or "U.S. NAVY". The Navy received guns with either marking but not both on the same gun.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

I'm close to buying a Victory, 38 Special marked U.S. NAVY, it only has that marking outside of the S&W normal stampings, there is no US PROPERTY markings. The number is V 140078. My concern is is it a genuine U.S. NAVY or a revolver issued to a defense plant with U.S. NAVY later added to increase its value.

"The Navy received guns with either marking but not both on the same gun."


kwill1911
Thank you very much, that confirms it.

Who and how do you contact to get the date of manufacture of a S&W Victory?

It probably shipped in November 1942. Manufacture dates are unknown but probably pretty close. Exact dates and destinations require a letter from the S&W Historical Foundation.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Thank You Very Much.....I'm contacting S&W Historical Foundation for more detail.

I picked up another a couple of weeks ago. This one appears to be lightly fired, if at all, maybe even unissued. This one is black magic finish, blue ejector rod, 4" barrel, smooth grips numbered to the gun, lanyard ring, serial number V244900, AND, top strap is marked US NAVY.

A little personal history with the Victory revolver: I'm now 75. When I was around eight years old I sold newspapers on the street in downtown Hattiesburg, Ms. There were two real good Army Surplus stores downtown and I made it a point to walk through both of them every day as both of the owners would buy one of my five cent newspapers. I was constantly going through all of their inventory. The stuff they had back then would be a museum today. One of the things they had was lots of WWII and Korean era military guns. The Victory revolvers were plentiful and cheap. They sat in the display cases for a long time because nobody wanted them. Compared to the newer guns they were ugly and rough looking.

I joined the Navy in 1966. The security people on base and on board ship were still carrying Victory revolvers.

I joined the local PD at age 21 in 1969. We had to furnish our own handguns. I didn't have one so the chief open a large walk in safe, pull out an old ammo crate containing somewhere between 20-30 Victory revolvers. He told me he got them from nearby Camp Shelby, a very active WWII base. He told me I could borrow one until I could buy my own. I picked out a Navy marked Victory and carried it for about two months until I bought a 4" model 10-5. I turned the Victory back in. The Chief retired about four years later. After he left none of those Victory revolvers could be found.

New here to the group and was wondering if anyone here could help me understand what I have? I just picked up a 4 in barrel Victory, s/n v2705264. It's grayish blued, the revolver serial number matches the serial number on the inside of the grip. Barrel is marked 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG and it has lanyard ring installed. With its low serial number, I figured it would/should be a WW2 revolver, but there are no military markings on it at all! Just the S&W side marking, barrel markings and the Made in the U.S.A marking, So I'm confused! The person who sold it to me said it was a WW2 military revolver, but it has none of the usual markings! Don't know a lot about them but is it actually a military weapon? Love to know! Anyone have an idea or thought? Thanks for any help with this question I have,

Tracer:

You have at least one too many digits in your serial number. Please take a pic of the butt serial and post it here so that we can help you.

Regards,
Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Hello all,
First time posting anything. I have a .38 Victory Pistol with the Cogswell & Harrison Ltd conversion to .38 Special. The serial number is V 408052. Any information would be a great help, as I'm just starting with this. Thank You for reading this.

Picked up Victory V 4302 today at the Raleigh NC show. No US military acceptance markings; early Navy 1st contract or DSC I believe? .38 Special, 4” barrel, all appropriate SN match and original finish. March or April ‘42 delivery? Thanks in advance.

Anything you can tell me about the "P" marking I found on the left side between the cylinder and the hammer?

As you predicted, the right grip panel is stamped with a series of numbers. there are two rows of three #'s and the rows are offset from each other. The top row is 161 and the lower row is 269. Mean anything to you?

I'm sorry DWalt, I didn't read your reply very well. I followed the link you suggested and read about the markings I've found. That site is a wealth of info, thank you.

Hi guys, thanks in advance for your help. I have a S&W Victory revolver, with smooth walnut grip, 4" barrel, 38 S&W special, with lanyard loop. Serial # V160225. On the opposite side of the serial number is what looks like a flaming bomb. Any ideas what the year of production would be for this? Thanks again.

If yours has no U. S. Property markings, it was likely made for stateside civilian use - police, defense plant guards, etc. Late 1942 is a reasonable shipping period.

Thanks for the reply. It is a .38. It is at my parents house so I don't have immediate access to it to answer too many detailed questions. I took some pictures of it and I will try to post them here. Anything else you can tell me about it would be greatly appreciated.

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