Here are my two.
popgun

Attached Images

	small2.JPG (127.1 KB, 174 views)
	small3.JPG (110.7 KB, 168 views)

New Zealand marked. #V87030, so I guess that makes it a "Victory" Lend-Lease one.

__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

US Navy Victory, probably early 1943:

Serial number 960453, US Navy, Mare Island, CA or Puget Sound, or Naval Supply Depot, Norfolk

__________________
Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

Navy marked Victory.

My other Victory.

My factory letter states that mine was shipped to the Navy even though it's not marked as such. Question...were all Victories shipped to the Navy?

Not all of them went to the Navy. The 38 SW guns went to the Allies and many of the 38 Spl. guns went to interesting places such as civilian defense plants, Police Depts., even the odd one to the OSS. Perhaps Charlie or Ed will see this thread and give us better insight.

__________________
John. SWCA #1586

I have a Bavarian also. Mine lettered to the OSS. So it went to the OSS, B.M.P. and it got back to the US from a private purchase through the Base Rod and Gun Club. From the Capt who bought it from the R&G club to a Master Sgt who brought home to Great Falls Montana to a pawn shop after he passed away to a Technical Sgt (that would be me). Your victory could have had a similar journey.

Four bills would be a bit high at least around here, but if yours lettered to the OSS it would be an easy $400 and probably a bit more.

__________________
Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

Just your basic .38 Special and a friend.

Look at that case hardening!

Here's my Victory with a picture of the HE-M stamp and a picture with a friend.

Attached Images

	victory2.jpg (11.5 KB, 102 views)
	victory.jpg (15.5 KB, 98 views)
	100_0646.jpg (73.2 KB, 93 views)

hi guys , heres mine with a US navy / Marine Aviator Shoulder Holster and box of Military issue ammo .

Here's mine with a 1917 Colt and a 1917 S & W, This is marked Bavarian Rural Police and is 38 S & W.

Nice group!!

Here are a couple in their Vietnam"in-country" made waterbuffalo holsters. Cowboy style and aviator/crewman style...

Finally got around to taking some snapshots of this guy, so I figured I might as well post them.

V524251.






Bomb, ownership, Drewry initials:




Crown V, Crown CP, NP British stamps:




Single P behind the recoil shield on the left side:



This shipped as a .38/200 but the chambers have been lengthened to take .38 Special. There are no markings on the revolver to reflect that change.

As you can see, nothing special. Stocks kind of dented and scratched, but not deformed; finish worn and scratched, but not abused. Bore and chambers are OK but not perfect.

__________________
David Wilson

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on in a long time, computer problems, etc. I am Myles, SWCA member #1477. I can't get into the members only section, can anyone help me?
I recently acquired Victory model sn#V152xxx in 98% condition, marked US Navy on the top strap, with the original[?] holster. The holster looks to be the same as LOBO, and j38 show in the pictures of their Victory revolvers. The holster is in excelent condition, but the leater is very dry. What should I use to condition, or treat the leather?
I do not see any makers marks on the holster, it may be my eyes, but it is possible there was a very faint makers stamp on the back, if I knew what to look for I might be able to make it out.
Thanks for any help. Myles

__________________
Myles C.

You might send a private message to HandEjector (Lee), and he could probably fix up your not being able to get into the SWCA section.

John

__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Mine was my Grandfather's and unfortunately is one that got modified (shortened barrel, nickeled, .38 special, and cheap Franzite grip). Serial #V326xxx. It's not nearly as nice as the rest of y'all's but still a cool family keepsake. I've got some new/never used vintage S&W wood grips coming this week. I'll post new pics once I get the grips.

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/...PVictory-1.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/...PVictory-2.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/...PVictory-3.jpg

Marcus

I am showing my ignorance here. Why is the hammer stud exposed on the Victory?

On all the M&P .38 specials, the pivot studs were easily visible through the Model 1905 fourth change. The Victory Model is really a less-finished 1905/4th. In the postwar years, the M&P hand ejectors, for cosmetic reasons, had the hammer pivot studs ground flat with the frame. Look at a modern Model 10 carefully, and you can still see the studs, but as they're ground flat and polished; they are almost invisible.

Here's a Model 1905 4th change, built in 1934. You can see the studs:



Here's a more recent model 10 - the studs are virtually invisible.



The earlier hand ejectors were just not as cosmetically refined as the later models, to answer your question.

John

__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

The hammer stud on mine actually wobbles. It's a post-war 'victory' in 38 S&W, marked K.N.I.L. on the backstrap, and has seen very hard usage. It's one of 10,000, I think, sent to the Dutch East Indies about 1947.

Here are my 3 US Navy Victorys followed by all my Victory's, well not all I have a reblued one that I put a "wondersight" on and use it as a target gun (the single gun picture). in the shot with 7 the one at the top is a early Victory that letters to the British Purchasing agent in NY City and has no British Proofs or import marks, probably stayed here.
Then some friends.

hi guys , here is my post war Victory with modern magnas .

Mr Cartwright that is one fantastic collection! I hope to be able to equal it someday.

Here's a couple fake Victory revolvers.

Attached Images

group of two Victories right side.jpg (75.5 KB, 156 views)

Shipped in November 1942 (Thanks Roy!). It's in .38 special, and the serial number is V153XXX with no military markings except for what's on the butt. Did this one stay in-country?

I've shown this one before, about 1943 vintage V 251314.

Attached Images

	IMG_0282_2.jpg (107.4 KB, 116 views)
	IMG_0287_2.jpg (106.0 KB, 109 views)
	IMG_0291_2.jpg (102.9 KB, 126 views)

This Victory was given to me by a friend;it was
his father's.My friend had bulged the barrel
& his father had a new model 10 barrel put
on by the factory in the 1970's. Ordnanceguy
had a Victory barrel so it's back to looking
like it should.This holster was made by Heiser
& sold by Evaluators Ltd.;this style was submitted
to a Navy field trial in the 1950's along with a number
of S&W & Colt revolvers & other holsters-they were
looking for a new pilot's sidearm & holster.The
little pouch was designed to hold an oiler,
not extra cartridges.
The second photo is a post WW II
Heiser contract Victory holster with the
same Victory.
Regards,
turnerriver

__________________
turnerriver

Why do you say fake?

__________________
Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

__________________
Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

I picked this one up today. SN SV 775485, US Property GHD, small "s" on cover plate. All numbers match, including grips. Very solid lock up, can't wait to shoot it! Paid $400, too much??






Dave

__________________
From my cold dead hands.....

Just purchased this Victory, all matching numbers, original wood grips, nice shiny well defined rifling. No idea of age, suspect 42 or 43 but waiting on confirmation.

WB is Colonel Waldemar Bromberg, the chief inspector for that region. I think he was superceded by Colonel Guy H. Drewry.

Here's mine, V639265. Has the flaming bomb on the right side just under "Made in the U.S.A."

__________________
- Change it back -

anyone know of any converted to .22 rim fire?

V 4552. Shipped August 10, 1942 to the United States Maritime Commission in Fresno, CA.

V573116 in .38/200, April of 1944, barely fired if fired at all. This is marked with the Austrian Police stamp on the left side of the knuckle below the hammer. Some dings and scratches, but nothing that indicates service use. Those could be handling scars.

__________________
David Wilson

Victory model 4" .38 special,






Pre-Victory S. African Contract 4" .38 S&W. This gun was in the first shipment that was re-routed back to England.






Victory model U.S. Navy 4" .38 special






Pre-Victory model 6" .38 S&W






Victory model, Australian 5" .38 S&W






Pre-Victory model S. African contract that did make it to S. Africa 4" .38 S&W

V524756. Crown & BNP on each flute. "P" above recoil shield. Crown & BNP on barrel. Barrel marked ".38 S&W". Under barrel marked ".38 SPECIAL 1"?"150""4 TONS PER"? & some more gibberish. Sight marked "Parker Hale" "England". Frame, cylinder & extractor have matching numbers. Lacking a .38 S&W cartridge, how can I check if this ugly ******** is a .38 Special?

Attached Images

vic1.jpg (32.3 KB, 44 views)

If a .38 special cartridge will fully seat in each chamber your guns cylinder has been altered to accept .38 special. If it is still in .38 S&W, a .38 special cartridge will stick out about a 1/3".

That's not ugly! It's just a little over-processed.

If the barrel was originally marked .38 S&W and was later stamped for .38 Special, it will chamber .38 Special. The question is whether it chambers ONLY .38 Special. Since it is a Parker-Hale conversion, one of the better ones, the chamber holes might have been overbored and sleeved so that they will now except only .38 Special rounds. You should be able to discern a sleeve end if you look closely at the front of each chamber of the cylinder. The "1.150" mark is the length of the .38 Special cartridge, another indicator that the gun was modified to take that round.

If you can't discern a sleeve, look into the chambers from the rear. A cylinder whose chambers were simply lengthened will show two case-length rings in each chamber -- one about 3/4" inch from the rear of the cylinder (.38 S&W) and the other about 1 1/8" from the rear of the cylinder (.38 Special).

If the chambers show two rings, I would shoot only .38 S&W in it. If it shows only one ring over an inch down the chamber, that suggests that the chambers were sleeved whether you can see the end of the sleeve or not. It will chamber and shoot .38 Special, but should NOT chamber .38 S&W.

If it is a two-ring gun, it will chamber and shoot both rounds, but .38 Special cases will slightly swell and (if the brass is hard) possibly split along the two-thirds of each case just above the base.

There is probably a little square after the "4 TONS PER" stamp. That stands for "square inch." Other markings are probably British proof stamps, which were required when military weapons were tested and released for civilian consumption.

__________________
David Wilson

Luv your classification "a little over-processed".
Can just about make out the sleeves. One ring only. There is a little square after the 4 tons. David, thanx again for sharing your knoweldge. FYI. I stuck a .38 special in the cylinders to see how much play there was & they fit more snug than in my Model 38.

Then I would consider it safe to shoot. Go to the range and see how the gun performs!

As a British Service Revolver, it almost certainly started life with a five-inch barrel. P-H would have cut it to four and installed one of their own sights on the barrel. And the "1.150" designates the length of the .38 Special cartridge case.

__________________
David Wilson

We'll be shootin soon as rain stops & temp rises few degrees.

Any thoughts on them funky lookin stocks? They're actually in pretty good shape & handle good.

One of my all time favs -This pistol was shipped on May 15, 1942 as part of a Navy contract to U.S. Navy Depot, Norfolk, VA. (see S&W research letter below). Its a neat old revolver that had three lives the U.S. Navy, civil defense and the Seattle Police Department. All serial numbers match, including grips.
Regards,
Ty

Attached Images

	leftview2.jpg (48.0 KB, 47 views)
	propmark2.jpg (47.1 KB, 69 views)
	cdsn9177b.jpg (46.3 KB, 51 views)
	letterbig.jpg (85.1 KB, 68 views)

in the war and took on a new role in the holsters of Law Enforcement personnel all over the country.

Here is a vet that did service with the Arkansas State Prison system.


Up until the 1970s Arkansas used the Trusty system where inmates served as guards.

Interesting side note the prison system also purchased and used both Second & Third model Hand Ejector .44 Specials.

Here is a link to the ADC's history page with an internal link to their photo pages.

http://adc.arkansas.gov/about/Pages/prisonHistory.aspx

V464000 serial number range, shipped February 2, 1944 to the United States Maritime Commission, which had its own separate contract for the purchase of these revolvers.

__________________
SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

I've got three. A U.S. Govt. GHD marked .38 spec, a U.S. Navy marked .38 spec., and a New Zealand .38 S&W cal. As my personal friend Law and Order previously, lots of the old Victories found new homes after the war with some police departments. As a brand new 21 year old rookie just signing on with the Hattiesburg Police Department (Ms.) in 1969 I was too broke to buy a revolver. The chief told me "no problem" and walked me over to the safe. He pulled out a box that must have had 30 Victories in it and told me to pick one out. I got one that appeared to be in better condition than the others. It was marked U.S. Navy. I didn't know anything about the Victory revolver except I thought it was ugly and I didn't like that lanyard ring hanging there waiting to get caught on something. I wore it for a couple of paychecks until I could go finance a brand new shiny model 10 with a local finance company and gave the Victory back to the chief. The 10 costs $85 new but I probably paid twice that after paying the finance company. I still get letters from them wanting to lend money. The chief was in his sixties and when he retired a few years later the box of Victories and lots of other cool stuff retired with him.