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.

__________________
"I also cook."

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?

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

__________________
Don Mundell

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Attached Images

1561503534252647715649.jpg (27.6 KB, 40 views)

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.

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.

Attached Images

IMG_0781[1].jpg (70.5 KB, 25 views)

Thanks Dave. Much appreciated

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!

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?

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)

Later 1943, maybe September.

It still went almost certainly to the British or another Commonwealth country, although the OSS got some to supply to resistance movements they supported.

But British Victorys received no British service markings; the commonly found stamps are post-war commercial proofs; a lack of those simply means the gun was not retired from service through a surplus dealer in Britain.

Thanx Absalom. Thanx for clarifying the proof marks. I didn't know when they would be stamped.

I have one I recently acquired. It is serial V179579 and is .38 SW Special with a 4 inch barrel, marked US Navy on the Top Strap.

Attached Images

Navy Victory.jpg (142.6 KB, 41 views)

December 1942

just received a victory with a 5 digit number: V-70023
The only externally visible markings are a flaming bomb on the butt and a small S added under the crane. Under the right grip I find a larger S and smaller K and an F. The weapon appears all original and is in .38 S&W special. The numbers all match, cylinder base, under barrel, I beleive inside the grip but they are hard to make out.

Attached Images

	0907191251_HDR.jpg (81.3 KB, 43 views)
	0907191251a_HDR.jpg (80.5 KB, 42 views)

That's a nice rig! Tell us more how you came by it and any history you may know. It most likely shipped in Aug 1942.

All the markings under the grip and under the yoke are fitter‘s marks from the factory and meaningless to us. With only the ordnance bomb (which are found on all kinds of Victorys, military or not), it most likely shipped to an authorized civilian recipient through the Defense Supplies Corporation or to the US Maritime Commission, although during 1942 stamping in general was inconsistent and we have encountered unmarked guns lettering to the Navy.

Your gun looks to be in good original condition and from your description all-matching; the stock numbers are frequently hard to read.

the gun came from a web retailer, but the holster was part of a pair purchased from a retired secret serviceman. I wanted the issued Buchmeir he carried for twenty years and purchased the GI holster he was issued along with it. It was his since the "early 60's". The Holster started me looking at Victorys so it would have a purpose. Funny how a collection grows.
The most I know about the gun is what I have learned here and from the 4th edition.
Thank you very much for the info

The closest SN I have listed is V729xx which shipped on 8/18/42 and was a DSC gun. Had yours been a Navy gun, it should have the U. S. NAVY topstrap stamp. Without it (and given its high condition) it is most likely a DSC gun, much less likely a U.S. MC gun. Not sure I would spend the money to letter it, but if you decide to, the letter should tell you to where it was shipped, probably to either some LE agency or a defense contractor.

I "just" became a member. I had read through 9 pages of the Victory section here prior to joining. I am trying to find out information about my Victory, but I have not found anything related to my specific pistol.

My Smith & Wesson Victory has:

*#288185, on the but strap, but a filled in swivel plug that seems original, not ground off. There are no other marks. There is no flaming bomb or other designations.
*The #288185 is on the Cylinder face when swung out.
*The # 288185 is on the back face of the star.
*The flat spot under the barrel where a number should be has no marking, and seemed unfinished-not polished.
*The flat straps on top of the pistol are polished and have no markings on them. They were not ground.
*The barrel is 4" from the face of the cylinder to the end.
*The Barrel is marked:
Left side: Smith and Wesson
Top: the typical Smith and Wesson 2-line Text, ending with; Dec 25 14 or something like that
Right side: 38 S&W Special CTG
*The Barrel lug has not been cut or removed and the knurl on the ejector rod is really detailed. I am saying this because this pistol has been nickeled and the knurl could be worn down but not here it is really strong and detailed. I have seen others with almost smooth knurls that have been nickeled.
*The front sight is the typical 1/2 round type.
*The number on the crane is different but matching, #38792. *The Cylinder is marked with a crown and BNP on each flute. It is also marked with the word "England" along the cylinder edge .
*The crown and BNP is also on the area in front of the trigger guard flat spot.

I am trying to mention everything I have read before here, as things you look for.

**Note: The most unusual thing on the Pistol is the right side is blank. It does not look like the S&W logo has been ground. Just NO S&W logo. There is no shadow of a faint stamp. It is completely blank. There is "Made in USA" near the trigger guard but seems to be a bit faint.

My question to the group is:

How many other Victory Pistols have you seen with no S&W Identifiable logo on the side plate? I have read on other places on the net that this pistol could have been placed with the OSS or a similar Group in the UK, unmarked, to not identify the gun manufacture. However, it is marked Smith and Wesson on the Barrel.

In the 9 pages I had gone through previously here, I did not see many people who had Victory Models with a serial in the 288,xxx range. I would think they show up. From what I read, a lot were 4xx,xxx-8xx,xxx or older serials. I possibly have not read far enough to catch any others similar to mine in a serial range.

Thank you for your help.

Richard

Photos of:

*Blank side plate
*Barrel Info
*Butt strap
*Cylinder face number
*Crane inner number

Attached Images

	victory side plate 1.jpg (46.8 KB, 43 views)
	victory barrel 1.jpg (58.9 KB, 36 views)
	victory back strap 1.jpg (45.5 KB, 34 views)
	victory cylinder number 1.jpg (72.6 KB, 34 views)
	victory cylinder number 2.jpg (134.6 KB, 30 views)

Photos of:

*Top strap
*Butt strap
*Cylinder England crown bnp
*Underside crown bnp
*Non-marked underside of barrel

Attached Images

	victory top strap 1.jpg (51.6 KB, 32 views)
	victory back strap 2.jpg (36.7 KB, 34 views)
	victory crown bnp 2.jpg (30.8 KB, 28 views)
	victory crown bnp 1.jpg (31.3 KB, 28 views)
	victory barrel 2.jpg (68.4 KB, 31 views)

I have V142556, .38 spl, US Navy on top strap. The barrel and frame are same number, the cylinder has been replaced with sn 160025. Any idea of date shipped, made, etc.?

__________________
Kevin in Oregon

Ruralguy57,

Welcome to the Forum.

The serial number includes the "V" that is off to the side. The revolver has been nickel plated, but not by the factory. The lanyard loop hole has been plugged.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

WAR EAGLE;

Thank you for your response. My bad, I thought I had put the "V" in front of the serial. I read and reread the text and I guess I just glossed over it. Thank you for pointing it out.

Ruralguy57:

Your gun is a bit unusual as at first look it seems to be a .38 Special that was commercial-proofed in Britain.

However, the cylinder looks like the chambers were reamed from a .38 S&W.

In addition, the absence of a barrel serial, as well as no sideplate logo, make it likely that this is a parts gun. No Victorys left the factory without the large sideplate logo.

So unless heavy buffing removed the stampings, they were unstamped factory replacement parts.

In summary, I think this was a British Service model Victory from 1943 that had its chambers reamed to .38 Special and its 5” barrel replaced with a 4” .38 Special barrel, the lanyard hole was plugged, and the gun was refinished. The sideplate was either polished or replaced.

Later 1942, October/November, is the ballpark. I seem to remember cases of cylinder replacements with relatively close serials here before. Might be an indication that it was an in-service repair.

Absalom, thank you. I went down to Reno this last spring and found it at the big gun show there. Because of the mismatched cylinder, the price was right and I wanted a shooter, which it is. I was also intrigued with the U.S. Navy mark on the top strap.

__________________
Kevin in Oregon

Attached is photo of a S&W Victory Model .38 S&W with mods by Parker Hale at some point.
650A0F3E-C9BD-4D32-9715-69868027E886.jpg

Absalom,

Thank you for the information.

If I understand you, the Victory I have must have been reworked in an England plant/ Arsenal as it has no import marks, and it is stamped England with a crown over BNP. The Victory would have been reworked and shipped to USA before 1968. After 1968 all guns imported into USA would be marked from the plant selling the pistols.

The barrel is a different 4 inch barrel and left blank then refitted because of the stamped 38 S&W Special CTG on the right side. The side plate, would have been ground or buffed or had a blank part replacing it. I looked at the butt strap where the lanyard ring should be and saw there are no ground marks on the outside or inside of the frame. I see the plug in the frame. I looked in the cylinder and saw what you were saying about the rings being ground down. I have put a 38 special into the cylinder and it seems to fit. Now I understand what you are saying about the pistol starting as a 38 S&W which was retrofitted into a 38 S&W Special. The trigger pull in the DA mode is stiff, however the pull in SA mode is about 2-3 or so lbs. I don't know if the trigger pull has been ground as well. There are a lot of rework pistols that are nickeled and stamped with a crown over BNP and sold in USA with various barrel lengths.

I have ordered a replacement set of grips. The seller said the grips I purchased were from an arsenal as they have an "11" stamped in the round or upper part of the wood. I was told the grips on my Victory are wrong, because the frame shows under the grip. I will post a photo of them when I get them.

Again, thank you for telling me about the pistol. I had no real idea and is why I asked this forum.

Richard

V 306710

Going to an auction Saturday and this Victory is on the list. It's one of my biggest interest but I'm new to this and don't want to over pay. S/N V132996.

Only 2 pictures I have until Saturday are from the auction website...

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi I have a V150360 in .38 smith and wesson. Can you give me any info please. Think it was an uncles in ww2.

The resolution of the pictures is not good enough to be 100% certain, but all I see points to an Australian-refinished British Service variant. Unless it’s the light, the trigger and hammer appear polished to the white, uncommon on the Aussies and detrimental to the value. If not reamed for .38 Special, maybe a $300 - 350 gun, but I’d have to see it in person. I wouldn’t buy it based on just those two photos.

British Service model from late 1942, maybe November (+/-).

These went to Britain and other Commonwealth nations as Lend-lease. It should have UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the left topstrap. Based on your photos it appears all-original.

It does have it stamped yes. Would these have been given to Canadian troops? And thanks for the info.

Rambler,

I would question the finish on your Victory. From what I can see the hammer appears to
have a finish other than the case hardening that I am accustomed to seeing. The trigger
also usually case hardened I cannot make out.

Your Victory, I believe, is the nicest one I have ever seen. That is the reason I question it.

terry

Could have been. Your photos don’t show any of the post-war commercial proofs usually found on British-issued revolvers. I think, but am not sure, that the Canadians stopped applying their property mark once Lend-lease started and the guns came with a US property mark, so this would be consistent with a Canadian issue.

I've been reading, and it looks like this might be a V model, if not sorry for posting in the wrong place. My dad bought this in 1974 for $60. What is it and what's it worth?

Serial number on the bottom of the barrel: V282560

Thanks in advance!

Attached Images

	IMG_7737.jpg (31.7 KB, 24 views)
	IMG_7745.jpg (66.2 KB, 18 views)
	IMG_7740.jpg (26.9 KB, 19 views)
	IMG_7738.jpg (27.8 KB, 23 views)
	IMG_7742.jpg (20.2 KB, 23 views)

Welcome to the Forum, donkoz.

You have a refinished Victory model, probably from the early production (1942?). The grips have been replaced. Someone with more knowledge than mine will be along soon, I'm sure.

Price on the street, $250 or so. Since your daddy bought it 45 years ago, priceless.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!