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05-08-2018, 10:36 AM
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Join Date: May 2018
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Information on this victory model please
for some reason it will only let me post pictures in new threads or if i edit a post. I got this 12 years ago. It did not have any grips so I modified a pair of grips from a larger caliber S & W pistol. The serial number is V18780 with U.S. Navy on frame.
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05-08-2018, 10:55 AM
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SWCA Member Absent Comrade
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It looks like a Navy-shipped Victory from summer 1942 which still has its original finish. It seems to have lived in a quite unfriendly environment and been neglected. In some areas the surface is very corroded, like on the grip and butt. The butt picture is blurry, but it looks like the lanyard hole is plugged.
That‘s really all we can say about it. A history letter from the S&W Historical Foundation would give you the ship date and the Navy yard or depot it shipped to. They were used by naval gun crews, naval and Marine aviators, guards, and such.
Last edited by Absalom; 05-08-2018 at 11:00 AM.
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05-08-2018, 11:22 AM
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Those with the U.S. NAVY topstrap stamping are found with SNs up to about the V266xxx range made around March 1943. However the Navy continued to receive Victory model revolvers throughout the war, normally with the later ones having a U.S. PROPERTY topstrap stamping. A large majority of .38 Special Victories which went to the U. S. military during WWII went to the Navy. There are also some early pre-Victories (no V-prefix SN) which were bought by the Navy. Correct grips were smooth wood, standard after early 1942. Those grips can be easily found on eBay and from some gun parts dealers, although about any grips for the S&W K-frame, new or old, will fit it. Yours likely shipped around mid-1942. Some Victories continued in military service long after WWII, even being used during the Vietnam war. As noted, a historical letter will not tell you much beyond what has already been said here, and there is no way to tell what happened to it after it left the factory.
Last edited by DWalt; 05-08-2018 at 11:39 AM.
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05-08-2018, 12:02 PM
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It looks like a gun that has been through a fire. That may explain the missing grips.
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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208
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05-09-2018, 10:50 AM
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with the grips I modified for it, the weapon still shoots pretty good. I know that during late 50's, this weapon was with a police dept. Not sure of it being in a fire.
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