Smith & Wesson Help

hardcharger55 · #1 05-22-2024, 11:14 PM

Can any of the folks on this site help me with the year, model number of this piece and an estimate of value? The serial number is V79667. This the second piece that I have been left by my family.
Thanks

19leben · #2 05-23-2024, 12:00 AM

That’s a WWII Victory Model that has had the barrel replaced with a later factory 2” and nickel plated. Should have a lanyard ring on the butt as well. Should be a great shooter and carry piece. Forget to say that model numbers didn’t exist until 1957. This revolver was actually called the .38 Military & Police Victory Model, hence the V prefix serial number.

Wiregrassguy · #3 05-23-2024, 09:02 AM

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Many surplus WWII British Service Revolvers were imported from the British Commonwealth and modified for the US market. Typically, the cylinder chambers are reamed to allow shooting the smaller diameter but longer .38 Special cartridges. If you look into the chambers and see two shoulders (steps), the chambers have been reamed. The .38 Special casings will swell and may crack but it is not unsafe to shoot them.

Truckman · #4 05-23-2024, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiregrassguy

The .38 Special casings will swell and may crack but it is not unsafe to shoot them.

Guy, it might also be noted that if the cylinder is still able to chamber a .38 S&W cartridge and it is fired through the slightly smaller diameter .38 S&W Spl. barrel, the larger projectile will result in a slightly higher chamber pressure...Nothing to cause alarm, but just something to anticipate...

...Ben

JcMack · #5 05-23-2024, 09:34 AM

I've got a similar piece. I envy you the fact that more care was done in the refinish process than mine. A ton of these were imported and the barrels cut to 2.5-3" and the front sight soldered back on. A lot of these like mine have a lot of the roll marks wiped almost off due to the pre refinish process. I found some service grips that represent something more like originals (I think). Yours looks more like a private party project gun than a mass barrel cut, ream and refinish on a large scale for resale in a 50's Field & Stream magazine. I like it.

Truckman · #6 05-23-2024, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardcharger55

Thank you so much for the info, what is the piece worth?

To you it's worth what you paid for it...To the next caretaker, it's worth what he's willing to give up for it...

...Ben

Muley Gil · #7 05-23-2024, 06:59 PM

Folks, this could be a Victory that was chambered in .38 special.

JP@AK · #8 05-23-2024, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

this could be a Victory that was chambered in .38 special.

My thought also, since we don't know the original barrel length.

Muley Gil · #9 05-24-2024, 07:00 AM

hardcharger55, can you post a picture of the open cylinder, taken from the rear? We need to see the chambers to see if it is a .38 S&W cylinder rechambered to .38 special.

murphydog · #10 05-24-2024, 07:44 AM

To recap: it's a WW II era Victory Model (late 1942?), refinished in nickel and with a much later 2" .38 M & P/model 10 barrel on it.

Three possibilities on the chambering:

An original .38 Special cylinder. You'll see one chamber shoulder in the charge holes about 1.15" from the rear.

An original .38 S & W cylinder. You see the chamber shoulder about 0.77" from the rear.

A .38 S & W cylinder bored out to .38 Special. Two chamber shoulders with the above distances.

In any case, it's value is strictly that of a shooting, not collecting gun. An original, redone .38 Special may be in the $400 range, and a rechambered .38 S & W probably about $300.

murphydog · #11 05-24-2024, 08:01 AM

Second reply - photo 5 appears to show an un-numbered cylinder with a longer distance to a single chamber shoulder. which to me suggests a newer replacement cylinder in .38 Special.