.38/200 Victory for database + cleaning question (pics added)

[carguychris]

Howdy all,

I just picked up a somewhat tired-looking but nice and complete .38/200 British Service Revolver aka Victory.

It has a 5" barrel, original smooth grips numbered to the gun, and a complete lanyard pin. Nothing on the gun appears modified other than the application of import marks. Serial number for the database is V92514. The topstrap is stamped "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" (with quotation marks!) and the gun is wearing numerous "BNP"-over-crown markings and a cryptic ".38 .767" 3 1/2 TONS" marking on the barrel identical to the gun pictured in this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/7951002462/p/2

Pictures will be posted as soon as I get it cleaned up, which brings me to my question...

It looks like the former owner greased it up before putting it in storage. It's partially coated in brown varnish that doesn't quite look like cosmoline- more like old dried-up motor oil.

My first thought was to whip out the trusty low-odor Brakleen and the steel wool like I use on my Mosin-Nagants, but I'm worried about damaging the revolver's relatively thin parkerized-phosphate finish. Any thoughts about cleaning it?

Second question: approximately when does the database indicate that my gun was built?

Thanks!

 

[carguychris]

Howdy all,

I just picked up a somewhat tired-looking but nice and complete .38/200 British Service Revolver aka Victory.

It has a 5" barrel, original smooth grips numbered to the gun, and a complete lanyard pin. Nothing on the gun appears modified other than the application of import marks. Serial number for the database is V92514. The topstrap is stamped "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" (with quotation marks!) and the gun is wearing numerous "BNP"-over-crown markings and a cryptic ".38 .767" 3 1/2 TONS" marking on the barrel identical to the gun pictured in this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/7951002462/p/2

Pictures will be posted as soon as I get it cleaned up, which brings me to my question...

It looks like the former owner greased it up before putting it in storage. It's partially coated in brown varnish that doesn't quite look like cosmoline- more like old dried-up motor oil.

My first thought was to whip out the trusty low-odor Brakleen and the steel wool like I use on my Mosin-Nagants, but I'm worried about damaging the revolver's relatively thin parkerized-phosphate finish. Any thoughts about cleaning it?

Second question: approximately when does the database indicate that my gun was built?

Thanks!

 

[carguychris]

OK, I just finished detail-stripping it and have an editorial comment.

GOOD LORD! How does someone get this much brown slimy oil into one gun?!?

It's a wonder the trigger works as well as it does with this much ancient varnished-up glop in the lockwork! (Actually, the bolt was hard to move... now I know why... the return spring was all gummed up.)

FWIW I'm thinking that the scum slathered all over this revolver is that 3-In-One Household Oil you can get at the hardware store. The gun's innards smell like an old electric shaver or mechanical typewriter that's been soaked in the stuff for a long time.

Anyways...

 

[handejector]

Don't use steel wool. Get some bronze wool from Brownell's.
Attack the varnish with whatever you have- WD 40 will start to soften it till the big guns come up.
Mineral Spirits, acetone, brake cleaners, and a multitude of other solvents will dissolve it.

 

[j38]

I'm looking forward to the pics! Did you get before and after versions ....I hope?

Congrats, Jerry

 

[LWCmdr45]

Chris,

The database maintained by Charlie ("ordnanceguy") and me indicates your gun was shipped by S&W in the Aug./Sept., 1942, time range. This is the time of the transition from the "W.B." to the "G.H.D." inspector's initials (along, usually, with the Ordnance "flaming bomb") on the butt. Let us know which. The quotation marks around "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" is normal for this period; they didn't begin the change to the shorter "U.S. PROPERTY" (with "flaming bomb" & "G.H.D." initials) top strap marking until several months later.

Re cleaning: I concur that the first step should be some patient soaking in mineral spirits, etc., before attacking it with an abrasive.

Pics, plaese!

Steve

 

[carguychris]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I normally avoid WD-40 for firearms-related tasks, but it did a GREAT job of cutting through the brown varnish.

I only had to use Brakleen sparingly on the nooks and crannies that I couldn't get into with a toothbrush and pipe cleaners. I never had to touch the steel wool!

The bore is in better shape that I thought. It was lightly covered in crud that I thought was either lead buildup or maybe light pitting, but the bore-cleaning patches came out the color of the same brown scum that was all over the lockwork, and the bore came out smooth and shiny. I think the "pits" were just dust that had stuck to the oil before it dried up. NONE of the crud I scraped off this gun looked like lead or powder buildup, even on top of the forcing cone, and the cylinder was free of scorch marks. Either the former owner did a meticulous job of cleaning it before it was "slimed", or it's hardly ever been fired!

I'll have to check the inspector's initials and post pictures later. I have not seen a flaming bomb, but I'll look closer. Could it be under the stocks?

 

[LWCmdr45]

I'll have to check the inspector's initials and post pictures later. I have not seen a flaming bomb, but I'll look closer. Could it be under the stocks?

I've never seen one "hidden" under the stocks; the "flaming bomb" (and, sometimes, a "P" proof, too), when found on the butt, appear on the flat bottom surface opposite the SN.

Steve

 

[papabyrd]

Easy off oven cleaner will work great to remove any old oil but don`t put it on the grips unless you are going to refinish them. It will take all the old finish of wood.works great to refinish oil soaked army stocks.

 

[carguychris]

As promised, here's the cleaned-up article. I found the flaming bomb and inspector's mark- I didn't expect them to be so tiny!

She's no beauty queen, but I think I did OK for well under $200.

 

[gunut]

looks just fine to me....and at a great price too.........