38 s&w victory model not a lend lease?

[jps1935]

s&w victory model 38s&w 5" barrel. midnightblack finish on hammer and trigger. matching numbers including grips. u.s. property marked on topstrap. G.H.D marked on butt. serial# 222xxx there is no other countrys proof or acceptance marks. I read that these pistols were intended for the lend lease program. any insight why this one didn't make it? (it is in really nice shape) thank you for any information and I know some pictures would be nice. thanks

 

[alaskavett]

I had one of these that I let get away several years ago here in Wasilla. The man I bought it from inherited it from his Father who was issued it as a guard at a "Caterpillar" plant during the war. I will try to locate the serial number on the one I had in case you now have it. Kyle

 

[Muley Gil]

s&w victory model 38s&w 5" barrel. midnightblack finish on hammer and trigger. matching numbers including grips. u.s. property marked on topstrap. G.H.D marked on butt. serial# 222xxx there is no other countrys proof or acceptance marks. I read that these pistols were intended for the lend lease program. any insight why this one didn't make it? (it is in really nice shape) thank you for any information and I know some pictures would be nice. thanks

Does your revolver have a "V" stamp on the butt? That is part of the serial number.

 

[DWalt]

V222xxx should have a "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" topstrap stamping, not "U. S. PROPERTY". And it would have been a Lend-Lease weapon. Any .38/200 Victory made after about mid-1941 would have been included under the Lend-Lease program. These came back to the US in many ways, yours was probably a "Duffelbag Special" bringback by some GI who picked it up or traded a carton of cigarettes for it. Those surplussed out by the British for commercial sale after the war would have British proof stampings. Yours would have shipped from S&W about early 1943.

 

[hardscrabble]

I have V181992 marked as DWalt indicates on top strap, no British marks at all.

 

[opoefc]

JPS1935, If your gun has a midnight black finish on the hammer & trigger, it has been arsenal refinished, as original S&W hammers & triggers on Victory Models were case hardened. The correct serial number of your gun includes the "V" prefix. The British did not mark the Lend Lease Victory & Pre-Victory Models they received from the US, as long as the guns were in military inventory. After WW2 many of these were sold as surplus guns to British & US gun dealers, and those intended for the British civilian gun market were sent through the two British proof houses ( London & Birmingham ) prior to sale to the public. Ed.

 

[jps1935]

yes it is marked "united states property" on the top strap and has a V prefix on serial number. and I understand what every one just said and learned something new. interesting pistol. I should get a letter on it. now my next one to check out is a 1917 with a star on the butt and a 12/41 date under the grips. isn't that neat time to be sent back to smith and Wesson to be rebuilt? there is no united states property on it. and all metal part numbers match. thanks for the information.

 

[jps1935]

on the victory model I did find it odd the grips numbered with the gun and they are in nice shape for a pistol that was arsenal refinished. kind of confused me. you guys are great thanks again

 

[DWalt]

yes it is marked "united states property" on the top strap and has a V prefix on serial number. and I understand what every one just said and learned something new. interesting pistol. I should get a letter on it. now my next one to check out is a 1917 with a star on the butt and a 12/41 date under the grips. isn't that neat time to be sent back to smith and Wesson to be rebuilt? there is no united states property on it. and all metal part numbers match. thanks for the information.

Don't be too disappointed if you find out very little from the factory letter on the .38/200 Victory than you already know. The star and 12.41 date merely mean that the 1917 was returned to the factory for some service work. But it could be for anything, not necessarily a "rebuild." There were civilian Model 1917s built after WWI, and those will have no property stampings on the barrel or U. S. ARMY stampings on the butt. There were also some made for Brazil in the 1930s and 1940s. Provide the SN and pictures, and someone will tell you more about what you have.

 

[jps1935]

had to go look at the 1917. it is stamped U.S. army model 1917 on the butt. serial number 13xxx it has the hammer with the rings on it. is there any way this pistol could be a civilian model? there is no s&w trade mark on side plate? or made in usa. thanks again

 

[DWalt]

You have the WWI military version.

 

[jps1935]

excellent that's what I thought. I took a closer look at the victory model and yes it has been refinished. thanks

 

[DWalt]

excellent that's what I thought. I took a closer look at the victory model and yes it has been refinished. thanks

About the first thing to look for is that the hammer and trigger have the original mottled case-hardened finish. Yours wouldn't necessarily be a military re-finish, as phosphate finishes of the original type can be performed at home without a great deal of skill and special equipment.

 

[jps1935]

ok was the "united states property mark" put there before or after s&w finished the pistol. and is it the same for the victory model and 1917 so did s&w or the u.s. government stamp "united states property" thanks

 

[opoefc]

Stamping of both guns was done before the finish was applied. Ed.