Commercial Victory Model

[gjamison]

Purchased this a week before Christmas and finally got around to cleaning it. I've always liked the Victory model as well as the early M&Ps. The only strange thing I can find about the gun is it has an S stamped on the side plate, anyone seen this before? Everything serial numbers correct even the grips. I have several early S serial number M&Ps but this is my first SV serial number commercial Victory.

 

[Muley Gil]

The "S" indicates it has the new safety, introduced towards the end of WW II.

 

[gjamison]

The "S" indicates it has the new safety, introduced towards the end of WW II.

I knew about the hammer block, just have not seen an S on the side plate.

 

[JP@AK]

gjamison

Yours very likely shipped in March, 1946. Nice example.

Gil's answer is correct. The sideplate had to receive extra machining to accomodate the new sliding hammer block safety. So, the machinist stamped the S in the corner of the sideplate to identify it as one that had the extra clearance. I believe this was to make it easier for the fitters to pull a correct sideplate for fitting to a specific frame. Most of the early postwar SV prefix units had that mark, as did some of the early S prefix revolvers.

 

[smithman 10]

A Victory I let go

All Victory threads make me feel bad, as I was dumb enough to sell the only one I ever owned quite a few years ago.

 

[Baxter6551]

Jamison - I have one which I lettered - shipped 3/7/46. Until your post I had no idea of the letter S stamped on the side plate. Took my grips off - sure enough !! Another something new I learned on this great forum. I bought mine along with a wartime victory so I consider them a set and don't intend on separating.

 

[bdGreen]

Jink's letter denotes the addition of the 'S'.

Interesting stuff.

The 'dimple' in the right stock to accommodate the round head screw that was later changed to a flat head screw. So, no more dimples...

Beautiful gun of quality manufacturing, post war.

enjoy,

bdGreen

Tap on image to enlarge.

 

[gjamison]

Jamison - I have one which I lettered - shipped 3/7/46. Until your post I had no idea of the letter S stamped on the side plate. Took my grips off - sure enough !! Another something new I learned on this great forum. I bought mine along with a wartime victory so I consider them a set and don't intend on separating.

How close is your serial number to mine? Beautiful pre war magnas!

 

[Baxter6551]

Gjamison - my serial number SV8093xx is about 750 guns away from yours and just over 2,000 away from BD Green's lower serial number yet mine shipped a week before his ! Further proof as I have read many times on the forum that they didn't ship in serial number order. I would suspect you have a March 1946 ship date also but I guess a letter is the only way to be sure.
BD thanks for pointing out the dimple in the grip - I hadn't noticed that either! Two things I learned about my gun today just by taking off one grip panel! How cool you have the box.

 

[bdGreen]

Gjamison - my serial number SV8093xx is about 750 guns away from yours and just over 2,000 away from BD Green's lower serial number yet mine shipped a week before his ! Further proof as I have read many times on the forum that they didn't ship in serial number order. I would suspect you have a March 1946 ship date also but I guess a letter is the only way to be sure.
BD thanks for pointing out the dimple in the grip - I hadn't noticed that either! Two things I learned about my gun today just by taking off one grip panel! How cool you have the box.

An interesting observation,

my washers are black and yours are silver.

Mine number.

Yours number?

bdGreen

 

[Baxter6551]

Yes BD my grips and all other numbers match

 

[Retired W4]

Another SV with the S on the side plate.