Fathers S&W , CAN ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT IT.

[strayhorse1990]

I HAVE MY FATHERS S&W .22MAG AND I DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, ALL I KNOW IS THAT IT CAME FROM GERMANY 1960 TO 1964 HE WAS IN THE ARMY THEN. ITS MISSING A SCREW ON TOP,IT HAS A CROWN ON THE GRIPS, AND HAS A 4 DIGIT SN STRATING WITH A V. ANY HELP IN IDENTIFYING THE MODEL, AGE, WHEN MADE AND WORTH WOULD BE HELPFUL, ALSO I WAS TOLD S&W HAS A REFERB SHOP I CAN SEND IT TO AND THEY WILL REDO THE GUN, WILL THIS HURT PRICE AND HAS ANYONE DON THIS? THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

 

[gkitch]

You have an older S&W that someone has significantly customized. The grips were replaced with what are probably from King's gunshop out in California. This may also be the source of the aftermarket adjustable rear sight added to what was once a fix-sighter gun. It this a 22 Magnum caliber as the barrel indicates?
I do not know about the multiple markings on the barrel. Strange.
Your gun is not worth much at all, as collectors have zero interest in old non-originals heavily customized, and most shooters would not find it very appealing either. Keep it, shoot it, and pass it down. I'd clean it up but not bother to refinish.

 

[larryofcc]

Those markings are British Nitro Proof marks. Common to guns that were in England. Lots of Victorys have them. Big Larry

 

[Roadranger]

The revolver appears to be a WWII Victory model. It appears to have Brithish proof marks and was made either in 38 S&W or 38 Special for the military. Somewhere down the line, it has been rebarreled to 22 Magnum if I'm reading the markings correctly. I suspected the cylinder was either sleeved or replaced to make the 22 Magnum chambering. The rear sight is an add on and the top of the frame was machined for it. The grips are aftermarket. Since it's a parts gun, the value would be low for resale, but since it's was your Dad's gun, the value you place on it is up to you. Bob!

 

[Rugskipper]

It probably began life as a Victory model 38-200 which was lend-leased to Britain during WWI. Sometime after, it was re-barreled and re-chambered to .22, given some sort of aftermarket adjustable sight, and was polished and re-blued. Collector value is nil, so any work you do certainly won't hurt the price, but it won't help it either. I doubt that Smith & Wesson would touch such a heavily altered old gun. If it operates safely, I'd suggest keeping your money.

 

[4330Inroute]

Welcome to the Forum.
Keep it in the family, enjoy it for what it is, a family heirloom. If you were to sell it you would regret it somewhere down the line. How well does it shoot?

 

[DCWilson]

This gun has undergone some major modifications during its life.

From the serial number you describe (V + four digits), we can say that was shipped in 1942. The proof marks and abbreviations indicate that it was in service in Britain. It probably (but not certainly) originally chambered the .38/200 round, which is the standard military chambering for commonwealth countries at the time. The .38 Special is a different round, slightly more powerful, that was the chambering for the American versions of this revolver.

The gun was originally a fixed sight revolver, but was converted to a target model by the addition of adjustable rear sight and taller front sight blade on a ramped base. The base resembles but is not identical to front sights installed on converted wartime revolvers by Parker-Hale in Great Britain after the war.

I can't see the size of the bore or the cylinder throats, but one of the stamps on the barrel says .22 Magnum. Was the gun converted to one of the .22 centerfire standard production or wildcat rounds available in the '50s and '60s?

The barrel is probably not original to the gun, and the cylinder may be a replacement too, depending on whether bore diameter changed. Do you see the Vxxxx serial number on the flat underside of the barrel or the rear face of the cylinder? The original parts would have had those markings.

Interesting rear sight. Usually elevation and windage are both controlled by slotted screws. In this case, elevation could be adjusted by turning the knurled disk. I don't know who made that.

S&W won't touch a gun that old even if it has not been modified. I would encourage you not to try to refinish it, but just take care of it as it is and let it remain a family heirloom.

EDITED TO ADD: Boy, what a flurry of responses. Everybody piled on with pretty similar observations while I was writing up a few comments. And yes, welcome to the forum.

 

[strayhorse1990]

thanks to everyone

thanks to everyones input, i had no ideal that it started its life as a WWII gun, my father shipped it back when he was in germany, i have shot it a many of day killing ground hogs with it, it still shoots well, always grouped well also, yes it will stay in family. my daughter has shot also and killed a few ground hogs. again thanks for the info on the gun, this sight is great avenue for info. and the grips that are on it was the original grips when he sent it back from germany, i wonder it tha kings grips made them for those guns in england or where, it would have to be 40's, 50's, 60's wonder how long kings has been in business?

 

[bmcgilvray]

King's Gun Works - 1-800-282-9449

Kings is a U. S. firm.

While not collectible as an example of an original, that is a pretty neato and useful revolver.

 

[geneboy]

nice

Great old S&W, I love these old guns, Someone spent a lot of money in its day to build this gun, Just because its old don`t mean its not a great shooter. A good gun smith could make sure every thing is safe and in order, And you will have a great shooter with an interesting history. The value of your gun is- Priceless family heirloom

 

[red9]

Not a gun that would interest a Smith & Wesson purist, but conversions are a fascinating field in themselves. Most conversions are marked by the company that did the work, usually Parker Hale or Cogswell & Harrison. Not exceedingly rare in 22LR, but yours is the first I have heard of in Magnum. That may be a later alteration from LR, as the Magnum was not introduced until 1959. Your rear sight resembles the one in an earlier thread "Victory Model in 22LR." Keep it in the family and keep those varmints under control.

 

[rboineau]

I was just re-reading my collection of old "American Rifleman" magazines, and ads for these converted Victory/M&P models show up in several of the 1960 issues. They were offered in 22LR and 22Mag.

Perhaps someone on the Forum with knowledge about these guns could chime in. Did they use S&W barrels/cylinders or make/modify the parts in England?

 

[strayhorse1990]

S&W victory 22mag

i took a few pic of the cylinder, it has the same sn# on the butt also on the cylinder it has V and K2 on it, i dont think it was sleeved, look at the pics, see what you think. it has a 6 1/2 in barrel on it. im also curious, the sn#being so low, would that also be the same sn# it had as a old victory gun? V3850
thanks

 

[TACC1]

That's a pretty neat gun. Having been changed to 22 Mag just
ensures that someone will always be taking it out to use it, where
you might not have if in its original caliber.
Some day, when you get the time, you might consider typing up
a sort of history of the gun, for the time it's been in the family, and what ever you know about where it came from, and all. Keep it with
the gun, and a generation from now, family will be amazed at what
came down thru family history.
Welcome aboard, looking forward to hearing what ever you decide to do with the gun. TACC1

 

[strayhorse1990]

FATHERS GUN

I have found out more on here about this gun then dad ever knew about i just wish he was still around to to read this about it he would be amazed he died in may of 2006. im thankful of the help everyone has given me. this will help to document this gun for my daughter and one her childern.

 

[rboineau]

Update on my earlier response. Looked a little further in my "American Rifleman" collection, and found a 1961 ad for the guns that stated the barrels were made in Belgium for the conversions, so barrels were not obtained from S&W. Still wondering about the cylinders; do yours appear to be sleeved with .22 inserts or solid?

 

[rboineau]

Sorry, strayhorse, I missed your earlier post with pictures. Cylinder does appear to have been sleeved, but I could very well be wrong. Others may come in with their opinions.

I, like the others, would not refinish. You should be able to obtain, alter or make a screw for the sight strap. Do that, then take it out and see how it shoots, report back.

Cool gun, esp. with the family history.

 

[Horace Smith]

This was an interesting thread!! Does the forcing cone actually have two raised ridges in it?

 

[strayhorse1990]

FATHERS GUN

i looked at the gun again and took more pics, i think it has been sleeved, as far as the cone i dint see anything but lathe mill rings inside it coning it down. i have read the victory guns are model 10, found out tonight that there may be a victory sn data base?it would tell when it was made shipped and to where, some man by the name of charlie flick may have it, anyone know? SN#v3850 on the butt and cylinder.

 

[deadin]

What are the markings (if any) on the top of the barrel?
Also, can we get a good close up of the muzzle? (Trying to see if there is a sleeve or not.)