M&P Victory

[Inkgardener]

I acquired this 38 special Victory yesterday. It’s an interesting gun but looks newish and not used or fired much. From my research I think it came from DSC.

Looks like a gun I shouldn’t shoot and that’s not really me. All of mine are shooters. Are alot of these out there? I’m trying to decide if it’s ok to shoot this or just collect it?

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[ordnanceguy]

I acquired this 38 special Victory yesterday. It’s an interesting gun but looks newish and not used or fired much. From my research I think it came from DSC.

The top strap shows that it is marked U.S. NAVY so it is not a DSC shipped gun.

What is the serial number? Is the serial number inside the right stock panel the same as that on the butt?

The ejector rod appears to be parkerized. If so, it has been refinished. If the gun has been refinished then it's collectibility has been adversely affected thus removing any impediment to shooting it.

Regards,
Charlie

 

[JP@AK]

You are not going to harm it by shooting it. I would not suggest packing it in a holster though. That's where the wear would come from.

Actually, I'm much more interested in the serial number of this one. Here's why:

It is NOT a DSC unit. It has U.S. Navy stamped on the top strap. That would indicate that it was a Navy Contract gun from fairly early in the war.

It also has the small S on the side plate, which indicates it is a Navy gun that was sent back to the factory in late 1944 or early 1945 to have the new sliding hammer block safety installed. I have been accumulating serial numbers of that category of Victory models but they don't show up too often. We know the Navy did send a bunch of them back for the conversion. Developing an historical record of those that are found is good for the collective knowledge of S&W history.

If you don't want to post the full serial number here, please at least send me a PM. I don't track ownership - just the data.

 

[JP@AK]

After I posted, I saw Charlie's post. I agree with him that this
revolver has probably been refinished. Still, it's pretty nice and a keeper.

 

[Slufstuff]

That is a nice USN Victory IMO. Even if it was refinished at S&W when upgraded, I would still be happy to have that one in my collection.

 

[Inkgardener]

M&P Victory

That’s good news! I thought it had been refinished since it looked so good, but not sure since I haven’t seen an original to compare it to.

When I originally saw it, I noticed the stocks, and just thought someone refurbished a neglected model 10 and that’s when I noticed the US Navy marking.




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[ordnanceguy]

Inkgardener:

Thanks for posting the excellent photos and the serial number. With that info I can tell you that your revolver likely shipped from the S&W factory to the Navy in January, 1943, based upon the Victory Model Database.

Regards,
Charlie

 

[CrossHare]

Victory Serial Number

I have an old Victory and the serial number on the butt is V 6271xx with the last 2 digits being much smaller and looking as if they were added separately (almost on top of each other). The number on the cylinder matches, and looks normal. However the number under the yoke is 828xx. There is also a BNP stamp on the left side of the frame.
Based on some of the posts in this forum, I am assuming it may be a returned British pistol reconfigured to use 38 Special rounds for commercial sales. Also the lanyard hole is filled. Were these guns given new serial numbers when converted. Hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

 

[alwslate]

It's a Navy marked victory in very nice shape but clearly refinished so If it were mine I would not hesitate to shoot it. I have a Navy marked Victory that is not as nice but still has the original Black Magic finish. I shoot it with std. pressure cast bullet handloads.

 

[Inkgardener]

It's a Navy marked victory in very nice shape but clearly refinished so If it were mine I would not hesitate to shoot it. I have a Navy marked Victory that is not as nice but still has the original Black Magic finish. I shoot it with std. pressure cast bullet handloads.

+1 for shooting it on special occasions! I got two sons in the Navy so maybe Veterans Day and 4th of July.

So is the Black Magic finish more a black color? Mine is more “parkerized” color.


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[Inkgardener]

You are not going to harm it by shooting it. I would not suggest packing it in a holster though. That's where the wear would come from.

Actually, I'm much more interested in the serial number of this one. Here's why:

It is NOT a DSC unit. It has U.S. Navy stamped on the top strap. That would indicate that it was a Navy Contract gun from fairly early in the war.

It also has the small S on the side plate, which indicates it is a Navy gun that was sent back to the factory in late 1944 or early 1945 to have the new sliding hammer block safety installed. I have been accumulating serial numbers of that category of Victory models but they don't show up too often. We know the Navy did send a bunch of them back for the conversion. Developing an historical record of those that are found is good for the collective knowledge of S&W history.

If you don't want to post the full serial number here, please at least send me a PM. I don't track ownership - just the data.

I’m curious to know how many of this category have you recorded? This one is my “rarest”, if you can call it that. Cool for me to have something like this.

I plan on shooting it on Independence Day but it won’t be holstered. I might display it in my library next to my WWII shelf.


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[JP@AK]

I’m curious to know how many of this category have you recorded?

Fewer than 10. The lowest serial number is V23541.

 

[Goony]

Here's mine, serial number SV2612XX. The top strap is stamped "U.S NAVY" and there's a small "S" at the upper left of the side plate. Original stocks. Unlike the OP's example, the "V" on the butt of mine is separated from the rest of the serial number by the butt swivel. The "S" stamped in front of the "V" slightly overlaps an additional ordnance bomb marking there.

 

[DWalt]

“Black Magic” is the brand name of a hot oxide bluing process used by S&W at the factory. It is essentially the same bluing process currently used by many gun manufacturers and gunsmiths. A very small number received a phosphate finish at S&W during the war, but those were not Navy revolvers. It is certainly possible that your Victory may have received a phosphate (Parkerized) finish at some later time, but not done by S&W. The Australians did refinish some military revolvers by phosphating during the postwar period as part of rebuilding them, but those were not Navy revolvers.

Phosphating is a fairly simple operation. You can buy a chemical kit and perform it on your guns in your kitchen.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello all experts on the Victory Model. Once and for all, did there guns leave S&W blued or parkerized?

 

[DWalt]

Nearly all Victories were blued over a bead blasted surface.

 

[alwslate]

+1 for shooting it on special occasions! I got two sons in the Navy so maybe Veterans Day and 4th of July.

So is the Black Magic finish more a black color? Mine is more “parkerized” color.


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The finish on my Victory model is a bit worn but is a rather thin looking black finish that shows the "texture" of the steel and the surface imperfections of not being polished like a blued gun or your grey refinished gun.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have an old Victory and the serial number on the butt is V 6271xx with the last 2 digits being much smaller and looking as if they were added separately (almost on top of each other). The number on the cylinder matches, and looks normal. However the number under the yoke is 828xx. There is also a BNP stamp on the left side of the frame.
Based on some of the posts in this forum, I am assuming it may be a returned British pistol reconfigured to use 38 Special rounds for commercial sales. Also the lanyard hole is filled. Were these guns given new serial numbers when converted. Hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

Welcome to the Forum.

Sounds like you have a British Service Revolver (BSR) version of the WW II Victory model. The numbers stamped on the frame and on the yoke are assembly numbers, used to keep parts together during the build.

It is always better to start a new thread rather than piggybacking on an existing one.

Pictures, especially of the markings, would be very helpful.

 

[CrossHare]

Appreciate the help. I posted a new thread (defiantly a rookie mistake) with pictures. Hope they shed a bit more light on things.
Thanks again.