Need help to ID this revolver

[Fatal Wound]

The following is what is known about the pistol:

S&W 38 Special
Hand ejector
S/N 760XXX
5" barrel
Fixed sights
Has Strain screw
5 screws
Has the letters PV on backside of cylinder along with S/N
Has the letter V on butt along with S/N

I think it might be a model 10? but you guys are the pros, what say you.

 

[federali]

I think it's an old M&P or Military and Police, predecessor of the Model 10.

 

[scha]

The "V" is part of the serial number on the grip frame and this indicates that it is a WWII Victory Revolver. The 38 Special Victory models, however, only came with a 4 inch barrel (and a very very few with 2 inch barrels). Since yours is a 5 inch barrel, what is the serial number on the flat undersurface of the barrel? Perhaps the barrel has been changed. The revolver has also been nickel plated. Originally it had a flat military finish. Factory nickel never has the trigger or hammer plated.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[opoefc]

it's a Model of 1905, 4th change, better known as a WW2 vintage "V" for Victory Model, lent to the British, originally in 38/200 caliber. Most of these have been converted to fire .38 Special rounds by boring out the chambers, so check the gun to see if a .38 Spl. round will chamber. The gun has been refinish poorly in nickel or chrome and probably has after market stocks. If it's mechanically functional it has value to some as a shooter, but it has no collector value. Ed.

 

[Buford57]

it's a Model of 1905, 4th change, better known as a WW2 vintage "V" for Victory Model, lent to the British, originally in 38/200 caliber. Most of these have been converted to fire .38 Special rounds by boring out the chambers, so check the gun to see if a .38 Spl. round will chamber. The gun has been refinish poorly in nickel or chrome and probably has after market stocks. If it's mechanically functional it has value to some as a shooter, but it has no collector value. Ed.

Don't know about the cylinder rebore, but the pics clearly show a 5" barrel with factory "38 S&W Special CTG" marking. Rebarrel with a prewar replacement? Odd.

 

[Fatal Wound]

It will chamber a 38 special round with no issue. The grips that came with it are labeled "The Pachmayr Gripper". Was told it came with pearl grips. It is a 5" barrel. Matching s/n's. The s/n should be all I need to get some kind of date for it? Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[DWalt]

As stated above, it's a WWII Victory model, which likely shipped in early 1945. This was one of the very last Victories made without the improved hammer block safety. Unfortunately, someone has done a very poor and amateurish nickel plating job on it at some later time. It is also missing the upper sideplate screw (aka Bug Screw). It is NOT a Model 10. Those didn't start until the late 1950s. No collector value, but it could be an OK shooter. If it had pearl (Mother of) grips, it did not come that way from the factory. Standard grips were smooth wood. If you have just bought it, I sincerely hope you didn't pay much.

 

[glowe]

The Victory was issued in 4", 5", and 6" barrels, so your revolver could very well be wearing an original barrel. I think the finish is chrome, which greatly reduces any value one might see with an un-restored Victory. Add to that the cylinders are bored to accept 38 Special and you will likely never see much in value. As a shooter, you also potentially have problems. The 38 S&W was a .360" - .361 bullet, while the 38 Special is a .357" bullet. What often happens is if the barrel is at all worn, the .357" bullet will not engage the rifling and accuracy can suffer. Also, the brass can split in the cylinder, since the 38 Special brass is also smaller than the 38 S&W. All that said, I would guess that the gun would function just fine and will shoot either 38 Special or 38 S&W.

 

[Fatal Wound]

As stated above, it's a WWII Victory model, which likely shipped in early 1945. This was one of the very last Victories made without the improved hammer block safety. Unfortunately, someone has done a very poor and amateurish nickel plating job on it at some later time. It is also missing the upper sideplate screw (aka Bug Screw). It is NOT a Model 10. Those didn't start until the late 1950s. No collector value, but it could be an OK shooter. If it had pearl (Mother of) grips, it did not come that way from the factory. Standard grips were smooth wood. If you have just bought it, I sincerely hope you didn't pay much.

Good eye on the missing screw. Are replacements hard to come by? As far as the price goes, it was part of a package deal consisting of a almost new in original box Norinco AK47 Sporter and a never fired Lorcin 380. Never seen or heard of one before. The Net describes it as ****. Might be of value to someone. Once again thank you all for the inputs.

 

[Absalom]

Don't know about the cylinder rebore, but the pics clearly show a 5" barrel with factory "38 S&W Special CTG" marking. Rebarrel with a prewar replacement? Odd.

The other odd feature nobody has commented on: small logo on the right. That's not a BSR sideplate, just like it's not a BSR or Victory barrel, as there were (to my knowledge) no .38 Special-marked 5" barreled guns at the time which V 760xxx would suggest.

 

[jsfricks]

The other odd feature nobody has commented on: small logo on the right. That's not a BSR sideplate, just like it's not a BSR or Victory barrel, as there were (to my knowledge) no .38 Special-marked 5" barreled guns at the time which V 760xxx would suggest.

I, too, noticed and wondered about the 38 Special marked barrel.

 

[Absalom]

There are a few more things to check out. Is there evidence of a lanyard swivel screw hole (it might be pretty well camouflaged by the refinish, should be next to serial on butt)? Also, if possible, get a hold of a live .38 S&W round; if it does not go in, you have an original .38 Special cylinder, unless it's one of the relatively uncommon British .38/200's that were actually sleeved for .38 Special; in any case, if .38 S&W does not fit, you can forget about the potential problems Gary mentioned above if you want to shoot it.

I'd like to see a nice close-up of the butt markings. It still presents as an odd kind of Frankengun, a frame with a Victory serial, but the wrong sideplate for the serial and the wrong barrel length for the caliber.

 

[handejector]

Is there evidence of a lanyard swivel screw hole (it might be pretty well camouflaged by the refinish, should be next to serial on butt)?

You can see the hole for the swivel retaining pin in Pic 2.

Something is stamped on rear of cyl besides the V and the number.
Is that an S ??

 

[glowe]

. . . Something is stamped on rear of cyl besides the V and the number.
Is that an S ??

Interesting possibilities. Late production Victorys are documented with 5" barrels and if it was issued very late could it not have a small logo? SV771XXX was shipped in 1946 with a 5" barrel. Could the P be an S?

We need serial numbers from the rear of the cylinder and the flat under the barrel. There is also a number on the inside of the sideplate that is either the serial number or the assembly number in various S&W models to check to make sure it was not replaced.

 

[DWalt]

It's still just a shooter. None of the speculations have any positive bearing on the collectibility or value of this revolver, but they are interesting to ponder.

 

[handejector]

Could the P be an S?

Duhhhhhhhhh.....
Never mind.
I'm sorry for adding confusion.
I forgot he said this:

Has the letters PV on backside of cylinder along with S/N

 

[Fatal Wound]

Here are some more pics.

 

[swamprabbit]

Looks like a number 47 in the middle pic. A date maybe?