I know that the hammer block design was changed by the factory after a sailor was killed shipboard by a dropped revolver. A sad loss during war time. Would someone with information fill me (us) in on the date and possibly serial #s of that change. Thank you in advance...c.w.
Question for the experts...hammer block revision
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There was an article in 1950's era Gun Digest that hinted that maybe that incident was not caused by the gun being dropped, but careless handling. "I dropped it and it went off" is still a popular excuse. 
c.w.
Here is the story the best that I understand it.
The incident was reported to S&W in September, 1944 (exactly when it happened is unknown as far as I am aware). S&W engineers went to work on the issue that month. By December, they had an approved design and production went into motion. The first Victory Models with the new sliding block hammer safety shipped from the factory in January, 1945.
Units with the new safety mechanism were given serial numbers with an S in front of the V (SV prefix)* and another S was stamped on the sideplate near the back corner. The purpose of that second S was to identify sideplates that had been properly machined on the inside to accommodate the newly designed inner parts and the S helped keep them separate from older sideplates without the groove.
Officially, the first revolver with the new design was assigned a serial number at or near SV769000. But examples have been identified with lower numbers. The lowest one I've found is SV732261, which shipped to the Navy on June 29, 1945. Keep in mind that they were neither shipped nor assembled in serial order.
*There is ONE known example of a revolver with a VS prefix. I have examined closeup photos of it and am convinced it was simply a mistake. It has a relatively high number (VS813xxx), so it was assembled after the war was over and was in a commercial shipment. The V is smaller than the rest of the stamping and is out of line with the S. It may have been an afterthought for whatever reason, but I doubt we will ever know how it came to be. I've been studying these late war and early postwar guns for nearly a decade and no other VS gun has come to light. That one is an anomaly.
Here is the story the best that I understand it.
The incident was reported to S&W in September, 1944 (exactly when it happened is unknown as far as I am aware). S&W engineers went to work on the issue that month. By December, they had an approved design and production went into motion. The first Victory Models with the new sliding block hammer safety shipped from the factory in January, 1945.
Units with the new safety mechanism were given serial numbers with an S in front of the V (SV prefix)* and another S was stamped on the sideplate near the back corner. The purpose of that second S was to identify sideplates that had been properly machined on the inside to accommodate the newly designed inner parts and the S helped keep them separate from older sideplates without the groove.
Officially, the first revolver with the new design was assigned a serial number at or near SV769000. But examples have been identified with lower numbers. The lowest one I've found is SV732261, which shipped to the Navy on June 29, 1945. Keep in mind that they were neither shipped nor assembled in serial order.
*There is ONE known example of a revolver with a VS prefix. I have examined closeup photos of it and am convinced it was simply a mistake. It has a relatively high number (VS813xxx), so it was assembled after the war was over and was in a commercial shipment. The V is smaller than the rest of the stamping and is out of line with the S. It may have been an afterthought for whatever reason, but I doubt we will ever know how it came to be. I've been studying these late war and early postwar guns for nearly a decade and no other VS gun has come to light. That one is an anomaly.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
If you are interested in more specifics, the chapter on Victorys in Charles Pate’s book on WW II handguns describes the process and timeline of adoption in detail, with quotes and documents.
With that kind of inquiry, it sounds like you're in need of some books to research for details.
Probably the best sources for the information level of detail you request are those by Roy Jinks, S&W Historian and Charles Pate in his book: "U.S. Handguns of WWII, the secondary Pistols & Revolvers" 1998.
The new design was introduced in Sept. 1944 or Dec 1944, sources vary, at about #V-800,000, and it's known as the "slide action hammer block".
Since ~ 40,000 revolvers were sent back to S&W from the military for retrofitting of this new safety, the serial numbers of guns that have the new safety will be all over the place.
However using the dates above you can interpolate an approximate serial # range within which new revolvers were built with the safety, from databases and published lists based on known and estimated serial # ship dates.
Probably the best sources for the information level of detail you request are those by Roy Jinks, S&W Historian and Charles Pate in his book: "U.S. Handguns of WWII, the secondary Pistols & Revolvers" 1998.
The new design was introduced in Sept. 1944 or Dec 1944, sources vary, at about #V-800,000, and it's known as the "slide action hammer block".
Since ~ 40,000 revolvers were sent back to S&W from the military for retrofitting of this new safety, the serial numbers of guns that have the new safety will be all over the place.
However using the dates above you can interpolate an approximate serial # range within which new revolvers were built with the safety, from databases and published lists based on known and estimated serial # ship dates.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Excellent point.
If I remember correctly, a while ago Charlie Flick wrote about the JSB-inspected guns from that Navy contract. He opined that this contract for refurbishment included more older used-up guns, and showed some pre-Victorys from early 1942 with the added S.
Good points from both of you. I believe Charlie's suspicions are correct. The majority of converted units were from earlier in the war, sent back by the Navy.
That's why I don't believe SV732261, which I mentioned in Post #4, is one of them. It is just a lower serial number gun that hadn't been assembled before December, 1944, and got the new design when it was built in 1945. I show several others that fit into that niche.
All of the SV prefix guns that went to the Navy shipped in 1945. The last shipment was to the Norfolk Navy Yard on August 13, 1945. That shipment included the highest serial number Victory Model received by the Navy - SV802722.
The dates and serial numbers I provided in Post #4 above reflect more recent research than was available to Pate or to Jim and Richard when their books were written. I've spoken to Jim about this and promised to get the results of my research to him before the SCSW 5th Edition comes out. Originally, I had planned to provide what I had at the time for the 4th Edition, but my wife was battling cancer in that period and I just couldn't devote the time and energy needed to get it done. (Deb is now cancer-free, btw.)
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
My gut reaction is that the V, being of smaller size and anomalous may have been added by an "ambitious" owner. But of course I have not seen it. I bow to your expertise and observation.
I also rejoice anew in knowing Deb is now cancer free!! Thank you Lord.
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