Rescued an old one(I think)

[revolverdave]

Hello, First post. Complete NOOB, please bear with me. This is my first Smith. Ser.# 32177x It's a 6 shot, 38 s&w ctg. 5 inch barrel- measured from face of cyl. Large ejector knob. 5 screws, S&W stamp and Made in USA on rt. side. Round blade front sight. Somewhere along the line it got nickel plated.

I have the book on order but I'm hoping someone can tell me what I have- I ,J, or K frame? Model & year? I love this revolver it shoots GREAT. Hope to find the correct stocks for it.

TIA, Dave.

 

[lowercase]

Sounds like a great find.

Everyone else is going to say it, so I might as well be the first:

WE NEED PICTURES!!!

 

[revolverdave]

Got 'em coming. As soon as I figure out how to post them here...
-D.

 

[Broker50]

Hello, First post. Complete NOOB, please bear with me. This is my first Smith. Ser.# 32177x It's a 6 shot, 38 s&w ctg. 5 inch barrel- measured from face of cyl. Large ejector knob. 5 screws, S&W stamp and Made in USA on rt. side. Round blade front sight. Somewhere along the line it got nickel plated.

I have the book on order but I'm hoping someone can tell me what I have- I ,J, or K frame? Model & year? I love this revolver it shoots GREAT. Hope to find the correct stocks for it.

TIA, Dave.

If it's a 6 shot 38 Spl, it's either a K, or N frame. Most likely a K frame M&P, or Pre Mod 10. And WELCOME aboard!

 

[revolverdave]

This one is chambered for 38 S&W. Flat style mainspring. Square butt, I forgot to add-and found V342119 on bottom of barrel, above ejector rod.

 

[Hondo44]

It's a Victory Model series (hence the V prefix to the serial number), of the standard 38 Military and Police Model. The 38 S&W chambering instead of the 38 S&W Special service cartridge, indicates it was made for the British Commonwealth countries to fire their 38/200 gr bullet service cartridge. However, many US firearms were chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge and ammo is still produced.

A complete explanation of your gun is stated in the attachment of a S&W historical letter shown in the first post of this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...4759-pre-victory-38-200-no-brit-markings.html

Note in the letter that many were rechambered for the 38 special.
Both professional and non-professional methods used.

If 38 special rounds will fit in the chambers but 38 S&W (slightly larger in diameter but also shorter) will not, it has been properly rechambered and can safely be shot with 38 Spl ammo. If they both fit in the chamber, it was rechambered in a less professional way and I would stick to shooting 38 S&W in it.

 

[DWalt]

I am confused - what is the serial number on the base of the butt? If it's 32177x, it's from the early 1930s. If it's V342119 it's a Victory .38/200 from mid-1943 (which is a K frame). Are you certain it has not been re-chambered for .38 Special?

 

[revolverdave]

It's a Victory Model series (hence the V prefix to the serial number), of the standard 38 Military and Police Model. The 38 S&W chambering instead of the 38 S&W Special service cartridge, indicates it was made for the British Commonwealth countries to fire their 38/200 gr bullet service cartridge. However, many US firearms were chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge and ammo is still produced.

A complete explanation of your gun is stated in the attachment of a S&W historical letter shown in the first post of this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...4759-pre-victory-38-200-no-brit-markings.html

Note in the letter that many were rechambered for the 38 special.
Both professional and non-professional methods used.

If 38 special rounds will fit in the chambers but 38 S&W (slightly larger in diameter but also shorter) will not, it has been properly rechambered and can safely be shot with 38 Spl ammo. If they both fit in the chamber, it was rechambered in a less professional way and I would stick to shooting 38 S&W in it.

Very interesting- I've only shot .38 s&w in it because that's how it's marked. I dug out some specials and checked the fit and they are slightly loose in the cyl. compared to the .38 s&w fired brass, which fits what I'd say is exactly, and they show no bulging. I'm starting to think I have a mutt that was re-barreled at some point. Anyway, it shoots very well and is accurate. I'm happy all around! Only cost me $180 at a pawn shop...

 

[revolverdave]

Hi, yes it has 32177x on the butt and v342119 on the bottom of the barrel. Now I'm thinking somebody re-barreled & nickel plated it. The plating job is good, but the metal finishing underneath is not what I'd call "Smith Quality" .38 s&w fits right and .38 specials fit a little loose so I think it's chambered correctly. Looks and shoots nice. Its found its "forever home" as long as I'm around! I'm really into this now and It'll be interesting to see what the factory has to say -will update.
Now to go find some correct stocks. Originals are missing.

-D.

 

[Hondo44]

That's very interesting! DWalt recognized something that I didn't: the two serial #s are different besides the V.

As DWalt said, apparently your gun is a 38 Spl M&P K frame from the '30s. But has been rebarreled with a 38 S&W Victory series barrel which has a slightly different bore diameter than 38 Spl. And since 38 spls fit the chambers, but loosely, the chambers were reamed for the larger diameter 38 S&W cartridge. A very unusual conversion. Usually they are the way around.

Does the serial # on the rear face of the cylinder match the # on the butt?

 

[revolverdave]

Hi Jim, I started looking at photos around this site and noticed a Victory showing the same # on the back of the cylinder as on the butt. Mine is flat smooth. If it had one I guess it got machined off. Does S&W stamp the back of all cylinders?

The plot thickens...

BTW, Thanks to all of you who took the time to share your knowledge with me. It's very much appreciated!
-D.

 

[DWalt]

"... the chambers were reamed for the larger diameter 38 S&W cartridge"

Possibly the chambers were originally for .38 S&W, but bored out more deeply for .38 Special. The SN on the rear face of the cylinder (if there is one) could help establish what happened.

 

[Hondo44]

Hi Jim, I started looking at photos around this site and noticed a Victory showing the same # on the back of the cylinder as on the butt. Mine is flat smooth. If it had one I guess it got machined off. Does S&W stamp the back of all cylinders?

The plot thickens...

BTW, Thanks to all of you who took the time to share your knowledge with me. It's very much appreciated!
-D.

Dave,
Pre war guns have serial #s in 6* locations, target models in 8* (or 9*, early pre war the rear sight blade can have the serial # or assembly #).

*Note: Triple Locks have 7, on targets 9 (or 10) since the TL cam plate is also stamped.
Postwar guns continued the 6 locations but dropped the target sight locations.
The 6 locations left are:

butt or front grip strap on 22 /32s & Regulation Police I frames. The number on the butt may be drilled thru by the factory for installation of a lanyard ring but is re-stamped on the grip frame, under the left stock.
Barrel*
extractor star
cylinder
Yoke* on rear face visible thru a chamber with a flashlight
Backside of right stock
*Note: these two locations will usually also have the B for Blue finish or N for Nickel.

In c. 1957 as the Model Numbers were assigned and stamped on the frame side of the yoke hinge, the serial #s decreased from 6 to 3, butt, star and right stock.
After Model # stamping began, the serial number was not put in the yoke cut until late 1959 or early 1960, and then it was only put there when the revolver was shipped with target stocks. Soon after, serials were stamped on the frame in the yoke as well except on some smaller guns where it just didn't fit.

This Yoke stamping of the serial # on later guns is the reason for many pre 1957 guns to be incorrectly registered by the useless assembly # on the frame in the yoke.

The stock # and hand fitting were dropped c. mid 1970s due to a more accurate stock making technique. There are exceptions like anything S&W, but the extractor stamping didn't cease until c. 1980 and only the butt and yoke stamping locations remain.

Extractors were numbered from the early Hand Ejector models through about 1980.
They were numbered because the ratchet lugs had been fitted to that particular gun, and it would be separated from the gun at some points of finishing.
This is true for blue, nickel, and stainless guns.

 

[sophie]

Welcome to the forum from Texas.

________
James