S&W Victory 4 inch info.

[ctully]

Like many others in this forum, I recently inherited some of my Paw Paw's pistols.

The one in question has a 43xxxx serial #. It's a Hand Ejector with a 4 inch .38 S&W CTG barrel and fixed sights.

There are several V marks and W under the Cylinder yoke along with the factory production #.

From the bits I've found online, I know it's a Victory model but it has a somewhat glossy/brushed blued finish and seems to have been rebored to .38 SPL

This was originally my PawPaw's Uncle's pistol, who also put these grips on. I plan to replace with appropriate era wood grips. It also appears that the lanyard loop hole was filled in, as seen in the pictures.

Any info about would be greatly appreciated.

Thank y'all

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

The barrel has been cut from 5" to 4" and the front sight has been reattached.

 

[ctully]

Welcome to the Forum.

The barrel has been cut from 5" to 4" and the front sight has been reattached.

They did a good job at cutting the barrel, at least to my untrained eye. There is a weld mark or scratch at the back of the front sight though.

Was this typically done at government armories or private gunsmiths after government sale?

 

[Muley Gil]

Private companies and gunsmiths did the majority of the conversions.

 

[dobegrant]

I would leave as is to maintain the family connection, just the wat your grandfather set the gun up, very cool old gun

 

[ctully]

I would leave as is to maintain the family connection, just the wat your grandfather set the gun up, very cool old gun

Thanks it is a really cool piece. This pistol was passed down to me from my PawPaw, but it was originally his Uncle's back in the day. Not a fan of the tacky plastic stag grips at all. I'm keeping the Model 38 (the golden goose outta the bunch of pistols I received) as it is, because Pawpaw actually did carry that one.

 

[Major 2]

If they are Franzite Grips and more that likely are, they have collector value.
I'd leave the gun just as Paw-Paw had it.

The Man Behind Franzite Grips

Franzite Grips were the namesake brand of Peter von Frantzius (sometimes Frantizius ) (died April 6, 1968) who was a Chicago businessman and alleged arms dealer to the Chicago underworld during...

www.franzitegrips.com

 

[DWalt]

Nothing you can do will improve it. Just leave it be as a shooter. Franzite grips were popular replacements in the 1950s-60s, and there are still those who prize them. The main problem I've had with Franzite grips is that they tend to warp with age. I have heated them up over an electric stove element which softens them and you can straighten the warp, at least to better than it was, if you're careful. I personally wouldn't bother finding wood grips and a lanyard swivel, but that's your money and your decision.

I didn't know about Frantzius and the mob. Here in San Antonio, we had Hymie Lebman, noted gunsmith to the prohibition era gangsters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyman_S._Lehman