Stamped numbers

[Old Grumpy]

I was looking at a S&W Victory (chambered for .38 S&W) and it has FTR/MAS54 stamped on the side. Is this a rebuild stamp? It also appears to have been parkerized not blued.

The listing said it possibly meant Factory Total Rebuild, possibly in 1954

Anyone know?

Grumpy

 

[Wiregrassguy]

It is a British Commonwealth, probably Australia, Factory Thorough Repair (FTR) WWII British Service Revolver. The work was done in 1954.

 

[Retired W4]

I'll bet that Aussie victory was imported by VESA of Sacramento, CA. The import mark will be above the trigger on the left side.

 

[2152hq]

Rebuild at Lithgow Arsenal (Australia).
The MA was their Factory code during WW2 and after.
'MA' was their TelEx code. No indication that it ever was meant to represent Munitions Australia as many have said.

There's likely an inspectors mark for the completion of the work as W4's revolver shows in the same area on the side w/ an 'L' .
That L denotes the Lithgow inspector. No way to tell who the individual inspector was by the number AFAIK.

Quite a few of these were imported that had been FTR'd @ Lithgow post WW2 and probably just stored/packed away till being sold as surplus.
I think about the same time as the flood of SMLE's came in from Australia.