Just got a new to me Smith with serial number SV8123XX in 38 Spl., 5 screw. Did some research and found out what the "S" meant but can't figure out manufacture date of this gun. Anybody have any info, or where else to look?? Is this actually a "Victory" model or "Hand Eject"?
SV serial number prefix
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According to the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, it's close to the transition from the Victory to the "S" Models - around 1945. You'll hear from one or more of the experts on this forum, who are extremely knowledgeable about the manufacturing sequence of the V, SV, and S models.
skeezix
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See post # 8 in this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/160681-m-p-model-10-a.html
If your gun has a blue finish rather than the "victory parkerizing", it's likely a "post-war transition" gun made up from old victory parts and new production parts.
I have SV771010 which was shipped in March 1946.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/160681-m-p-model-10-a.html
If your gun has a blue finish rather than the "victory parkerizing", it's likely a "post-war transition" gun made up from old victory parts and new production parts.
I have SV771010 which was shipped in March 1946.
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The SV guns were manufactured from very late in 1944 through early 1946. They are a part of the "second million" M&P production that began in 1942 with a V prefix -- the Victory models. After a sailor was killed in late 1944 when a dropped gun discharged despite the presence of a hammer block safety, the safety was redesigned and guns produced after that date also had an S in the prefix to indicate the presence of the new safety block. Many predecessor guns were retrofitted with the new safety block, and an S stamp was added to those guns on either butt or sideplate, or both.
New production safety block guns with the SV prefix are numbered from about SV730000 to about SV815000 (very round numbers; allow for some variation). After that the V was deleted, and the remaining units of the "second million" were produced with just the S prefix until 1948, when the C prefix was chosen to designate M&Ps produced in the third million.
I haven't yet come across an SV revolver, but hope to. One of those is bound to be a birthday gun for me.
New production safety block guns with the SV prefix are numbered from about SV730000 to about SV815000 (very round numbers; allow for some variation). After that the V was deleted, and the remaining units of the "second million" were produced with just the S prefix until 1948, when the C prefix was chosen to designate M&Ps produced in the third million.
I haven't yet come across an SV revolver, but hope to. One of those is bound to be a birthday gun for me.
Welcome to the forum. Would really like to see a photo of the revolver you are describing, but it's almost certainly an example of S&W's early postwar M&P "production" that was initially made up from leftover Victory frames. Almost all of those were shipped in March of 1946.
A thread last year hashed out the history of these in some detail.
See: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha.../203183-postwar-commercial-victory-model.html
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After some closer examining of the gun I found on the underside of the barrel the serial number with just a "V", and an "S" stamped into the side plate on the right side of the gun. No bluing is left on the gun, but has a very smooth action and is in perfect time. Came with a set of Pach's on it so I am now in search of the appropriate grips. Thanks for the info, big help!
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I believe the tell-tale is whether the butt swivel hole was "professionally" plugged. The few photos I have seen of SVs that shipped commercial were factory plugged prior to bluing. If it is commercial post-war diamond magnas (grips); if military, the smooth plowhandles would be correct. One of the examples I viewed was lettered, it went to a hardware store in March, 1946.
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