serial number is the same on under barrel cyl and bottom of grip 668xxx the v is before the lanyard and serial number after lanyard ring. 6 inch barrel the gun is blued with sharp letters and numbers. the grips are checkered in middle of grip with s&w logo at top of grip.front sight is round and rear is frame sight round.is this gun a true victory gun? tks for any help.
v model38
- Thread starter james allen
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Welcome! A photo or two here would really help.
Any S & W revolver of this era with a V prefix is informally called a Victory Model. However, these universally had dull phosphate finishes and smooth walnut stocks, and either a 4" barrel (.38 Special) or 5" barrel (.38 S & W), measured from cylinder face to muzzle.
So, if the serial number is V 668xxx and the barrel 6", the possibility of a refinish and a barrel swap for yours is high.
Any S & W revolver of this era with a V prefix is informally called a Victory Model. However, these universally had dull phosphate finishes and smooth walnut stocks, and either a 4" barrel (.38 Special) or 5" barrel (.38 S & W), measured from cylinder face to muzzle.
So, if the serial number is V 668xxx and the barrel 6", the possibility of a refinish and a barrel swap for yours is high.
you posting several good pics' of all the markings is the only hope for an answer to your question!...Welcome
DWalt
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It would indeed be very odd for a Victory of that period to have an original 6" barrel. You might double check that barrel length. By the way, V668xxx would probably have left the factory around mid to late 1944. Grips should be smooth (uncheckered) wood, so yours are not original.
Regarding the finish, very few Victories left S&W with a phosphate finish, or so it appears. Most of them seem to have an abrasive blasted metal finish, and then blued using a caustic hot bath oxide bluing (called Black Magic or sometimes Midnight Black), rather than the normal S&W pre-war "Carbona" bluing process applied over highly polished metal.
Regarding the finish, very few Victories left S&W with a phosphate finish, or so it appears. Most of them seem to have an abrasive blasted metal finish, and then blued using a caustic hot bath oxide bluing (called Black Magic or sometimes Midnight Black), rather than the normal S&W pre-war "Carbona" bluing process applied over highly polished metal.
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OP
Absalom
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Sorry I didn't have any pictures, just learning. Here are the pictures of the gun that is marked the Victory model. Thanks! - James Allen
Hm. The V is on the butt, but missing in two locations where it should be: next to the serial on the barrel flat, and to the left of the number between the next two chambers of the cylinder.
Together with the non-Victory 6“ barrel, there are some possibilities:
1. Someone added a V to the butt of M&P #668672.
2. Someone replaced the barrel and cylinder of V 668672 with unnumbered new parts (maybe .38 Spl) and restamped only the number without the V.
3. Or? There is also something funky about the finish around those digits on the butt (but not the V).
What caliber is marked on the barrel? 38 S&W CTG or 38 S&W SPECIAL CTG?
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Thanks for the photos. An interesting gun!
Absolom put forward one explanation for its current appearance. Another possibility is it was a prewar .38 M & P that was rebuilt during WW II. A similar gun was discussed here a few years back and I will try to find it and post the link. As I recall that one was a defense plant gun used for competition of some sort.
This one may be worth a letter of authenticity just for the curiosity factor.
Absolom put forward one explanation for its current appearance. Another possibility is it was a prewar .38 M & P that was rebuilt during WW II. A similar gun was discussed here a few years back and I will try to find it and post the link. As I recall that one was a defense plant gun used for competition of some sort.
This one may be worth a letter of authenticity just for the curiosity factor.
As for the stocks, they are the PC Magna style and I can't see a diamond at the screw location. Hence, they would be more than two decades newer than the gun.
I think this is a Victory frame with a replaced barrel and cylinder. It probably chambers the .38 Special, regardless of what cartridge the frame was made for originally.
I think this is a Victory frame with a replaced barrel and cylinder. It probably chambers the .38 Special, regardless of what cartridge the frame was made for originally.
OP
the barrel is marked on right side 38 s&w special ctg. thanhyou for all the onfo and i just may write for the letter tks.
Muley Gil
US Veteran
Welcome to the Forum.
Remove the grips and look on the grip frame for a stamped date, such as 8.54, which would indicate it was worked on at the factory in August 1954. It is possible that S&W did the rework and failed to stamp the "V" prefix on the bottom of the barrel and on the rear of the cylinder.
Remove the grips and look on the grip frame for a stamped date, such as 8.54, which would indicate it was worked on at the factory in August 1954. It is possible that S&W did the rework and failed to stamp the "V" prefix on the bottom of the barrel and on the rear of the cylinder.
OP
under the left grip on the flat of the backstrap a small v is stamped in the metal. i know the grips are not period for the gun. right grip is stamped 908385 into the wood could this gun been used in some type of civilian defense use? tks for the help.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I think it‘s unlikely that the gun was modified into this configuration while in service.
The more likely scenario is that somebody used the frame of a re-imported surplus British Service Victory to build a .38 Special shooter by replacing the original .38 S&W barrel and cylinder with .38 Special versions. Both barrels and cylinders were widely available as factory-new parts (thus unnumbered).
Then they refinished it and added new stocks. The difference in pre-finish surface polish is clearly discernible between frame and barrel/cylinder, the frame showing the rougher Victory texture.
The more likely scenario is that somebody used the frame of a re-imported surplus British Service Victory to build a .38 Special shooter by replacing the original .38 S&W barrel and cylinder with .38 Special versions. Both barrels and cylinders were widely available as factory-new parts (thus unnumbered).
Then they refinished it and added new stocks. The difference in pre-finish surface polish is clearly discernible between frame and barrel/cylinder, the frame showing the rougher Victory texture.
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handejector
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NOTE how the fingers of the extractor star are narrower than the corresponding surface on the cylinder. That is probably because they were cut to match a cylinder chambered for the 38 S&W, not the 38 Special.
Absalom nailed it-
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