Victory data base

[DWalt]

V606404 would be from about June 1944. If chambers have not been reamed, it locks up well, and cosmetic features look good, that would not be a bad price, but I'd try to negotiate a better one. Replacement grips are not that expensive. I have noticed a number of them on eBay recently for less than $40. You might be able to sell those on it for enough to buy the correct grips.

If bored, I wouldn't buy it.

 

[50GI-Jess]

Question,
I have a Victory # 357473. 4" in 38 spl. marked US Property G.H.D. on the top strap.
What year is this.
Thanks Jess

 

[DWalt]

Question,
I have a Victory # 357473. 4" in 38 spl. marked US Property G.H.D. on the top strap.
What year is this.
Thanks Jess

If your SN has a V-prefix, that would be from the Summer of 1943.

 

[dangt]

I'd like to add my pre-Victories and one Victory to data base:

687046 4 inch bbl, polished, commercial blue finish. All serial nos. match including grips. Grips are checkered walnut with silver medallion. 38 S&W ctg. NOT marked South Africa. Usual Brit export marks.

707885 6 inch bbl, finish is, I think, brushed blue. At least 85% plus finish remains and it is not as high a luster as , for instance, the 4” blued revolver above. Non-matching grips. P marked on butt and four small dots forming a square or parallelogram. Usual Brit. Export marks. No US property mark.

938830 5 inch , 38 S&W ctg. Suncorite finish. Gun is loaded with markings. Butt is marked with Canadian C with Broad Arrow, flaming bomb, and P.. Near grip hump on right is FTR, not dated. Curious mark shown in my photo above trigger guard on right that is somewhat similar to the Suncorite finished gun on page 110 of Charles Pate's book. This mark possibly was added after the Suncorite finish as the paint looks chipped by the marking. All serial nos. match including the smooth walnut grips. I thought this surprising on an FTR gun! No US property mark.

986995 4 inch, 38 Special ctg. Sandblast Black finish . No property marks. No proof marks outside.

V1372 4 inch, 38 Special ctg., came to me with an awful, worn, ill-polished blue finish that I assume was applied by surplus arms dealer. Non-original grips. Gun now has sand blast blue finish. No flaming bomb. No property marks. All serial nos. except grips match.

Pics of the Suncorite finished gun:






Pre-Victory, 38 Spec.(above) , and V1372 (below)



another shot of V1372, right side.

 

[brigham33]

Some more numbers/dates for the data base

Received letters back on three victories.

982936 4" 38 Special, shipped to the US Maritime Commission in San Francisco May 25 1942.

V589874 5" 38/200 shipped to the Hartford Ordinance Depot, for Eastern region Lend/Lease. Shipped May 9, 1944.

V191467 4".38 Special shipped to the US Navy Oakland CA on 28 December 1942.

Rick

 

[ordnanceguy]

I'd like to add my pre-Victories and one Victory to data base.

Dangt:

I missed your post the first time around. Sorry. I want to thank you for providing the data and the pics on your very nice collection of pre-Victory and Victory revolvers. This information will go into the Victory Model Database, which depends on collectors like you freely sharing your data.

 

[ordnanceguy]

Received letters back on three victories. Rick

Hi Rick:

Thanks for sharing the valuable information on your three Victory Models. That shipping data really helps us to refine the accuracy and completeness of the Victory Model Database.

Would I be correct in assuming that V191467 has U.S. NAVY marked on the left top strap?

 

[brigham33]

Hi Rick:

Thanks for sharing the valuable information on your three Victory Models. That shipping data really helps us to refine the accuracy and completeness of the Victory Model Database.

Would I be correct in assuming that V191467 has U.S. NAVY marked on the left top strap?

Hello Charlie, Yes its Navy marked as I recall.

 

[Todd582]

I have just come to own a S&W Victory Model 38S&W.All matching numbers. Serial number is V2956xx. It has the flaming bomb and US Property with appropriate inspector initials. Parkerized. Can provide pictures if necessary. I am new to the forum and hope to read and post as necessary.

 

[augshoots]

Victory to add to DB

I recently traded for this Victory revolver so I would have one to work on while taking a gunsmithing certification course. I researched the serial number and was surprised to learn of its history. The serial # is V245686. It does have the letters HD stamped before the V on the butt, but perpendicular to the serial number. Given the lack of any property or ordinance marks, I am guessing it was a British lend-lease. It is in decent shape in terms of function and shoots well. The only issue is that is was chrome or nickel plated at some point. I have never read that these were plated at the factory. I was considering having it stripped and a more original looking finish applied. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[DWalt]

That's a good one for your purpose, as it has no collector value. It was probably shipped around March 1943. Neither the finish nor the grips are original. You did not give the caliber stamping on the barrel, but if it is .38 S&W, it would have been for the British. But if so, at that time, it would have had U. S. Property stampings on the top strap (indicating Lend-Lease). With the 4" barrel, as shown, my guess is that it was a .38 S&W Special DSC contract revolver intended for stateside service (police, defense plant security guards, etc). Those would not have been property stamped, and would have been chambered in .38 S&W Special. There are other possible explanations.

No good idea as to what the HD means, but it could have been the initials of a company indicating that it was the property of a defense contractor.

See the link on the posting above yours.

 

[augshoots]

Thanks DWalt! Actually, the barrel is stamped 38 S&W CTG, so its not a 38 special.

 

[DWalt]

That being the case, and as the barrel, frame, and cylinder SNs match, it's strange that it has a 4" barrel (5" was typical for .38/200 revolvers) and stranger still that there are no "U. S. (or United States) Property" stampings on the top strap, nor any inspector markings. Possibly they were buffed off prior to plating, and the barrel shortened. Can you tell if the chambers have been bored out to accept .38 Special cartridges?

 

[augshoots]

I thought so, too

Hi Dwalt. I also thought it strange that the barrel seems short. It is very hard to tell if it was shortened, though. If it was, it was expertly done. The chambers measure .387 at the back, and .357 at the front. The back end of the chambers are not relieved. I took a close look to see if there are any remnants of stamped letters. I did find the remnant of an "S" to the left of and below the caliber markings on the barrel. Curious, isn't it?

 

[DWalt]

The simplest test for a re-bored chamber is to see if a .38 Special cartridge can be inserted into the chambers completely.

 

[needinginfo]

need info ..

I came across a s&w 38 and am looking for info on it .. the numbers on but are v410xxx i believe it is a 2" barrel and rough walnut handle no insignia of s&W on grip i want to say it is double action with a firing pin( new to this ) numbers on inside of gun are d14717 thats all that is on it .. any info would help thank you .. glad i found the forum

 

[DWalt]

I came across a s&w 38 and am looking for info on it .. the numbers on but are v410xxx i believe it is a 2" barrel and rough walnut handle no insignia of s&W on grip i want to say it is double action with a firing pin( new to this ) numbers on inside of gun are d14717 thats all that is on it .. any info would help thank you .. glad i found the forum

You really should post a picture. Very few Victories left the factory with a 2" barrel, and are highly desirable as a result, but a huge number of the British Victories (.38/200) had their barrels chopped shorter and chambers re-bored to accept .38 Special cartridges after the war. A correct 2" barrel will have an extractor rod support lug affixed to the barrel beneath the muzzle. A chopped barrel will have no lug. So it's easy to tell which you have.

That serial number (V410xxx) would have shipped around September 1943. The other number means nothing, just a parts assembly marking.

 

[needinginfo]

no lug on barrel .. shame .. well anyways what would the value be on it? im a little low on rent and am maybe looking into selling it to cover a little of what i owe

 

[DWalt]

no lug on barrel .. shame .. well anyways what would the value be on it? im a little low on rent and am maybe looking into selling it to cover a little of what i owe

Unfortunately, not very much. The only value it has is as a shooter. In a private sale, maybe $200. To a dealer, much less. Virtually no collector would be interested in it.

 

[roundels]

DSC Victory Model

Mine is a civilian issue DSC piece that went to the Forth Worth PD in May of 1944. Everything about it is clean and tight and the action is typically butter smooth. Still would like to find out what it's worth if anyone knows...

Oh, and I got it in a trade for a No. 4 Enfield that I paid almost nothing for