Victory data base
- Thread starter zonker5
- Start date
Praetorianseven
Member
Newbie member, just bought a British victory model 38 S&W (and paid way too much). I could use some help with year of assembly. Serial # is V161160 with BNP (Birmingham, England) proof stamps on the frame and cylinder. There is also a G.H.D. acceptance proof on the butt with the serial number. Only problem is the barrel has been cut down to 2inch which kills it's collector value. Any help out there?
jag312
Member
946453 - it has a parkerized finish, plain wood grips, and 'UNITED STATES PROPERTY' is on the left side of the top strap and it is in quotations. I couldn't take the grips off to determine if they are numbered to the gun. I assume from the A(arrow)S and the other Australian marks that the revolver was issued to Australian military forces.
First off, welcome to the forum.
Your gun dates to 1942. Can you post some photos, as that would help in determining if it is a commercial or owner's modification. The important thing to check is whether your revolver chambers both .38 S&W and .38 Special.
Praetorianseven
Member
I will work on the photos. It ONLY chambers .38 S&W. The .38 Special round only goes into the cylinder about a third of its length.
Praetorianseven
Member
Ok, here are some pics but crappy quality from a cell phone.
Attachments
Those photos are better than most, cell phone or no.
My impression is owner or "gunsmith" conversion. Barrel shortened, entire gun then polished and blued, early magna stocks, all in all a fairly normal snubnose makeover for the 1950's era. You still need to check that chambering issue - but even if it will accept .38 Special only, I'd be shooting strictly the lightest loads with it as the ejector rod no longer makes any contribution to the cylinder assemby's locking into its closed position. How is the front sight attached, so far as you can tell?
Praetorianseven
Member
Praetorianseven
Member
One other item I'm reading calls the shortened 2inch barreled S&W Victory model the "Oswald Special" since it was the revolver that Oswald used to kill Officer Tippett.
I recently received a Victory pistol with SN V769527. The gun has BNP markings in between barrel and cylinder and all around the cylinder. Right by the trigger is markings with swords and mb letters. The gun has been refinished and the S&W markings on right hand side almost not visible. The gun caliber has been changed to .22 magnum. The barrel length is 6 1/4". Not sure what the original caliber was. What would a pistol like this be valued at? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
First off, welcome to the forum.
A very late Victory that has been extensively modified. One just like this was the topic of the following thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...959-fathers-s-w-can-anyone-tell-me-about.html
I'd judge that these were commercial conversions, done in the U.K. in the 1950's or 60's and then exported. A poor man's Model 48. Value largely dependent on how well it shoots.
Can you date this Victory S/N V372600
What do I have here, I Believe its a choped S&W Victory model S/N V372600. When was it made and dose it shoot? .38S&W or
.38 Special? Is it safe to shoot this gun and what is its value.
I may receive this gun as a trade. Thanks
What do I have here, I Believe its a choped S&W Victory model S/N V372600. When was it made and dose it shoot? .38S&W or
.38 Special? Is it safe to shoot this gun and what is its value.
I may receive this gun as a trade. Thanks
Attachments
This will certainly be added to the database, but there's nothing especially desirable here. It looks to be one of the slipshod conversions common to the 1950's and early 60's. Refinshed, with a shortened barrel sans provision for locking in the ejector rod. Another possible shortcoming is if it was originally in .38 S&W caliber and the cylinder was simply reamed out to accept .38 Special. If both rounds will chamber, I'd definitely give this one a pass.
Last edited:
Charlie and others,
I just got Victory # V223777 at a small show this morning so please put it in the data base if it isn't already.
It is marked "U.S. NAVY" on the top strap but also has a CD in a triangle on the left side beneath the cylinder release. Excellent overall condition...missing only the lanyard ring. The only other Civil Defense marked guns that I have seen have the words written out as the seen in the Pate book.
I appreciate any insight anyone might have on it.
Bob
I just got Victory # V223777 at a small show this morning so please put it in the data base if it isn't already.
It is marked "U.S. NAVY" on the top strap but also has a CD in a triangle on the left side beneath the cylinder release. Excellent overall condition...missing only the lanyard ring. The only other Civil Defense marked guns that I have seen have the words written out as the seen in the Pate book.
I appreciate any insight anyone might have on it.
Bob
ordnanceguy
Member
Hi Bob:
Sounds like a neat gun and a good find. It was not in the Database, but is now.
The Victory Database shows quite a few CD or Civil Defense marked guns. Only one is recorded as having the CD within a triangle and that entry indicates that it was an electro-pencil marking. Serial is V231480 and it is also Navy marked. Is your example marked with a die or by electro-pencil method?
Thanks for the data contribution. Congrats on a finding another interesting example.
Sounds like a neat gun and a good find. It was not in the Database, but is now.
The Victory Database shows quite a few CD or Civil Defense marked guns. Only one is recorded as having the CD within a triangle and that entry indicates that it was an electro-pencil marking. Serial is V231480 and it is also Navy marked. Is your example marked with a die or by electro-pencil method?
Thanks for the data contribution. Congrats on a finding another interesting example.
Charlie,
The TriangleCD was done with an electro-pencil. However, I believe that a template was used instead of just free hand. (i.e. the triangle is a perfect equilateral and the curves of the CD are perfect halves of a circle. There is a slight over scribe of one side of the triangle as though the template slipped slightly and was repositioned).
It would be interesting to know whether the two different types of Civil Defense markings (the words and the logo) represent different places or a different time frame. My guess is that the free hand printing either preceded the logo template or the logo was done in a locale that was much more organized.
Bob
The TriangleCD was done with an electro-pencil. However, I believe that a template was used instead of just free hand. (i.e. the triangle is a perfect equilateral and the curves of the CD are perfect halves of a circle. There is a slight over scribe of one side of the triangle as though the template slipped slightly and was repositioned).
It would be interesting to know whether the two different types of Civil Defense markings (the words and the logo) represent different places or a different time frame. My guess is that the free hand printing either preceded the logo template or the logo was done in a locale that was much more organized.
Bob
Last edited:
I have 3 "Victories" for your data base - well sort of Victorys anyway. Early one is 6" barrel, blued, 38 S&W, lettered, shipped to the British Purchasing Commission in NY #723566 (no V). Number two is a Navy lettered 38 Special, traditional parkerized, 4" etc. #V184422. The last is another with no V but looks like the standard Lend/Lease 38 S&W with a 5" barrel. However it looks unissued, grips match, and is marked US Propery - serial 995163. I am guessing late production never "lent/Leased".
