Victory data base
- Thread starter zonker5
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How about a little more info? Barrel length, caliber, topstrap markings, et cetera? Maybe a photo or two, also?
Buddy's father ran a liquor store decades ago and a patron traded it for a bottle of whisky. Rye I think he said. Nickel plated including the hammer and trigger. 38 special. 4" barrel. Nice nickel job. Better than my late vintage 36-3 factory job. I'll try to get more details and pics. I just wanna tell him when that piece was made other than "during the war". His father was a B-17 mechanic with the eighth air force and left him quite a few nice things.
I never met "Mr. Joe" but wish I had....
I never met "Mr. Joe" but wish I had....
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You can tell him 1943.
NashvilleMike
Member
I just bought a 5" Victory Model and want to add it to the database. It's modified to fire .38 special. It's got .38 S&W CTG. on the barrel and CAL .38 SPECIAL under the cylinder release. The barrel, butt and cylinder sn's all match. It's stamped UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the left top strap and an N (arrow) Z 5707 above the grip under the hammer. There's a W.B., what looks like the bomb, but is worn, and a P on the butt. Serial number V91599
Was taking some pics of my Victory I noticed that by the strain screw there was the number 6 which also appeared in the area that you normally find the mode number. I also noticied another number there that was different from what was on the cylinder and the butt of the gun. Any idea what it is. I alzo noticed by the pin that anchors the grips the letters. W, Z and T. Any idea what these are.
longarm4146
Member
info please....
i picked up a Victory Model along with a GI issue 1911A1 circa 1944 and was wondering about some additional info on the Smith. It is a 4" 38 spl like my dad was issued as a navy airman in WW2. Parkerized with lanyard ring and wood grips. US Property marked across left top strap with GHD stamp. Lots of holster wear on top strap, muzzle, and cylinder edges consistent with age and use i think. S/n is V631796. Any help appreciated.
PS under closer examinatio there is also the letter P stamped into frame above cylinder latch, just above recoil shield.
i picked up a Victory Model along with a GI issue 1911A1 circa 1944 and was wondering about some additional info on the Smith. It is a 4" 38 spl like my dad was issued as a navy airman in WW2. Parkerized with lanyard ring and wood grips. US Property marked across left top strap with GHD stamp. Lots of holster wear on top strap, muzzle, and cylinder edges consistent with age and use i think. S/n is V631796. Any help appreciated.
PS under closer examinatio there is also the letter P stamped into frame above cylinder latch, just above recoil shield.
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ordnanceguy
Member
Mike:
Thanks for contributing your data to the Victory Model Database.
BTW, that mark above the back strap indicates that your revolver once served with the armed forces of New Zealand.
ordnanceguy
Member
Longarm:
Thanks for providing your data for the Victory Database. I would expect that you will also find P-proof marks on the barrel flat and the cylinder face.
You now have two 1944 guns. Your Victory likely shipped from the factory in the July, 1944 time frame. Chances are good that it was shipped to the US Navy.
I hope that helps you.
longarm4146
Member
that's a pleasant coincidence that the gun is prolly a Navy issue weapon. My Dad was a naval combat airman in the south pacific, crew chief on a B-24 Liberator. I have pics of one of his crew members shooting a S&W on a beach in his skivvys.
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My grandfather's old revolver. S/N# V765493 BNP proof mark stamped ALL over it. Another proof with maybe crossed swords and an N .767" 3 1/2 Tons on the barrel Brauer Bros. Mfg. St. Louis holster Most likely the wrong grips
Can you guts tell me a little about it? I'm going to contact Smith & Wesson after the holiday.
Thanks in advance,
Craig Campbell
Can you guts tell me a little about it? I'm going to contact Smith & Wesson after the holiday.
Thanks in advance,
Craig Campbell
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First off, Craig, welcome to the forum. The photos are appreciated.
A very late production Victory in its British Service Revolver configuration. The proofing indicates release to the civilian market by the British government. In the post WWII years, these were often refinished either in blue (like yours) or nickel, and frequently had the chambers reamed to accept the .38 Special round as well, before being exported to the U.S. The grips as you surmise are also not original.
This may be a passable shooter, but its historical and collectible value is now minimal. One thing to check is whether both a .38 S&W round and a .38 Special round will chamber. If you find that to be so, you'd be well advised to stick to the former, as .38 Special casings may bulge and even rupture if used in a gun so modified.
A very late production Victory in its British Service Revolver configuration. The proofing indicates release to the civilian market by the British government. In the post WWII years, these were often refinished either in blue (like yours) or nickel, and frequently had the chambers reamed to accept the .38 Special round as well, before being exported to the U.S. The grips as you surmise are also not original.
This may be a passable shooter, but its historical and collectible value is now minimal. One thing to check is whether both a .38 S&W round and a .38 Special round will chamber. If you find that to be so, you'd be well advised to stick to the former, as .38 Special casings may bulge and even rupture if used in a gun so modified.
Cadzilla, welcome to the forum.
You have a British Service Revolver that was produced fairly late in WWII; it probably shipped in late 1944 or early 1945. It originally chambered the .38 S&W cartridge, which the British called the .38/200 because it was initially loaded with a heavy 200 gr bullet. The .767" you see stamped on the gun is the cartridge case length for that round, and 3.5 tonnes is the pressure test it passed before being released to the civilian market after its service life was over. BNP = Birmingham Nitro Proof, one of the British proof houses involved in such certification.
When these guns came back to the US as imports, many had their chambers bored deeper so the guns would take the .38 Special round. If that was done to your gun, .38 Special cases may swell slightly when you shoot them as the .38 S&W case has a slightly greater diameter than .38 Special. You can still shoot .38 S&W in it, but .38 Special may not make for a completely satisfactory shooting experience. Results vary depending on the precision of the conversion.
You are correct that those are postwar replacement grips, probably imitation stag molded in Franzite. A lot of these were sold in the 1950s.
Oops! Goony typed faster. At least we agree!
You have a British Service Revolver that was produced fairly late in WWII; it probably shipped in late 1944 or early 1945. It originally chambered the .38 S&W cartridge, which the British called the .38/200 because it was initially loaded with a heavy 200 gr bullet. The .767" you see stamped on the gun is the cartridge case length for that round, and 3.5 tonnes is the pressure test it passed before being released to the civilian market after its service life was over. BNP = Birmingham Nitro Proof, one of the British proof houses involved in such certification.
When these guns came back to the US as imports, many had their chambers bored deeper so the guns would take the .38 Special round. If that was done to your gun, .38 Special cases may swell slightly when you shoot them as the .38 S&W case has a slightly greater diameter than .38 Special. You can still shoot .38 S&W in it, but .38 Special may not make for a completely satisfactory shooting experience. Results vary depending on the precision of the conversion.
You are correct that those are postwar replacement grips, probably imitation stag molded in Franzite. A lot of these were sold in the 1950s.
Oops! Goony typed faster. At least we agree!
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Thanks for the quick replys guys. The barrel is only marked .38 S&W, and doesn't appear to have been rechambered. How can I tell for sure if it was rrechambered?
Take a .38 SPCL round and drop it into the chamber. If it fully inserts, it has been reamed.
I just checked mine and it didn't load the 38 special. So that begs the question as to how many that went into the commercial market that didnt get reamed out.
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Well that sounds entirely too simple. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know what I find out. Also, is the holster correct for the era?
I have an old S&W holster stamped 20 26 for my .357 Highway Patrolman that looks like yours (except for the strap). However, I don't think it dates from the '40s. So, I would guess yours is a few years younger than the gun. However, someone here who has more holster experience should confirm.
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In the mid-50's, the British Service Revolver pattern was being widely offered in the U.S. in unaltered form. I've attached a sampling of advertisements from that era. Some are unintentionally humorous, such as the one in which a Colt 1917 is inadvertently illustrated, or another in which the .38 S&W cartridge is touted as "powerful".
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This date I purchased serial V124985, 4 inch 38 S&W Special CTG, Matching SN in all locations, including stocks. Lanyard pin, but no loop. No proof marks visible. At the proper location and of the proper length on the left top strap for the U.S. NAVY mark is a polished area. It is smoother than the adjoining areas, but appears to be the same color.
