Victory data base

[Absalom]

....... I sought out two WW2 Merchant Marine sailors in the Veterans Home at King,WI. One crewed a Liberty Ship crossing the Atlantic and the other an Oiler in the Pacific. When I asked if they were issued firearms, both said no.... only the US Navy Armed Guards were issued firearms. Their weapons were kept secured in lockers and broken out only if needed. The guy that worked the Atlantic said that the Armed Guard always wore their .45 acp pistols when scrambling to their gun stations,............

This is interesting. Just a little while ago I finished reading "Navy Gun Crew" by Lt. John F. Childs, USNR, who served on merchant ships on convoy duty on the Atlantic routes and wrote this little book in 1944 (it's available for Kindle from Amazon for 1.99; highly recommended). He specifically discusses the two Navy men who were issued .38 revolvers in port only for guard duty, and had to turn them back in once the ship left the harbor. I wonder whether the practice changed later in the war.

 

[Valmet]

I own SN V664681 that was shipped to U.S. Navy Strategic Service, Norfolk, VA on August 22, 1944 as per Jenks letter. Gun is not marked US Navy.

 

[kwill1911]

I own SN V664681 that was shipped to U.S. Navy Strategic Service, Norfolk, VA on August 22, 1944 as per Jenks letter. Gun is not marked US Navy.

What markings are on the butt?

 

[Absalom]

I own SN V664681 that was shipped to U.S. Navy Strategic Service, Norfolk, VA on August 22, 1944 as per Jenks letter. Gun is not marked US Navy.

A Navy marking would not be present at this late a date. According to Pate, by 1944 the Navy received guns under the Army contract with the standard US Property marking. You don't mention it, but does yours have that?

 

[DWalt]

The U. S. NAVY stamping ceased around SN V267000, roughly mid-1943.

 

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Hello. My "new" Victory S&W s/n V419756 still in original .38 S&W caliber. Can You give me approximate date of production ?

 

[DWalt]

V419756

Not likely you'll ever get a date of production, but it would have shipped about September-October 1943. Appears to be an unmodified .38/200 BSR in pretty decent shape.

 

[LOBO]

Hi Lobo:

Are there any left top strap markings?

there are,

it also has these,

 

[LOBO]

Yours appears to be the military version of the Victory SV series, and likely shipped in early 1945. It should have a U. S. PROPERTY stamping on the topstrap if military. The S in SV indicates the new hammer block safety design, which also began in early 1945. Quite a few M&Ps with the SV-prefix SN were made up from parts in S&W inventory at war's end and sold on the U. S. civilian market in early 1946. Those were blued, not phosphate, as yours is. Original and correct military grips would be smooth wood with round tops, not the target grips on yours.

By the way, those diamond football target grips are from pre-1969, and do have some value.

Thank you for the great information. It is appreciated.

 

[Tamukjavalena]

S&w victory model

So is this thread still active? I have a s&w v model I need help with identifying. I cannot get photos to upload on here. [email protected], 361-246-0951

 

[Absalom]

So is this thread still active? I have a s&w v model I need help with identifying. I cannot get photos to upload on here. [email protected], 361-246-0951

The photo you uploaded is a good start. Can you add some info as to caliber (.38 S&W or .38 S&W Special) and barrel length, and any other markings? Pictures in older posts will show you what to look for.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Sadly, my dad's Victory Model was stolen aboard his troop ship when he came home from the Korean War. A search was conducted but the gun was not found. The Navy officer in charge of the search figured the miscreant probably tossed it overboard. Dad carried it in a shoulder holster. I have pics of it, but the serial number is unknown. When dad got his orders to go to Korea, my grandfather took my dad and my dad's .22 auto (possibly a High Standard) to a local gun shop and swapped it for the Victory Model.

 

[Tamukjavalena]

It is a 5 inch barrel marker 38 s&w ctg. if you measure from outside the frame to the end of barrel it is 4 inches. From the cylinder to end of the barrel is 5 inch. I sent photos to some one on here that said they would gladly post for me. U.S. I figured it was a British model, however it has no British standings at all. And tee cylinder does look like it was reamed out a little bit as. 38 special drops in. Could it have been made for a British fun and never got sent? Cause there is no British proof marks.

 

[Absalom]

...... Could it have been made for a British fun and never got sent? Cause there is no British proof marks.

Most of the British proof marks were inflicted after the war before the guns were released for commercial resale. So the absence of those likely just means that your gun was a wartime bringback or made its way into private hands some other way.

 

[DWalt]

Unfortunately, yours is one of S&W's .38/200 BSRs, and that "reamed out a little" chamber has essentially destroyed any collectible value it otherwise may have possessed. It's now in the "shooter" category. As previously noted, the British did not perform proof testing and proof stamping on these revolvers until they were surplussed out of military service for sale on the civilian market after WWII.

 

[Tamukjavalena]

So what can I shoot out of it. 38 special, 38 s&w.

 

[Tamukjavalena]

Here is the cylinder

 

[Tamukjavalena]

Barrel marking

 

[Tamukjavalena]

Photo of gun

 

[Tamukjavalena]

Pistol photo