Victory data base

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! The gun you have there is a British service revolver that was originally chambered for S&W. 38 , not 38 Special. The barrels been cut down removing the front locking lug for the extractor rod. It has been reblued. This was pretty common after World War 2. The Brits sold hundreds of thousands of these guns on the Surplus Market.

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[MAF1]

Hello Wiregrassguy. I figured it was a cut down, just cannot figure out why there are no markings anywhere on it, besides the serial number. There are no import markings or anything.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

They were probably polished off when it was reblued. Or it could have never left the United States and someone here did the work on it after the war. There were some of the BSR that were retained here during the war.

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[MAF1]

That makes sense, it just did not have any markings like all my other Victory models, and this one is the only Victory model I have that was cut down. Thanks for the info !!

 

[CLC78]

Birth date of my S&w

Hi, I'm new to the sight and was curious about the gun I just bought, the paper work of Cabelas says 1905, with serial # 76665 any help would be greatly apperiacated. Thanks

 

[Absalom]

Hi, I'm new to the sight and was curious about the gun I just bought, the paper work of Cabelas says 1905, with serial # 76665 any help would be greatly apperiacated. Thanks

Hello and welcome.

Your gun doesn't really fit into this thread. If you got the serial number from the butt, it is an ancestor of the Victory models, though, an early Model 1905 that shipped maybe 1906/07.

I would start a new thread and post some pictures so more people see your gun and can comment.

 

[Absalom]

That makes sense, it just did not have any markings like all my other Victory models, and this one is the only Victory model I have that was cut down. Thanks for the info !!

I can pretty much guarantee you that the British proofs were buffed off during the refinish. Your gun's current appearance is almost a "classic"; I think there was likely one large importer/converter who produced this particular style of conversion as to barrel length, finish, and style of aftermarket grips. There are a lot of ex-BSR's which have exactly this look; sometime we get a couple a week here.

 

[bunkie12]

Post #1409 Victory letter

I received the attached letter for my Military and Police ser. no. V143663 discussed in entry #1409 of this database, with helpful comments following from Absalom. Not surprisingly, this revolver was shipped under DSC contract on November 2, 1942.

Quite a surprise to me, however, is that S&W shipped the revolver directly either to my grandfather, or perhaps to my father, who would have been 18 at the time (both had the same initials). I believe that my grandfather worked in a refinery back then and my father owned and operated a sawmill before enlisting in the Army in February 1943. Both facilities were in East Texas. While certainly the work of either man could have justified a need for the revolver, I did not know that S&W shipped directly to individuals. Is this common for DSC Victories?

This revolver has had no more than three owners, including myself. I am especially proud to learn that it continuously has been in my family since shipped from S&W.

 

[Absalom]

Bingo, I would say.

That is indeed something. Getting a Victory lettered to a relative by actual name is certainly highly fortunate and unusual. We don't seem to have very good information on how exactly the DSC vetted order requests for guns and what was required in terms of showing need; I'd expect police department orders to be rubber-stamped as a matter of routine, but private business orders should have needed some war-related connection, and individuals especially this early in the war would appear to be a special case. A very interesting puzzle.

 

[bunkie12]

Indeed, "curiouser and curiouser". A bit of research seems in order. Sadly, all my relatives who had first-hand knowledge of the circumstances surrounding this 1942 Victory delivery have passed on. Still, if I uncover any information that might help us figure out the story behind these early private deliveries, I certainly will share it and hope that others will do likewise. Thank you for your comments, Absalom.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

bunkie12:

That is the coolest history I've seen for ANY S&W. Congrats.

 

[DWalt]

This may not necessarily be a unique example of a Victory ordered through DSC and shipped to an individual having no apparent defense- or LE-related priority to receive one, but it's very unusual. If you learn anything else about the circumstances, I'm sure you will post it.

 

[Absalom]

Bunkie12:

I think you may want to focus your family research on your grandfather. Unfortunately the letter does not indicate whether this was one gun or part of a shipment, but a refinery is a much better candidate for DSC-authorized guns than sawmill run by a "teenager" . Your grandpa could have been the supervisor or manager designed as the contact person to receive guns for the security guards.

 

[Muley Gil]

Got my letter today.

I originally posted on 5 March 2016, post # 1267, page # 26.

According to the letter, # V20210 shipped on 9 June 1942 and was delivered to Cape Ann Tool Co., Rockport MA. It shipped with the midnight black finish and smooth walnut grips.

 

[bunkie12]

bunkie12:

That is the coolest history I've seen for ANY S&W. Congrats.

Thanks to all of you for your comments and advice. I'm pretty excited myself, and anxious to find out how the DSC decided who received early Victories and what qualified my grandfather to receive one. He was not a manager-type, but a grease monkey who could (and did) make or repair everything. He was an Army sniper during WWI and then served on the Army rifle team in Europe just after the Great War, which is about as much as we could wring out of him about his military service. I've seen it myself: an amazing rifleman. With that connection, who knows what he had going on before and during the early years of WWII. Certainly I will post here if I am able to learn anything of interest.

 

[badbird]

Hello, new to the site also while researching a recent purchase I knew nothing about. Attached are pictures of my Victory. Please give any insight you may have and add me to your database.

Serial number: V 300658
38 S&W SPECIAL CTG
US PROPERTY GHD

Matched serial number on cylinder
Matched serial number on inside right wood

 

[Absalom]

Hello, new to the site also while researching a recent purchase I knew nothing about. Attached are pictures of my Victory. Please give any insight you may have and add me to your database.

Serial number: V 300658
38 S&W SPECIAL CTG
US PROPERTY GHD

Matched serial number on cylinder
Matched serial number on inside right wood

Welcome to the site.

You appear to have a quite nicely preserved standard US Victory model, with the original finish, from April/May 1943. The US property stamp marks it as one shipped to a military destination, probability-wise most likely the Navy. All that's missing is the lanyard swivel, for which replacements are easily found on ebay or Gunbroker.

 

[badbird]

Welcome to the site.

You appear to have a quite nicely preserved standard US Victory model, with the original finish, from April/May 1943. The US property stamp marks it as one shipped to a military destination, probability-wise most likely the Navy. All that's missing is the lanyard swivel, for which replacements are easily found on ebay or Gunbroker.

Yep, already pulled the trigger on the lanyard stuff....which I did find on ebay.

 

[Quiet 1]

Here's Mine

My Victory arrived yesterday. It is all matching numbers except for the grips. (Numbered 304970 if anyone is looking for them.)

Info supplied earlier by Absalom and DWalt indicates it shipped in June 1943. And, by the serial number probably to the U.S. Naval Depot in Oakland, California.

It's got the "been there, done that" look but it's mechanically perfect. It locks up tight as a drum and both its DA and SA are buttery and crisp.

At the bottom of the frame are two inspector's stamps, an L and F. Those are my initials. Pretty cool.

There are no P firing proofs anywhere on the gun. However, high on the back strap in this photo is a V which is also on the other side at about the same place except on the front strap.

These stampings are deep and crisp. However, the coffee break bell must have gone off because the guy (or gal) forgot to stamp the D. Or, Maybe it was Friday afternoon quitting time.

The serial number is also on the ejector. I was too lazy to disassemble it simply to take a photo so you'll have to take my word on it.

.

 

[Absalom]

The letters under the grip panels are internal fitter and inspection marks, which I should think includes the V. This gun is too early to have the P proof on frame/barrel etc. And the earlier P stamping on the butt was not consistently done acc. to Pate. Having the D. missing is cute, especially with the other letters nice and crisp, so little chance of it having "rubbed off"; haven't seen that before.