Victory data base

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass, Chris! At the time it was manufactured (1943 is my guess), S&W was putting a phosphate finish on the Victories. So, no, the finish is not original just like the jeweling and the checkered stocks. How about a picture or 2?

 

[DWalt]

SN V 478636 would likely have shipped about December 1943 based on other nearby SNs. Indeed, the blued finish and jeweled T&H brand it as not being in original condition.

 

[FSTRN]

The gun looks better than the cell phone pictures reveal. I suppose the refinish job is responsible for the obscurity of the markings. I am anxious to get this out and put a few rounds through it, though!

 

[Absalom]

The gun looks better than the cell phone pictures reveal. I suppose the refinish job is responsible for the obscurity of the markings. I am anxious to get this out and put a few rounds through it, though!

The US property stamping was relatively thin and shallow, and the prep work to put a decent bluing in place of the relatively rough original phosphate can easily obscure or even obliterate it. Serial and P proof stampings were struck considerably deeper.

The gun may not have any collectability left, but you do have a solid fixed-sight .38 Special shooter that should survive you no matter how much you shoot it. The blue looks well-done, and the grips are likely more secure to grasp than the originals. Personally, I find any kind of jewelling visually ghastly and would probably replace trigger and hammer with (easily found) original case-colored ones, but that's just cosmetic .

 

[DWalt]

The original purpose of jeweling metal surfaces was to retain lubricant and reduce friction. It gradually achieved some status as a visual enhancement on guns and many other items. I personally don't like the jeweled appearance but I guess it's OK for those who do.

 

[FSTRN]

I totally agree about the jewelling. Is there anything I specifically need to look out for in finding case-hardened replacements?

 

[Russmeyering01]

S&W Victory 38

I have a s&w victory with the following markings: V 281445. I saw on a previous post that you can provide information regarding the history and manufacture dates. I am just looking to see what year or range this was made during? It belonged to my grandfather. I have the original grips but i cant get them to fit. I believe the screw i have is too long

 

[DWalt]

V 281445, by comparison to other Victories with nearby serial numbers, probably shipped about May 1943. You did not provide any additional information about your Victory, so that's about all that anyone can tell you.

 

[locklear4]

I acquired this pistol recently and was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about it. The serial number is V 391555. There are no US military or British markings from what I can tell. The barrel is 4 inches and the front sight has been altered with a Parker Hale front sight and seems to be either chrome or nickle plated. I do not know if it was manufactured with the plating or if it was plated at a later point in its life. The lanyard ring is not present but there is an observable plugged hole where it would have been. If it is possible for anyone to discern its manufacturing date it would be much appreciated.

 

[Absalom]

I acquired this pistol recently and was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about it. The serial number is V 391555. There are no US military or British markings from what I can tell. The barrel is 4 inches and the front sight has been altered with a Parker Hale front sight and seems to be either chrome or nickle plated. I do not know if it was manufactured with the plating or if it was plated at a later point in its life. The lanyard ring is not present but there is an observable plugged hole where it would have been. If it is possible for anyone to discern its manufacturing date it would be much appreciated.
......

The serial puts the gun into later 1943. As the barrel is marked .38 S&W CTG, that identifies it as a former British Service Model. It would have originally looked like the gun in the attached picture. The barrel was shortened, a new front sight attached, and a new finish applied. Have you checked which caliber will fit the chambers? Many were converted to .38 Special without being so marked; you just have to try, or you can tell from looking through the cylinder if you know what to look for. Any marking may have fallen victim to the new nickel finish. The original smooth stocks were also replaced.

 

[Gio3000]

questions

Hello everyone,
I received a victory model the other day and was hoping to get some information on it.
The serial number on the butt and barrel reads: V166010(haven't check the grips yet). The cylinder and star have a different serial number: 735706.
It's a 4 inch barrel 5 screw and reads 38 S&W special on the barrel. There is no marking on the top strap. There are some markings on the cylinder that I would like to get clarification on. Some have BP and some have BV. some of these same markings are double and triple stamped. Also my main concern is the "special" on the right side of the barrel is stamped out. I would like to shoot this gun and am unsure of the caliber due to that modification and the mismatched cylinder.

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum, Gio3000.

It appears that you have a .38 special Victory model that has been fitted with a .38 S&W cylinder.

 

[Absalom]

....
It appears that you have a .38 special Victory model that has been fitted with a .38 S&W cylinder.

This is indeed what seems to have occurred, a rather odd thing. The markings on the cylinder are clearly British post-war proofs. If the cylinder has not been converted to .38 Special, which happened to a lot of these, but likely not to this one considering they modified the barrel stamping, you can only shoot .38 S&W, not .38 Special. An unmodified cylinder would look like the attached picture, with a very distinct shoulder almost in the middle. It will also not fully seat a live .38 Special cartridge.

I have ever only dealt with the opposite issue, so I can't comment on any issues pertaining to shooting the slightly larger-diameter bullets through that barrel.

 

[Gio3000]

Thank You very much guys. That seems to be the case. There is a distinct shoulder inside the cylinders. I guess I will not be shooting it.

 

[1srelluc]

I picked this Victory model up today Serial V665446. It was bobbed and nickled.

Brit proofs on the cylinders. 2.25" barrel. Reamed out to .38 Special. Serials match.

It shoots/ejects OK. No bulged cases, at least with the wadcutter rounds I was using. As accurate as you would expect any snubby to be a 7 yards.

I suspect it started out life as a 5" barreled Brit revolver in .38 S&W and was reamed out to .38 spl.

The odd thing is that it is just like another in post number 49 on the first page. Even used the same grips. Just a different serial.....And from Virginia too!

BTW, I replaced the plastic "stag" Fit-Well grips with a set of checkered walnut Cogswell & Harrison stocks.....Seem appropriate on a reamed revolver.

I'm wondering if some business in Virginia was turning them out like that? I was told it was purchased in the '50s.

 

[Absalom]

.....
The odd thing is that it is just like another in post number 49 on the first page. Even used the same grips. Just a different serial.....And from Virginia too!

......
I'm wondering if some business in Virginia was turning them out like that? I was told it was purchased in the '50s.
....

That could be, but it's not a compelling likelihood. It's not odd at all that yours looks just like another one you found in this thread. In the years since I've been on this forum, we've had dozens presented here by people asking what they had; those generally don't make it into this thread. The threesome of a barrel shortened beyond the front lug, nickel refinish, and fake stags is the most common post-war beautification on the re-imported ex-BSR's. You could probably find quite a few more in Virginia, and in every other state .

 

[1srelluc]

I stuck the Fit-Wells back on it and it's a uncanny resemblance to the one in post 49 of this thread, at least what I could see what with the small pics.

As to someone making a them up I know of at least one old shop just in my little town that used to buy surplused revolvers, bob the barrels, affix a sight of some type on them, then take them to a local jeweler, who in turn would send them off for bluing and/or a nickel job.

In fact (years ago) I had a Colt PP Special in blue that he did like that.

I suspect you are correct in so far as it was a common thing all across the country in the cheap surplus revolver heyday.

 

[Soultrain13]

Hey guys! The grips for my victory have arrived and been put on, and I love the way the gun looks now! It looks like it has many stories to tell.

Only bad thing was the screw that was supplied with the grips was about a bit too short. I was able to borrow one from another set of grips I had to get the job done. Were there differing frame widths, or did I just get the wrong screw?

 

[daleattty]

Victory ID

Yes, post the info here. Ed

I have a Lend Lease Victory with the following characteristics:

SN:V268491
Cal:38 S&W, 5" barrel
Birmingham proof marks on barrel, frame and cylinder. Marked "united states property"on left side of bridge and "not english made" on barrel and frame. "Made in U.S.A" is stamped on the right side of the frame over the front of the trigger guard. Below that in large letter and numbers is "P1118". There is a large letter "P" ( 3/8" high) at the bottom of the backstrap. The gun was not parkerized and hastily made judging by the milling marks visible on the frame, especially on the right, side plate, side. I have been unable to locate any reference to the P on the backstrap and the P1118 marking. If anyone can further my education I would much appreciate it! (Pictures to come A.S.A.P.)

 

[Absalom]

I have a Lend Lease Victory with the following characteristics:

SN:V268491
Cal:38 S&W, 5" barrel
Birmingham proof marks on barrel, frame and cylinder. Marked "united states property"on left side of bridge and "not english made" on barrel and frame. "Made in U.S.A" is stamped on the right side of the frame over the front of the trigger guard. Below that in large letter and numbers is "P1118". There is a large letter "P" ( 3/8" high) at the bottom of the backstrap. The gun was not parkerized and hastily made judging by the milling marks visible on the frame, especially on the right, side plate, side. I have been unable to locate any reference to the P on the backstrap and the P1118 marking....

The gun is from the first half of 1943. Victorys were not literally "parkerized"; the finish on your gun looks like a standard original Victory finish, just very tired with a lot of smoothing off by use wear. All markings are standard except for the backstrap P and the P1118. We have seen at least the latter type of stamping here before, although I do not recall whether anyone had an explanation. It is most likely a British or other user's unit or service marking, maybe post-war.