Victory Model Questions

[ST138]

Ok I just picked up this .38 special Victory model and have a few questions if anyone can help me out. I was curious about the stocks which appear to be plastic are they aftermarket?

Also when i open the cylinder the numbers inside on the frame are 67314 which is the same on the swing arm however are different than the serial number on the bottom of the weapon which shows to be a V24876 this number is also stamped on the cylinder itself.

There appears to be an S stamped on the swing arm as well but it is separate from the numbers.

Any information that anyone has as to what i have here would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jproffitt]

My Victory models are the same way. The V serial number is also on the bottom of the barrel. Those grips are not stock. Both of mine have smooth wood grips.

 

[Art Doc]

These came with smooth walnut service stocks. Those plastic "stag" grips were popular in the 1950s. Origiunals are like these:

The V number is the serial. The others are assembly numbers.

The 4" model in 38 Special is typical of guns made for the U.S. military while the guns for Great Britain are usually 5" versions in 38 S&W.

 

[charlie sherrill]

OK, I'll start it and somebody else can finish it. The grips are common aftermarket. It should have smooth walnut grips or post war checkered grips. You can see on the bottom of the grip next to the "V" on the serial number where a lanyard ring should have been. This was either filled in or the gun was made just after WWII with Victory parts. I can't tell much from the pics about the finish. An original Victory should have been Parkerized. One put together just after the war could have some sort of blue. I can't see on the top strap where it was marked U.S. government or "Navy" so it was either produced for a civilian contractor for WWII, or Civil Defense, etc. or as mentioned put together after WWII. It looks to be in pretty good shape. The barrel has the patent dates on top. They quit doing that when they went to the "S" serial numbers right after the war. Lot's of variables. S&W mixed things up a lot. A letter from S&W might help clear some things up.

 

[ST138]

The finish is Parkerized with some wear. There are no stamps for US Govt or US Navy so i am guessing this is a civilian version. i would like to get some wood grips for it I am not big on the plastic stag grips hoping to get some wood on there at the next gun show coming up. Any other reasonably priced places to get them online?

 

[ST138]

Oh and Thanks for all the info

 

[Texas Star]

Shotgun News used to have ads for Victory Model parts; may still. Most gun shows will have afterwar checkered civilian stocks, if you aren't trying to restore the gun to the Victory appearance. They were fitted to individual frames, so bring your gun and find a set that fits just right.

With the dull finish, I doubt this was ever a civilian market gun. There is no S in the serial number, so the gun was made before very late 1944, when an internal safety bar was added to prevent discharge if the gun was dropped on the hammer. I think those later serials begin with VS. The military (USAF) made us carry these guns with an empty chamber under the hammer. A sailor was killed when he dropped one on a ship's deck and it fired. Probably hit the hammer hard enough to fire the primer of the round in the chamber. The rebounding hammer usually prevents firing ilke that, but it can happen, so they added the safety bar on later examples.

There really needs to be a big sticky on these guns and the UK equivalent. Someone asks this stuff almost every week. The guns are now sought by collectors, but your welded lanyard hole won't excite them. Don't shoot a lot of Plus P ammo in it: the gun isn't warranted for that and it'll loosen up sooner than if you fire only standard ammo. It looks to be in nice shape. Take care of it: it's an interesting bit of history, if not as finely finished as the civilian version.

 

[Art Doc]

Any K frame, square butt stocks will fit. I have a couple of V Models and I have older (late 40s early 50s) checkered commercial stocks on them for comfort (and they don't look too out of place).

 

[charlie sherrill]

If you've got someone who knows what they're doing it's not too hard to drill that plug out of the butt and put a lanyard ring back in it. Go to the buy and sell accessories thread on this forum and put a WTB on for the grips and lanyard ring. My guess is you'll find both. Now that I know the finish on your gun I will say it is WWII production. It could have been used civilian or military. All of the military didn't have the markings and even those that did got shuffled around a lot. When I first became a LEO in 1969 we had to furnish our own firearms. I was broke as I had just gotten out of the Navy and didn't have the money for a gun. The old chief at the PD had a box in the department safe that had at least a dozen Victories in it that had been obtained as some kind of military surplus. He handed me one and told me to use it until I could buy my own. It was Navy marked. I took the lanyard ring off of it because I was scared it might hang up on something. I put it back on when I turned it back in. Those revolvers are long gone and even though I own several Victories now, I still wish I could go back through that box.