Victory Potential Purchase

[bob42]

I have never paid much attention to Victory models but had an opportunity today. Some questions about this one concern me. Serial number is V1500XX, 5" "United States Property" marked.
Finish is blackish in color but in some places where it is worn there appears to be a grayish green showing. Does this indicate a refinish?

Sideplate screws appear to be polished blue/black.(unmolested) Were these used in early production?

Plain stocks appear like someone tried to make them rought and grainy. Not original?

Numbers match(barrel, frame & cylinder) but lock-up is not very tight.

Without picures, is this worth $250-$275?

Thanks for your help.

Bob

 

[Oldiron]

Yes to the price. Is it a .38 SPL or a .38 S&W most .38 spl were 4" and the commonwealth guns were a lot of 5" in .38 S&W Are there any proof marks on it? Unscrew the grips and look at the back of the rt hand one to see if the s/n is there. Some folks buff the grips with a wire wheel to make them textured.
Larry

 

[opoefc]

Bbo42, Your description sounds like the gun is perhaps an Australian shipped Lend Lease gun, with a 5 inch barrel. Is it still .38/200 ( .38S&W) caliber, or has it been rechambered to take .38 Specials? Most Aussie guns got refinished by their arsenals after WW2 with a darker finish than the original grey-green S&W finish. Are there any Aussie rework marks on the right side of the frame? Such as the letters "FTR" followed by a number, perhaps? Are there any importer's stamps on the gun, such as "SAC,USA" Sounds like some screws are replacements and the stocks were "stressed" by a former owner. Ed.

 

[bob42]

Thanks for the replies. Is there a easy way, when the gun still belongs to the seller, to tell if it has been converted to 38 special? Also, was the original finish work on the Victory model rough? Lots of pits and machine marks not polished out before finishing? What does the added 38/380 stamping on the barrel mean? Thanks

 

[scha]

Rough machine marks are common on Victory revolvers. They didn't need a smooth finish for military use and extra polishing just slowed down production when they really needed to make all the revolvers they could. Pits on the other hand are usually the result of rust. New Victory revolvers were rough finished, but not pitted.

The added 38/380 stamping is markings added by the British - most likely at the time the revolver was released from military service. Most of the proof markings were added when the revolvers were sold after their military service.

Conversions to 38 special were sometimes marked on the frame, but not always. Some just ran a 38 Special reamer in the 38 S&W chamber to lengthen it to accept the longer 38 special cartridge. Since the 38 S&W cartridge is slightly larger than the 38 Special, this means when a 38 Special is fired, the brass expands more than usual and this can cause hard extraction or ruins the brass.

If a 38 Special won't fully chamber then the revolver has not been modified. If the 38 Special will fit, either the original cylinder has been modified, or a replacement 38 Special cylinder was installed.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[Oldiron]

To check the gun for without dropping a shell in it is to look down the holes. A converted hole will have 2 ridges in it and most likely a rough looking area in between. Unconverted will have one ridge about 2/3s of the way down the hole. If converted it will shoot .38 S&W well.
Larry