Victory Question

GypsmJim

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I have a British Contract Victory that dates to 1943. It meets all the criteria. Original (I believe) checkered grips, marked 38 S&W (not special), all the British proof marks - 38/200, Proof testing marks, etc, etc.

Serial Number V2279xx.

But, on the top strap it says "United States Property".

My question is...Was this a lend lease?
 
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I have a "British Contract" Victory that dates to 1943.
Serial Number V2279xx.
That serial number would indicate shipment in 1943. But by that time BSRs were going to England under Lend/Lease, not under the British contract.

on the top strap it says "United States Property"
My question is...Was this a lend lease?
Yes. L/L revolvers were marked with the property stamp because technically they did not belong to England, but were U.S. property.

There are others here who know a lot more about the WWII military revolvers than I do and I expect some of them will be chiming in soon.
 
I'd venture that checkered stocks won't prove to be original. By 1943 these would've normally been plain & numbered to the gun.


Can you post a photo?
 
After early 1942, smooth wooden round top grips were standard. Matching original grips will be serial numbered inside the right grip panel, and will not be checkered. Lend-Lease guns started shipping in late 1941, and they will be stamped either United States Property, or later, just U. S. Property, on the topstrap. The British did not proof test or proof stamp these L-L revolvers for service use. When they were taken out of service and surplussed out for civilian sale starting in the mid-1950s, they were proof tested and stamped at that time as British law required it. Therefore, yours was highly likely to have been one of those returned to the USA for civilian sale as military surplus. They were brought in by the boatload. Have you checked to determine if it was one of the zillions which were rechambered to .38 Special to sell better in the USA? That will have a very negative effect on its value. It will be even worse if it is one which had its barrel chopped to 2". You did not provide a barrel length or picture. It should be 5".
 
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