Odd S&W Victory 38 special

[jwood]

I have a 38 special made made S&W that has a V 2414** serial #. It is chrome/nickle plated with checkered wood grips and the S&W silver medallion embedded in them. On the butt end where the serial # is you can tell that the lanyard swivel has been filled in and smoothed over. I think that this is one of the Victory 38's S&W made but it's silver So any info as to the year it was made and what it is would be appreciated.

 

[jwood]

should have looked first!

OK so I thought that I had an uncommon revolver, boy was I wrong! I thought to search the post about Victory 38's and came up with a ton of these things. And is common in most of them I got this from my Father who got it from his Father who was a guard at an airplane repair facility during WWII. It shoots great and has a great story to it, that's what counts!

 

[SaxonPig]

S&W made about a million of these 1940-45. Most were 5" in .38 S&W for Great Britain and some were 4" .38 Specials for the U.S. military and some agency sales. Finding one in good original condition is getting hard and prices reflect this fact.

Many of them were sold after the war and into the 1960s. I recall magazine ads offering these for like $9. The 1911s were around $25 and Lugers were about $35.

Often they have been refinished or even extensively customized. Some Brit gunmakers converted them .22 target pistols and many are quite nice looking. Some were just plain butchered.

The S&W Military & Police revolver is one of the all time classics and everyone should have at least one. I think I currently have six and wouldn't mind a couple more. I would love to have a Model 45 (the M&P in .22 Long Rifle) but they only made a small number and the asking price when one is found shuts down that dream but pronto.

Your gun sounds like a great shooter. Enjoy it.

 

[jwood]

Thanks Saxon! Yeah it really is fun to shoot!