S&W Victory Model Questions

[Texas Colt]

Ok folks, I'm not a S&W expert, so I'm looking for a little help to ID a friend's revolver. He recently inherited it from an uncle.

I'm assuming it's a Victory Model by the rough parkerized finish and a V313xx number stamped on the butt, the bottom of the barrel, and the rear of the cylinder. It has a different serial number on the frame and crane (692xx). It is chambered for 38 Special.

There are no military markings of any kind. No acceptance stamps. No U.S. Property or anything other than the usual civilian S&W markings. I'll post some pics as soon as possible.

So can anyone tell me when it was made? Proofhouse doesn't cover Smiths.

Since there are no martial markings, could this be a commercial gun made from leftover parts?

Any info would be appreciated. All I know about Smiths is that the cylinder rotates the wrong way

 

[SaxonPig]

Just guessing 1942 or 1943.

The 4" in .38 Special was used in the U.S. while the 5" in .38 S&W was used mainly by Great Britain and Canada.

The serial is the one with the V prefix. Those other numbers are assembly numbers used in the factory and are meaningless to us.

Many of these were supplied to police and security agencies and they will not have military proof marks.

 

[Texas Colt]

Thanks!

 

[bannockburn]

Texas Colt

A number of them ended up going to security guards at any number of factories that were involved with war material production. The U.S. Property markings typically make the gun more sought after by collectors, but I think any Victory model revolver is a great historical piece for anyones collection.

 

[Will5A1]

I'd add that a serial number in the 31K range was pretty early in the production run, and I'd guess yours shipped May or June 1942. I have one that shipped in late August, 1942, V579XX range, and also has no military markings. It letters as having been sold through the "Defense Supply Corporation" to a factory in PA.

 

[Oro]

Your s/n should also be stamped inside the right grip panel, also, if they are original to the gun.

You may consider that cylinder rotates the wrong way, but at least the cylinder release goes the correct way! Pull backwards? Madness!

 

[Old Fuff]

... but at least the cylinder release goes the correct way! Pull backwards? Madness!

According to Colt's advertising, it was possible to unlatch the cylinder for a fraction of a second when someone fired the "other revolver" with their thumb resting on the latch thumbpiece. High-speed x-ray photographs showed they had a point. Such a condition probably didn't matter, but it couldn't happen with a Colt, and it sometimes helped sell guns in a difficult market during the Great Depression of the 1930's.

The system is backwards only if you're not used to it.

 

[Texas Colt]

kamerer, I found the s/n inside the grip and it matches the gun... cool!

Old Fuff, thanks for that reminder about the Colt cylinder latch advertising. I had heard that many years ago and forgot about it.

 

[Oro]

It is also worth verifying what the original caliber was. Should be roll-marked on the right side of the barrel, either "38 S&W CTG" or "38 SPECIAL CTG" - the are NOT the same.

Using .38 spcl in a 38 S&W gun, even if the chambers are reamed deeper as many were, will give decreased accuracy and possible case ruptures. The lack of military marking hints that this is likely a 4" .38 special originally, but it's worth checking.

 

[Texas Colt]

It's a 38 Special and is so marked on the barrel.