Ha ha ha...I'm an idiot...

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bill larry

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I found a Smith and Wesson revolver today at a pawnshop that fit all my requirements as a "fun" range gun. I was looking for a .38 special with a pinned barrel, hopefully one with the prewar long action.

Well, I found a decent looking nickel refinshed Victory Model and bought it without second thought. The action is excellent and the lock up is like new.

Now, don't laugh. I should have looked harder, because, of course, sitting in my car in the parking lot, when I tried to chamber some rounds I learned I had just bought a gun in .38S&W, not .38 special. :cuss:

So, besides the fact that my brain failed me the entire time I was buying the gun and that I'm a fool, what can I do with it now?

Is rechambering this gun to .38 Special possible? Should I just sell it (at quite a loss I'm sure)? Or should I just buy some dies and brass and roll my own and forget about what an idiot I am?

Thanks :(
 

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From looking at the photos I would say you got a decent revolver. If it were me I would get the dies and load my own. I'm not sure that even if you were able to rechamber to 38 Special that it would be safe to shoot. I would imagine that the 38 Special +P would be to powerful for the cylinder if it were rechambered. I would leave well enough alone and keep it. The first handgun I ever shot was an H&R in 38 S&W.
 
Ah, I note the location.

Pioneer Gunshop in Bedford had .38S&W ammo on the shelf last time I was there - go git it and shoot it.
 
Victories have been rechambered to .38 Special by some British companies and imported back into the US. The chambers are reamed at the top to .38 Special, causing the chamber to have a step in it like a .44-40 chamber. Shooting them is a disaster waiting to happen as the brass will bulge to fit the larger 38S&W section of the chambers. (don't ask me how I know)

I hate to say it, but Victories in pristine condition do not bring in lots of money unless they are some rare varient sent to some obscure military outfit, and even they don't bring a lot of money. A re-nickeled gun is just worth it's shooting value (about $100).

I suggest you try taking it back to the shop you bought it and let them know you thought it would fire .38 special. You got it to the range and your bullets wouldn't go all the way in. Maybe they will give you credit towards another gun.
 
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First of all, don't rechamber the cylinder from .38 S&W to .38 S&W Special. All this will do is ruin the cylinder.

As you pointed out you can buy reloading dies, and you will find that the .38 S&W is a very good cartridge for shooting at the range.

Or as an alternative you can go to www.e-gunparts.com where you will find .38 Special cylinders and barrels - including some I believe that are nickel plated - that can be fitted to your gun. This conversion works fine, and the revolver - with it's classic long action - is in my view worth going to the expense and trouble.
 
clang:

I hate to say it, but Victories in pristine condition do not bring in lots of money unless they are some rare varient sent to some obscure military outfit, and even they they don't bring a lot of money. A re-nickeled gun is just worth it's shooting value (about $100).
Click to expand...

I think you are a bit out of date. Victory Models and .38-200's have been going up... sometimes way up.

Go to www.armsbid.com, which is an auction site, and look at some of the results from their last auction. You will find it to be educational. ;)
 
bill larry:

You may not be the idiot you think you are...

Post a better picture of the stocks on that revolver, and also the serial number located on the butt (use xx for the last two numbers). ;)
 
Old Fuff - awesome link. Thank you! You just solved my problem.

I'm going to order a replacement barrel and cylinder. I should probably have a gunsmith do the installation, correct? I have no idea how to remove the barrel, or for that matter, the cylinder from the crane assembly on this particular gun.

I'm still in shock that I bought a gun in the wrong caliber. I was just smitten by this gun, and it was superficially exactly what I wanted.

If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck.....
 
Ahh...lets see...

Serial number is V7503XX

and a pic of the grips...t-grip already installed (i love the built in camera on my laptop!)
 

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"I think you are a bit out of date. Victory Models and .38-200's have been going up... sometimes way up."

Like These?
170 $429.00 S&W .38/200 British Service Revolver .38 S&W; 5'' barrel. 776626
173 $363.00 S&W .38/200 British Service Revolver .38 S&W; 4'' barrel. V212348

Not exactly lighting the world on fire, especially when compared to other S&W revolvers. And this is at an auction where high end S&W collectors attend. How much do you think they would bring if they were nickle plated?

I would caution against spending too much money making this gun a .38 special. I think you will find the cost of parts and gunsmithing will get you close to the price of a nice old model 10 (or M&P). And even when you are done, your gun won't be worth as much as an original M&P.

I do agree - the old long actions are nice.
 
No, I dont think I got screwed either...I payed 200 plus tax for it.

So...just shoot it as is, eh? That seems to be the consensus. 90 dollars in parts plus gunsmith fees to make it a .38 special; or buy some brass, dies, and bullets.

Anybody sell correct diameter bullets (.360) to reload it with? Or are 38's (.357's) okay?

Again, thanks for all the help!
 
Actually 38S&W has had a bit of a resurgence lately due in large part to the boatloads of top break S&Ws that were made and cowboy action shooting. Several company's sell the ammo some pricey some not so much.

I tend to agree with those that have said you ought to enjoy it as is. If you keep it in good shape you won't loose any money should you want to resell it down the line.

tipoc
 
.38 S&W is a great little round to shoot. I did the same thing you did years ago. Bought a S&W model 32 or 33. (not sure which) Anyway, it was .38 S&W, not Spl. I shot it a lot, then traded it. I regretted it for years. I have a little top break H&R in .38 S&W now and it is fun to shoot. Keep it just like it is, and get another pistol in .39 Spl. :)
 
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WOW! You found one of those, rare, and I mean really rare, left handed S&W...
LOL


Seriously, if you already reload adding dies and picking 100 cases of .38S&W should not be too costly and should allow for some good range time.
 
Anybody sell correct diameter bullets (.360) to reload it with?
Click to expand...
Penn Bullets makes 140 Grain Round Nose Flat Point Bevel Base and 158 Grain Truncated Cone Bevel Base in .360 diameter. Their quality has been top notch for a mass commercial caster in all the bullets that I’ve seen, although I haven’t seen those two bullets.
Or are 38's (.357's) okay?
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Swaged Hollow Base Wadcutters would probably obturate before they started to lead, but a harder bullet may not. I have not had good luck shooting cast that were .003" under diameter. Old Fuff or one of the other experts can certainly give a more definitive answer.
 
clang:

You said:

I hate to say it, but Victories in pristine condition do not bring in lots of money unless they are some rare varient sent to some obscure military outfit, and even they don't bring a lot of money. A re-nickeled gun is just worth it's shooting value (about $100).
Click to expand...

I said:

I think you are a bit out of date. Victory Models and .38-200's have been going up... sometimes way up."
Click to expand...

Now considering that 3 or 4 years ago you could pick up nice .38-200 model revolvers for under $200.00 the prices you listed below would seem to indicate a generous increase in value - other model Smith & Wesson's not withstanding.

Like These?
170 $429.00 S&W .38/200 British Service Revolver .38 S&W; 5'' barrel. 776626
173 $363.00 S&W .38/200 British Service Revolver .38 S&W; 4'' barrel. V212348
Click to expand...

Not exactly lighting the world on fire, especially when compared to other S&W revolvers. And this is at an auction where high end S&W collectors attend. How much do you think they would bring if they were nickle plated?
Click to expand...

Quite possibly more then $200. Some folks like nickel plate. But that's a moot point. I would leave the gun "as-is," but Bill Larry had a right to know about the rebuild option. I don't see him as an idiot at all. :cool:

For the record: The gun was made around January, 1945 but the stocks date from somewhere between 1910 and 1920, and would be valued on the colleectors' market at about $25.00, or perhaps a bit more.

To remove the cylinder assembly:

1. Unscrew the small screw located on the right side above the front of the trigger guard.

2. Unlatch and swing out the cylinder. Push the cylinder forward and it and the yoke will come off.

3. Unscrew the ejector rod (right hand twist) and the rest of the parts within the cylinder will come forward and out. You remove the ejector from the back.
 
Maddock....thank you for that link.

It appears from all these links that it will cost me about the same or slightly more for me to reload for this as .38 special. Except for the dies, of course.

I do believe I will not mess with the gun any further, and just start rolling my own for it. Penn bullets are around $25/500 for the correct diameter and I can get 500 cases from Starline for $68.00 (I bet these will last forever too). That's alot better than the $30.00/box for factory I was looking at earlier. That really had me sweating!

So, I guess even though I did something kinda dumb by not really looking hard enough at what I was buying, this is going to work out pretty well for me!

Fuff, thanks for that last bit of info, I could not figure out how to get the ejector rod off...

Oh, btw, should the grips on this gun be smooth? I wonder how these came to be on it...
 
Find out the price of a new barrel and cylinder with installation.
Then spend the money one box of "expensive ammo" to see how
it shoots. The ammo is getting more common because of all the
cowboy stuff. If it shoots well, buy the dies because you already
have the brass. If it shoots poorly, buy the barrel and cylinder.
Either way you have a nice shooter.
 
Ahhh....more info....

This particular gun is marked on the right side "53 FTR", along with lots of little proof marks. Am I to understand correctly that this means the gun was rebuilt at an arsenal?

Any chance that's where it picked up the nickled finish?
 
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