Need some help on a Victory series S&W

[alabama234]

I'm new to this site and have inherited a US Navy S&W Special CTG with only a 5 digit serial number. Most all sites I have researched all discuss guns with 6 digits. This gun never seemed to have the improved hammer block because there is no S stamped on the gun. What really is interesting and may be nothing, is the hand grip is a plastic Franzite grip made by Sports Inc in Chicago. The Holster is also a stumper because it was made by Russell Uniform Co New York and has numbers stamped in it. They are 1412 38-41 4. I was unable to find any info on the holster.

Would appreciate any info anyone has to offer on this handgun. My Grandfather was in WWII and was a LT with Patton's 3rd Division before being wounded and sent home. I do not know how he came to own a Navy pistol.

I have attached an image of the gun and the color is pretty accurate to the real color of the grip.

Thanks in advance

 

[jrfoxx]

Cant give you any info, but have to say thats pretty cool, as you may have a fairly rare/valuable/unique gun there.If none of the S&W afficianados here have an answer for you,try here. http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve
Its a forum dedicated to S&W guns exclusively.One of the hardcore Smith collectors/nuts there should be able to give you some good info I'm sure.

 

[Winchester 73]

According to the Blue Book of Gun Values(S.P.Fjestad)2005 Edition,the Victory Model S&W 38 Special ,was U.S. Govt. sales only.
Your's is the most valuable of the 3 different types of Victory .38's the others being Lend-lease mfg. and post World War II Commercial sales.
100% Condtion $500.00
98% " $450.00
95% " $400.00
60% " $275.00

Looks a beautiful speciman.

 

[Will5A1]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on inheriting a fine revolver. The serial number for your Victory will be on the butt, if its five digits it should date to 1942 (as you may know the V prefix was added in that year). You may consider getting a set of original grips for it, plain uncheckered wood, and the lanyard ring; replacement parts are available if you want to make it more "original" - I'd be inclined to leave it as your grandfather used it. The Victory was a "substitute standard" sidearm for the US Armed Forces up through the 1980's, and was used by all the services during WWII, I think its more likely that your grandfeather bought the revolver after the war raather than it being his issued sidearm. Values for the revolvers are increasing and the Navy marked ones seem to bring the most. You can request a "factory letter" from S&W for $30 that will tell you exactly when the revolver left the factory and where it was shipped to (probably a Navy depot in this case), the S&W website has a printable form you can use for requesting the letter.

Go to the Revolver forum and read the sticky at the top on checking a revolver, if yours checks out you can shoot it and I think you'll have great fun actually firing your grandfathers gun.

 

[Old Fuff]

If you will post the serial number on the butt (and a matching number should be on the rear cylinder face and bottom of the barrel above the ejector rod), I may be able to provide you with some additional information. Replace the last two numbers with "xx" for security reasons.

Also look for the letter "V" on the butt, not necessarily seen as part of the serial number.

Wartime conditions were such that some Navy-marked revolvers ended up with the army, and the Navy used a lot of them that were simply marked "U.S. Government Property". None had specific Army markings. It all depended on who placed whichever contract.

 

[alabama234]

Thanks all for your quick assistance. The serial number is V 925xx. It matches with all the other parts on the handgun that have serial numbers. It does not have any of the final approval stamps by anyone on it like some websites stated it may have and it does not appear to ever been modified for the hammer block. There is no S stamped on it.

I did not realize S&W would provide info on the gun for a charge and I will contact them to see about getting the history on it. Though I'm more of a big-bore rifle person this handgun has excited me more than anything else I have owned in a long time, not because of the possible value, but because of the mystery behind it.

Thanks to all again

 

[Old Fuff]

Well I will try to reduce some of the mystery, now that you have posted the serial number. While I strongly recommend that you have the revolver "lettered" by S&W, wait a bit and see what information turns up. The more background information you can provide Smith & Wesson's historian, Roy G. Jinks the greater likelyhood that correct information will be forthcoming. For example, the "V" in the serial number is critical because the commercial version the Victory Model was based on had "no letter" serial numbers that became six-digit around 1908.

I'll explain more after I check some facts.

 

[alabama234]

Thanks, and here are some more images of the handgun that might be helpful.

 

[SaxonPig]

I have V77420 and it was shipped 8/19/42 to Springfield Armory. Yours should be a few weeks or a couple months later. After I lettered mine I was told they were all sent to SA for distribution so unless you want the exact date of shipping the $35 for the letter won't provide any additional info.

The Fitz grips are after market. BTW- Fitz is a member of this forum (although I haven't seen him post in a while so I hope he's all right).

With correct stocks and lanyard ring in place these sell for around $500-$600.

 

[paddywonka]

Have Victory Model V53413 that was shipped on August 27,1942 to United States Navy,at Oakland,CA. Hope this is helpfull. Vince

 

[alabama234]

Thanks again all. Comparing my serial number with your 5 digit numbers means I probably have a 1942 model also. I read there were two NAVY contracts for the Model 10 during that time period. I'm still going to get the letter from S&W just to have something nice to set by the gun.

Thanks All

 

[Will5A1]

Took me hald a day to find the letter, but FWIW I have V57908, the letter indicates it shipped from the factory August 11, 1942, to the Wilkes Barre Carriage Company, PA, and was sold through the Defense Supply Corp, Civilian Sales.

 

[alabama234]

Thanks, I am going to submit my letter request this week and see if I can find a online dealer that can sell me a pair of original V series grips. Other than that it I'll see if I can find a little more history to how and when my Grandfather took ownership of the handgun.

Thanks again to everyone who helped or tried to help by reading the post.

Charlie