S&W Victory model .38 Special

[gopguy]

Not exactly a thing of beauty but nevertheless a very servicable arm, there is no argument but that the Smith and Wesson Victory is a important part of our history. At least two US Presidents used Victory models during WWII, John F. Kennedy and George H.W. Bush. The Bush revolver, which he gave to a submariner after his rescue in the South Pacific was recently donated to a museum.

The occasion for Bush's wartime reminiscences was the return of the service revolver he had carried with him when he was shot down over Chichi Jima, 600 miles south of Japan.

For nearly 63 years, the gun has been in the possession of the Brostrom family. Bush had given it as a token of thanks to Lt. j.g. Albert Brostrom, who welcomed him to the submarine and whose bunk he shared for a month.

Albert Brostrom died in 1982. About a year ago, after finding the revolver buried among his things, the family contacted Bush's office about giving it back. It felt like the right thing to do.

"Getting Dad to talk about the war - to say it was like pulling teeth would be putting it mildly," said son Ronald Brostrom, 59, a retired businessman from Chester Springs. "But he always spoke fondly of the young lieutenant [Bush], his sense of humor, his kindness and his courage."

With Bush now serving as chairman of the Constitution Center, and with the center eager to add a meaningful Bush artifact to its collection, an arrangement was made.

Yesterday, Ronald Brostrom gave Bush the gun, its holster, and the plastic pouch designed to protect it from the elements. Then Bush presented all three to the center.

First, though, after checking to make sure the gun was not loaded, Bush handed the empty .38-caliber, Smith & Wesson revolver to 6-year-old Harrison Malone of Media, who held it briefly before giving it back. Harrison was one of about 30 children from the Constitution Center's American Adventure Summer Camp who attended the ceremony.

Bush, 83, told the story of being shot down in a matter-of-fact way. "There wasn't anything really heroic about it," he said. "My point is in life you've got to do your duty, you've got to serve with honor, you've got to do what's right."

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t7772.html

http://public.fotki.com/84bravo/ghw-bushs-smith-and/victory/

http://coolgunsite.com/pistols/victory_model_smith_and_wesson.htm


The guns were still being carried by pilots in Korea and Vietnam.


My old US issue Victory shows signs of good use. Wish she could tell her story. She is accurate and reliable and still does yeoman service in my household. Loaded with a standard load 125gr semi jacketed hollowpoints she is hidden in the event of sudden need.

The Winchester White box 100 round bulk pack 130 gr full metal jacket loads you can find at Walmart are pretty much what was used as the US military service load, but I would not recommend them for defense as there are much better loads available for that role.

 

[D.M.C.]

A beautiful classic! I think it's great how you've got that Victory still serving faithfully despite the age! Great pics!

 

[gopguy]

Thanks, she shoots dead on at 25 yards, see no need to retire her.

 

[Harrod]

A beauty for sure. This may be a dumb question, and I wonder it every time I see it. What is the loop attached to the butt for?

 

[rcmodel]

Called a lanyard loop.

You wear the lanyard attached to your body, so if you drop the gun in the ocean, it doesn't just go plunk..

Also used by the old horse cavalry so a dropped gun isn't lost in the dust and horse poo.

The Canadian Mounties were also fond of lanyards.
Deep snow & dog sleds in their case.
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/unif/lanyard-laniere-eng.htm

Many modern guns still have lanyard attachment points.
For instance almost every Glock has a hole in the butt for a lanyard snap.
Glock also makes a lanyard.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/687609/glock-lanyard-nylon-olive-drab


rc

 

[atlanticfire]

A local shop has the same pistol in pretty good shape and has been asking three bills for it. What are these generally worth in shoot able condition?

 

[rcmodel]

I just paid $500 for this pretty nice one in August.


The thing is, there are many variables as far as markings, pre or post positive hammer block safety, British .38/200 vis U.S. .38 Special, vis a .38/200 that has been poorly reamed out to shoot .38 Spl, etc.

Value to a collectory can range from $300 to well over a grand, depending.
But the Victory model is almost a study in itself when it comes to determining collector value.

BTW: It is worth noting that Victoy models without the S marked positive safety are not drop safe, so should be carried with an empty chamber under the hammer.

rc

 

[cyclopsshooter]

rc that is a gorgeous revolver

 

[rcmodel]

Thank you.

The story is even more interesting.

I bought it from the estate of a WWII Dive Bomber pilot on the USS Franklin.
My father rode the badly damaged USS Franklin on his way home from the Philippines after I was born.

Family lore says the pilot was in the air at the time of the Kamikaze attack in Oct. 1944 that nearly sunk the ship, and had to land on another carrier.
When he finally returned to the Franklin he found this gun laying on his bunk.
He kept it, while turning in his issue Victory model at the end of the war.
He said he had no idea where the gun on his bunk came from, or who it had been issued to.

The gun appears to have been new when the ship was commissioned in Jan 1944.
It also appears to have remained unfired & loaded, until two weeks before I bought it in 2011.

It came to me with three empties and three loaded rounds of WWII FMJ .38 Spl ammo still in it!
The guys grandson went out and shot it 3 times to see if it worked!!

rc

 

[atlanticfire]

Cool gun and story!
I think I might stop tonight and see if he still has it in his case. Its a samll shop that not alot of people visit so it might still be there. Maybe I'll get some numbers off it and see what I can find. (maybe RC can help me).......

 

[gopguy]

$300 is a great deal on a Victory. Snag that one.

 

[Harrod]

Thanks RC, I kinda was thinking maybe that was the case for a "navy" pistol, but second though myself.

 

[woad_yurt]

Atlanticfire:
Before buying, look to see if it's been rechambered from .38 S&W to .38 SPL. A ton of them were after the war. You can tell if it's been modified by looking at the cylinder to see if there are one or two shoulders in the chambers. Those with two have been drilled out a bit to accept the longer .38 SPLs.

I had a rechambered one and it shot .38 SPL just fine with the hollowbase wadcutters, which expanded enough to grip the rifling sufficiently. I have no idea how that few thousandths of an inch would affect a regular, solid-bottomed bullet's accuracy. It did bulge the cases a bit, though, but I was still able to resize and reload them afterwards.

 

[jwsracin]

have a friend that has a smith pass down to him that looks just like these models models being described here, but it has a 6" barrel and no s&w seal on the side. it does have 4 screws on the side plate, the thing is we are kinda confused about the serial number, i was told that its the numbers on the but of the gun. I was told that it should have a Letter first and then the numbers, but this one has no Letter. anybody got any ideas?

 

[Radagast]

jwsracin:
Prior to late 1941 all S&Ws serial numbers were numeral only. There were a lot of cheap Spanish copies produced during the 1920s and it may be one of those.
If you can post some pics and serial number we can try to identify it.

 

[MIL-DOT]

I traded a Glock 17 with some ammo and extra mags for a nearly mint U.S. Navy-stamped Victory a while back ( even ran the deal by you guys before jumping on it).
I've since gotten the S&W factory letter for it, and according to Roy Jinks, my pistol was shipped from the factory to the Norfolk navy yard in 1942.
I've been advised that if it's really nice, in something like 98% condition, I should refrain from firing it, and I haven't.