• You are using the old High Contrast theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

S&W victory what should I look for?

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

roccoracer

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Messages
101
Location
Massachusetts
I picked up what I think is an all original all matching Victory today. Could someone share with me what to look for to verify authenticity and if it is still original. Thank you. I will post some pictures later this evening.



Thank you for looking
Scott
 
To start, more information is needed:

The serial number is stamped on the butt, and the numbers should be preceeded by the letter "V" or "SV".

Barrel length should be 2", 4" or 5" but 6" is possible. Measure from the front cylinder face to the end of the muzzle.

Barrel should be marked *38 S&W SPECIAL Ctg.* or *38 S&W Ctg*

May or may not be stamped on topstrap: UNITED STATES PROPERTY, or U.S. PROPERTY, or PROPERTY OF U.S. NAVY. Other markings are possible but rare. No markings are not unusual.

That should get things started.
 
The serial is v406602 It is marked u.s property with the flaming bomb. It is also marked .38 s&w special ctg. It has the lanyard and has the smooth gi grips. And All of the numbers match.


Thank you for looking
Scott
 
Looks original and well used. Less than collector grade. I'd guess around $300 or so. I see them tagged at $400+ but not sure if they actually sell at that price.

PS: Asking what they sell for AFTER buying is dangerous. I just said $300-$400 so I hope you didn't pay $600 thinking you got a great deal. After I buy something I NEVER ask what they are worth.
 
So original doesnt Add value. In all my other milsurps the original finish with matching parts increase value.
I paid $370.


Thank you for looking
Scott
 
I bought this one last year from a USS Franklin Navy dive bomber pilots estate sale for $Five bills.

Victory1.jpg

I have the old vets obituary, anecdotal military exploits from the family type written in the late 40's, three empty cases, and three loaded rounds of WWII ammo still in the chambers.

The old vets great-grandson decided to pop off three rounds of original WWII ammo still in it the day before I bought it ,to see if it worked!!!
By every appearance, it was the first time the gun had ever been fired since it left the S&W factory in 1944.

In case you are wondering, Yes, the Unfired Victory model worked fine enough to make it "Fired "instead of "Unfired" condition!!

And it does shoot Good, now that I have fired it too!

rc
 
Last edited:
Original finish does count, and it appears that the finish is correct and original for a S&W Victory model made in late 1942, but more likely early/middle 1943.

The stocks also appear to be original, and should be serial numbered to the frame on the under sides.

It was most likely sent to the Navy, who was using them in the Pacific to arm air crews. Because frames were serial numbered before they were made into compleated revolvers, and not assembled in any order, the only way to get reliable information would be to have the piece "lettered" by Smith & Wesson - which I'll go into later.

While it would be nice to have one in mint/like new condition, it is the worn ones that might have a story to tell if they could talk.
 
BTDT! And got the T-shirt & factory letter!

Even a S&W letter can't tell you anything more about a Victory model then is already in the book, "U.S. Handguns of WWII the Secondary Pistols & Revolvers" by Pate.

It is out of print, and commands collector prices now, but there is supposed to be a newer version available, someday?

S&W factory records were spotty at best during WWII, and kept in large Serial# blocks of Victory Model shipments.

The shipments were made in large lots, as production, orders, and payments allowed.
To military distribution centers for issue to ships or defense plants.

After that, S&W factory records have no clue where individual guns went from there, or who used them for what.

rc
 
Last edited:
True. But usually the letter can pinpoint the day/month/year it was shipped, and to whom (Army, Navy, DSC, etc.) Between the lines you can sometimes find some interesting clues. But the best you can hope for is a general history but not a specific one. That said, something is usually better then nothing.
 
I am convinced this is a Victory Revolver, especially with the V on the butt.

Should be some similarities with yours.

I do not recommend taking off the sideplates, but if you want to know what it looks inside, here it is.

ReducedVictoryRevolverV287699rights.jpg

ReducedVictoryRevolverV287699buttse.jpg


VictoryRevolverV287699USPropertyGHD.jpg


VictoryModel38SpecialonBarrel.jpg


SidePlateRemovedcasecolorsreducedDS.jpg

VictoryModelsideplateshowingsafety.jpg
 
Nice pict of the spring loaded Hammer Block Safety.

That sometimes didn't Block the Hammer, once, I guess?

I still got to wonder sometimes though?

My daddy told me lots of people ended up dead under strange circumstances on a crowded shop full of 19-25 year olds in WWII.

And he was one of them going to war on a ship in 1941, and fortunate enough to be coming back on one alive on one in 1945.

rc
 
Nice pict of the spring loaded Hammer Block Safety.

That sometimes didn't Block the Hammer, once, I guess?
Click to expand...

The spring can be defeated by gummed up grease or residue. If it does not stick out there is nothing blocking the hammer from hitting the primer.

The mechanism was redesigned in the 50's.
 
The mechanism was redesigned in the 50's.
Click to expand...

No, in early 1945. After the war many older revolvers were converted to use the new hammer block, and stamped with the letter "S" on the sideplate or butt to show the modification had been made.
 
In some cases the hammer block, which is its own spring, simply broke rather than being gummed up. In any case, the rebound slide worked and no one knew the hammer block was inoperable until it failed. Actually, it takes a fair amount of a blow to damage the rebound slide or break the hammer stud and allow the firing pin to reach the primer, but it did happen in the famous incident of the sailor being killed. (Or it was reported to have happened; some doubt has been expressed, but in any case the incident led to a much better hammer block design.)

Jim
 
Original most certainly does count. Zero collector value if it's modified. BUT... condition is king. Your revolver is well used and shows a lot of bare metal. They made a couple million of these so they are not rare (scarcity being another value factor) so they MUST be pristine to generate serious interest from serious collectors. This is a shooter grade gun. The $370 you paid is the upper end of the value range. But price is immaterial if you like the gun. If you bought it as an investment or a collectible then sorry, the condition isn't there.

BTW- A really pristine V Model will be priced at $700 or so. Getting a good shooter for around half of that sounds OK to me. I have two VMs and I love to shoot both of mine.
 
Mine is unfired. The gentleman who got it, a retired Colonel, he got it out of Anniston Army Depot. It was in a bucket which an Arsenal worker reached in and pulled the thing out. Given that Victory Models had been tossed into buckets, this explains all the dents and scratches.

The cosmoline had hardened enough that the bolt stop was frozen and the cylinder spun.

I degreased it but the thing is still unfired.

I doubt I could convince anyone that it is in 100% original military condition.

I have another Officer friend who visited Anniston Army Depot. He saw Garands coming back from the function range on movable rack carts. The Government worker was lifting these 100% rebuilt and function tested Garands off the carts and throwing them, a good distance, into big storage boxes. I have seen these boxes, they are about six feet or four feet square and four feet tall. He said he saw splinters exploding out of the storage boxes from the force of the Garands landing in the box.
 
Supposedly the revolver was dropped from the upper heights of a battleship's superstructure and landed on a hardwood deck. Smith & Wesson engineers requested that it be returned for examination, but never got it. It is doubtful that at this late date anyone will ever know exactly what happened.

As a side note: Following this incident the Navy requested that S&W replace the K-frame revolvers with the N-frame .38-44 Heavy Duty, but the company explained they would be unable to do it, as they’re production capability was totally committed to making the Military & Police model.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top