US Navy Victory Model Shoulder Holster Variant

[usmcdoc67]

Found this thread while researching a recent acquisition. It is a S&W Victory Model from the estate of Vice-Admiral William E. Gentner, Jr.. Came with documentation from his son as to it's history and the service of his father in the U.S. Navy. What really caught my attention is the fact that it has the same exact holster shown in Mr. Flicks' post back in 2017. According to what I've been able to find out about Adm. Gentner he was a naval pilot during WW2, CO of the USS Rendova and USS Coral Sea. He also was CO of the 6th fleet and commander of all Naval forces in the Taiwan Naval District.

[kwill]

Welcome to the forum. How about some pictures?

[usmcdoc67]

Thanks! Tried uploading pics, but file is to big. Couldn't figure out how to resize. May put on imgur.com & post link, if that's allowed by the forum. Don't want to do something to screw up first thing. If anyone knows about resizing or linking to imgru, let me know.

[kwill]

Thanks for trying. It is a challenge to post pictures on this forum. If you want to email them to me I will try: kevin at kwill dot com

[Charlie Flick]

USMCdoc:

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Sorry that you are having trouble figuring out the photo posting here. it is not really difficult but does take a few steps. On image resizing, the Forum has had multiple threads on that topic over the years. It is easy to do. Take a look at the threads posted under the Photo sub-forum and you will find one that will help you get your images to the right size.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/forum/24-photos-imaging/

 

Image hosting on third party platforms was eliminated from our Forum some years ago. The reason was because once valuable threads would become useless if the poster's account was closed or the poster decided to take his pics down. This thread here is a good example. It is an old thread but all the pics are intact and available to all because the images are hosted by our Forum, and not a third party. And don't get me started on the nuclear implosion that was once Photobucket.com!

 

If you can't get the hang of the pic posting, Kevin has volunteered to get them posted for you.

 

BTW, I'd like to know more about that Victory. I maintain the Victory Model Database and would love to add this revolver to it. I can also give you a very good estimate on when it was shipped from the S&W factory. If you don't want to post the complete serial number here, you can send me a Private Message through our Forum. I will need the complete serial and the left top strap markings.

 

Regards,

Charlie

[usmcdoc67]

Hey Charlie-

Was able to get picture resized, but still wouldn't display it. Still doing something wrong...…..I guess! The Victory serial no. is V 788783. Top of frame has ordnance bomb, US Property G.H.D.. Sent a request to S&W Historical Foundation for factory information. Also, have another one with the same frame info. The serial no. on that one is V 707900.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Glenn (doc)

[Charlie Flick]

Hello Glenn:

 

Got it.

 

Is there an S before the V serial number prefix for V788783? I ask because the SV prefix, used to designate the inclusion of the new safety hammer block, started coming into play around V770000. That is not a hard cut-off as I can see higher numbered .38 Specials in the Database with only a V-prefix, but not many and they drop off sharply. The Navy insisted upon that safety feature so after a certain point it was not going to accept new Victory Models without it.

 

Regardless, I can tell you that your Victory likely shipped from the Smith & Wesson factory in the April-May, 1945 time frame. The great bulk of the revolvers in this range marked as you described were shipped to one of two Naval Supply Depots for use by the US Navy. While only a factory letter (which now come from the S&W Historical Foundation) can give you a precise shipment date and destination, I have confidence that this information is accurate.

 

You mentioned that you also have V707900 with the same markings. Is that revolver a 5" barreled gun chambered in .38 S&W rather than .38 Special? I ask because I already have that same serial number recorded in the Database. It is recorded therein as a 5" gun in .38 S&W. It should also display P-proof marks at the upper left frame, cylinder face and on the barrel flat.

 

I don't have an exact shipment date on your V707900. However, I can estimate for you that it was shipped from the factory in the November, 1944 time frame. It almost certainly shipped from the factory to the Hartford Ordnance District, Springfield, Mass.

 

I hope that information is helpful to you. When you get your S&WHF letter I hope that you will post the data back here. It might be better if it was posted in a new thread as this one is focused on the shoulder holsters.

 

Regards,

Charlie

[usmcdoc67]

Charlie-

Yes, there is an S also. Makes sense, since Adm. Gentner was a Navy pilot. Yes, too, the other Victory is a 5" barrel, chambered in 38 S&W and has the 'P' proof mark. As soon as I get the info, I'll start a new thread. Sent Kevin some pics and hopefully he will be able to get them up.

Again, thanks for the info.

 

Glenn (doc)

[kwill]

[usmcdoc67]

THANK YOU!!!!!

[digi-shots]

Nice holsters here! Looks like I need to go shopping - I do not have any of these types.

 

Kevin, that’s a great looking combo