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New addition: a pre- Victory Model .38 Special


Navy Dan
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Hello everyone,

I just picked this up and wanted to share and ask for opinions

and maybe a date on this pistol ?

 

serial number 982xxx on butt

electric pencil on frame 7243

frame stamped 25353 L

crane 25353

cylinder matches butt

grips un marked

frame marked L

other side marked F5 ,G,DS, E5

 

It came with the lanyard ( don't think its real rope is nylon )

clip is stamped USA 18

 

Holster is a USN boyt 43 with rigger ammo belt. ( dont think it was with the gun originally )

 

Thanks

Dan

 

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Charlie Flick

Navy Dan:

 

Is the serial number 982250? If so, I can give you the following info. If not, please PM me with the complete serial number.

 

Your pre-Victory was likely shipped from the factory in the May, 1942 time frame. It most likely would letter as having shipped to a DSC authorized destination or to the US Maritime Commission. In this instance only a factory letter will be able to give you the precise destination with certainty.

 

The stocks are replacements. The electro-pencil marking can be anything from a rack or inventory number to a police evidence number. During WW2 the military generally did not employ electro-pencil markings on small arms. Such numbers are often seen in post-war applications with Civil Defense guns being frequent targets of the electro-pencil.

 

The crane and frame numbers are assembly numbers that are of little significance unless they are not matching. The grip frame numbers are those of assemblers and inspectors and are of no significance either.

 

The holster is genuine although the ammo slide has been added to it. The lanyard is not WW2 USGI. Don't know where that came from.

 

I hope that information is helpful to you.

 

Regards,

Charlie

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Thanks Charlie,

I have been reading on the forum and the internet and just wanted to confirm what I have learned.

I know the piece was in police custody at one point in its life and I think the holster was added for a display.

The ammo slide is made of what feels like sail canvas and looks like it has been with the holster awhile.

The lanyard and swivel I thought was bad.

 

Am i right in thinking that this one has not had the hammer safety done because there is no S stamped on the frame ?

 

Thanks Dagda !

 

Dan

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Charlie Flick

 

Am i right in thinking that this one has not had the hammer safety done because there is no S stamped on the frame ?

 

 

 

Hi Dan:

 

Yes, correct. The two groups of guns that got the safety hammer block were those military guns that underwent rebuild at the S&W factory and were so marked with the S serial prefix to indicate the modification, and those that had it installed when newly manufactured after about January 1945. Those latter guns would have an SV serial prefix. Since your example was likely not military issue it would not have gone through the Navy's mid-1945 S&W factory rebuild program.

 

Again, is the serial number on your revolver 982250?

 

HTH.

 

Regards,

Charlie

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Hi Charlie,

 

Sorry, Yes the serial number is 982250.

 

Is there a book out specifically about the Victory model ?

 

I'm becoming a fan of these pistols .

 

Thanks

Dan

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Charlie Flick

Is there a book out specifically about the Victory model ?

 

Hi Dan:

 

There is no single book out specifically on the S&W Victory Model, but Charlie Pate's excellent work, U.S. Handguns of WWII, covers the Victory Model in great detail. No other published reference comes even close. Highly recommended.

 

Regards,

Charlie

 

US Handguns of WW2 by Charlie Pate.jpg

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northcoastaero

The book titled: Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Jim Supica has some basic information on the<br />Victory Model revolvers. Hope this helps.<br />

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