WWII S&W Victory Model Revolver stamped to MARE ISLAND Naval Shipyard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Island_Naval_Shipyard

 

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Think it was for the flight crews stationed there? SP's?

Awesome piece Ed - will be back in Fayetteville next week & will stop by

 

Chris

Very nice Victory Model, I like it!

What could be better than Myrtle? Lot's of things. How do you know about Myrtle. C'mon I was stationed at Mare Island too.

Paraphrasing here but a favorite Movie Line of mine about Mare Island in the movie "Wake Island."

Awesome revolver.

Ronnie

That's a very nice example of an uncommon revolver. It is a Victory Model (V prefix), not a pre-Victory (no prefix), correct?

Serial number 971xxx S V

Serial number 971xxx S V

That's unexpected! I hope ordnanceguy comes along and explains it.

Nice revolver. The USN/USMC used the 4in and 2in barrel versions for aviation use until at least the 1970s. wwiiguns.com sells replicas of the Victory Model:

 

http://www.wwiiguns.com/store/product_catalog.php?c=54

I'd be pleased to have that in my collection

If I remember correctly, the S means the pistol went back to S&W for a retrofit on the safety bar for the hammer. I believe one of the early USN issued Victory pistol drop and went off, hitting another person. S&W got the pistols back and changed the way the hammer safety worked so the pistol wouldn't go off if dropped. Later pistols had the modification put in before the pistols were delivered to the military.

Hi Ed:

That's an interesting gun. A few questions, if you don't mind.

Is the ejector rod parkerized or blued? Are there any left top strap markings? Is the serial number suffix SV or just S?

If you can PM me the complete serial number and a pic of the butt markings I can give you a very good estimate on the factory shipping date, based upon the Victory Model Database.

Regards,

Charlie

left top strap markings

 

barrel markings

barrel markings

 

barrel markings

 

Hi Ed:

That's an interesting gun. A few questions, if you don't mind.

Is the ejector rod parkerized or blued? Are there any left top strap markings? Is the serial number suffix SV or just S?

If you can PM me the complete serial number and a pic of the butt markings I can give you a very good estimate on the factory shipping date, based upon the Victory Model Database.

Regards,

Charlie

Charlie, PM sent. Thanks for your help. Ed

Ed:

 

Thanks. I will respond to your PM later tonight, but for now I can say that you have a winner. Big time. Details to follow. The left top strap markings are the key.

 

Regards,

Charlie

WOW! More unexpected goodness!

Gentlemen:

 

What Ed has shown here is a virtually unknown variant of the pre-Victory/Victory Model .38 Special revolvers. It is one of the 40,000 guns which the US Navy contracted with S&W to "re-manufacture" to new standard. This occurred in 1945. That is why it's left top strap marking bearing the initials of JSB, John S. Begley, who undertook the duties as the Chief Inspector of the Springfield Ordnance District beginning in July 1945. The guns all received markings which were current at the time. Ed's gun was originally shipped from the S&W Factory in April 1942. It was probably war-weary which is why it was selected for re-manufacture to new status.

 

As I explained in a PM to Ed, the Mare Island markings are an interesting but well known variant. What makes this gun so special is that it is one of only six known examples of the JSB marked Victory guns. While others are certainly out there in the wild in my study of the Victory over the past two decades only 5 previous examples were observed by me and other Victory collectors. I wrote an article on the JSB inspected Victory Model revolvers which was published in the Spring, 2016 issue of the Journal of the S&W Collectors Association.

 

So, congrats to Ed on finding a gem. I have added the details on Ed's gun to the Victory Model Database.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

Grip frame "S" stamp

Grips interiors stamped with same number as the cylinder

Cylinder serial number

When .38 Special Victory revolvers sold at shooter prices I had a variation of this weapon, marked in the same large coarse font, 'NYMI,' I believe on the right side of the frame. Knowing nothing about the markings, I assumed the weapon was postwar surplus acquired by some obscure New York state govt agency--the 'NY'--and disposed of it. One of my less fortunate decisions.