This U.S. Navy marked .38 Special M&P Victory revolver was my step grandfather’s. What I know about it is limited. Do we have any Smith & Wesson experts in the house? Feel free to sound off in the comments and teach me something about what I have here.
I know it’s a double-action revolver on Smith & Wesson’s square butt K frame with five screws. I know it’s called a “Victory” from the “V” serial number prefix, which commemorates the Allied powers’ victory in WWII. It has a 4-inch barrel and, I believe, Smith’s “black magic” finish, which is similar to parkerizing.
It has a lanyard ring and is marked “U.S. NAVY” on the top strap, but isn’t marked “PROPERTY OF U.S. NAVY” as some were. Serial is V189334 (matched on the frame, barrel, cylinder, and even grip panels). That puts it relatively early in the V1 to V769000 serial range. I know it was built between 1942 and 1944, but can’t get more specific than that.
I also know it wasn’t sent back for safety retrofitting, as some 40,000 some-odd Smiths were. It still has the pre-1944 hammer block safety system.
But that’s about the extent of what I know about this gun. Can anyone provide further info? Are there specific photos of the internals, proof/inspection markings, etc. that would help?
