[lite-box]

Was offered this pistol a few months ago at too high of a price and after months of not being able to sell it they took my generous original offer. Very nice Australian rebuild 5" LL M&P, " vega sac ca. " import from a few years ago. 96x,xxx serial late41/early 42 production. Matching #'s exc bore .

 

[NavyGunner]

Nice looking revolver, they're sweet shooters. The original issue grips would've been smooth walnut. The ones on there could be from the one of that British purchased before the Lend-Lease contracts.

 

[lite-box]

Grips are good. These aren't #'rd to this gun, one is un-numbered the other is serial 750,xxx.
96x,xxx should still have checkered grips.

 

[will5a1]

Nice example, I've got one not quite as pretty that I really enjoy shooting. Factory ammo was too expensive so I started loading it and for some reason I get the biggest kick out of shooting that revolver, its very accurate and my light loads kick about like a .22.

 

[NavyGunner]

The gray parkerized finish made me think it was a later Lend-Lease contract revolver. The Aussies probably did that when they put it though the FTR in 1954.

 

[lite-box]

This one was originally blued, The Australians parked it during FTR rebuild. From what I could find the switch over to smooth grips was Jan 42 so this one being a fairly late pre V it may have originally had smooths but being a refurb makes it pretty irrelevant now.

 

[Rute Boye]

A couple of months agoI purchased a gun virtually identical to yours, the only apparant difference being that mine was FTR'd in 1955 instead of 1954. I though I got a pretty fair deal at $299.00 for the piece, but lack any real frame of reference. Do you mind if I ask what you paid for this gun? It's a VERY nice one!

Regards,
Doug

 

[lite-box]

Paid $250

 

[ordnanceguy]

Lite Box:

That is indeed a nice example of an Aussie Pre-Victory Model. Vega imported a whole bunch of these in the 1990s.

Your estimate on the shipping date is, I think, a little bit off. It was most likely shipped a few months later, based on the information in the Victory Model Database.

As to the stocks, you are correct that the original stocks for your revolver were probably the smooth walnut variety. However, the changeover occurred later than January, 1942. If you ever decide to swap the stocks over to smooth walnut let me know as I may be able to help you with a pair.

If you want to get a factory letter you can do so for $30. Or, if you want to post here or email me the complete serial number and the markings on the left topstrap and butt, I can give you a very good estimate of the probable ship date and destination from the Victory Database.

Regards,
Charlie Flick
S&WCA #729
NRA Life Member

 

[Sarge]

I recently purchased one of these that has no importer mark nor does it have any Brit/Ausie markings. It is marked 38 S & W Ctg. The ser nr is 640246 and the cylinder has matching nrs. It has smooth grips w/no mks on the left one and 691532 on the right(very unevenly stamped), is parkerized & in Exc cond. It has what "could" be an arrow on the left side at the corner behind the cyl release.
Is this one of the exports?
Sarge

 

[will5a1]

Sarge - that serial number seems too early to me, but I ain't no expert on pre-Victorys, what jumps out is that a latter serial number, dating to 1934 and currently in the West Point Museum, is SN 642357. This is the revolver that Herman Goering surrendered with. Yours may have sat in inventory for a number of years I guess and purchased through the British Purchasing Commission. You should consider getting it lettered, its only $30 bucks, and would specify where the revolver was originally shipped to and when.

If it had a "V" prefix serial it would a wartime production .38/200; if Charlie Flick checks this thread again he may well be able to pin it down as they have a database with pre-Victory info in it.

 

[Noah Zark]

Very nice, congrats.

I have an identical phosphate-finished British-proofed example and it's a tackdriver. Perfectly regulated at 25 yds with Winchester factory loads, and my factory duplicate loads. Lots of fun!

Noah

 

[A square 10]

nice catch , she is indeed a beauty , i have one that shoots very well , you will like this one

 

[Sarge]

Can anyone give me a reasonablre "gustimate" on the value of this S&W?
I got it with a WW 2 Brit holster, ammo pouch & lanyard - all in Exc cond.
Sarge

 

[will5a1]

Okay, S&W .38/200 revolvers range from $200 to $400 depending on condition, prices for these revolvers seem to be heading higher like all things S&W and the holster/pouch/lanyard add some value. As near as I can tell Brit and/or Commonwealth markings don't seem to add or detract value. I have to add a big caveat - I'm not sure, based on your serial number in the above post (640246) that you have a .38/200. That number seems too low to me as I stated above, but Pate states in his book (US Handguns of WWII - The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers) that some were shipped to S. Africa with serial numbers as low as 612000, and I don't know if such had S. African markings on them. I will email Charlie Flick and ask him to check his database, I'm pretty sure those guys have a handle on the early shipment numbers.

 

[ordnanceguy]

Sarge:

A couple of questions, please. Is there a V or SV prefix to the serial number on the butt of your revolver? What is the barrel length? What markings, if any, are found on the left topstrap and butt? Is there a lanyard ring present?

As to the other marking you mentioned it is difficult to decipher without a pic. If you could post a pic of the marking I might be able to help you with that.

If you can answer the questions I have raised I should be able to properly diagnose your revolver.

Regards,
Charlie Flick
S&WCA #729
NRA Life

 

[Sarge]

OK, I just moved the lanyard loop/swivel and find there is a V on one side & the ser nr on the other, the loop covered it up.
The bbl is 5". Only ser nr on butt. The marking on top strap is almost unreadable, but looks like ?80 PRS ------ H. D.
Sarge

 

[ordnanceguy]

Sarge:

That additional information makes a huge difference. We can now properly diagnose your revolver.

You have a true Victory Model, not a pre-Victory. The V-serial prefix is the giveaway.

Your revolver was shipped from the factory in the August-September, 1944 time frame, based on the information in our Victory Database. It was a Lend Lease piece. The marking on the left topstrap reads [ordnance bomb] U.S. Property GHD.

I hope this information has been helpful to you.

Regards,
Charlie Flick
S&WCA #729
NRA Life

 

[Sarge]

Definately is.
thanx
Sarge

 

[skohler1]

Charlie,

Would you mind looking up a rather beat up Victory revolver of mine. It is V155669, it is all matching except for the grips, stamped only with US NAVY (very faint) on the top strap. Naturally it is in 38 special and has the usual 4" barrel. The side plates had obviously rusted at some point and someone wirebrushed it and cold blued everything except the trigger and hammer, which are still case colored.

I have a lettered lend/lease victory model as an australian gun, but no papers yet on the Navy model.

There are no other stamps other than the serial numbers. Any info would be much appreciated. I picked it up cheap and figured some day I would repark it and try to at least place a correct finish on it.

Thanks
Steve