S&W Victory model .38 special

[smle-man]

Got this .38 special S&W Victory model at an auction a couple of months ago. It is marked to the Seattle Police Department and has an excellent bore. Unfortunately it has an electro-pen rack number on the reverse side as well as something that was EP'd and then scratched out with an EP.

[I Swan]

You going to get it lettered?

[81turbota]

That's a sweet revolver, too bad the PD pulled an Ivan and used an engraver. I don't know much about these, do you know the manufacturing date?

[Gutter]

Looks nice. How much did it run you? There's one local here that I'm still debating picking up with aftermarket grips and missing lanyard ring. Glad to see SPD kept it in original configuration.

[smle-man]

Looks nice. How much did it run you? There's one local here that I'm still debating picking up with aftermarket grips and missing lanyard ring. Glad to see SPD kept it in original configuration.

$330 plus DROS and sales tax. Except for the markings it doesn't seem to have gotten much use. The grips are serial numbered to the revolver.

[Enfield47]

Nice looking pistol. I can't really tell from my screen but the bluing looks pretty good. Is the hammer case hardened?

[mj1]

S&W board has some interesting posts about these pistols. What is on the top strap? US PROPERTY? Looks like it always was .38 special. So many of the series were bored out to .38SP from .38/200. Well done as usual. Do visit the S&W board for some interesting information.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Looking at the S&W crest, I would say it was refinished at some point. And I wouldn't be too upset about the electropencil markings. They are part of the gun's history. And judging from the markings on the barrel, I would agree that it is likely that it has always been a .38 Special. The British version omits the "special" verbiage, and has Maltese crosses on both sides of the barrel markings. It wouldn't make any kind of sense for somebody to go through the trouble of replacing the barrel, and just reboring the cylinder.

-Mb

[jonny13sb]

Great buy on a cool old Smith!!

[smle-man]

It is U.S. Property and GHD marked. It was made as a .38 special. It is a nice shooter and if I move to a state that allows open carry while hiking it will be my snake gun. The hammer is case hardened and the gun is parkerized. I'm guessing it was surplus post WW2 and transferred to the Seattle PD where it resided without being used.

[mj1]

I will say ammo will be simple compared to .38/200 I still have to find a pellet. I never noticed the crosses. Maybe in August we can get some range time for a comparison shoot off if I find some cast booo-lets?

[Father Ted]

I've been looking at these for the past year or so. I'd like one Ftr'd in lithgow.

[smle-man]

I will say ammo will be simple compared to .38/200 I still have to find a pellet. I never noticed the crosses. Maybe in August we can get some range time for a comparison shoot off if I find some cast booo-lets?

Jack

Range time in August sounds like fun! I'll be gone to the UK for a couple of weeks in August but maybe we can connect. For your revolver, check Western Bullet, they have .360 diameter bullets for the .38SW from 145 to 200 gr although I have a sneaking suspicion that the .38/200 Victory models are .358 diameter bores and will do fine with a .357 diameter bullet. I haven't slugged my .38/200 Victory but chrono'd velocities are a lot higher than my Webley .38, more so than i'd think accounted for by an additional 1" of barrel tube compared to the 4" Webley. A smaller diameter bore in the Smith would certainly boost velocities.