Bought a Victory

[Three Foot Johnson]

No, I'm not running for president.

No, not the motorcycle.

A S&W Victory.

 

So, after putting a few downrange, I says to myself, "Self, you have some 200 grain cast round nose around here somewhere you used to use in .35 Remington Contender loads..."

 

So, I made up a few British service loads - that little .38 S&W case looks a bit odd with that much lead sticking out of it.

 

 

Of course, they print several inches higher on the target than 158 grainers, a bit above point of aim at 15 yards, but are just as accurate as anything else I shot.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

The .38 S&W is one of my favorite cartridges. I have several revolvers chambered for it, include and Australian surplus S&W M&P service revolver.

 

Question: Where did you get reloading data for the .38/200 round? I have never been able to find it, and would like to load up some of the hotter stuff for occasional use in my M&P, Victory and Webley Mark IV.

 

 

Some pics of my M&P...

 

Right side of the Revolver

 

Left side of the Revolver.

 

This is why I called it an M&P and not a Victory Model. According to everything I have read, the Victories all had a V before the serial number, but as you can see, this one doesn't. This makes it a "pre-Victory model" example. Supposedly only about 8000 were made before they started the Victory thing. That means this is one of the earlier guns that were Lend Leased to Australia, if my information is correct.

 

[/uR]

Here are the various proof marks on the gun. I have no idea what they specifically mean, other than Commonwealth usage. A friend of mine from Australia who works at a museum with a large firearms collection said he did find it odd that the specific stamp that should be on it saying that it was sold as surplus is not on it.

 

How I know it was Lend Leased. Technically, all of these guns remained the property of the USA.

 

This is the most curious marking to me. I assume it is an importer's mark, indicating that it somehow came back to the US sometime after 1968. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

The cartridge boxes are empty, and the spent cases have no headstamp. Still, they were part of the package that led me to purchase this one.

 

And this pretty much sealed the deal!

 

And finally, three images that help explain why I think this is a post '68 return from Australia.

 

 

 

Uck... I can't seem to post the back page of this booklet. It has a pic of a cutaway view, says it is of US Manuacture, and Australian Issue.

 

Maybe later.

[Three Foot Johnson]

In a 27 year old copy of "Cartridges of the World". We can't post load data, so I'll PM you the load it lists.

I have three other 5 screw M&P's, but they're all .38 special, of course.

 

In the meantime, here are some pictures to look at.

 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

The back.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

In a 27 year old copy of "Cartridges of the World". We can't post load data, so I'll PM you the load it lists.

I have three other 5 screw M&P's, but they're all .38 special, of course.

 

In the meantime, here are some pictures to look at.

 

 

Hmm. Curious images. I thank you, and for the PM.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Here's the NEW Victory model!!

 

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category4_750001_750051_804153_-1_757752_757751_image

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

In a 27 year old copy of "Cartridges of the World". We can't post load data, so I'll PM you the load it lists.

I have three other 5 screw M&P's, but they're all .38 special, of course.

 

In the meantime, here are some pictures to look at.

 

Hmmm, if you can't shoot it you can eat it!

[Alpo]

H. K., there is, in this thread, an explanation of that VEGA mark.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36095-38-victory-model-inforights-and-wrongs/

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

H. K., there is, in this thread, an explanation of that VEGA mark.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36095-38-victory-model-inforights-and-wrongs/

 

Thank you!

[Charlie Whiskers]

I've had one for several years since my Dad passed. I didn't even know he had it. After reading these posts I found out it's NOT a Victory model, but it does have quite a few strange stampings in the frame and a few on the barrel. Can't make out most of them and one has been "X'd) over on the left side of the frame ahead of the trigger guard. My uncle had loaded up quite a few 158's but I've never touched any off.

[Three Foot Johnson]

Perusing Gunbroker recently, I came across a listing for a 5 screw .38 spl *parts gun*. The seller said the bore was pitted, the crane was binding and wouldn't close, the main spring was missing, and the trigger wouldn't reset. I bid $130 for the parts and someone else bid me all the way up to that, then dropped out. The gun arrived Thursday, I stripped it, cleaned it up, found the bore was just dirty and nearly pristine under the gunk, installed a rebound spring from the parts pile, as well as a new main spring, put it all back together, with the right screw in the sideplate to retain the crane without binding, and the thing works & shoots perfectly.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Perusing Gunbroker recently, I came across a listing for a 5 screw .38 spl *parts gun*. The seller said the bore was pitted, the crane was binding and wouldn't close, the main spring was missing, and the trigger wouldn't reset. I bid $130 for the parts and someone else bid me all the way up to that, then dropped out. The gun arrived Thursday, I stripped it, cleaned it up, found the bore was just dirty and nearly pristine under the gunk, installed a rebound spring from the parts pile, as well as a new main spring, put it all back together, with the right screw in the sideplate to retain the crane without binding, and the thing works & shoots perfectly.

Very Cool, Congratulations!

[Dubious Don #56333]

Perusing Gunbroker recently, I came across a listing for a 5 screw .38 spl *parts gun*. The seller said the bore was pitted, the crane was binding and wouldn't close, the main spring was missing, and the trigger wouldn't reset. I bid $130 for the parts and someone else bid me all the way up to that, then dropped out. The gun arrived Thursday, I stripped it, cleaned it up, found the bore was just dirty and nearly pristine under the gunk, installed a rebound spring from the parts pile, as well as a new main spring, put it all back together, with the right screw in the sideplate to retain the crane without binding, and the thing works & shoots perfectly.

Nice find J Bar !

Looks like a prewar long action with the correct prewar grips..I love finding these 'parts guns' and bringing them back is certainly rewarding, isn't it !

[Three Foot Johnson]

Manufacture dates on these are notoriously hard to pin down, due to a variety of factors. The "Made in USA" on the right side would indicate sometime after 1928, but the small S&W logo on the left side (rather than a large logo on the right) would seem to indicate 1920 - 1922, but then again, the 544XXX serial number would once again indicate a later date again... at any rate, a decent example of a Model 1905 4th Change M&P.

I shot a couple boxes of 148 grain wadcutters through it yesterday, and had 13 rounds left when I finished on paper at 15 and 25 yards. So... I've got an 8" gong on the hillside @ 75 yards I thought I'd try... hit it all 13 times, off a rest, of course.

[Shawnee McGrutt]

Great parts gun...nice

[Bad Hand]

The .38 S&W is one of my favorite cartridges. I have several revolvers chambered for it, include and Australian surplus S&W M&P service revolver.

 

Question: Where did you get reloading data for the .38/200 round? I have never been able to find it, and would like to load up some of the hotter stuff for occasional use in my M&P, Victory and Webley Mark IV.

 

 

Some pics of my M&P...

 

Right side of the Revolver

 

Left side of the Revolver.

 

This is why I called it an M&P and not a Victory Model. According to everything I have read, the Victories all had a V before the serial number, but as you can see, this one doesn't. This makes it a "pre-Victory model" example. Supposedly only about 8000 were made before they started the Victory thing. That means this is one of the earlier guns that were Lend Leased to Australia, if my information is correct.

 

[/uR]

Here are the various proof marks on the gun. I have no idea what they specifically mean, other than Commonwealth usage. A friend of mine from Australia who works at a museum with a large firearms collection said he did find it odd that the specific stamp that should be on it saying that it was sold as surplus is not on it.

 

How I know it was Lend Leased. Technically, all of these guns remained the property of the USA.

 

This is the most curious marking to me. I assume it is an importer's mark, indicating that it somehow came back to the US sometime after 1968. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

The cartridge boxes are empty, and the spent cases have no headstamp. Still, they were part of the package that led me to purchase this one.

 

And this pretty much sealed the deal!

 

And finally, three images that help explain why I think this is a post '68 return from Australia.

 

 

 

Uck... I can't seem to post the back page of this booklet. It has a pic of a cutaway view, says it is of US Manuacture, and Australian Issue.

 

Maybe later.

I have one of those also, came with 200 of the 200 gr .38 S&W loads, holster, box, instruction sheet and belt.

[grenadier]

I picked one up a few weeks ago at a local pawn shop. Mine is covered in British proof marks and was put through FTR in 1953. It has been coated in Suncorite, so it look like it has been spray painted with BBQ paint. Not much to look at but the price was right and there's something about it that speaks to me.