- Thread starter 308Gunner
- Start date
Where did you buy it from?
I have 4 of them and they are all factory S&W
I have 4 of them and they are all factory S&W
you sure it is not NA which is Navy Arms, Ridgefiekd, NJ? They were reimporters of surplus weapons and brought in tons of Smiths, 1911’s, carbines, etc.
SA Ridgefiekd is also common. Sarco Arms, also in NJ.
import marks hurt the value of the guns, but not their ability to be great shooters.
For a fee, Roy Jinks can get you a history of where it shipped To begin with. A lot of them went to critical war efforts or military. If not US marked, may have gone to factory security, LE, foreign ally, and some were given as gifts to people who ‘rated.’
The under barrel stamping is almost certainly A 1990s import mark.
The red paint on the butt was also common on ‘rack’ guns. Used by foreign military and police. Even in US organizations, not uncommon for training or armory weapons to be color marked.
Hope this helps, cheers.
Sirhr
SA Ridgefiekd is also common. Sarco Arms, also in NJ.
import marks hurt the value of the guns, but not their ability to be great shooters.
For a fee, Roy Jinks can get you a history of where it shipped To begin with. A lot of them went to critical war efforts or military. If not US marked, may have gone to factory security, LE, foreign ally, and some were given as gifts to people who ‘rated.’
The under barrel stamping is almost certainly A 1990s import mark.
The red paint on the butt was also common on ‘rack’ guns. Used by foreign military and police. Even in US organizations, not uncommon for training or armory weapons to be color marked.
Hope this helps, cheers.
Sirhr
It very well could be NA it is not in the best condition, it was my stepdads that my mother found in a backpack. I don’t know what she is going to do with it but mechanically it is in good shape. I might talk her out of it just because
Maybe,but the Victory isn't that old of a model, maybe 5 years top's
I believe you are right that there is a re-issue. Perhaps an updated model 10. But I suspect the OP is talking about one of these.
Gun Review: A 1944 Smith & Wesson Victory .38 Special Revolver
A descendant of the .38 Hand Ejector Military & Police Model of 1899, Smith & Wesson’s first swing-out-cylinder revolver to
www.tactical-life.com Cheers, Sirhr
You should definitely talk her out of it just because. They are great pieces of history and even a re-import probably has a story that if it could talk….
Please post a picture if you get a moment! Would love to see it. See article above.
Cheers Sirhr
Well that certainly makes for a whole new direction.I believe you are right that there is a re-issue. Perhaps an updated model 10. But I suspect the OP is talking about one of these.
Gun Review: A 1944 Smith & Wesson Victory .38 Special Revolver
A descendant of the .38 Hand Ejector Military & Police Model of 1899, Smith & Wesson’s first swing-out-cylinder revolver to
Cheers, Sirhr
I hang my head in shame.
You are correct it is the old model and I will post some pics when I get home, it is a neat old revolver and there is no telling the stories that it holds.
Here are some pictures it looks good now compared to when I got it I still have some cleaning to do but mechanically it is great
Attachments
Classic reimport... and lovely! The rack mark gets it returned to the right slot in an armory rack.
Cosmetically, been in third world countries! But what a great gun! If it could talk!
Congrats on getting a great new gun into the stable and shoot the heck out of it! You will enjoy it for a lifetime! BTW, probably a tackdriver once you get used to it. .38 Wadcutters and you will have a great target shooting gun!
Cheers,
Sirhr
That’s what I figured on load I just happen to have 500 that I have been wanting to shoot.
This gun appears to be marked 38 S&W cartridge. You need to understand this is NOT the same as 38 Special. You may need to do a little more research on this gun before you fire it with 38 special ammo.
www.thefirearmsforum.com
I have an old victory model that was re-barreled with a 2" bbl when it was imported. That barrel's bore is a bit smaller than the original 38 S&W bbl. The "new" bbl is for the normal .357 dia bullets used in modern 38 spcl and 357 mag. However, the cylinder chambers are larger in diameter (for the old 38 S&W chambering) and when I fire 38 spcl in it the cases swell quite a bit. No real adverse effects long as I shoot milder 38 spcl loads. I would not try any hot loads in mine.
YOURS appears to still have the original larger-dia-bore barrel for the old 38 S&W, which would have a bore dia of about .360". This may negatively affect accuracy with the smaller .357" bullets and the swollen cases with 38 spcl may be a bit disconcerting as well. Just a headsup on what you can expect.
S&W .38 vs .38 Special Ammo
So I inherited a S&W .38 hammerless and the books say not to use .38 special ammo or .357 ammo. The latter seems reasonable. But CCI offers a .38 Special in 100 grain which seems harmless to me. I
smith-wessonforum.com
38 S&W vs. 38 Special
Being a diehard rifleman, I need a little help with this; A friend posted on another forum that he was left a, .38 S&W revolver and was having a hardtime finding ammo for it. ? is, whats the difference between a plain, .38, and a .38 Special? Are they interchangable? I'm ashamed of myself for...
www.thefirearmsforum.com I have an old victory model that was re-barreled with a 2" bbl when it was imported. That barrel's bore is a bit smaller than the original 38 S&W bbl. The "new" bbl is for the normal .357 dia bullets used in modern 38 spcl and 357 mag. However, the cylinder chambers are larger in diameter (for the old 38 S&W chambering) and when I fire 38 spcl in it the cases swell quite a bit. No real adverse effects long as I shoot milder 38 spcl loads. I would not try any hot loads in mine.
YOURS appears to still have the original larger-dia-bore barrel for the old 38 S&W, which would have a bore dia of about .360". This may negatively affect accuracy with the smaller .357" bullets and the swollen cases with 38 spcl may be a bit disconcerting as well. Just a headsup on what you can expect.
Good catch!!!This gun appears to be marked 38 S&W cartridge. You need to understand this is NOT the same as 38 Special. You may need to do a little more research on this gun before you fire it with 38 special ammo.
S&W .38 vs .38 Special Ammo
So I inherited a S&W .38 hammerless and the books say not to use .38 special ammo or .357 ammo. The latter seems reasonable. But CCI offers a .38 Special in 100 grain which seems harmless to me. Ismith-wessonforum.com
38 S&W vs. 38 Special
Being a diehard rifleman, I need a little help with this; A friend posted on another forum that he was left a, .38 S&W revolver and was having a hardtime finding ammo for it. ? is, whats the difference between a plain, .38, and a .38 Special? Are they interchangable? I'm ashamed of myself for...
I have an old victory model that was re-barreled with a 2" bbl when it was imported. That barrel's bore is a bit smaller than the original 38 S&W bbl. The "new" bbl is for the normal .357 dia bullets used in modern 38 spcl and 357 mag. However, the cylinder chambers are larger in diameter (for the old 38 S&W chambering) and when I fire 38 spcl in it the cases swell quite a bit. No real adverse effects long as I shoot milder 38 spcl loads. I would not try any hot loads in mine.
YOURS appears to still have the original larger-dia-bore barrel for the old 38 S&W, which would have a bore dia of about .360". This may negatively affect accuracy with the smaller .357" bullets and the swollen cases with 38 spcl may be a bit disconcerting as well. Just a headsup on what you can expect.
Yes, you can't shoot .38 SPL. Though light target wadcutters would not likely hurt it... you probably won't get the cartridges in. Which prevents high power .38 SPL rounds from being used. +p's and the like. The .38 SW case is, I think, .100" shorter than the .38 Spl. Which is .100 shorter than the .357 Mag. Which is .100" shorter than .357 Maximum.
Fortunately, .38 SW cartridges are widely availalbe and reloadable on .38 dies if the crimper will reach.
For hollow based wad cutters, I would not think .003”‘of undersized would be a problem. But for solid based bullets, mtrman is likely correct that accuracy would suffer.
Cheers,
Sirhr
PS. I have a Webley in .38 SW. and bought that star line brass. I shoot lead swc’s out of it and it is a sweet little revolver. Just a delight to shoot.
Last edited:
thanks for sharing now there is another revolver I got myself sucked into looking at that I now want lol , Addiction is bad well at least the stores around me are still closed and I have no choice but to wait to really look at one . It is a nice looking gun .
I forgot to add that in addition to the smaller bore bbl, the cylinders were bored out to accept the longer 38 spcl cases. But it is still oversize in diameter for the older 38 sw cartridges, hence the swelling of the 38 spcl cases when fired. Other than the swelling, there doesn't seem to be any other adverse effects. I wish it was still in original condition but I'll take what I can get.
Missouri Bullet Co has .361" dia bullets
Midway has brass
www.midwayusa.com
Brownells has dies
www.brownells.com
Missouri Bullet Company
Missouri Bullet Company offers premium lead bullets at affordable prices. We make hardness optimized bullets for the velocity of the loads you shoot.
missouribullet.com
Midway has brass
Starline Brass 38 S&W Bag of 100 (Bulk Packaged)
Starline Brass prides itself on producing the highest quality brass case available. Their brass is comprised of 70% copper and 30% zinc and is...
www.midwayusa.com Brownells has dies
PISTOL CARBIDE 3 DIE SETS | Brownells
Set includes Carbide Full Length Sizing Die, Bullet Seating Die, Powder Thru Expanding Die, Shell Holder, Powder Dipper and Instructions/Load Data Carbide dies requires no sizing lube
www.brownells.com 
That is not paint it is a metric shit ton of grime, I had used about a half a bottle of Hoppes #9 just to get it to where it is now. I have seen some dirty firearms before but this one takes the cake.
The victory and the Colt Police Positive have always had some of the prettiest lines of any revolver.
Also the Smith M-frame. The original Ladysmith. I love mine. It’s like a little miniature 29! And, no, M-frame is not a typo.
sirhr
My Colt Police Positive, .38 Spcl.
Just feels "elegant" in your hand. One of these days Ill have to get a cross draw flap holster for it. The bluing is translucent, Ben Kenobi describes it best.....
The Police Positive is the light saber of pistols.
Carried this all day...
My son and I were supposed to be camping for the rest of the week in western MA. Its 43 in Boston now with snow flurries moving through.
In western MA it was 32 with winds over 17 miles per hour and frequent white out snow squalls.
We tried.....
Had the Ranger packed but we ran in to the clash of seasons. Freezing temperatures and snow with rivers of water flowing on the trails we need to use to get to our desired campsite. Just wasnt meant to be unless we wanted to destroy the trails and besides there were at least four trees that had to be butchered laying across our route of travel.
It was so cold my driving crazy son was done driving the Ranger after about 15 minutes.
Sucks.
Another vintage Smith.....
Just feels "elegant" in your hand. One of these days Ill have to get a cross draw flap holster for it. The bluing is translucent, Ben Kenobi describes it best.....
The Police Positive is the light saber of pistols.
Carried this all day...
My son and I were supposed to be camping for the rest of the week in western MA. Its 43 in Boston now with snow flurries moving through.
In western MA it was 32 with winds over 17 miles per hour and frequent white out snow squalls.
We tried.....
Had the Ranger packed but we ran in to the clash of seasons. Freezing temperatures and snow with rivers of water flowing on the trails we need to use to get to our desired campsite. Just wasnt meant to be unless we wanted to destroy the trails and besides there were at least four trees that had to be butchered laying across our route of travel.
It was so cold my driving crazy son was done driving the Ranger after about 15 minutes.
Sucks.
Another vintage Smith.....
Came across this image... it is an excellent comparison, esp of I - N. While the frame letters seem random... there is a sequence that most have forgotten!
Sirhr
Similar threads
