The S&W M&P military revolvers produced from 1942 to 1944 had serial numbers with a "V" prefix, and were known as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. Early Victory Models did not always have the V prefix. During World War II 590,305[6] of these revolvers were supplied to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa under the Lend-Lease program, chambered in the British .38/200 caliber already in use in the Enfield No 2 Mk I Revolver and the Webley Mk IV Revolver. Most Victory Models sent to Britain were fitted with 4-inch or 5-inch barrels, although a few early versions had 6-inch barrels.[7][8] The 5-inch barrel was standard production after 4 April 1942. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) supplied thousands of these revolvers to resistance forces. Thousands of Victory Model revolvers remained in United States Army inventories following World War II for arming foreign military and security personnel.[6]
Many of the S & W Military & Police revolvers were captured and used by some of the police forces, such as the Austrian Police, during the occupation after World War II. It is incorrect to refer to them as "the Model 10" as model numbers were not introduced by Smith & Wesson until 1957. Note that, during First World War, copies (slightly undersized) of the Military & Police were produced in Eibar and Guernica (Spain), in 8mm 1892 caliber for the French armies; the Milice man on the right holds such a copy.
s w victory model serial numbers
Serial numbers for the .38 special Victory model began at about V1 in early 1942 and ran until VS811119 with a date of late August of 1945 (end of production). V1 to approximately V39,999 were predominately .38 S&W Caliber (I have observed revolvers in the 1-40000 range in .38 special caliber). Serial numbers are located on Inside right grip, frame butt, Cylinder, extractor star, and bottom of barrel. Crane and crane recess are also serial numbered to each other, but this is a different number then the revolvers serial number as is correct for Victory model revolvers.
On April 24, 1942, the prewar serial numbers reached 999999, whereupon S&W instituted a new serial number sequence using the V (for Victory) prefix. Assembly line production of the V-marked guns began in the fourth week of April, 1942, with serial number V6. V1 through V5 were specially assembled in the tool room for presentation guns. V1 was presented to Lt. Gen. William Knudsen, who had been appointed Director of Production in the Office of the Under Secretary of War by President Roosevelt in January, 1942. The gun was eventually returned to S&W, rebuilt and presented to President Harry Truman in 1947. Production of the Victory revolver reached serial number V210000 by the end of December, 1942.
After serial number 769,000, the V prefix was changed to VS to indicate these revolvers were fitted with an improved hammer block to help prevent accidental discharges if the gun was dropped. This change was made after the death of a sailor from an accidental discharge of a Victory pistol dropped on the deck of a ship. By the time the war stopped, serial numbers had reached VS-850,000.
The FTR on mine probably required a re-parkerizing, because the US Property stamping is rather light, even though mine is in the half-million range of serial numbers. So, in 1954, it got pulled out of whatever depot it was in, inspected, rebuilt, parkerized and sent back into inventory.
Based on the compete serial you provided I can estimate for you with high confidence that your Victory was shipped from the S&W factory in the December 1942-January 1943 time frame. Your revolver likely shipped to one of two major Naval Supply Depots. I suspect that your example would letter as having shipped to the NSD at Oakland, CA as did most of the surrounding serial numbers in this range. S&W did not record manufacturing dates, only shipment dates. A factory letter from S&W will cost you $50. It can give you a precise date of shipment, certainty on the destination and some general background on this model. I can provide you with info on how to obtain such a letter if so desired. Where your revolver went after it arrived at the NSD is anyone's guess as few records have survived to tell that tale.
I went to a gun show today and got something that has been on my list for a while now. It's a Smith & Wesson victory model revolver. The serial number dates it back to summer of 1943 I believe (the V is there its just partially blocked by the little loop thing on the bottom). Looking forward to taking it to the range. The holster came with it and is a reproduction. Comments and Info welcome!
The S&W Model 10 military revolvers produced from 1942 to 1944 had serial numbers with a "V" prefix, and were known as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. It is noteworthy that early Victory Models did not always have the V prefix. During World War II over 570,000 of these pistols were supplied to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa under the Lend-Lease program, chambered in the British .38/200 caliber already in use in the Enfield No 2 Mk I Revolver and the Webley Mk IV Revolver. Most Victory Models sent to Britain were fitted with 4" (102 mm) or 5" (127 mm) barrels, although a few early versions had 6" (150 mm) barrels.[5][6] In general, most British and Commonwealth forces expressed a preference for the .38/200 Smith & Wesson over their standard Enfield revolver.[7] 2ff7e9595c
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