S W 38 Victory Model Serial Number Lookup Extra Quality Page

Owning one of these is holding a piece of history in your hand. Do you have a Victory Model in your collection? Drop your serial prefix (no full numbers please!) and let us know its condition in the comments! 👇

The search term you’ve provided points to a specific and highly desirable segment of firearms history: the , universally known to collectors as the Victory Model .

The "V" stands for Victory. Production followed this general timeline based on the serial range: Hunters House Serial Prefix Production Year Key Feature V1 to ~V769,000 1942–1944 Standard war production. S769,001 to S811,119 1944–1945 Introduction of improved hammer block. SV769,001 to SV811,119 Modified lockwork/new safety hammer block. Identifying "Extra Quality" & Key Features

Sandblasted Parkerized finish; smooth walnut grips; lanyard ring SV769,001 – VS811,119 Improved safety hammer block installed at factory Identifying Variations 1943 S&W Victory model revolver - U.S. Militaria Forum s w 38 victory model serial number lookup extra quality

If your revolver has a V prefix on the bottom of the frame, but an S stamped a short distance away from it (or on the right side of the frame near the hammer), it means the gun was sent back to the military or factory after late 1944 to be retrofitted with the new safety block. 2. Year-by-Year Serial Number Lookup Chart

Possibly. Late 1941 to early 1942 production examples (approximately serial numbers 800,000 to 999,999) were produced before the V prefix was adopted. These are known as "pre-Victory" models. If your gun has a Parkerized military finish, "U.S. PROPERTY" markings, and a lanyard ring hole, it is likely a pre-Victory model even without the V prefix.

Victory Models produced for the U.S. Navy or Defense Supplies Corporation often feature a stamping on the topstrap: or "U.S. PROPERTY" . Examples with crisp, legible stamps are highly sought after. C. British Service Revolvers (BSR) & Lend-Lease Owning one of these is holding a piece

These include matching numbers on the barrel, cylinder, and interior grip panel, original parkerized or blue finishes, and British proof marks (if it was a British Service Revolver/BSR). 2. S&W .38 Victory Model Serial Number Lookup Guide

These often featured a "brushed blue" finish rather than the standard matte finish.

Smith & Wesson .38 Victory Model is a WWII-era variant of the Military & Police (M&P) revolver, distinguished by a unique serial numbering system that began in 1942. To accurately look up and identify a Victory Model, you must locate the serial number on the bottom of the grip frame (the butt). www.recoilweb.com Serial Number Prefixes and Meanings "V" Prefix 👇 The search term you’ve provided points to

: This is the official serial number of record . It is located on the flat bottom of the grip frame, often flanking the integrated lanyard ring.

Final wartime production; contracts abruptly canceled in September 1945.

In early 1942, the standard S&W military production numbers approached 1,000,000. S&W reset the numbering system by introducing the for "Victory." The "SV" Prefix

It is crucial to differentiate between a true Victory Model and a pre-war ".38 Military & Police" model, which may look similar but lack the "V" prefix and have significantly higher pre-war quality.