Victory Model ??? Three more Pix
Received 3 more images from David and am posting them below. Also he discovered a very faint marking on the butt on the opposite side of the lanyard ring ... best he can make out is "WL85"
Not seen anything to sway me away from it being a 38/200 that predated the "V" prefix, and that for some reason the revolver never made it to Britan ... that's the real mystery of this piece; does the NZ marking on the backstrap indicate New Zeland, and is the other faint marking on the butt an inspectors mark?
Again, anyone with knowledge of 38/200's or even Victory models with NZ markings please fill us in.
Per book this is a $150-200 revolver unless the other markings can be identified and set it apart from the "herd".
Contacting S&W is also an option I'm suggesting to David as the NZ mark may have been something done for a special, small wartime run of revolvers that have gotten lost in the dust of history.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!
Not seen anything to sway me away from it being a 38/200 that predated the "V" prefix, and that for some reason the revolver never made it to Britan ... that's the real mystery of this piece; does the NZ marking on the backstrap indicate New Zeland, and is the other faint marking on the butt an inspectors mark?
Again, anyone with knowledge of 38/200's or even Victory models with NZ markings please fill us in.
Per book this is a $150-200 revolver unless the other markings can be identified and set it apart from the "herd".
Contacting S&W is also an option I'm suggesting to David as the NZ mark may have been something done for a special, small wartime run of revolvers that have gotten lost in the dust of history.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!
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Gee...that poor old S&W is in sad shape, isn't it? I looked at all your posts and pics, and I think your assessment of it being a pre-Victory model is correct, and "NZ" most likely does stand for New Zealand. In fact, I've seen Lee Enfields and Webleys stamped "NZ". The lanyard ring on the bottom marks it as one made for military or police use, and the added number on the back of the grip frame indicates that it was one of many in someone's arsenal. It may well have been purchased by an organization in New Zealand and shipped directly there. It's actual chambering, be it .38 S&W or .38 Special, should be easily determined; but since it doesn't say special on the barrel it most certainly started life as a .38 S&W (.38-200). Because of it's condition I doubt if it has any more value than a Victory model in comparable condition. If it was mine, I'd go through it, clean it up, and shoot it! Standard velocity ammo only, of course! 0 -
Saxon ... your absolutely right except it is pre-Victory numbering which was used for both the 38/300 and the 38 special revolvers. And now we have backup on the New Zeland theory.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0
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