victory .38
I have a victory .38 that I recieved from a friend (along with a winchester model 12 that I already got answers about on this forum)which he said his grandfather caried with him as a pilot. My first question is there are no noticable military markings, there is a BOP etched on the backstrap (I guess that means bueru of prisons?)
1. How can I find out more information about this pistol. 2. how can I get an estimate value of it? I don't even know where to start as there is conflicting info on the web.
Thanks to Bert, I now can post a picture too. :-)
The ammo came with it as well.
1. How can I find out more information about this pistol. 2. how can I get an estimate value of it? I don't even know where to start as there is conflicting info on the web.
Thanks to Bert, I now can post a picture too. :-)
The ammo came with it as well.
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hello everyone. im new to this bord so if ive posted in the wrong fourm please forgive me.on to my question ive come into possion of a smith&wesson victory model 38..over its lifetime it has been converted to 38.spl.(cogswell&harrison london).i use it as a carry/plinking gun.is it safe to use a hotter load (+P)?if not can i switch the cylnder to achive this? if so can anyone tell me where i may order this part from? or do i need to see a gunsmith to millme one up?
thank you for your time0 -
I am unable to answer the question, but welcome aboard.
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence onto those who would do us harm." -George Orwell0 -
The S&W "Victory" was WWII "Plain Jane" version of the S&W Military & Police (later called the Model 10).
While it's probably strong enough for the occasional use of +P rounds (say as in a "self-defense" night stand gun), you're better off sticking to standard velocity loads.0 -
Welcome to the forum.
Unless the barrel was changed during the conversion I wouldn't put any more money in the revolver, regardless of ammo to be used.
The nominal bore on a 38 Special is .357 and the nominal bore on the British 38/200 (38 S&W) is .359 so there is an accuracy issue. Also many of the "conversions" were nothing more than punching out the cylinder bore to accommodate the longer 38 Special cartridge. However, the cylinder bore on a 38/200 is a slightly larger diameter and 38 Special cart. fired in these "coversions" run the risk of case splitting.
No add to the above +P cartridges and you could very well have an accident waiting to happen.
If you feel you need a more powerful cartridge get yourself a modern revolver that is designed to handle 38 +P loads, or in my view a more viable option would be to get a 357 magnum so you have the option of shooting everything from 38 special to the heavy magnum loads.
Lastly, take your Victory model to a gunsmith and have the cylinder bore checked. If it turns out to be a 38/200 punched out to a longer length ... don't even shoot 38 Specials in it anymore ... use 38 S&W which is still available and about the same price as the 38 Special.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0
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