S W 38 Victory Model Serial Number Lookup Extra Quality

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❗ After the war, many of the .38 S&W British models were converted to accept the more common .38 Special cartridge. If the barrel is marked ".38 S&W" but a .38 Special round fits in the cylinder, do not fire it . These alterations are often unsafe and destroy collector value.

What to Ignore : The numbers visible on the frame yoke when you swing the cylinder open are temporary used to keep hand-fitted components paired before final bluing/Parkerizing. S&W Victory Model Serial Number Ranges & Timeline s w 38 victory model serial number lookup extra quality

Serial numbers began at V1 in early 1942.

This is the single most important factor for both safety and value. The Victory Model was produced in two different calibers: ❌ ❗ After the war, many of the

If the gun has British proof marks, these are highly collectible, even if the chambers have been reamed out from .38/200 to .38 Special. 4. The Importance of Proper Identification

. To keep tracking simple during the war, they hit the reset button. They added a "V" prefix for "Victory" and started the numbers over at V1. A Deadly Design Flaw What to Ignore : The numbers visible on

Signifies the addition of a new, more reliable safety hammer block following an accidental discharge incident in 1944.

S&W .38 Victory Model Serial Number Lookup: A Guide to Extra Quality & History

Smith & Wesson did not stamp guns as "Extra Quality." If you see a stamp that looks like "P" inside a circle, that is a Proof Mark , indicating the gun passed a firing test. That is a mark of passing quality control, but not a "premium" grade.