...tell me what it's worth?


Only thing I really know about it, is it came from a fellow who supposedly came thru WWII, was a captain in the Navy, and brought it home when he retired sometime in the early 50's...

I know it's a Victory model...  But I kow nothing else really. Revolvers ain't really my bag.  Any info on it would be appreciated... Including value.

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Has the holster, and ammo 2 boxes of "issued" ammo with it...  But do have those in my possession yet.

Need to know what condition the barrel is in. pitting and/or rust?

make sure it's empty, pull the hammer back and see how loose the cylinder is.

Barrel is perfect on the inside by what my old eyes can see... Very "crisp".  Action is tight. Cylinder has a very, VERY slight wobble. But less than my 686 by comparison.  

I can get better pictures tonight if that would help.

Victory Models are all over the place.  $600 to $1500 with no real ryhme or reason.  With the rust freckles I'd yours is toward the lower end, but who knows.  Appears to be a fairly standard mid-war issue.

Solid late production example, speckling hurts but still easy $600-700 Pistol. NAVY marked examples bring the most.

Thanks fellers...  Sounds like I did pretty well for the 250 I have in it.

Navy carrier pilots carried those during the Vietnam war. Usually with a couple of tracer type rounds to be used as signal flares.

Those were modified later in the war with a hammer block safety. They are stamped VS rather that just the V

There was a Sailor who was shot when he dropped his

I have an almost full box of those tracers. (49)
Should try a couple some night.

That is one cool-looking handgun.  Just recently purchased a nickeled number LNIB.  I did some reading of the Victory model but didn't view images as good as yours.  So, it was an educational post, too.  Thank you, Sir.

OP, I'm sure you know this but the caliber is ".38 S&W Special", which IS different than the .38spl we all know & love.

The modern .38spl case is a bit longer than the .38S&W special.

Ummmm...  can we get a double check on that?  My pre-war S&W with the same markings eats .38 special all day long.

Edit- .38 S&W is the older cartridge that is shorter & fatter than .38 S&W Special (aka .38 Special)...  the photos OP presented say .38 S&W Special on the barrel.  

Incorrect 38 S&W special is the same as our “modern” ( cartridge dimensions have been unchanged since 1899)

What you are thinking about is the guns made for Britain in 38 S&W which did have a shorter slightly larger diameter case.

The s&w forum can date it and tell you all about it.
 I have a couple of pre war that they helped me with big time.
 Cool pistol.

Thank you for the correction.

The GHD after the US Property marks indicate it was accepted by Army Chief of Ordnance, Guy H. Drewry.

Any marks on the backstrap?

Victory model revolvers fall into a few distinct categories:
All were made between 1941 and late 1945
The earliest 38 special 4” barrel models were acquired by the US Navy for use by aviators primarily and were marked “us navy” on the top strap or right side of the frame
A bit later, the mark was changed to us property with the inspector initials ( all I know were marked ghd)
The V was to signify hopes for victory in wwII and started after Pearl Harbor ( guns made prior to this are technically not victory models)
Many are seen without the us navy or us property stamp. At the time pistols were considered critical war material and there was a board ( can’t recall the name off hand but it was something like defense procurement agency) and all orders for guns from non military organizations had to go through this agency to get approval and shipment of revolvers ( police departments, industrial complexes with security details even federal law enforcement) which then once approved were shipped no us property marked victories.
By far the largest number were shipped in 38 S&W ( not special) caliber in 5” barrel length as aid to Britain
A very small number ( I think it was about 500) were made with 2” barrels ( do not confuse these with the many British returns which were shortened and chambers lengthened to accept 38 special - easily identified by the lack of the front locking lug under the barrel )
Post war, it seems many of the 4” specials found ways to civilian agencies in law enforcement ( I have seen a good number stamped Seattle police for example, and also some with civil defense markings or the old triangular cd logo decal on them)
For many years a lot of these stayed in government inventory supplementing 1911’s and the Air Force model 15 revolvers for specific uses. Many were used by the army ( together with regular commercial variant model 10’s ) to arm aviators, and as late as the gulf war were issued to some Air Force air crews when the forces built up to the point there were not enough newer guns to go around

Nope.  Only markings other than the factory roll marks, are GHD.  

Great info!  Thanks.

A few were even sent to Colombia and stamped "Policia Nacional De Colombia".
I have a '42 Victory so marked.

Totally agree.