I picked this Victory Model up last week. It's in very good shape. I gave $275.00 for it.

W (sideways), then serial # V611556

Back Strap Marking: WB-S-PFOR .022

The WB-S-PFOR stands for American Occupation Zone District of Wurttemberg-Baden (now a German state) Stadtpolizei (municipal police) Pforzheim (city) according to the good folks over on the S&W Forum.

I suspect the .022 is a rack/inventory number or some such.

It was shipped around June of 1944 according to the serial range.

This was likely a unmarked Navy contract revolver delivered to the OSS who provided them to the German police post-war but I'll have to get it lettered to make sure. In fact this is the second German police marked Victory I've found that I need to letter.

Much like this one:

http://coolgunsite.com/pistols/sw_v484563

Is that Victory model S&W revolver  chambered in 38 Special cartridge?  I was thinking some lend lease S&W Victory revolvers sent to Britian and other countries were 38 S&W aka 38-200.

Either way anotber great find!

.38 special.

Most of the .38 S&Ws (.38-200) sent to the Brits were 5" though Colt sent some 4" .38 S&W Police Positives to the Brits.....Most seem to be the round butt versions which was mostly a export version of the PP.

I have a 1942 Colt PP in .38 Colt (.38 S&W) that went to the Brits. It was in a holster of the Webly style but clearly fitted for the PP.  

The jury is still out on wither the Colts were gov. contract or private purchase as so few are encountered.  

OP when I read your posts, I feel very happy for you but then late at night in my bed I cry out loud wishing it had been me to make the find!

All I ever find is abused Glocks at full retail with God knows how many rounds through them.

I had a 38 S&W victory but sold it because for me 38S&W just wasn't something I could buy and at the time I didn't reload
id live to get a 4 inch 38 Special Victory model to compliment my Inland M1, Springfield 1903, M1 Garand, and Mossberg M44 surplus firearms

The 4" Victory models are sleepers in the mil-surp world. They are often sold for reasonable prices because sellers don't know what they have.

Many have had their stocks replaced and lanyard swivels removed. The good thing is that both are still available in quantity for several sources.

Of course the US Navy marked ones go for near 1K now with the US Property marked ones going for $500.00+.

Unmarked top-strap "state-side" Victory models seem to be the ones that are overlooked the most but like this example you just never know till you figure out the stampings that are sometimes found on them. The US Navy bought a couple on runs in late '43 and '44 that were unmarked so serial number ranges are important to check out.

I'm still looking for one of the "factory guns" that was used at a war plant in my AO. After the war they were simply given away to the guards that used them.

I've seen one  American Viscose Corporation (AVC/rack number) stamped Victory but it had it's barrel bobbed and had been nickeled. I wish I had bought it.

just won this on gunbroker
S&W Victory 38sp by John Hermesmeyer, on Flickr

S&W Victory 38sp by John Hermesmeyer, on Flickr

S&W Victory 38sp by John Hermesmeyer, on Flickr

its not U.S. Property marked so  the odds are it was a gun issued to wartime plant security