Gun Review: 1942 Smith & Wesson Victory Revolver

World War II sidearm. Which weapon springs to mind? 1911? Luger? These two pistols are arguably the most iconic pistols of that massive conflict. Revolvers? By the time the second half of the War to End All Wars rolled around, fighting six guns were relegated to historical footnotes. Living on only through the legends of John Wayne and Doc Holliday, right? Wrong. Smith & Wesson revolvers went to war. Smith & Wesson produced produced one gun less than 40,000 ”Victory” revolvers for U.S. troops. And another 571,629 for the Commonwealth countries. I’m willing to bet that more than a few of our enemies back then would have told revolver naysayers that they were “dead wrong.” Although then as now, dead men tell no tales . . .

When I first received the Victory, I had no “real” knowledge of revolvers and no intention of ever carrying one. I was one of those guys who thought they were reserved for older guys who had failed to assimilate into the world of polymer and 15 round magazines. Why would you only want to have 6 rounds in your gun? It seemed like simple math to me.

At the beginning of the war S&W began producing their M&P revolver chambered in the British .38/200 cartridge for the Lend Lease Program, sending them off to the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They added a “V” for victory to the serial number; this iteration thus became known as the Victory model. As we entered the fray, Smith starting adding V’s to the popular .38 special chambered M&P and producing them for US forces. Victory model revolvers were standard issue for Naval and Marine aviators as well as guards back in the states at defense installations and factories supporting the war effort.

It was from one of these factories that a Victory found its way into my collection. Made in 1942, it started its life as a sidearm issued to a guard at the ACCO company, which made the snow chains for US Army wheeled vehicles as well as the chains that kept landing craft secure on US Navy ships.

A good friend of mine, Tine Close, was given the pistol by her father (via someone he knew at that company I assume) to protect her as she drove from Connecticut to San Antonio, TX. She was driving to be with her husband, Bill “Doc” Close who was training to fly C-47’s in support of the invasion of Normandy. Tine kept it for 65 yrs before she passed it on to me. She made me promise never to get rid of it and I can tell you without a doubt this gun will be passed on with that promise though many more generations.

The Victory model was definitely made for Military and Police applications. Parkerized finish was standard, with a lanyard ring, smooth walnut grips and US Ordnance markings.

The Victory’s finish is rough around the edges—not unexpectedly so for a revolver this old. The grips are worn, but in a good way: just a little scuffed, not perfect. I’m pretty much a sucker for any gun with wood grips so that aspect immediately drew me in. I also have a Parkerizing fetish. There’s something about that no-nonsense, no-frills, no-maintenance finish that gets me all hot under the collar.

Holding the Victory in my hand, it feels like something is missing in the front strap, like my hand isn’t quite filled. [ED: I say nothing.] It’s more of an annoyance; it doesn’t affect the weapon’s shootability. But a Tyler T-Grip is definitely on the cards. As for the working parts, the revolver’s trigger as smooth as a snifter of Laphroaig on a cold winter’s night. The gun’s double action glides the whole way through. Single action has a clean even break. No stacking or gritty take up like I expected from a gun with 70 years on her frame.

The sights leave a little to be desired—compared to modern three-dots. The Victory’s front sight is a half moon at the end of the barrel. In single action, you line up with a groove that passes through the top of the receiver. Center the front sight in the groove and you have a sight picture.

Unless you’re firing double action. With the hammer up, the Victory’s sight picture pretty much disappears. It takes a little guesswork to figure out exactly how the front sight, rear groove and top of the hammer line up. About the best that can be said about the system is that it’s probably more than adequate in a combat situation (i.e. you’ll never use it).

The Victory’s weight and balance makes an Olympic figure skater look like a klutz. On paper, no. We’re talking a revolver that weighs At ~34 oz unloaded with a 4” tapered pencil barrel. In the real world, the Victory points like an Irish setter on a pheasant hunt. It offers a smooth well-balanced straight-line, not too heavy at either end. It points naturally at whatever you intend to destroy. Smith knew what they were doing when they designed this pistol.

I picked up some Winchester 148 grain wadcutters and took the Victory out on the town. She loads like any SA/DA revolver. Press the cylinder release forward, swing out the cylinder and load six rounds of fun into the cylinder. When done, you again release the cylinder; tilt the gun to the rear, press the cylinder rod down and the extractor will do the rest.

Shooting the Victory requires acclimation. As someone who is used to taking a high, thumbs up grip on an automatic, I felt as if I had nowhere to put them on a revolver. I spent five cylinders of ammo figuring out my grip and getting the hang of the aforementioned sight issue. Once we got to know each other, everything clicked. I put the Victory through her paces; slow fire in double and single action, committed pairs and rapid fire.

Rapid fire produced consistent 3” groups at 15 yards. That’s more than acceptable in a self-defense application. Controlled double action produced groups like the one above with six rounds at 15 yards. I tended to throw a flyer on the first round, but the follow up shots more than made up for the wayward trajectory.

Function was impeccable (though camera focus regrettable). No hiccups. Every round fired and was right on target. There were no light primer strikes to indicate the seventy-year-old springs were wearing out. The double action plodded along with unnerving dependability, showing no signs of losing the excellent trigger pull I experienced during dry firing.

The one disappointment: at some point during the day the original right grip panel had cracked. To avoid any future damage I removed them, put them in the safe and sent off for something a little more modern and sexy.

There Victory’s design hearkens to a bygone era, when gun designs were simple, straightforward and uncomplicated. The Victory revolver’s tapered barrel, square butt and simple finish speak to me. This was the gun Smith and Wesson was born to make. Which is why its spawn, the Model 10 is still being made today.

Truth be told, I went to the church of S&W a skeptic and returned a believer. I was so happy with the shooting results, so enamored with the Victory, that it’s now in my carry rotation. Nestled in a Bianchi pancake holster, the Smith & Wesson Victory conceals better than my 1911. With a full cylinder plus two speed strips I can carry more ammo than two full magazines worth of .45ACP. That’s right, I carry a crappy gun and an old ass revolver.

I know: the definition of an optimist is a man in a gun fight with a revolver and speed strips. It doesn’t matter. Victory depends as much on confidence as it does on technology.

Caliber: .38 special Barrel Length: 4” Overall Length: 8.875” Weight: 34 oz Action: DA/SA Finish: Parkerized Capacity: 6 Price: Varies depending on condition

She’s got class and style that would make most modern revolvers green with envy.

Balance is damn near perfect, but the sights in double action leave a lot to be desired and it needs some girth in the front strap.

Elegant, simple and accurate. It’s sure to be a reliable workhorse for many years to come.

I think you’re speaking of the M13 Aircrewman which had an alloy cylinder. These were shipped to the Air Force in the 50’s, and usually had the C serial number prefix. Many were destroyed, frequently with a cutting torch. They were engraved on the top strap.

Surviving models are some of the most sought after Smiths and counterfeits are common enough that even Smith’s historian Roy Jinks will only comment in factory letters that revolver serial number XXXXXX with alloy cylinder what shipped to the Air Force, and not oficially declare it an Aircrewman.

Likely a Commando, which was Colt’s version of the Victory. Much smaller production numbers.

Six rounds should have been enough. ;)

Correct me if I am wrong but the M&P was / is a K Frame. In 38 Special pretty much a lower finish Model 10 from the era before S&W started using model numbers rather than model names.

24 posted on 02/04/2011 4:38:01 PM PST by R W Reactionairy ("Everyone is entitled to their own opinion ... but not to their own facts" Daniel Patrick Moynihan)

Yes, it is a K frame gun. Very nice revolvers. I have owned quite a few. I admit that I am partial to those with 6” or longer barrels, but the 4” barrels are handier to holster while riding in a car.

I have a 1909 Colt, .45LC. In very nice condition. I know it was originally sold to the USMC and issued to a Marine in Seattle during WW1. I know where it ended up (the guy I bought it from) but I have no idea what all happened in between.

Please remember to document what you know and to pass it along with the gun. It is a part of history, and whoever gains possession of your gun 50 years from now will appreciate it.

I have an old Russian Nagant revolver that was purchased by the Czar, went through WWI, the Russian revolution, the white and red wars, the Stalin era, WWII, and everything afterward up until the end of the Soviet Union. The Russian Communists never threw anything away, and they were short of every weapon in WWII, so it almost certainly saw action, even if only to execute those who were enemies of the state.

I'd like to know the details, but I never will.

Pre-42 Victory models are rarer in this category. They are really very simple to identify as original.

Make sure the weapon is unloaded.
Cock the hammer and check if the hammer block is there. This is a post-42 modification that was done to most of the Victory's after a sailor dropped one 3 decks and it went off.
If there is no hammer block, remove the side plate to see if it is machined for the hammer block. Original models will not have this.

This modification of including the hammerblock has been a safety feature of ALL S&W revolvers to this day.

Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. If you can keep the revolver clean, it probably is more reliable with questionable ammo. Under difficult circumstances, but with excellent ammo, good quality semi-autos, such as the Glock, have the advantage.

I like both of them, and carry both depending on the circumstances.

I one that is absolutely cherry in every respect. Carried by a T.A Featherstone during the war. Have the holster, too. It ranks in the top 5 of my collection.

“
By the time the second half of the War to End All Wars rolled around,
fighting six guns were relegated to historical footnotes.
Living on only through the legends of John Wayne and Doc Holliday, right?
Wrong. Smith & Wesson revolvers went to war.
“

DECADES AGO, as a teenager, a fellow church-goer had one of these revolvers.
I suppose it was from his father (served in Korea?).
My memory is dim, but IIRC, there was minimal stamping on the gun,
such as no serial number.
Perhaps it was impressed on a part of the gun you wouldn’t see until
the gun was disembled for cleaning.

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