[smokingfrog]

Nice gun, if you can find one in good condition.

[Wizdum]

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.

[Gaffer]

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.