Smith and Wesson

Victory Model

.38 Special

This model was introduced in 1942 and manufactured until 1945. Total production was 850,000 units. The Victory model was supplied to all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. A small group of Victory models were sold to commercial companies and Police Agencies. The orders for commercial sales were submitted to the United States Governments Defense Supply Corporation which would then issue sales order to Smith & Wesson directing them to sell to the various listed companies. The DSC ordered revolvers were shipped without U.S. or other Military markings.

The two revolvers below were shipped to the United States Maritime Commission, Frisco CA. There were purchased after the war by the Boston Police Department and the BPD armorers stamped the backstrap with the BPD markings. An interesting note is the backstrap on both revolvers is bent in by the force of the manual stamping. They were both shipped in the same shipment.

B.P.D. 296-V

shipped Sept 14, 1944

B.P.D. 312-V

shipped Sept 14, 1944