I'd like to see some navy marked Victories

[madcratebuilder]

I picked up a 42-43 S&W Victory marked US Navy. It has the Eagle w/3 star and the number 24 cartouche, and a flaming bomb cartouche in the left side of the frame. US NAVY on the top strap.

It has witness marks from a set full size grips, finish is a dark gray with wear at the cylinder flutes and barrel end. Bore, chambers and action is as new. Carried a lot, shot very little.

I'll try and get some photo's today showing the cartouche marks, they are very light and may be challenging.

Anyone with an idea on how many of these saw Navy service. I checked Gunbroker and saw a few that had crazy prices, with bids

[nonothing]

Last I heard from some of my airdale buddies, some pilots on older carriers still pack these
The navy has a habit of never getting rid of ANYTHING. Hell, sometimes we even take some of the Army's old stuff

[madcratebuilder]

Ha ha, that could very well be true.

I did get some pic's. I'm having problems getting info on the faint cartouche of the Eagle w/ three stars.

[Howard31]

I have a S&W Victory Model that my Dad brought home from the Pacific in 45.
It sat in his desk for some 45 years and when he passed I moved it to my desk where it has been for 15 years. Essentially it has remained untouched for 60 years,never been through rebuild or up graded. It is marked U.S.Navy on the left side of the top strap. It does not have the Eagle in the box with 3 stars. That does not surprise me because that acceptance stamp wasn't used until the mid fifties. Mine does not have an ordnance flaming bomb cartouche either. It does have the same grips as pictured on yours. perhaps someone put unauthorized oversize grip on the piece and they were subsequently replaced w/ regulation grips at a later time.
I agree about the Navy never getting rid of anything. A Navy small arms armorer from Crane once told me the Navy would rather build a new Warehouse than get rid of something. I believe that to be true.

[KBM1]

Here's one, marked Property of U.S. Navy

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I have 5 US Navy Victory's, 2 of them are marked US Property but have factory letters showing delivery to the Navy Base in Oakland CA, the other 3 have US Navy on the top strap, one is a rare red Property of US Navy on the left side of the frame.

I am trying to get one of each "type" of US Navy Victory's, what I am missing are 2, a US Navy marked on Top strap and an S on the sideplate showing the new safety hammer block when it was sent back to smith for the change and a "SV" marked serial number showing that it was done at the time it was built.
I have never seen one and have never heard if the even exist, I just think they must have made some.

Of course then I would need a carrier marked one. One of my Navy's according to the person who sold it to me was carried by his uncle on the USS Hornet, but no documentation, just his word, but it is in great shape and shoots good too.

[madcratebuilder]

Ben, I saw your USS Hornet Victory on another forum. It's possible the nicest Vic I have seen. While I generally have a dislike for "stories" your revolvers history does carry some weight with me. To bad these old gals can't talk. Some of the action they have seen from the cockpit of a fighter or torpedo bomber. All the way to the rice paddies of SE Asia in the 60's.

I have got a slightly better pic of the Eagle cartouche.


Ready for action.

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I removed most of my pictures as some said if a crook could connect your alias to your name and then get your address they would know what you have or that you have them, although will most crooks go to that amount of work?
Besides I have a 120 half Rottweiler a gun safe and an alarm system, and a wife that is cranky when woken up!