It wasnt until 1880 that Smith & Wesson was able to market its .38 Double Action First Model to the public. While it's a phenomenal handgun and loved by many of its owners, it's also prone to a few problems. Smith & Wesson 38 Special Revolvers (24) Refine By: Price Sort by: PER PAGE: 1 2 Compare Rebate! Get the latest news and updates on products, news, and events, JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT OUR MARYVILLE, TN HEADQUARTERS WILL BE POSTED ON OUR CAREERS SITE, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 442 CRIMSON TRACE LG-105 LASERGRIPS, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 442 MOON CLIP, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 642, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 640, M&P BODYGUARD 38 INTEGRATED CRIMSON TRACE LASER, MODEL 642 CRIMSON TRACE LASERGRIPS NO INTERNAL LOCK, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 642 ENHANCED ACTION, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 637 ENHANCED ACTION, M&P BODYGUARD 38 INTEGRATED CRIMSON TRACE LASER COMPLIANT, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 19 CARRY COMP 2.5" BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 986 2.5" BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 986, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 686 COMPETITOR 6" WEIGHTED BARREL, MODEL 686 PLUS 3-5-7 MAGNUM SERIES 3" BARREL, MODEL 686 PLUS 3-5-7 MAGNUM SERIES 5" BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 686 2.5" BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 686 SSR, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 686 PLUS, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 629 .44 MAGNUM HUNTER, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 629 COMPETITOR 6" WEIGHTED BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 629 STEALTH HUNTER, PERFORMANCE CENTER PRO SERIES MODEL 627, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL S&W500 HI VIZ FIBER OPTIC, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 460XVR HI VIZ FIBER OPTIC FRONT SIGHT, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL S&W500 7.5" BARREL, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 460XVR - 14" BARREL WITH BI-POD, PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 460XVR 3.5" BARREL, IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR SMITH & WESSON, 12 SHOTGUNS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 15, 2021, 2023 Smith & Wesson | All rights reserved | Nasdaq:SWBI |. However, some of the revolvers were utilized overseas by American combat troops, including U.S. Marines. Compare. The U.S. military flaming bomb insignia was applied to this S&W Victory Model with 2" barrel. Classics: Smith & Wessons Victory Revolver in .38 S&W, First Look: Sig Sauer SLX And SLH Suppressor Series, Smith & Wesson EQUALIZER Review: Crafted For Carry, Smith & Wesson Announces M&P FPC 9mm Carbine, 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! The origins of the .38 S&W date back to 1877, and since that time, the loadings here in the U.S. had been kept mild in deference to the original black powder revolvers and the later top-break bulldog-type revolvers. Victory Model revolvers had 4" barrels, there was also a little-known variant that was otherwise identical except for having a 2" barrel. K & L Frames are interchangeable when it comes to grips. As stated in R.G. However, the Model 64 by Smith & Wesson may be the greatest incarnation of the .38 caliber police revolver. A .38 Smith & Wesson cartridge compared with a .38 Special cartridge. This is the smallest frame. Clearly, the .38-200 S&W made a significant contribution to the war effort, especially with our allies. Enter your email address to receive our latest deals, personalized offers, and MVP access to pre-order notifications.See Details, 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors. One group in particular I have to keep as a bragging group: Five shots, 25 yards, over sandbags, all into a one-hole group. Surplus Good. Do you see the pattern here? When the U.S. entered the war in 1941, Smith & Wesson chambered the gun in .38 Spl. It is seen here being fired by Navy cadets. Seller Description. Or not. Fundamentally, this short subset of the K-frame is near identical to the M&P line but, in lieu of rugged fixed sights, these six-shot .38 Specials use adjustable target-style sights. Victory Model revolvers was manufactured by the Remington Arms Co. While the vast majority of the S&W .38 Spl. This led to the L-frame in 1980. Instead of buying a gun thats The Springfield, Massachusetts-based company of Smith and Wesson has a very well known and highly respected reputation of being a gun manufacturer that drives the industry. All Rights Reserved, pre-WWII Smith & Wesson Military & Police .38 Special. The metal surfaces retain 99% plus original Smith & Wesson Model 642-2 Lady Smith Centennial Revolver serial #CVB2943, 38 Special, 1 7/8 barrel with an excellent bore. No restocking fee on new and unopened items. Save my name and email to use for future comments. This gun features current evolution i Smith & Wesson 38 Bodyguard .38 Spl. Rather, it indicates that the arms were inspected by Ordnance personnel operating under Col. Drewrys authority. Chambered for .38 Special+P with a five-shot capacity. DDR7305. These five-shot J-frames include the standard steel-framed Model 36 in .38 Special, the stainless Model 60 which was later offered in .357 Magnum, the alloy-framed Model 37 and 437, the alloy-framed/stainless barreled Airweight Model 637, and the top-of-the-line Models 337 and 360 (.357 Mag) which use Scandium alloy frames (along with a Titanium cylinder on the 337) and have adjustable rear sights. The Smith & Wesson 442 Airweight is a J-Frame series revolver featuring compact size and extremely light weight. S&W continues to carry these guns in their catalog today, and it has grown them, literally, to the 586 Plus and 686 Plus, which have seven-round cylinders. It was relatively common back in the 1950s and 1960s to find the Commonwealth Victory Models with reamed chambers. Made to withstand heavy use, the frame, cylinder, and barrel of this revolver are crafted from stainless steel. Victory Model RevolverWhile all of the .38 revolvers made by Smith & Wesson during World War II were dubbed Victory Model, the term as generally used today refers to the .38 Spl. Free 2 Hour In Store Pick Up & Curbside. Smith & Wesson Model 642 .38 Special Performance Center J-Frame Revolver with Synthetic/Wood Grips $619.99; After rebate: $569.99; In Stock . We offer the largest selection of new and used S&W handguns, online. You have entered an incorrect email address! Why Victory model? Since 1852 we've been an industry leading manufacturer of pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shooting accessories. Guns.com's selection won't leave you feeling unprepared. Some were mutilated by running a .38 Special reamer through the cylinder to allow the American cartridge to be usedbad idea. These small revolvers are designed to fire a full power round and are as simple and easy to use as they are reliable. You have to ask? During World War II, S&W made over 800,000 revolvers for Allied troops. Hello! The U.S.-purchased ones will have US Government Property roll-marked on the topstrap, along with the flaming bomb ordnance mark and the inspectors initials. CA Compliant (97) DA/SA (1) Double Action (6) Small (7) Snub Nose (4) 10 (1) 17 (1) 25 (1) 27 (2) 4"-barreled revolvers as made under U.S. Navy and U.S. Of course, there are other collectible handguns as well, such as the ones made for Allied use in World War II. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Smith & Wesson Model 642 .38 Special Performance Center J-Frame Revolver with Synthetic/Wood Grips $609.00; After rebate: $559.00; In Stock . A SMITH WESSON 38 pistol is currently worth an average price of $515.85 new and $448.93 used . Many online gun sales actually take away from your local $429.99 View Site. Smith & Wesson 640 Engraved SS 2.125" Revolver 5 RD 357 Ma Smith and Wesson 442 Engraved 1.875" Revolver 5 RD 38 Special, Tango Down Vickers Tactical Glock Base Plate Blue 5 Pack. Ankle Revolver Nylon Holster by Houston - Fits: Most J Frames .38, S&W, Charters, Rossi, LCR, Taurus 38 | Concealed and Comfortable to use (68B) 4.3 (471) $2551 FREE delivery Thu, Mar 9 Smith & Wesson 11760 686 Plus Performance Center Single/Double 357 Magnum 5" 7 rd Black Synthetic Grip Stainless Steel Revolver. On the left side is Vega Sac Ca., which was the importer who brought a bunch of these Australian revolvers into the U.S. back in the 1980s. Smith and Wesson Model 10: The First 38 Special Revolver The Smith and Wesson Model 10 has been in production since 1898 without interruption, first introduced as the Hand Ejector model in the then-new .38 S&W Special. The revolver was originally known as the Smith & Wesson Model 38 Hand Ejector, but was renamed the Model 10 in 1957. The Model 642 is a small J-frame revolver chambered in 38 Special with a 5-round capacity and rated for use with +P ammunition. But for some reason, buying a gun online can CART. With an excellent bore This air weight revolver shows absolutely no evidence of ever having been fired save for a very faint drag line around the cyl S&W 14-3 TARGET MASTERPIECE REVOLVER .38 Spl.. K98426. Shop Guns.com for ammunition for your Smith & Wesson pistol or revolver. Add to cart. This is a beautiful pistol. Here we present a C&R Smith & Wesson .38 Double Action Safety Hammerless Revolver, made circa 1902 through 1909 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The .38 revolver is not just for the old-school Hollywood cops you see on TV and in movies. Then, theres the L-arrow-19 marking and another arrow next to it, which is more info. They have a V prefix in the serial number. F.M. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ Gets 9mm Treatment. Volberg, Small Arms Branch, Chief of Ordnance:[W]e have received advice from Smith & Wesson, Incorporated that they are prepared to produce a limited number of 2" barrel .38 caliber Special revolvers without impairing their production schedule.The War Production Board, under the date May 8, 1944, has given approval for the production by Smith & Wesson of 500 .38 caliber Special 2" barrel revolvers in order to supply essential non-military users. So, the U.S. loading was (and still is) a 146- or 148-grain round-nose lead bullet at a nominal 650 fps. Every cowboy needs a revolver. Inhabited by the S&W Model 14, this K-frame category revolver is a six-shot .38 Special that runs a 6-inch barrel in most formats and carries adjustable sights. service to the online gun buying experience that is unheard of. Gen.) Guy H. Drewry, head of the Springfield Ordnance District (SOD) in which Smith & Wesson was located. By this time, he had got out a .38 pistol, which he emptied into the man, who fell back upon the Marine at the machine gun ., As the S&W Victory Model .38 revolver was becoming a commonly issued sidearm, a problem arose that caused a temporary halt in the procurement of the guns. Oh, and its all rare collectible ammo, as well. S&W provided some 571,000 revolvers to the British, but of those, only 8,000 went to Australia, so that makes the non-U.S. marked ones rare. While all of the .38 revolvers made by Smith & Wesson during World War II were dubbed Victory Model, the term as generally used today refers to the .38 Spl. Smith & Wesson Model 642 Pink Grip .38 S&W Special +P Revolver 549 $50 Mail-In Rebate. jacketed bullet. This .38 measures 11.3" and the barrel is 6". . The markings on my Smith & Wesson Victory model tell quite the tale. Shopping at Guns.com gives you the backing The L-arrow-19 is the inspectors markings, indicating that it passed its inspection after rebuild, and the arrow next to it is the property mark used by Australia after the war. 12pm-6pm CST Mon Buffalo Bore 38 S&W 125 Grain Hard Cast Flat Nose [20.5A/20 ] . Plus, you'll be the first to hear about our newest giveaways. The revolvers were the subject of a May 10, 1944, letter from Stuart K. Barnes, vice president of Defense Supplies Corp., to Capt. Termed at introduction in 2003, the Smith & Wesson Model 500 launched the company's 21st Century X-frame series guns. document: The death of a sailor, resulting from dropping a loaded Smith & Wesson, Caliber .38 Special Revolver prompted a test by the Navy Department to determine (the) effectiveness of the Smith & Wesson Hammer Block. contracts. With that being said, well over 200 S&W revolver variants and subvariants have hit the market with several never catching on or leading to eventual dead ends. Today it's still one of the best you can get. Features of this target pistol include a user-adjustable trigger, adjustable sights, and ergonomically-designed checkered walnut grips. Most are available in various sizes and calibers, with a plethora of options and features. Classic Browning Light Twelve Auto-5 Review: Busting Clays With the Old Humpback Shotgun. and supplied the government with thousands of them; renaming them the Victory Model, with serial numbers. Smith & Wesson 642 38 Special +P Revolver with LaserMax Laser $ 490.00. For generations, the revolver has been at the helm of military and civilian defense. The result was a revolver that was less accurate, but superb at destroying brass. Mine has both markings, so its one of the Lend-Lease revolvers. Dating back to the early side-ejector designs of the 1900s, these six-shooters were reliable for both military and police work which led to the model's early designation. The .38 S&W case is larger in diameter than the Special, in order to accept the .360- to .361-inch diameter bullets. ), 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2022), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2022), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2022). A leather hip holster was also made for these revolvers, but the shoulder holster was generally preferred by pilots due to space constraints in the cramped cockpits. Check to compare revolvers built under Navy contract had 4" barrels and the standard finish was Parkerizing. Ordnance records indicate that a total of 590,305 of the .38-200 revolvers were manufactured by Smith & Wesson between October 1941 and March 1945, which was significantly more than the number of S&W .38 Spl. By mid-1944, the Navy reversed its original policy and began to issue M1911A1 .45 pistols to some non-combatant personnel, such as guards aboard merchant vessels so that the .38 revolvers they would ordinarily be armed with could be available to flight crews. Smith & Wesson Model 586: Reviewing A .357 Revolver With Class. Victory Model Revolver While all of the .38 revolvers made by Smith & Wesson during World War II were dubbed "Victory Model," the term as generally. I still havent found the answer to why, when they switched from 200-grain lead bullets to FMJ bullets, the British and their allies dropped the weight down to 178 grains. Rather, it indicates that the arms were inspected by Ordnance personnel operating under Col. Drewrys authority. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? They expect the same mild recoil of an old S&W Model 10 out of the alloy-framed 442. The fact is, Smith & Wesson marketed a perfectly good line of self-defense revolvers as early as 1876 and produced nearly . Now, a 146-grain bullet at a paltry 600 fps isnt exactly the hammer of Thor. Stay in the know. Soon Colt, Enfield, Webley and a host of lesser known companies in other countries began making revolvers chambered in .38 S&W. The M&P was Smith & Wessons K-frame Military & Police revolver which had proven to be popular in the civilian marketplace prior to the war. The cylinder and barrel are made of carbon steel, while the frame is carbon alloy. Guns.com is built to be simple easily organized products, useful descriptions from experts, and support to guide you to the right choice. The Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless models were produced from 1887 (1888 for the 32) to just before World War II. Theyre the hot, sexy redheads of the handgun worldand good for those who have them. The M&P was Smith & Wessons K-frame Military & Police revolver which had proven to be popular in the civilian marketplace prior to the war. Smith & Wesson 442 Airweight 38 Special Revolver with Burnt Bronze Finish - $549.99 (Free S/H on Firearms . This is a Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 Revolver with a 6-shot cylinder along with a 4" barrel. This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. The S&W Victory Model revolvers role in World War II is sometimes minimized or given little more than a cursory mention. the Brits dertermined it was equal to striking power to the .455 webley but lighter bullets. In this modern era of polymer-framed, striker fired semiautomatic pistols, revolvers seem a bit dated. They were set up to make revolvers, and there were plenty of uses for firearms that didnt necessarily call for something chambered in .45 ACP. We offer the most popular brands, including genuine Smith & Wesson magazines, made with different materials and finishes, ranging in capacities from 8 to 17 rounds. With all the services mobilizing and expanding, we needed guns. In mid-1940, when it was becoming increasingly likely that the United States would be drawn into the war raging in Europe, the U.S. Navy, along with all branches of our armed forces, was evaluating the projected demand for arms. contracts. Originally known as the .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Model 10 is a 6-shot, medium-sized revolver that has been in production for more than 100 years. Often the exact model is not mentioned, but, based on the numbers made and wide issuance, the odds are that most were the S&W .38 Spl. So, in 1954, it got pulled out of whatever depot it was in, inspected, rebuilt, parkerized and sent back into inventory. The .38 S&W is some .0075" larger in diameter at its base than the .38 Special, meaning there is a fairly significant chance of a ruptured case and injury to the shooter or bystanders. Add to Cart As related in an Ordnance Dept. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. The last few were used as blank training guns. A lanyard ring was also attached to the butt. It has been reported that some were utilized by couriers, intelligence personnel and other individuals needing a handgun that was a bit more concealable than the standard 4"-barrel revolver. The improved Hammer Blocks are vastly superior to the old type, samples tested having withstood 90-foot lbs. This year, H&R announced an expansion of its AR-15 lineup, bringing additional "retro" models to the market, including a 9 mm Luger-chambered Colt SMG clone, an M16A2-styled rifle and the carbine-size 723. There was a war on. There have always been Luger collectors. It offers a 6-round capacity and several barrel lengths from which to choose, as well as a blued or polished nickel finish. The Luger gets the glory. At the start of WWII, we had a problem. Today there are at least four different centerfire subvariants of the K-frame, the M&P, the Target Masterpiece, the Combat Masterpiece, and the Combat Magnum. Smith & Wesson K-38 Target Masterpiece Revolver .38 spl GI#: 102233235 Excellent overall condition. SA/DA This is a nice pocket revolver. The hip holsters were used more often by security personnel, but period photos show some flyers with their Victory Model revolvers in hip holsters. The Smith & Wesson Victory Model was chambered in .38 Spl. Best Hammerless .38 Revolver. As with the J- and K-frames, there are a few different subfamilies in the L-frame tribe including the Distinguished Service Magnum, Distinguished Combat Magnum, the Service Magnum, and the Target Magnum lines. In 98% mint new un-fired condition, all matching Including the grips, (which you rarely see matching on these) we have a 1944 production Smith & Wesson Victory Model Revolver in .38 special with the standard 4 inch barrel. A side and bottom profile view of two .38 Smith & Wesson cartridges. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Serial # is 499016. As discussed in an Ordnance Dept. This proved to be highly successful, so much so that the multi caliber revolver remains as an extremely sought after firearm among American customers to this day. It is a full-size, semi-automatic pistol built with a polymer frame and stainless steel chassis and features a stainless steel barrel and slide, as well as interchangeable grip panels. The production of revolvers by S&W for the British was easy. If You Pay With Credit Card The Credit Card Company Will Charge You 4% For Using It Just To Let Everyone Know Thanks. The lighter .38 revolver was actually preferred over the heavier .45 pistol by many Navy and Marine Corps aviators. Today it is just offered in its signature .460 Mag chambering in both a standard and as the X-treme Velocity Revolver or XVR model. Many of these revolvers filtered down to British Commonwealth countries over the years. The "Centennial" name for the series comes from the fact that the Model 40 was released on S&W's 100th anniversary as a company. Victory Model RevolversWith 2" BarrelsWhile the vast majority of the S&W .38 Spl. Now a second enemy soldier came running, and Rudy took a bayonet wound in the stomach. Uncle Sam certainly got his moneys worth from the Victory Model! F.M. The Navy initially bypassed the standard procurement procedure of ordering its small arms under the auspices of the U.S. Army Ordnance Dept. But the need for wartime production rates and a more durable finish soon had the revolvers sporting parkerized finishes and plain wooden grips. There are three basic sizes: J Frame: .38 Special and 9mm. Therefore, it would be appreciated if permission would be granted for the production of 500 2" barrel revolvers in lieu of 500 4" barrel revolvers on subject contract at the earliest convenience and placed in the stock of Defense Supplies Corporation at Smith & Wesson Incorporated.These 500 revolvers would not be additional to the contract of the 35,000 4" barrel .38 caliber revolvers, and would not constitute an increase in cost to Ordnance and this Corporation.According to factory records, the 500 Victory Model 2"-barrel revolvers were shipped to the Office of Strategic Services on Aug. 22, 1944.