Another 5" .38/200 S&W Victory Model

[1srelluc]

Jeez, I hope they don't come in threes.....I do really.

I picked this one up yesterday. It is dead stock and matching with no import markings, only the factory applied 'United States Property' on the top strap and the proper inspection markings on the butt....A very clean example of a Lend-Lease weapon.

 

[mudwhistle]

Jeez, I hope they don't come in threes.....I do really.

I picked this one up yesterday. It is dead stock and matching with no import markings, only the factory applied 'United States Property' on the top strap and the proper inspection markings on the butt....A very clean example of a Lend-Lease weapon.

View attachment 750699
View attachment 750702
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The lanyard bracket makes me think it was military issue at one time.

 

[marvin martian]

The lanyard bracket makes me think it was military issue at one time.

Didn't the Hong Kong police use these back in the 60s and 70s? Issued by the UK through US partnerships?

 

[1srelluc]

Didn't the Hong Kong police use these back in the 60s and 70s? Issued by the UK through US partnerships?

They used all kinds of Brit and US handguns as well as later commercial revolver purchases well into the 80s but all are marked on the back-strap. RHKP and usually a rack number if memory serves.


As for post war use of the victory Models.......The .38/200s were used by post-war German police units in the Brit Zone while in the US Zone they issued the .38 Special 4" Victory Model to police. They too were marked on the back strap with a Zone code.

In the Brit Zone the Germans even remanufactured flapped holsters for the 5" Victory model made out of old M1879 Reichsrevolver holsters.

They are very rare but I found one years ago at the flea market for a couple bucks. At the time I did not even know what it was.

As you can see, the 5" V-M fits it perfectly.

Here is one of my 4" Victory models that shows the code of German police use.

The WB-S-PFOR means American Occupation Zone District of, Wurttemberg-Baden, Stadtpolizei (municipal police), Pforzheim (city)....The number afterwards is a rack or inventory number.

 

[mudwhistle]

They used all kinds of Brit and US handguns as well as later commercial revolver purchases well into the 80s but all are marked on the back-strap. RHKP and usually a rack number if memory serves.


As for post war use of the victory Models.......The .38/200s were used by post-war German police units in the Brit Zone while in the US Zone they issued the .38 Special 4" Victory Model to police. They too were marked on the back strap with a Zone code.

In the Brit Zone the Germans even remanufactured flapped holsters for the 5" Victory model made out of old M1879 Reichsrevolver holsters.

They are very rare but I found one years ago at the flea market for a couple bucks. At the time I did not even know what it was.

As you can see, the 5" V-M fits it perfectly. View attachment 750709

Here is one of my 4" Victory models that shows the code of German police use.

The WB-S-PFOR means American Occupation Zone District of, Wurttemberg-Baden, Stadtpolizei (municipal police), Pforzheim (city)....The number afterwards is a rack or inventory number.

Wurttemberg-Baden........I was stationed in Heilbronn North of Stutgart.
Those were some good days.