Victor Revolver Info

Crawdog

Can anyone help with info about this revolver? It is a DA/SA 5-shot revolver with 2 inch barrel. Topstrap engraved with "Victor 32 S&W.CTGE." Appears to be nickel plated with black (plastic?) grips. Sorry about the sad photos - luckily I'm better with firearms than with cameras. Any help appreciated.[img][/img]http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Victor_2.JPG

rufe-snow

One of my references identifies "Victor" as being a Trade Name used by Harrington & Richardson. It was used on one of their inexpensive Suicide Special revolvers, dating to the late 19th Century. Your photo appears to resemble, this class of handgun.

Xracer

Yup.....I think Rufe nailed. It looks like the H&R Victor here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H_&_R_Firearms

b.goforth

the 'victor double action' series of revolver were marketed as a direct competitor to iver johnson's u.s. revolver co. double action (1910-1935). i have not been able to pinpoint the exact dates of manufacture but all indications are they were made contemporary with the u.s. revolver co. double action. the book 'pistols of the world' states 'the victor' was manufactured after 1917 as a replacement for the H&R american double action and young america double action. this has proved not true because the american/young america double action remained in the H&R catalogs until 1942 and 'the victor' was never listed in the H&R catalogs.

there were three frame sizes and four calibers offered in the victor series, large frame 5 shot 38 or 6 shot 32, medium frame 5 ahot 32 and small frame 7 shot 22 rimfire. the only difference between the victor series and the main line american/young america double action are the round barrel and unfluted cylinder of the victor. the victor wasn't as popular as the U.S. Revolver co. double action as they are not often encountered today. value is about the same as the american/ young america double action as they are basically the same revolver. as best as i can determine all the H&R victor double action revolvers were manufactured for smokeless powder cartridge pressures.

the victor double actions are serial numbered in the same series as the american/young america so pinpointing an exact date of manufacture will have to wait until more information is gathered on these revolvers.

the pictured revolver is a medium frame chambered for 5 32 S&W cartridges.

H&R first used the victor name in the 1880's on a series of single action spur trigger revolver that were were also brand name copys of the H&R new model singe action revolver. these single action spur trigger revolver were all chambered for rimfire black powder cartridges and the only thing they have in common with the later double action victors is the name.

in modern times the victor name was used by High Standard on their top of the line target semiautomatic pistols.
bill

Crawdog

That's more info than I've been able to dig up in 5 years. Thanks - much appreciated.

Crawdog

Lazarus40

Well, you got some of it right, and some quite wrong. But then, other than two books, there is very little published on the history, dates and production arms of Harrington and Richardson.

The one book (yes, I know I mentioned two...) that covers nearly all the info you asked about is this

History of Harrington & Richardson Arms- Vorisek priced at around $20. there is a copy up for sale in GB right now...

?The other book...oh yes....the Worldwide Webley Connection and it but covers the models licensed for H&R to produce for sale in the American market...the Webley 1906 25 and 32 auto loading pistols.

The 44 caliber Victor ceased production by 1889. The 38 caliber Victor by 1894. The Victors, like the Young Americas, were Sa/Da SOLID Frame revolvers, not top-breaks then coming into fashion.

hrf

quote:Originally posted by Lazarus40

The 44 caliber Victor ceased production by 1889. The 38 caliber Victor by 1894. The Victors, like the Young Americas, were Sa/Da SOLID Frame revolvers, not top-breaks then coming into fashion.


Lazarus, I don't believe H&R made the Victor in .44 caliber; is this a quote from Vorisek's book?

b.goforth

as much as i admire joe vorisek early work on early american cartridge revolvers his work is dated and was never revised. the new books available on-line right now are just reprints of joe's earlier books. there is no updated material included in them. the victor models were just a variation of H&R american double action/young american double action revolvers. the difference being victor's had a round barrel and unfluted cylinder.

the victor name had been used in pre 1899 days of a line of H&R single action spur trigger revolvers in calibers 22 through 41 rimfire. the double action victor's came about in 1910 or a little later as H&R's answer to iver johnson's u.s. revolver co. double action revolvers. the actual manufacturing dates have yet to be deternimed but it is believed to have been in the era of 1910 until the mid to late 1930's.

the victor models were offered in three frame sizes and four calibers. if this revolver is a five shot 32 it is a medium frame chambered for the 32 S&W cartridge, if it is chambered for 6 cartridges it is a large frame and the cartridge is 32 S&W Long.

i have not seen (and probably will not ever see) all the victors ever manufactured but i have never seen one chambered for the 44 webley cartridge. the 44 webley chambering in the american double action series was discontinued in 1921, that is the last year that caliber was offered in a catalog but i am sure some were still in invertory and sold later than that year. below is some information that will appear in my new (this summer) H&R book and is now in the 30th edition of the blue book.

VICTOR DOUBLE ACTION

---

1913-1936
(BRAND NAME VERSION OF AMERICAN DOUBLE ACTION AND YOUNG AMERICA DOUBLE ACTION SERIES)
Marked "VICTOR DOUBLE ACTION" and have a round barrel and unfluted cylinder, pull pin cylinder release, may have company name and Address marked on frame or bottom of the butt (not listed in any H&R catalogs)
LARGE SOLID FRAME .32 S&W Long 6 shot &.38 S&W 5 shot, 2? inch or 4? inch barrel lengths
MEDIUM SOLID FRAME DOUBLE ACTION .32 S&W 5 shot, 2 or 4 inch barrel lengths
SMALL SOLID FRAME DOUBLE ACTION.22RIMFIRE 7 shot 2 or 4 inch barrel lengths
VALUE: 100%=$195 60%=$50

bill

32 Magnum

Despite what is written in the "other" books - Bill's research is the most up-to-date info. I have 5 of the Victor spur trigger revolvers and 7 of the later Victor solid frame pull-pin cylinder revolvers. All of the spur trigger pieces have frame characteristics identical to the H&R branded lines and are stamped with the H&R Patent, dated May 23, 1876.
All of the solid frame pull-pin cylinder revolvers mimic the American Double Action and Young America DA 2nd Model revolvers, except for the round barrels and unfluted cylinders. During 15 years of collecting H&Rs, I have not seen a Victor chambered for the .44 Webley round (I have 7 of the American Double Action extra large frame revolvers chambered for the .44 WEB.) Bill has seen all of my pieces and others owned by other collectors, additionally he has spent the past 12-13 years researching H&Rs - I trust his research and vouch for his classifications based upon hands on examination of varying examples. If anyone else "out-there" has hands-on experience that contradicts Bill's research or invalidates the hard evidence in my collection, we'd certainly appreciate having that evidence brought forward.
Jim Hauff