A gift I know nothing about

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Like was said it would be cool to get the story behind the gun notarized for posterity sake. Very cool they thought of you! Congrats!
 
The victory models started production in the 40's, prior to that the cavalry carried a SSA with a 7.5 inch barrel.

By the late 'Thirties, the US Cavalry was armed with the M1903 Springfield rifle. The .45 Colt Single Action Army M1873 had long since been out of service. During the pistol Trials of 1900 it was emphasized repeatedly that the arm of the Cavalry was "...The carbine, not the pistol." ( The Carbine of that time was the M1892 Krag carbine.)

Incidentally, the length of the Springfield M1903 was a compromise between the long rifle, for Infantry, and the carbine, for Cavalry.

Bob Wright
 
I can answer my own question: my grandfather was using 1911s in the cavalry. Which is cool because it's my favorite platform.

Now if I knew what scoring expert in shooting from the saddle meant shooting at a gallop or not...
 
I had a friend, the late Clyde Jones, who served in the Cavalry. He told me this story:

"When I (his story, his words) went into the Army, they asked me if I could handle horses. I told them I could handle horses and mules. So they put me in the Cavalry. I was a mechanic on the M-3 tank."

Bob Wright
 
I can answer my own question: my grandfather was using 1911s in the cavalry. Which is cool because it's my favorite platform.

Now if I knew what scoring expert in shooting from the saddle meant shooting at a gallop or not...

No. The troopers were trained to dismount and fire from the normal four firing positions, standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone. Of the latter years of horse Cavalry, the horses were left with horse handlers. Once the troopers arrived at the battle scene, they fought like Infantry. I believe the last horse mounted Cavalry charge occurred during World War I, and was a disaster as they were cut down by machine gun fire.

Bob Wright
 
There was quite a bit of use of cavalry as cavalry in the Russo-Polish war of 1920, and by the Reds and the Whites in the Russian Civil War. The Poles favored lancers, the Bolsheviks preferred sabers. And I think there was an Italian cavalry regiment in WWII that made a mounted charge in a battle on the Eastern Front in WWII. But yes, against a steady, well organized force with machines guns and artillery support, cavalry was DOA in 1914, although the generals kept trying to use it into 1917.
 
You got a much better deal on your Victory Model then I did. I got this NAVY marked Victory for $440 out the door. Yours looks to be in great shapes and with a beautiful holster.

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Victory model Smith & Wesson revolvers are highly regarded as collectibles. That’s a fine gift. Congratulations!
 
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