Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip48
Thanks for the info, Goony. I just held the serial number area of the butt under a bright light. I can faintly see the area where the swivel hole has been filled in. It is not noticeable at all unless looking under bright light. No grind marks or discoloration to the finish, etc. With the grips removed, I just noticed the swivel pin is still in the frame. Do you think the "fill-in" was done at the factory, or by an Army armorer? Skip48
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I find it difficult to imagine that many, if any, of the Victory model were specially configured at the factory (an exception being the few 2" barrelled ones, for which the DSC had to obtain express authorization form the Chief Of Ordnance, with assurances that their manufacture wouldn't in any way interfere with or disrupt the continuing manufacture of the normal 4" version). The overriding principle behind adopting the Victory model was maximizing production of a utilitarian and standardized pattern. But as collectors know full well, with Smith & Wesson it's better to never say "never." A letter might in fact reveal that your example was one of a batch that was procured with the butt swivel deleted for some reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PuertoRican
I would think this one shipped in 1943. Mine is #V524756 & it lettered as shipping 2/1/44.
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The "this one" referred to in the quote being V5094XX. A letter, of course, is definitive, and the ones that are lettered can form a basis for estimating when other heretofore unlettered guns may have shipped. That's tricky, though, because S&W, even in wartime, did not always ship on a timely basis. You've unwittingly brought to light a perfect example of this. You have V524756 that shipped February 1, 1944. I have V4640XX (that's almost sixty thousand earlier in the serial number sequence) that letters as having shipped
the very next day.