I've had a 2" victory that has been buffed and re-blued. I'd like to try and have it parkerized back to a close WW2 type of finish. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've used US Anodizing in the past, but they are so backed up with contract work they cannot take it.

Was it originally a 2", or was it chopped? There were a very few made with a 2" barrel, but they are rare. In original condition, an actual 2" would be worth considerable money; refinished, not so much. And if your revolver's barrel was chopped, the cost of refinishing would almost certainly exceed the value of the gun.

If the 2" barrel is original there will be a lug on the underside of the barrel in to which the front of the ejector rod latches. If the barrel's been cut, that lug will not be there.

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Pisgah

Sure it's not a chopped .38/200? Real 2" Victories (with the underbarrel extractor rod lug) are like hen's teeth, and it would be very sad to see one which has been blued, as that would destroy most of its considerable value. Additonally, an original 2" Victory would have a knurled extractor rod tip, no knob. You need to post some pictures. If it's a chopped .38/200, you are wasting your money to do anything to it.

Buy a $60 AGI parkerizing kit from MidwayUSA and do it yourself...that is, if it has been chopped. To prep the gun, have a local shop beadblast it.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

It's not chopped and falls in correct serial range. Factory letter has it "off the books" so it left the factory undocumented. I cannot leave it in the shape it's in and would like to at least try and have it look the part. All numbers match etc. As you know the 2" victory is pretty scarce, so would like to try to get this old guy back in shape.

Well, it has already been refinished. So, anything you do to restore the finish will not decrease the value, IMO. If you don't want to do it yourself, there is bound to be a local shop that will do the work.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Do you have a picture you can post??

As earlier mentioned, a DIY phosphating kit would be a good option. It's not that difficult to perform, but best if you can first give it a bead blasting using very fine media. A second method would be to use a fine steel rotary wire brush if you can't find someone to do bead blasting for you. Could you supply at least a partial SN?

If you really have to do it try a carding wheel from Brownells and then use their Parkerizing kit. I used it and it turned out great.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Serial number is in the V176 thousand range and likely shipped in December of 1942 according to Roy, but not in any company documents. The revolver is stripped down to individual pieces and ready to be restored so a pic would probably not be all that helpful. It does have the proper barrel which is serial numbered and matches the gun. Thanks for the advice on restoration ideas.