I was wiping down the contents of my safe and noticed that one of my Navy Victory models, V63138 that letters as being shipped to Oakland on 8/15/42, is not stamped with either the flaming bomb or inspectors initials on the butt. Top strap is also unmarked but I understand that this was discontinued at some point in time. Could it have been "borrowed" from a DSC batch to fill a Navy shipment? Would this add, detract or have no effect on value? This is one that I'm thinking about selling/trading. Thanks, Dave.

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I'm not sure you're going to get an answer to your first question. I do have a December '43 shipped Victory that went to Navy Norfolk, and it, too, doesn't have the bomb or property stamp.

Hard to know since Roy's letter can only offer when and to where they shipped.

I'm sure Absalom will be along soon with perhaps a bit more knowledge of potential options. He'll likely have an idea about your value question, too.

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Bob

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bob!

Yes, if any later removal of stampings can be excluded, that would be a realistic guess, although as Bob said, impossible to be sure.

I don’t know whether it was physically possible at the factory for a gun to “slip by” inspectors.

In terms of stamping reliability, the year 1942 was a bit funky. As for value, it’s unlikely to have much of an effect unless you can find a collector who knows enough about Victorys to appreciate the oddity of that combination of unmarked gun with Navy letter.

I have a Victory that was made a bit later than yours and it is also stampless. Other than its almost mint condition, I have no idea as to its provenance.

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Many .38 Special Victories (mostly DSC guns) had no topstrap stamps. The unusual thing about this one is that it was a gun shipped to the Navy in Oakland. A stamp would be normal for a Navy gun (with one exception).

There's always the possibility that the letter is in error. Ed

Indeed. Absent other evidence, that can never be excluded.

Just think about the underlying original records. I think that’s something always to be kept in mind with these large volume orders. I have letters referencing shipments of 1000. How would you like to be the guy in shipping having to record 1000 five- and six-digit serial numbers, almost certainly not in straight sequence, by hand? Were the numbers double-checked? Did anyone care enough back then? All hard to say.

My 1942 Navy Contract (as per letter) has no ordinance markings.

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I believe you meant "ordnance."

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

My Victory Model, in the very high V334,000 S/N range shipped to the US Navy in Oakland on 6/22/43. It is marked with both the flaming bomb ordnance mark and U.S. PROPERTY G.H.D. on the top strap.

My wife's Victory model is V 356881. Topstrap is marked with the flaming bomb, U.S. PROPERTY G.H.D.
Roy's comments are, "United States Navy Contract...was shipped on July 20, 1943, and delivered to the United States Navy, Norfolk VA"

All I can say is that in the 1960's, USAF had many Victories that we were told were transferred from the Navy.

I'm all but totally certain that some lacked Navy markings. Not sure about the Ordnance bomb. I carried various examples then.

The Combat Masterpiece was std., but there was a shortage.

Having had to double check serial numbers on several thousand AMD-65s (Hungarian AKs) before releasing them to the Afghanistan Police, yes, it is a boring, tedious job. Glad I only had to do that once.

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