Over the years I have seen several trophy semi-autos from WW2 that were nickel or chrome plated. Twice they were still in the hands of the WW2 Air Force Vets. When I asked these two about the plating I was told that the work was done in ordinance shops in the Theater of Operation during the war. The logic was that it provided a durable finish, air crews felt that the reflection of the finish was not an issue, everyone had subdued firearms and they wanted something different.

Has anyone seen a US issue sidearm that they feel confident was given such treatment during the war?

Hi Walnutred:

I have come to believe that almost anything is possible when it comes to USGI small arms, so I suppose it is possible that some ordnance outfit somewhere plated a pistol or two during WW2. I would be less inclined to believe that had occurred if the pistols involved were US Property. (We have all seen nickeled Lugers and P-38s over the years.)

However, as a general proposition unauthorized modifications to US Property, and especially small arms, is and has been prohibited by the military for many years. I am sure there were instances where it has occurred, particularly during wartime, but not as a matter of course.

Authorized modifications, such a nickel plating, are a different matter. Examples that come to mind are the M1903A3, M-1 Garand and M-14 rifles that have been plated for use by ceremonial units of the military. Another outstanding example that is more relevant to your inquiry is the Victory Models that were plated in the 1950s by the USAF for use by the Strategic Air Command's Elite Guard. Below is a pic from my Victory archives that shows a member of the Elite Guard with that unit's unique revolver and holster combo. The revolvers were nickel plated Victories with Franzite faux-stag grips (!). The holsters were cross-draw. As is well known the Air Force later went to the Model 15 Combat Masterpiece, in blue finish, certainly a more conventional look than the Victories were.

Regards,
Charlie Flick

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

my wife's boss has a chrome plated victory he got from a neighbor who was a WWII Navy Vet and said he plated it onboard a "repair" ship he was on.

charlie, i used to work just behind where that sign was(it had been replaced by a nice brick one) and 94 feet below ground. thanks for showing that pic. lee

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VFW, NRA, VVA, S&WCA 1758

Hey Lee:

I did not know that you were a SAC veteran. As you well know until it was stood down it was the most powerful force the world has ever known.

Were the Elite Guard still keeping an eye on things when you were there? Ever see those nickeled Victories? Glad you liked the pic.

Charlie

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

charlie, i was sacumsized in the late 70s in CA and was at HQSAC from 85-89. they were carrying M-15s in shiney holsters most of the time and after i retired in 90 they converted to M-92 berettas. SAC should have been a seperate Air Force and would have been if LeMay had had his way. lee

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VFW, NRA, VVA, S&WCA 1758

My wife "met" some of the APs guarding the gate of Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas, in the late '80s, but I don't think she'd remember their sidearms. She'd just moved to the area after marrying an AF LTC (since passed) and was joining him for an awards ceremony to be held at one of the "garages" (girl-speak for "hangars!"). Used to the free access of Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, she just waved at the guards and drove on past the gate. A hundred or so yards down the road, she was overtaken by the APs and got a look at their M16s up close and personal! She'd had no idea that the B1s stationed there were nuclear capable and that security at Dyess was a whole lot different than Ft. Sam, but she was quickly "educated."

Steve

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CHL/NRA Instructor/RSO/Referee

At that time, pre-9/11, Ft. Sam Houston had virtually no access restrictions to anyone, and in fact city streets ran right through it. Not so now.

Any idea who did the nickel plating on the Victories for the Elite Guard. I doubt it was done by the USAF Gunsmith Shop. They are too busy making Match Guns. Warner Robins ALC probably didn't have any facilities for refinishing. Any way to tell a SAC gun other than a letter.

The USAF Gunsmith Shop at Lackland AFB didn't do them. There were no plating facilities, only bluing. I worked there. Days of match gun work at the GS shop are long gone. Main job when I was there was making up General Officer M9s, rebuilding M16A2s, and upgrades to M249s. Plus a few odd projects of various types.

So, if you find a nickel Victory at a show, there is a possibility that it was done for the Elite Guard? Or , it is a run of the mill Victory that was plated for the civilian market, outside of the factory? Am I correct so far?
And the M-15s were blue. Mike 2796

There were a few companies that polished and plated Victory models after they were surplussed.

Parker Hale in particular plated a lot of them, also adding their own front sight and re-chambering some to .38 Special for the US market.

The odds of finding one that's been plated for commercial sale is far more likely than encountering one plated by SAC.

I have read that Parker-Hale did do some modifications to the Victory models. If memory serves me correctly, these were stamped "Parker-Hale" on the frame or sight base. Correct so far? I would guess it would be impossible to verify a nickel Elite Guard gun? Could the AF verify? Mike 2796