Victory!

[Tracer_Bullet]

I finally scored a decent Victory! .38 Special, serial number appears to place it in 1943; matching serial numbers on butt, cylinder, barrel, and right stock. It has the 'P' proof marks on the left side of frame above and to the right of the cylinder window, also on the cylinder and barrel. Flaming bomb to the left of the 'V' in the serial number. No government property markings or inspectors initials so I assume it was a DSC gun. Phosphate finish except that the ejector rod looks like it might be blued. Superb mechanical condition, bore is bright with sharp rifling. Hoping to get to the range next week. Hemming and hawing on whether I want to cough up $100 to get it lettered...

 

[Goony]

Looks to be a nice original example. For what it's worth, V464092 shipped in February of 1944. while V490378 shipped in January of 1944. Yours likely went out the door somewhere in that time frame.

 

[DWalt]

And the finish is not phosphate. It is actually an oxide black. Likely DSC.

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

Thank you for the info

 

[LostintheOzone]

I would like to find one in that condition to go with my 1911-A1 RR and my 44 Inland carbine.

The really nice ones, like yours, don't crop up very often. Never seen one locally.

 

[gmborkovic]

Settle this for me. What finish was applied by the factory?

 

[larryofcc]

Black Magic? Big Larry

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

Made it to the range and decided to take along my 1944 Remington Rand 1911A1 as well. The target was shot at 10 yards, center was with the Victory, the four diamonds in the corners were with the 1911A1. Not bad for shooting with lousy sights and aging eyes. The Victory has a very smooth trigger and I enjoyed shooting it.

 

[DWalt]

Settle this for me. What finish was applied by the factory?

In 1942, Army specified a 120 grit sandblast with a Black Magic finish. Ceramic/glass beads were very likely used instead of sand. Black Magic is a proprietary hot black oxide metal finish made by the Hubbard-Hall Company. Much the same way that most steel guns are blued today. Hubbard Hall’s website will tell you all about it. https://www.hubbardhall.com/applications/metal-finishing-chemistry/metal-coloring

 

[larkworthy]

Spend the money on the letter.

I just lettered two Victory model's and one came back issued to the USCG and the second lettered to a Brigadier General who ended up serving as a general officer in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Both guns I bought randomly, but I am always fascinated by the odds of receiving a letter that greatly increases the value of the gun or at least gives you historical context of where it started life.

 

[MajorD]

Spend the money on the letter.

I just lettered two Victory model's and one came back issued to the USCG and the second lettered to a Brigadier General who ended up serving as a general officer in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Both guns I bought randomly, but I am always fascinated by the odds of receiving a letter that greatly increases the value of the gun or at least gives you historical context of where it started life.

Letters are a roll of the dice. Might get very interesting info like above, or that it was shipped with 200 others to some PD, defense plant etc. even things like that can add value- for example a gun shipped to say Boeing might be worth a premium to someone who worked there or had a family ancestor who worked there.

 

[DWalt]

Coast Guard shipped Victories are very unusual. I have understood that some exist, but unverified. There are about 25 known K-frame .22 revolvers shipped to the Coast Guard in the mid-1930s. Could you post a copy of the letter about your Coast Guard Victory?

 

[larkworthy]

Attached are the factory letters to my two Coast Guard shipped revolvers. I will do a separate post in the future on each.

 

[DWalt]

Attached are the factory letters to my two Coast Guard shipped revolvers. I will do a separate post in the future on each.View attachment 771703View attachment 771704

Exactly what I thought it might be. A prewar USCG .22 M&P. You have a gun that would probably sell well into the mid 4 figure range. There were also some .22 M&Ps made in the postwar period that were not USCG. They are not plentiful either. The USCG Victory .38 is also a rarity, likely very few were shipped. And they were not Parkerized as the letter states.

 

[larkworthy]

 

[larkworthy]

I found copies of these two letters online when I was researching my revolver that show they shipped in the same shipment as mine. The serial number range is between V456 and V10106 for these three known guns. Curious on how many where in this shipment to the USCG. The factory invoice appears to be missing so someone may have to go through the early records and count them up for us to know.

 

[roundels]

I have one that shipped to the Fort Worth PD in September 1944. I'm sure glad I got it lettered.

 

[kwill1911]

I found copies of these two letters online when I was researching my revolver that show they shipped in the same shipment as mine. The serial number range is between V456 and V10106 for these three known guns. Curious on how many where in this shipment to the USCG. The factory invoice appears to be missing so someone may have to go through the early records and count them up for us to know.

Lyle,
Nice to see you back. I'd like to see the letter on the GO issues gun, please.

 

[larkworthy]

Kevin, I will post pics on this one later but for now here is the factory letter for the Victory that shipped to BG Leo Boyle. Very interesting history on him below.

Leo Boyle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Slufstuff]

I also own a Coast Guard Victory model, number V9156. Here is a picture of the letter text and a picture of the revolver, sorry for the pic quality, just took a snapshot just now. Note I replaced the lanyard loop with an original. Also, if anybody knows what the " 3 ECD" marking might be, I would appreciate it. I am thinking possibly post-war civil defense usage.