Group, here's some minutia from Hellstrom's note books that Victory & Pre-Victory collectors might find intereting: 4/41, Rebound slidehole made smaller and I frame, rather than K frame, trigger spring used. Ser#s at this time approx. 750,000-- 6/41 Discontinued stamping patent dates on trigger & hammer at ser# 780,000 -- 12/4/41, Finishchanged from bright polishto Brush polish. All guns made during war effort after this had blue finish. Some were carbonia blued, but great majority had Black Magic Oxide Blue. Ser#s were about at 860,000. -- 1/1/42 Stocks changed from checkered walnut with monograms to smooth uncheckered without monograms, and started broaching rifling on some barrels, however a high percentage of subsequent barrels were rifled on hook cutters. Ser#s were at 880,000. -- 4/10/42, Finish changed from brush polish blue to Sand Blast Blue. 1st shipment of .38 Special calibers with Sand Blast blue sent on Defense Supply Corp. orders this date. Ser#s at about 900,000. -- 5/1/42, Barrels made of 1045 rather than 1025 steel. 1st 1045 steel issued to forge shop on 1/24/42 and barrels started coming thru on 5/1/42, Ser#s at about 960,000. --- 5/22/42 to 8/17/42 Some guns were parkerized instead of Black Magic blue. These were all sandblasted. 2187 shipped between these dates to DSC orders. Navy did not get any Parkerized guns. Ser#s around 980,000. -- 6/1/42 New numbers started with V 1. New larger style of number used for butt numbers on V guns and position inverted so that top of numbers were on the righthand side side of gun. Up to V99999, complete stamping onf the butt was behind the lanyard swivel. Frpm V100000 on the V was stamped in front of the lanyard swivel. --- 10/42 Started making stocks on Onsrud automatic machine. These are about 1/16" thicker for their entire length than former stocks. That's enuff trivia for now, but I will post more as time permits. Ed #15