Does anyone know if a Victory Model stamped with:"Property of U.S. Navy" has any more intrinsic value than a run-of-the-mill Victory?
Asking for a friend!




Email me: [email protected] or respond here.

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Terry, These "Red " Navies will bring a premium from serious Victory collectors. I would estimate it around a plus 35%, at least. The stampings are not factory but were added by the Navy. One of the few instances where after market alteration of a S&W is a benefit, similar to genuine Wells Fargo & Co. stamps on a Schofield. Ed

The red-filled frame engraving is worth a significant premium - provided it is genuine, and therein lies the problem. Navies are known to have been faked, both topstrap stamping (originally done by S&W) and left side engraving (which was not done by S&W). Therefore, Navies are always suspect, especially those with the left side engraving. It would be a good idea to get a factory letter to establish that it was originally shipped to a Navy location. That would verify the correctness of at least the topstrap marking. I don't know how one authenticates the left side engraving, as those can easily be faked. Someone else may be able to. Also, no one has yet explained when, how, or why the side property engravings came about, or who did them and where, at least, not that I am aware of. I have asked this same question in other postings, but with no replies ever received. By the way, if your SN is over about V267000, it's very likely to be a fake, as the Navy topstrap marking stopped around that time (early 1943).

This is one of those situations that some solid historical provenance would really help - Grandad brought it back from the Pacific after the war, etc. Even if it could be dated to have the side engraving back to maybe the 1980s or earlier, when Victories were dirt-cheap and there was no incentive to fake them, that would be somewhat convincing evidence of authenticity.

In the mid-2000s, I worked in a shop that had a computerized engraving machine. Believe me, it could duplicate anything, any size, any type font, even script. No more difficult than using a word processor. So the possibility of fake markings cannot be lightly dismissed.

DWalt. The "PROPERTY OF U S NAVY" stamp was used on many other pieces of WW2 Navy equipment, as well as some of the Navy Victory Models. During the years after WW2, the Dep't of Defense sold massive amounts of surplus materials at their auctions, from Liberty ships to prophylactic kits. Usually for a few cents on the dollar. I well recall lots of Navy tools and equipment that had the same "Property of US Navy" stamp as seen on Victory models. Most of this marked equipment came from ship yards where civilian workers used Navy tools, as well as their own, and it was necessary to know who owned what. Ed.

"......prophylactic kits......." ?????????????????????
Ed, two questions. #1 did they provide an instruction book? #2 got any kits for sale?

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Don Mundell

All that may well be true, and I am sure that all of the services property-marked a lot of equipment, but it doesn't really address my specific concerns. I have also wondered whether any of the U.S. Property-marked victories that went to the Navy later had the left-side property engravings.

Don, Question # 1 : Yes, they had a brochure with drawings of how to use the equipment and antiseptic salve ,etc. I remember in San Diego you were issued a kit when you went on liberty and when you returned from TiJuana, in case you had indulged in any socialization with the natives. Question #2: Sorry, I'm all out, but I did suggest to the S&W Licensing Rep at the SHOT shot, that S&W should consider a program to license such items, They could be in blue, nickel or camo. ( Camo , so you could sneak up on your victim.) Check the dumpsters at the factory for any prototypes. In combat, the condoms in these kits were handy to keep the snow & mud out of the muzzles of your Garand, BAR or Carbine. Good Luck, Ed.