Bit of a mystery: Victory in Blue

[Absalom]

I've become reasonably well-versed in the history of the Victory model, but today at a regional gun show I came across a gun that left me puzzled, because it did not fit with what I've learned from, among other sources, the experts here and Pate's book.

It was a 4" .38 Spl. former Victory model, open swivel hole, DSC gun with no top strap marking and only the flaming bomb on the butt, V 74XXX (I should've written the # down before I forgot the last digits). The stocks were replacements, post-war sharp-shoulder magnas.

So far, so good. The puzzle was the finish. I've gotten pretty good at identifying refinishes, particularly if I'm inspecting the gun in person, and I'd be willing to swear up and down the flagpole that this was a bona fide Victory model, 74.000 guns into the V-prefix, with an original high-polish Carbonia blue finish in the pre-war style.

Now as far as I know, that shouldn't be. But there is simply no way that this could have been a refinish. None of the characteristic tool marks, none of the rough texture typical of the standard Victory "Black Magic/Midnight Black" finish, at the same time no evidence of the heavy buffing that would have been necessary to get the gun to this condition for re-bluing; logo and all factory marks were crisp and all micro-scratching was on top of the finish.

Highly unfortunately, the lady behind the table was hostile to the suggestion of me taking any pictures. She seemed to think I was trying to accuse them of monkey business. And while I was intrigued, I wasn't $350 worth of intrigued to take the gun home.

So there you have it. A Sasquatch story without even blurry pictures of the Sasquatch. But I know what I saw. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to share.

 

[Buford57]

Theory, which the experts can now debunk:

Factory reblue after WWII with rollmarks refreshed and stocks replaced. Any factory repair/service stamps under the left stock, specifically early 1950s dates?

 

[Absalom]

Theory, which the experts can now debunk:

Factory reblue after WWII with rollmarks refreshed and stocks replaced. Any factory repair/service stamps under the left stock, specifically early 1950s dates?

I would have considered that, but I remembered that just recently Lee posted the S&W instruction sheet below (which I'm re-attaching here presuming he wouldn't object) in another thread about a re-finished Victory that pretty much eliminates the possibility of a factory re-finish. And I did not get a chance to take the stocks off.

 

[Skeetr57]

The refinishes referred to in that instruction sheet apply to changes from blue to nickel or vice versa. I'm not sure that it applies to changes from wartime finish to commercial blue. Except for the Victory and M28, all the guns listed have aluminum frames.

 

[DWalt]

I'd go with it being either an S&W refinish or done by someone else who knew how to do a factory-quality polishing and bluing job.

 

[Absalom]

The refinishes referred to in that instruction sheet apply to changes from blue to nickel or vice versa. I'm not sure that it applies to changes from wartime finish to commercial blue......

Of course you're right, although going from a Victory finish to polished blue would pose about the same problems as going to nickel in terms of surface prep. The only S&W factory refinish I have seen up close was one of those police officer specials they offered back in the 70s, on a Model 10, and that looked GOOD. But of course there they started with a standard blued gun in the first place.

 

[reddog81]

I imagine if someone took their time they could do a refinish and make it difficult to notice, but why spend the time or money to do that on such a common gun?
I bet someone at the factory accidentally blued the frame and they just installed blued parts on the rest on the gun. Assuming they were still doing the blueing process while WW2 was going on.