New, To Me, Victory

[stanws6]

I picked this up last weekend and I'm looking for a little information about it. I'm going to send off for a letter, but can someone shed some light on the engraving on the side? Could it be from the original owner? The only marking on it is the flaming bomb on the butt. Thanks

 

[stanws6]

I picked this up last weekend and I'm looking for a little information about it. I'm going to send off for a letter, but can someone shed some light on the engraving on the side? Could it be from the original owner? The only marking on it is the flaming bomb on the butt. Thanks

 

[mustangtiger]

with the bomb and the USAAF number I would think it belonged to someone in the airforce at one time, not sure though.

 

[mustangtiger]

stan,

google flaming bomb smith and wesson and you will get alot of info. Looks like the flaming bomb was on alot of military contract pieces.

 

[opoefc]

My guess is that it is a rack ID number for an Army Air Force unit. It's not the right number combination for an Army serial number and the "original" owner was Uncle Sam. Military individuals did not own Victory Models, they were issued them for military uses. Just like the tanks and airplanes.

 

[reddogge]

Could be an....arg....driver's license number or a police property number. Definitely an electro-pencil job as was popular in the 70's among older people. They marked their driver's license number on EVERYTHING!

 

[gunbarrel]

Do you think so? With the prefix "USAAF"?

 

[digi-shots]

Just another tidbit of info....

The USAAF (US Army Air Force, 1941-1947) was the forerunner to the current USAF (US Air Force) 1947+

Prior to WWII, it was the USAAC (US Army Air Corps) 1926-1941

If you can, look very closely at the lettering... can you see the "dotted" lettering of an electro-pencil or does it look hand scratched? I have no idea when the "electro-pencil" came to be, but since it says USAAF, I'd think it was in the 1941-1947 time frame.

Nice find, thanks for posting! If you ever decide to part with it, please keep me in mind.

 

[VonFatman]

stanws6,
Very nice Victory! Thanks for sharing. I love seeing them. So many different "variations" depending upon the gun's past. I's also guess a "rack-#" of some kind...but it's just a guess.

I hope to find one so nice some day.

Bob

 

[stanws6]

digi-shots, yes, it looks like an electro pencil.
Both grips are stamped inside with Gilbert G. Reuter, 9906 W. Grantosa Dr.
Wauwatosa 18.
Maybe a distributor who sold them as surplus?

 

[mikepriwer]

That address is in Milwaukee,WI - Wauwatosa must be a part of Milwaukee, or right next
to it.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[digi-shots]

Stan,

I don't think it's a distributor's name... but maybe the name of one of the prior owner's of the gun.

If you do a "google" search of his name, you'll find that he registered a patent in 1963 for some type of insect control.

The name is not your typical name and you should be able to research this fellow. It may turn out he was a USAAF veteran during WWII. Many small towns keep records of WWII vets.

Also, you're fortunate that the grips are numbered to the gun! Also, don't clean the grips, as it might remove those other hand written numbers... can you make them out?

 

[digi-shots]

Stan,

Just realized the significance to the "other" writing on the grips!

Aug. 14 45

Japanese surrender WWII

 

[Rute Boye]

What a great Victory Model! It's probably a trite saying, but "if only that gun could talk!"

Doug

 

[stanws6]

digi-shot, thank you for pointing out the signifigance of that date! It totally got by me.
No, I will never clean the inside of the grips.
Mike, I'll see if I can find out more information on that name.I'd love to know why it is there.
Doug, everytime I find an old S&W i think the same thing about it talking, especially the Victory models.
Thanks for the help,

 

[Dosgatos]

Wauwatosa is a industrial suburb west of Milwaukee. Allis-Chalmers was in Wauwatosa

 

[Buford57]

The patent documents indicate that the Gilbert G. Reuter Company was a Michigan corporation as of the patent date (July 23, 1963). Michigan corporate filings don't show that as a current corporation or the prior name of any active corporation, but I'm not sure how far back they are computerized.

No probate filings in Wisconsin, can't do Michigan without a county name.

 

[digi-shots]

Here's something I found on a Gilbert G. Reuter...

(one of seven children of Gottfried REUTER and Barbara MILLER)

GILBERT GOTTFRIED REUTER was born on 3 August 1907 in Wauwatosa. Cert.Vol. 436, p. 337. He was baptized on 11 August 1907 in St. Anne's. He married Evelyn Louise ZAAGE on 10 February 1934 in Milwaukee; Marriage cert. 898 1934; Married at Mother of Good Counsel Church. The Marriage was noted in St. Anne's Church baptismal register entry. He died on 13 December 1972 in Marinette, Marinette Co, at age 65. Cert. State death no. 72 039440. Buried on 16 Dec. 1972, in the Amberg Cemetery in Amberg, Marinette Co., Wisconsin.


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