USNCPC M&P
- Thread starter WHEELGUNS
- Start date
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Well, you can letter it, although it's no secret what the letter will say. Charles Pate devotes about two pages to these in his book.
They shipped to the Washington Navy Yard in ten shipments of 300 from March 14 to May 10, 1941. The letter will tell you which shipment. Your serial is in the correct range, so it is no doubt authentic.
Since the USNCPC never got off the ground, the guns ended up in various places that are probably buried in naval archives somewhere; some even got sent to Britain.
That's about it.
Got a call from my local LGS yesterday with a question on a old S&W. Turned out to be a USNCPC marked Pre-Victory. A guy got that and a 1951 Colt DS from his dad who ran a liquor store in St. Louis and he was looking to consign both and buy something else. I gladly picked up both for his price. The sideplate has likely been replaced as the seam is a bit off and the finish doesn't match. Once I opened it up I realize why it had been changed since there is now the later model safety install. It was also missing the lanyard loop but I had an extra in the parts bin. All numbers match including the stocks. This one shipped in May 1941 (serial 759369).
It goes nicely with LCDR Sovanski's shoulder holster.
It goes nicely with LCDR Sovanski's shoulder holster.
There are a number of service branch civilian police agencies. I believe they all fall under an enabling statute authorizing the Department of Defense to establish police agencies. I worked for a short while at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in the 70s. My shoulder patch and badge said Department of Defense Police but our chain of command was through the 2750th Air Police Wing and we were issued ID cards saying Police Officer, Wright Patterson AFB.
I knew others who were civilians but wore the uniform insignia of the Branch of Service during that time. Most were at a location with a lot of civilian employees.
I knew others who were civilians but wore the uniform insignia of the Branch of Service during that time. Most were at a location with a lot of civilian employees.
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Got a call from my local LGS yesterday with a question on a old S&W. Turned out to be a USNCPC marked Pre-Victory. A guy got that and a 1951 Colt DS from his dad who ran a liquor store in St. Louis and he was looking to consign both and buy something else. I gladly picked up both for his price. The sideplate has likely been replaced as the seam is a bit off and the finish doesn't match. Once I opened it up I realize why it had been changed since there is now the later model safety install. It was also missing the lanyard loop but I had an extra in the parts bin. All numbers match including the stocks. This one shipped in May 1941 (serial 759369).
It goes nicely with LCDR Sovanski's shoulder holster.
Would the safety modification and side plate replacement be something done in the WW2 era while this pistol was still U.S. government property, or something done later by a police department or civilian owner?
Depending on whether it was done by the government or by a police department/private owner, how much does this negatively affect the value compared to an untouched, factory original, gun?
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
The sideplate does not appear to have the S stamped near the rear screw hole, as was done on war-time SV-series Victorys as well as on pre- and Victorys retrofitted with the new safety on the official contract. That would make any sideplate replacement a later post-war job, although by whom is impossible to say unless a factory repair date on the frame under the grip panel indicates it might be later commercial factory work.
Prices for these aren't stable enough and there aren't enough of them changing hands to give an estimate by how much this might affect the value. Any declaration "by x percent" would be worthless. But it would certainly be a bargaining chip to talk the price down if you were trying to buy it
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