Victory, .38 Special

[Airedale]

I found this in a local gunshop today and brought it with me. SN:V723888, 4" .38 Special, US Property G.H.D. marked, missing lanyard ring, good tight lock up and smooth action. The pics don"t do it justice. It's blueing is great and it's ~90% gun.
Dave

 

[Airedale]

I found this in a local gunshop today and brought it with me. SN:V723888, 4" .38 Special, US Property G.H.D. marked, missing lanyard ring, good tight lock up and smooth action. The pics don"t do it justice. It's blueing is great and it's ~90% gun.
Dave

 

[gunbarrel]

You know that if it's blued, it's been refinished, which severely diminishes its value--right? Originally it was pakerized (or a finish similar to it).

GB

 

[Airedale]

Yup-I know about the parkerized deal. I paid appropriately.

The interesting thing is,there is no signs of having been polished in prep. for a reblue. All the markings are crisp and show no buffing effects. Flaws in the metal that would have been buffed out on a reblue are intact.

Also there's a letter P in the frame near the rear of the topstrap on the left side. I can't find a reference to it in the S&W book.

Either way, I'm into it at shooters money so I am happy with it.

Dave

 

[digi-shots]

Airedale...

Nice looking Victory!

The "P" proof mark got me curious, too.. I looked it up in another book (US Handguns WWII) and found mention of the "P". P Proof mark used on Army ASP (Army Supply Program) contracts after approx. Jan. 1944. "P" on top left frame, back of cylinder and underside of barrel.

Post some close up pics if you can. Maybe some of the military collectors here can give you some thoughts on the blued finish. Early war guns were blued and later "parkerized".

 

[opoefc]

The S&W original dull non-reflective finish, called " Black Magis or Sand Blast Blue" in the factory records can be chemically removed and does not have to be buffed off. However the metal underneath would not be a polished surface like a commecial S&W revolver, so a refinsh in blue would not result in a shiny blue finish, unless some polishing was done. Actually the cost & time involved does not make a lot of economic sense to remove the original dull finish to get a polished look, but people do strange things, especially gun people! Ed.