Victory data base

[Modified]

I finally picked up a victory. I was sort of waiting for the exact right one to come up and it did. I've long wanted to post here asking about where a victory may of gone, but no Victory model before this one was quite right for my somewhat eclectic collection.

In this case, I'm wondering if it is going to be possible to figure out who the (undoubtedly over the top) character who had these stocks made for the gun was. I figured this was the place to start. I can get better pictures once the gun is in hand, hopefully by next week.

 

[C Broad Arrow]

I finally picked up a victory. I was sort of waiting for the exact right one to come up and it did. I've long wanted to post here asking about where a victory may of gone, but no Victory model before this one was quite right for my somewhat eclectic collection.

In this case, I'm wondering if it is going to be possible to figure out who the (undoubtedly over the top) character who had these stocks made for the gun was. I figured this was the place to start. I can get better pictures once the gun is in hand, hopefully by next week.

Now that is a gun with character!

 

[Modified]

Now that is a gun with character!

Hah, yeah.

Honestly I've not bought any guns since April, and then suddenly this and two others popped up, making the beginning of September one of my most expensive gun buying binge months on record.. just a few days in.

The thing is that the more I looked at this one the less I could resist it. There must be story here, somewhere. With a gun like this, how could there not be!

 

[LOBO]

Nice gun with very cool grips!

 

[Absalom]

.....
In this case, I'm wondering if it is going to be possible to figure out who the (undoubtedly over the top) character who had these stocks made for the gun was. I figured this was the place to start...

Ummm.... wow. Talk about lipstick on a pig. Although I like these particular pigs. And the lipstick is indeed over the top .

The gun is from fall 1942. If it is U.S. PROPERTY stamped, the gun itself will be a dead end, since it will have shipped to a naval depot (most likely) or other "wholesale" location and that's all a letter would tell you.

If the topstrap is empty, a letter might tell you in more detail where the gun shipped originally. Maybe a police officer got it under a DSC contract and decided to enhance its appearance.

But just as likely someone acquired the gun without leaving a paper trail to the Victory program, so for the provenance of the stocks, experts on custom stock artwork will be of more help than Victory nerds .

 

[Modified]

Ummm.... wow. Talk about lipstick on a pig. Although I like these particular pigs. And the lipstick is indeed over the top .

The gun is from fall 1942. If it is U.S. PROPERTY stamped, the gun itself will be a dead end, since it will have shipped to a naval depot (most likely) or other "wholesale" location and that's all a letter would tell you.

If the topstrap is empty, a letter might tell you in more detail where the gun shipped originally. Maybe a police officer got it under a DSC contract and decided to enhance its appearance.

But just as likely someone acquired the gun without leaving a paper trail to the Victory program, so for the provenance of the stocks, experts on custom stock artwork will be of more help than Victory nerds .

Thank you very much, I suspected as much.

I guess I am hoping that there are some records that the thing went somewhere that at least narrows down my search for The Greek. I figure that if I can find the general place it went to, I figure someone who would pay to make such stocks for this gun, with a nickname like The Greek, might just be a guy someone wrote about at some time.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Had to have been on the roof with Zorba!

 

[bunkie12]

Thank you very much, I suspected as much.

I guess I am hoping that there are some records that the thing went somewhere that at least narrows down my search for The Greek. I figure that if I can find the general place it went to, I figure someone who would pay to make such stocks for this gun, with a nickname like The Greek, might just be a guy someone wrote about at some time.

My Victory is described a couple pages back. It lettered to my grandfather by name, although I still don't know how he qualified to receive the gun. I join you in hoping that a letter will reveal the identity of The Greek.

bunkie12

 

[Texas Star]

Is the insert at the top of those grips abalone shell? Is the grip material Micarta? Ivory? These may be clues.

This could be "theater work" by a craftsman like those who used odd materials aboard ship to replace gun and knife handles. Many used canopy material from crashed aircraft, but other materials were also employed.

 

[Spanky303]

I got one and would love some info on it SN is V 747742

 

[DWalt]

V 747742 would date its shipment to early 1945, probably January. With the 5" barrel, it is probably chambered in .38 S&W, not .38 Special, and was originally made for British Commonwealth use. What caliber is stamped on the barrel? However, it may well have been re-chambered to accept .38 Special. Many of the British Victories were in the post-WWII era. Victories were never nickel plated at the factory, as yours is, so that was done elsewhere, essentially destroying any collectible value it might otherwise have.

 

[wiskerchew]

2 inch Victory

Hi all, I started reading up on these and notice it says the 2" barrel is scarce. Just how rare are they?

Thanks

 

[Absalom]

Hi all, I started reading up on these and notice it says the 2" barrel is scarce. Just how rare are they?

Thanks

According to Charles Pate, which AFAIK is the best information we have, between 800 and 1,300 were originally made with a 2" barrel and an additional unknown number "in the low thousands" were converted to 2" after the war.

Victorys with 2" barrels draw exorbitant prices due solely to their rarity. I actually think the market is a bit out of whack and they are somewhat overvalued, since they really have no historical or technical significance beyond the fact that there aren't a lot of them, but whenever I point that out, I get in trouble here.

 

[Spanky303]

V 747742 would date its shipment to early 1945, probably January. With the 5" barrel, it is probably chambered in .38 S&W, not .38 Special, and was originally made for British Commonwealth use. What caliber is stamped on the barrel? However, it may well have been re-chambered to accept .38 Special. Many of the British Victories were in the post-WWII era. Victories were never nickel plated at the factory, as yours is, so that was done elsewhere, essentially destroying any collectible value it might otherwise have.

Hey thanks for the reply and info, that sucks about the nickel plating but oh well it's still a nice piece of history. It does say on the barrel .38 S&W and was rechambered to except the .38 special. I just got it like a week ago and never shot it, is it safe to shoot?

 

[DWalt]

A common question, and the short answer is yes. The chambers being oversize will allow the case to expand upon firing, usually producing a bulged case. While I have never personally had it happen, some report fired cases having longitudinal splits. Even so, that is not unsafe. I have had many other instances of split cases in other calibers, and you don't even know it happened until the case is extracted.

 

[Spanky303]

Right on man thanks allot I feel a little better I was almost getting worried there for a sec lol probly soundnt shoot +p rounds through it though huh?

 

[DWalt]

Right on man thanks allot I feel a little better I was almost getting worried there for a sec lol probably shoundnt shoot +p rounds through it though huh?

I wouldn't recommend it, but I suspect that even if you did, nothing bad would happen. However, some +P loads with the 125 grain bullet have been known to cause forcing cone splits. I have little good to say about the practice of shooting +P loads as an everyday thing.

 

[Spanky303]

Alright yeah I wasn't even really planning on shooting any +p anyways. One more question, could I shoot .38 s&w rounds through it to?

 

[DWalt]

Sure-if you can find any or you are a reloader.

 

[Spanky303]

Right on man I appreciate all your help thanks allot