Victory Model question

[mbliss57]

I have found a Victory model .38 spl at a pawn shop...to be truthful it has been there 6 months as I have watched the price drop from $600 to $488 plus tax. Today when I was in there I mentioned how long it has been there and the owner offered it for $400 plus tax..$428. Good or OK price?
Its in very nice condition S/N V146xxx. Black magic is not very dark like on some Victory models. All numbers match on cylinder, barrel flat, ejector and butt. There are no military markings in top strap or anywhere else so I figure it might have been a contractors gun issued by Govt during WWII. No import marks so it was never a British gun. Anyways I didn't have the cash with me and since it has been there so long saw no reason to run to the bank. Is this now a good price? Based on SCSW it looks like it was fairly early on in the
war that this was in service.
Is there anything else I should be wary of?
it looks like a clean Victory to me.

 

[blockislander]

Good Price

That seems like a good price to me if you want one for your collection. Most likely the grips are numbered to the gun.
Paul

 

[mbliss57]

I think any half way serious collector should have 1 good example of a Victory Model. It's just such a part of our history. I have just been waiting for a good deal on a good example. This might be the one.

 

[DWalt]

That one would be from about November of 1942. By that time, the finish would have been phosphate (sometimes called Military Midnight Black). Those without property markings would probably have not seen any military service, but were rather destined for stateside use by defense plant security guards, police, etc. At present, what he is asking is not a bad deal, but is toward the upper end of what I might pay.

 

[mbliss57]

DWALT
Is that price point because it has no military markings / was not overseas in the war or is that just the upper end of most Victory models ?

Mike

 

[Jebus35745]

Hi Mike, at least its a 38 spec. not 38 S&W. If the timing is good, it seems priced abt right. With the prices going up on S&W's, 400 will be cheap soon. Good luck, Larry

 

[opoefc]

It's an OK price, i would say. Not a steal, but OK ,and it gets you the Victory model you say every collector should have and it has the possibility of being a "civilian" Victory Model, which is much rarer than the military versions. I always advise members to letter any civilian Victory models as they sometimes went to some very exotic destinations. Ed.

 

[DWalt]

Civilian Victories are less common than military ones, but they are not what I would call rare. Aside from the lack of any military property and inspection markings, they are the same as all others. Aside from a few exceptions (such as Navy-marked specimens), condition and originality dictates value more than than whether it is civilian or military. Being civilian, I doubt it would have gone to destinations very exotic. But there are a few unmarked specimens that were shipped to military-like use, such as the Merchant Marine and OSS. A factory letter would indicate that. But don't count on it.