Victory Model

[Dino44]

Was it ever produced from the factory with the highly polished blue finish? I have seen one at a retailer that looks virtually like new. I asked the vendor to remove the stocks and there is no evidence of factory rework or bluing. All the lettering and logo looked very crisp. The stocks are not correct, but they are a very nice set of diamond magna stocks with silver medallion. The serial numbers in the V 6257XX range. Sorry I didn't take any photos; I had a senior moment and left my cell phone in the car. Plus, priced at $899.99 I thought that might be a bit high, if it is re-blued.

 

[Muley Gil]

It should be wearing the Black Magic finish, not a high polish blue.

 

[Legendarylawman]

I just bought two Victories. One is pretty jacked up 350 bucks. One correct except for grips wrong 525 bucks. Victories are covered well in Charles Pate's book on WWII handguns. FWIW, I think 900 is a bit steep, unless it is original and complete. Just starting out on Victories, so I could all wet here.

 

[DWalt]

More than steep. Might be worthwhile as a utility shooter at around 1/3 the asking price. Factory Victories at that time (WW II) were bead blasted and hot oxide blued (Black Magic) which resulted in a somewhat dull finish. Some will say they were Parkerized, but that is incorrect. They did not have the bright polished blued finish you describe. Probably polished and blued outside the factory. Allegedly S&W refused to perform the civilian commercial bright re-bluing on wartime production Victories in the postwar period. Beware.