I had one a little earlier than this one but was RS inspected…. IMHO it’s all correct, probably close to 90% condition. Hopefully the price reflects that.   A decent early Colt for sure.

Charlie, thank you for the reminder on Mr. William's article.  I will dig it out and re-read.     Below is another 2" Victory model that aligns with the DSC comment made above.  This one, V648958, shipped to Sheriff Flournoy of Caddo Parish, Louisiana as one of six 2" revolvers in the shipment.  Another one of these surfaced a few years ago.   

Interesting stuff on here. I found an unfinished ega at and antique store. Can someone please help me identify and approximate date?

Hello Lyle:   You have posted another great Victory, and a very rare one at that.   Kevin Williams, a member here, wrote the definitive article on the 2 inch Victory Model revolvers.  It was entitled "A Reappraisal of the 2 Inch Victory Model" and was published in the Journal of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association a few years ago.  I commend it to you and others seeking information on the 2 inch guns.  Nothing written since then has surpassed it.   On your question as to survivors of the Fort Mason shipment of 300 guns, the Victory Model Database records only 15 examples that have come to my attention over the past quarter century.  Doubtless there are others in collections or stuffed into sock drawers somewhere.  But with only 15 known examples that makes for a paltry 5% survival rate.   What was the intended use of the 2 inch guns?  No firm evidence has ever surfaced to my knowledge.  2 inch guns are designed to be concealable, of course, so it would seem that the likely military users would have been couriers and Military Intelligence types (MI and CIC).   A few other small groups of 2 inch Victory revolvers were made during WW2.  The largest group were those shipped in 1944-45 under authorization of the Defense Supplies Corporation.  Those guns went largely to civilian law enforcement agencies.  Another small group (40 units) shipped to the Navy in late 1942.  Four units went to a Navy contractor in the aviation industry and a handful went to bigwigs like Harold Wesson, legendary shooter Ed McGivern,  and the Chief of Ordnance.   Here below is a pic I had handy of the 2 inch Fort Mason shipped Victory in my own collection.  It is serialed V176949.   Regards, Charlie  

Thanks for that. It’s always good to hear personal touches about these things we love to collect. Makes a cheap beat-up thing like this cap priceless. Ok, maybe not priceless, but certainly makes picking it up worth it.  mikie

Thanks for the video and the details!  It's amazing you found that Regimental history book.  I looked at it, but can't figure out which chapter he wrote.  Maybe Chapter V?   I didn't know that picture was a CDV.   Wouldn't it be fun to go back in time (as long as we didn't have to remain there in that dreadful war!)

Just as an aside, I’ve always preferred the Pre 1948 CPO uniforms. They were more distinctive from officer uniforms. My uncle made CPO in 1944. He was a Ships Cook Third Class on an ocean going Tug, stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack, originally enlisting in 1939. He had the anchor on his caps, pinned at a slight angle, near the top of the front. This harken back to the days of the “Masters Mate”, who wore a silver bullion Foul Anchor, on the front of their caps, set at an angle. He had been in mostly, constant combat from PH on, serving in a DD and Amphibious Assault ship, as a cook, but Mount Captain for 40 mm Bofors Guns during battle.   Wearing the anchor at an angle was a sign of the old Salty Pre War Regular Navy Chiefs.  

You are missing the left shoulder webbing. This is a Gen II and I didn't want to bother with taking it off the quick-release cable but hopefully these photos should suffice. Good luck finding a replacement, unfortunately I doubt it will be easy to find on its own, I skimmed through the manual and unless I overlooked it it doesn't seem to have its own NSN. 

Tail hook, Skyraider. The shipping was expensive...but what the heck, who has one? It is over 5' and heavy.        

Foot Pedals