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Old August 30, 2011, 12:02 PM   #11
Winchester_73
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Join Date: December 20, 2008
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 2,863
Quote:
The gun looks to be in excellent condition (almost too good)! I don't know much about "grading" the condition, but it doesn't show much pitting, etc. It almost appears to me to have been re-blued at some point??? Not sure, it just looks awefully nice for a WWII pistol.
Many times a soldier was killed right after being issued his gun, and other times guns were captured before issue, resulting in high condition bring backs. They are worth more than worn examples, but its far from impossible.

As far as whether it was reblued: generally redone guns are imports which goes against the widow's story. Usually these imports are marked somewhere, bottom of barrel, underside of slide on edge, on frame, etc. A reblued gun, unless professionally restored will have a blacked out F and S which are supposed to be red and white. I highly doubt someone would have had this gun professionally redone since the cost of that would be the value of the gun itself. Its not a rare enough gun either with over 100k produced. Good pics should show whether or not its original. Sometimes widows get guns mixed up esp when their husband/SO passes on. I don't always buy widow's stories and one should never buy the story, just the gun. A P38 marked the way you describe, is WWII regardless of what anyone else says, for example.
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Last edited by Winchester_73; August 30, 2011 at 12:10 PM.
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