A Vickers, and a question of propriety

Dwight Gruber · 04-12-2003, 08:30 PM

Bill,

I think Ed has it pretty much covered, but I have a couple of questions for you.

The Crown/V is a British mark. I'm not sure that it is a proof mark, Martens & de Vries imply that it is not. I find it curious that it is on the barrel with that serial number and no actual British firing proofs. Does it look like the barrel has had the other marks removed--including perhaps the original the serial#--in order to renumber the gun? Does it look like a rebarrel? What is the configuration of the witness mark? Got any photographs??

The general force-matching and rework condition sound like correct GS armory practice. The blank toggle pin would be normal for a part of DWM manufacture in that year. It is beginning to appear that armory parts are stamped GS pretty haphazardly.

How about the grips, are they coarse checkered native wood replacements, are they fine-checkered DWM grips, are they coarse/shallow replacements?

--Dwight

04-12-2003, 08:30 PM	#1
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Bill, I think Ed has it pretty much covered, but I have a couple of questions for you. The Crown/V is a British mark. I'm not sure that it is a proof mark, Martens & de Vries imply that it is not. I find it curious that it is on the barrel with that serial number and no actual British firing proofs. Does it look like the barrel has had the other marks removed--including perhaps the original the serial#--in order to renumber the gun? Does it look like a rebarrel? What is the configuration of the witness mark? Got any photographs?? The general force-matching and rework condition sound like correct GS armory practice. The blank toggle pin would be normal for a part of DWM manufacture in that year. It is beginning to appear that armory parts are stamped GS pretty haphazardly. How about the grips, are they coarse checkered native wood replacements, are they fine-checkered DWM grips, are they coarse/shallow replacements? --Dwight