Wolverines!!!!

There was speculation that this Maadi AKM featured on Gun Broker might be a fake. After all, who could tell if it was really used in the movie Red Dawn?

Well, it turns out there is a list with S001091 on the inventory.

Next question....... Will it make a difference in the final price?

Delusions of Fitzgerald

Ruger Redhawk 3" 3 inch 44mag 44 special
A custom shop conversion of a redhawk #500 251xx. made 1983. 26 years old and very tight. perfect lock up, bore is excellent. has had mild trigger job done right, not overdone (no pushover). grips are real nice. exterior finish is very nice but has been cleaned up at one time. These conversions, sometimes called FitZgerald, named after the colt employee who pioneered them, are designed for people with large fingers and for circumstances where one might want to fire thru a coat pocket without removing the gun from the pocket but yet have quick and easy access to the trigger. A fun gun, gets lots of attention in the gun case or at gun shows which means they are usually easy to sell.

Yeah, I bet they will be standing in line for that.

The General Undertaker Gangster Gun

Here's another bumper chrome plated M1911A1 with an incredible speculative story to enhance it's value in the market. I'm quoting the seller's description verbatim, although it is in snippets.

"Here is a colt 1911 that has an old nickle finish. The serial #is 134XXX. I believe it to be made in 1917. It has the colt address on the left side of the slide covered over with nickle but the old Colt logo with the horse holding an arrow(?)in it's mouth and a spear(?) between it's legs are still sharp and clear. It also has a stamp mark of a circle with letters that look like a G,H&S inside a circle on the left side of the frame about a half inch above the mag release button. the right side of the slide says: MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY. It has an S on the back of the slide above the firing pin stop. Those are the only markings that I can see on the pistol. The screw slot for the Mag release is buggered up a little and the grip screws have some wear."

"I got this pistol many years ago from my sister-in-law who got it from her father's estate. He was an undertaker in Ohio. She said that he could have gotten it from a relative that was in the military who was Brigadere General Edward A. Pagels. I cannot prove this. She also said that he carried large sums of cash and frequently carried this pistol wherever he went. Looks to me like a gangster might have owned this gun at sometime. It has normal wear and tear that any piece would have that has seen some heavy use. The bore has slight erosion right in front of the chamber for about an inch however the lands and grooves are still strong and visible with the rest of the bore ok. Overall the finish is still prtty good with some nicks, scratches and a few speckles(not many or deep)-see pictures. There are erosion marks under the grips panels on both sides but are not deep and don't affect the overall appearance of the pistol."

"The grips are worn and dark but complete and the left grip has three notches that are cut in the bottom of the panel that appear to be made a long time ago-obviously has seen some kind of dubious action. The magazine has had the lip removed apparantly so that it would not snag when being pulled from concealed carry. Everything appears to be original to the gun."

Now I really love this, emphasis mine......

"This pistol slides into the hand smoothly and actually feels alive as you grip it. There is something about this weapon that makes it feel warm when it is held in your hand-maybe it's because it's old and has a history or it's just my imagination. It shoots and functions real well I rated the pistol as NRA good even though I think it is better than that just because of the way it looks and feels."

Then the seller tosses in a set of Ajax faux ivory grips to sweeten the deal, and provides the usual disclaimer of the gun being a valuable historical piece with no provenance. Of course, the seller being a mere private collector with an overactive imagination and a Curio & Relic collector's license, doesn't know squat about M1911A1s.

"I have Ajax Ivorex grips that I put on it to make it look different-these go with the gun Take a good look at the pictures as I have not tried to hide anything. I am not an expert on colt 1911's so you can tell me anything and I might possibly believe you. This is a great historical piece! I am a private collector and have a C&R license which this gun qualifies as. This gun will make an interesting addition to anyone's collection. As with any gun I sell, I sell "as is" and recommend it be inspected by a gunsmith before firing to protect both you and me. Will ship to FFL and/or C&R. I don't want to get involved with California regulations so I will not ship to California. Make sure there are no laws in your state or community that prohibit this firearm before bidding."

OK. So we have a M1911 that has most of the rollmarks polished off before it was dipped in the chrome tank at Bubba's Bumper Shop. Let's make up a story that it came from a mortician to give it that lurid quality right off the bat. Next, a vague connection to a general officer, and finally, let's file three notches in the grip. Some sucker is sure to believe those notches signify three kills. While we are at it, we may as well get rid of the screwed up magazine with a bogus concealed carry story too. I understand the seller has Clark Gable's Duesenberg up for bids on ebay as well.

Buy the gun, not the story.

Number One

Up for bids at Greg Martin Auctions is a uniquely unique Colt single action Army revolver. In a long line of firearms, the SAA revolver established Colt as the premier firearms manufacturer in the United States. This bare metal beauty was the first. Serial number one. One. Uno. Ichiban. Nyng.

Serial no. 1. 6-shot fluted cylinder, 7 1/2-inch barrel with slanted barrel address, "+ Colt's Pt. FAA. Mfg. Co., Hartford, Ct. U.S.A. +" on top of barrel. Left side of frame with two-line patent marking, "-Pat. July. 25.1871-/-Pat. July. 2. 1872.-" Serial no. 1 stamped on bottom of frame, on triggerguard strap, buttstrap, bottom of breech of barrel, and in ink on grips inside cutout for backstrap. K inspector initial on back of cylinder. 8 on inside curve of loading gate. Pinched top strap forming rear sight, German silver front sight blade. Round ejector rod head, with bulbous contour to loading gate. Blued finish, with case-hardened frame and hammer. Varnished walnut grips.

Condition: Fine. 30% blue, 25% case-hardening. Brown and gray patina with wear. Minor surface pitting. Traces varnish on one-piece walnut grips. Custom-made display case of brown leather, contour-lined in gold velvet, the lid gold-tooled and with gold leaf inscription noting "The First Production Model of 'The Gun That Won the West' and The Most Famous Handgun in the World." Case by Arno Werner Bookbinders, c. 1987.

Yeah yeah yeah. What caliber is it, and if it's 45 Long Colt, can I fit a .45 ACP cylinder?

Estimate: $500000 - $1000000

Hats off to JR.

Steampunk Percussion Revolver

This revolver was too cool to be an ugly gun. It was also up for auction at Rock Island Auction House.

This unusual and unique revolver was probably built during the great American firearms explosion of ideas in the mid 19th century. It has a 6 7/8" octagon barrel with an unusual turned cannon shaped brass fitting over muzzle and 6 groove straight rifling. The top of the barrel has a brass rod which extends through a bracket that has two tiny dovetails in the top flat. The rear end of rod is fitted with a fixed V-groove sight along with an articulated peep sight. It has a tiny 2 piece ramrod pinned into the barrel lug with a tension spring dovetailed into bottom flat. The loading lever handle is octagon shaped and tapered to larger front end. It has 6 shot unfluted cylinder with protruding nipples and a curious shield in frame reminiscent of pepperbox nipple shields of the Richards found on American made pistols of the 1830-40 era. It has a ring trigger, spurless hammer and is double action only. The grip is long and curved with brass panels, internally mounted, with an 8 pointed geometric star at top on each side and a most unique design on bottom with a small trap door cover on each side. It is completely unmarked although the revolver was not disassembled in an effort to locate any hidden markings.

Estimated Price: $3,000 - $5,000

I'm not sure what it sold for.......

Colt "Black Army" M1911 at auction

An exceptional Colt "Black Army" M1911 is up for grabs at Rock Island Auction.

all original (near new) and unaltered example of a late WWI "Black Army" M1911 pistol as manufactured by the Colt Manufacturing company. This pistol is a late all blued Model 1911 that has the block style marking and the Black Army type finish that is found only in the last of US Army Model 1911 contract pistols. This Black Army finish is actually a collector term to identify and differentiate these pistols from the earlier all blue Model 1911s. This type of finish was actually due to a change in the bluing process that occurred in 1918 when Colt went to a gas-fired oven blued process which gave the pistols a rougher finish with a dark black color. This specific pistol falls into the generally accepted serial number block (285,000-350,000) when this change took place. The left side of the slide is marked "PATENTED APR. 20.1897. SEPT.9.1902 / DEC. 19. 1905. FEB.14.1911. AUG 19.1913" followed by "COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO." over "HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A." with the Rampant Colt in the middle of the markings and the left side of the slide is marked with "MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY". The left side of the frame is marked, "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" and it has the circled "JMG" proof of LTC J.M. Gilbert, the government inspector assigned to the Colt factory. The right side of the frame has the serial number of the pistol, behind the slide stop pin hole. It still has the correct early WWI parts such as the Colt wide checkered spur hammer, smooth flat main spring housing, checkered slide stop and thumb safety, and the Colt barrel which is marked with the single separated "P" and "H" proof on top of the chamber area. It has the original diamond checkered walnut grips and is complete with one half-tone magazine.

Estimated Price: $5,500 - $7,500

Colt M1911A1 National Match at Auction

A near mint National Match M1911A1 is up for bids at Rock Island Auction.

Parkerized frame with "FJA" inspector marking above the magazine catch with a "P" proof below the catch. The right side of the frame is marked "UNITED STATES PROPERTY / serial number / ordnance bomb FK" before the slide stop hole and "M1911A1 U.S. ARMY / RIA" after the slide stop hole. The frame serial number places this M1911A1 in the Remington-Rand production run for the year 1944.

The slide is parkerized with the one-line Colt Hartford address on the right and "Colt" flanked by "GOVERNational MatchENT / MODEL" and "AUTOMATIC CALIBER .45" next to the un-circled Rampant Colt. "NRM" is marked on the right trigger guard bow. Blued barrel with caliber marking over "National Match 7790313". Ramp blade front and adjustable Elliason rear sights, textured front grip strap, aluminum adjustable trigger, serrated arched main spring housing with the lanyard loop on the bottom, serrated slide stop, checkered thumb safety and narrow hammer. Fitted with checkered grips and a blued magazine marked "19200- / ASSY 5508694 / MFR. 1M291" on the shoe. Complete with cardboard box marked "SHOT FROM ARM REST" on the lid.

Estimated Price: $2,500 - $3,000

The Ruger 1 of 5000

In 1982, Sturm Ruger transitioned from the Ruger Standard to the Ruger MKII in it's rimfire autoloader line of pistols. There were several differences between the pistols: a bolt hold back mechanism, and the ability to eject a chambered round with the safety engaged were significant improvements. A ten round magazine enabled the shooter to digest ammunition with full magazines, as 22 ammunition commonly sold in multiples of ten.

To say a farewell to the venerable Ruger Standard, Sturm Ruger manufactured and sold the last ones in stainless steel. A replica of the original "salt cod" wooden shipping box came with the pistol, as well as a copy of the original 1949 advertisement. Bill Ruger's signature was rollmarked on the receiver, and "1 of 5000" was stamped on the right side of the barrel.

These were the first stainless steel Ruger pistols. Many were purchased as "investments" and never shot. At present, a 1 of 5000 Ruger Standard is available on Auction Arms.

Current Price: $649.00

The "Stainless" M1911A1

Sometimes you wonder if an auction is a joke, if the seller is smoking crack, or if they are just incredibly dimwitted. Here is the latest example on Gun Broker. The seller is apparently undeterred by a Colt factory letter, which lists the finish as "Blue." To him, the pistol is so top secret that even Hartford does not remember it's existence.

"We are offering an auction with no Reserve and winning bidder will receive a Very Rare and according to Colt Doesn't Exist 1939 Stainless Colt 1911 in .45 ACP. This gun is stainless I have taken the grips off and take a file and notched the steel it is nothing but stainless. The attached letter from Colt Authenticates the serial no. and the date. They had no other information concerning this gun. There have been rumors about experimental Colt's made 17 years before the first production run made for the military under secret contracts. There are rumored to be up to ten of these guns but this is the only one I have ever seen up close and personal. This gun is available for expert scrutiny and verification only at the location of this gun and in person. This may be the only one of these still in existance and as such is invaluable. It came to me out of an estate of an ex-Marine Customs Officer who bought it out of an arsenal according to his records. There is nothing else except the gun and the Colt Letter. I hope the pictures do it justice and if you need more let me have your e-mail address and I will take the ones you want and send them to you. Actual piece is pictured. This is just one of our great collections of guns which will be updated from time to time with new offerings, so check us often. ****Please Read This Before Placing Your Bid**** There are no refunds or exchanges for any reason whatsoever!! "

From where I'm sitting I can tell it's a hard chromed M1911A1. To make matters more humorous, Millett sights from the 1980s adorn the top of the gun, and the gun has been magna-ported. To this seller, it's just more evidence of some super duper rarity, or perhaps the time travel of small objects. He's got a file after all.......When he filed a notch in the frame under a grip, the resulting file mark was not blue! Duh...... These are the kind of delusional nuts that think Elvis shot down JFK Jr's airplane, and they vote and drive.

The starting bid? $200,000.00; Buy it Now for $350,000.00

Riiiiiiiiight! I have a feeling the $200,025 bid is just a buddy's shill to prevent the joke from being taken down. Two people can't be that stupid.

Clark Combat LW Commander on Gun Broker

On Gun Broker is a very nice 1977 Clark Combat Commander. In actuality, this pistol is a Lightweight Commander, one of the original aluminum framed pistols. At one time, Clark Custom had a modification package, the Combat package, that was applied to this pistol. The package consisted of an adjustable Smith & Wesson revolver sight grafted onto the slide, paired with a ramped front sight with an orange serrated insert. The ejection port was skillfully lowered, "tiger tooth" stippling was applied to the front strap, and a match trigger was installed. The original Colt barrel was accurized and the entire pistol was "tightened up."

Even though fixed sights are de rigueur on a carry gun today, back "in the day," the addition of a S&W rear sight was a hallmark of a custom 1911. This pristine Colt Commander was built by James Clark Sr. as a carry gun. Sadly, it doesn't seem as though it was ever carried, and it has reportedly only been shot by the master gunsmith himself.

I am fortunate enough to own a Clark Combat 1911 myself, and I would love to make this piece of gunsmithing history an addition to my collection. Sadly, at $2,500.00 with an unmet reserve, it is out of my league. I'd probably stuff it in a holster and shoot the snot out of it at Shootout Lane anyway.

Clark .38 Special Long Slide

On Auction Arms is a Clark .38 special long slide Wadcutter gun. This pistol is a M1911A1 that was converted in 1968 by J.E. Clark Sr. into a premium Bullseye gun.

Jim Clark Sr. was not only a pioneering gunsmith, but he was a world class Bullseye shooter, breaking 2600 his third year in competition, only the fifth man to ever do so....... with a borrowed gun. A decade later, he became one of four men to break 2650. Needless to say, this pistol is a bullseye gun built by a man who knew Bullseye shooting.

If one looks closely at the flat of the slide, just beneath the rear of the front sight, a variance in the metal peeks through the blue finish. This is the weld that Jim Clark placed to join two US GI slides together, in order to fabricate a longer slide to house a six inch barrel.

Once welded, the slide was milled on each side to smooth out the surface and to remove the factory rollmarks. The resulting flat top slide serrations are reminiscent of serration variations that were to appear on factory guns years later.

Other modifications abound on this gun. The front strap is stippled with Clark's signature "tiger tooth" texture. The trigger is drilled and tapped to accept an over travel screw. A Bomar adjustable rib sight is attached to the top of the slide. No doubt though, the real magic is inside the gun, in the fitting and the conversion to .38 specials.

I would like to own this piece of gunsmithing history, but at a starting bid of $1,450.00, I'm out of the running. If it was at a local gun shop, I would trade off several guns to get it though..........

Original Sistema on Gun Broker

Argentine 1927 Sistema Colt .45 ACP Orig. Finish
90%+, Original Finish, VG+ Condition.
Everything is correct even magazine except for grips(should be black plastic). We found a set of original grips! It will now be supplied with these. Finish shows honest wear and pitting in some spots. It is in perfect, unaltered, untampered with mechanical order.
Started at $950.00

It's not surprising that original finish Sistemas are escalating in value. Most of the Sistemas that were imported to the US were rearsenaled, and they sold for $300-$350. The last of the Sistemas available for import apparently dried up with the importation of the poor quality examples by Lipsey's two years ago. Still, as nice as this example (which has no importation markings) is, the starting bid of $950 seems a bit high to me. It might reach that at auction if two bidders are competing for the gun, but you have to get them vying for it first.

Fitz Special on Gun Broker

"COLT Commando
Parkerized Finish
Caliber 38 Special
4 Inch Barrel
'Fitz' Special Speed Trigger

This Revolver is in Very Good Vintage Condition.

Timing and Bore are excellent.

The Revolver is fitted with the Original Factory Brown Checkered Plastic Grips. Please note that the forward edge of the LEFT Grip Only is Damaged.

These Revolvers were made during World War II from 1942 - 1945.

This example has modified in the 'FITZ Special' style. 'Fitz' Special Speed Trigger modifications were performed Originally on Colt Revolvers by Colt. This type of modification was also done in the private sector to both Colt & Smith & Wesson Revolvers. This Modification was a popular aid to facilitate rapid trigger acquisition and to allow the use of heavy gloves. Bill Jordan carried a 'Fitz Special' Modified Revolver while on duty with the US Border Patrol. This modification was popular in the Decades Preceding and following WW II.

Please note the Military Inspection/Acceptance Marks on Upper Left Frame above and behind Cylinder Release.
Marked:
"G.H.D." (Guy H. Drewry)
Ordnance insignia (flaming shell or bomb)
In Original Form, the US Counterintelligence Corps, Military Intelligence and the Office of Strategic Services orders totaled nearly 12,800.
Many more were purchased/used by the Defense Supplies Corporation (DSC). The DSC provided arms for Defense Plant Guards, Police Departments and Security Personnel for various US Government Organizations. Others were used in the US Merchant Marine, and Lend Lease Programs.
US General Eisenhower is reported to have had one, and some Colt Commando revolvers were definitely used in the war zones."

Blah Blah Blah. The seller sounds like a used car salesman with a rusted out Caddy on the lot.

1. This revolver was reparkerized. Note the parkerizing in the GHD and US Ordnance proof. These proofs were applied after the revolver was accepted by the military. After it was originally parkerized. Thus, one would expect to see bare metal in the proofs rather than parkerizing.

2. After this revolver was reparkerized, some knothead decided to make it into a Fitz Special. He lopped off the front of the trigger guard, and did a fair job of roughly blending things out. The area under the frame could use a bit more polishing though, and some parkerizing........ Oh, and bob the hammer, and cut the barrel down to a snubby. Replace the front sight and you might be getting close to a Fitz. Maybe some nice stag grips to compliment the parkerizing.

Sell the finished fake Fitz for $200-$300 instead of $600, and I might be interested. At $600 though, this is a revolver that is overpriced. This Colt Commando is also either ruined, and not followed through on the conversion, depending on how you look at it. $150 tops.

Here's a nicer Colt Commando (that isn't screwed up) starting at $301. Here's one that is supposedly unfired. Note the differences in the finish.

Analysis of a Victory

From a current auction on Gun Broker. The seller says:

US Navy marked Smith & Wesson M&P.
This is not a "Victory" model.
Frame serial number: 969XXX
Parkerized finish that looks near mint. Based of the sharp clear lettering, in my opinion, this is the original finish.
This gun looks unfired (but it has been) and I think it would be very hard to upgrade. As with all military weapons they do get test ("proof") fired.
BARREL: 4". Rifling appears to be sharp with no pitting (bore is dirty, could use a good cleaning). Marked "38 S.& W. SPECIAL CTG" on the right side, "SMITH & WESSION" [sic] on the left side and a two line address with patent dates on top. No import marks.
FRAME: Marked "PROPERTY U.S. NAVY" on the left side under the cylinder release latch and the right side has the S&W logo with "MADE IN U.S.A." No import marks.
SERIAL NUMBERS: matching on the grips (stamped into the wood), butt and cylinder. Assemble numbers matching on the crane and frame. This is all as it should be.
Hammer, trigger and lanyard ring are case colored.
Matching numbers on the butt, cylinder, barrel, grips and extractor rod.
Matching numbers on the frame and the crane.

This revolver is presented for auction as an original finish gun in the seller's opinion. It clearly is not. It has a parkerized finish, which also covers the ejector rod and most likely the extractor (which the seller is careful not to show.) Original finish Victory revolvers have blued extractors and ejector rods. The original finish of these revolvers was not parkerizing.

The Property of US Navy marking on the left of the frame is interesting. These markings were applied by the US Navy, after receipt of the revolver, resulting in a damaged finish. The letters were often filled with red paint, as shown at right, to prevent rust in the bare metal at the bottom of the stamping. The commonly used red paint led to the moniker "Red Navy Victory" among collectors. This mark is also perhaps the most commonly faked marking among S&W revolvers. Finding this marking filled with parkerizing is a certain indication of a refinish.

The seller hedges his bets, stating his offering is a "US Navy marked Smith & Wesson M&P" True enough, but marked by who? He goes on to state "This is not a "Victory" model." Again, true enough. He even states it is parkerized. It appears to me this seller is guarding against a return on the gun, banking on the buyer's enthusiasm and ignorance at the time of the transaction.

The seller claims a serial number of 965XXX, and states that the grips match. There, the serial number can be discerned. 965675. Only Roy Jinks can say for certain whether this revolver shipped from Springfield to the US Navy, but since the seller gave his opinion on it's authenticity, I'll give mine. It didn't. Someone at sometime though, wanted to make it appear as though it did.

Postscript: The auctioned revolver went for $717.00.

Ugly Gun Sunday

This 45 caliber pistol is known as a JO-LO-AR, and is manufactured in Espana. It looks like a Colt 1902 pistol had too much tequila and crawled into a cheap no tell motel with a Beretta Model 86. Then some drug crazed kitchen table gunsmith came along and slapped in a Tokarev TT33 hammer and Dremeled away the trigger guard to make it into a Fitz Special. The grips have not been baked in an oven or warped over time. They came with the waves in them.
It's quirky and weird.
And it's ugly.

But this pistol is not just quirky weird and ugly. It is rare..........
Ultra rare. According to the auction, it is one of six "known worldwide."

For a small $8,500.00 bid, you can own this .45, and maybe you can find a holster.



Other things you can spend your $8500 on include:
A 1989 Malibu ski boat
Sly Stone's Attack Dog
MartinLogan Spire Speakers
A 1974 Customized Corvette
An Oscar de la Renta gown just like everyone else's
A backyard windmill
A 2001 BMW 325i
A baby boy black & white capuchin

Gun Auction Round-Up

Up for bids on Auction Arms is a nice little Beretta 950 from 1958. Now this is not the type of pea shooter I stick in my britches, but if you are looking for a pretty pistol to make the lady in your life beam with joy, this factory engraved one isn't a bad option. At $213, the price is right.

The Beretta 950 is a single action .22 short blowback pistol with a tip up barrel. It has an eight round magazine with one extra in the chamber. Even though the cartridge is derided as an impotent rapist enrager, because the owner does not have to rack the slide to load the chamber, the tip up barrel can be a good choice for those with arthritic or weak hands. This C&R Sunday going to meetin' gun is presently in the price range of a new black Beretta M21-A.

I'm not sure if this Remington Rand is all correct (the grips and screws sure ain't!) but the price is not bad at $600. In fact, at $600, the price is damned good, correct or not. It certainly appears to be correct enough. With the addition of some genuine USGI grips this old war horse could be returned to it's previous granduer rather quickly.

The only problem is that someone has throated the chamber and polished up the feed ramp. I would want to shoot this one before buying unless I was willing to accept a genuine $600 USGI paperweight.

The Remington Rand was won for $875.01

The Beretta was won for $313.98

Interesting Provenance

This auction is for a used Smith and Wesson Volcanic pistol. It is chambered in .31 caliber. It has a 4.25 inch barrel on it. It is a lever action repeater pistol. It has serial number 77 and all the parts match. It is stamped on the frame, grips, and lever. All of the markings are correct and matching. Several of the screw heads are "buggered up". There are traces of the original blueing under the grips and at the face of the receiver on the receiver itself. The blueing on the barrel is very nice and is in about 80% condition. Both the front and the rear sights appear as they should. This pistol is mechanically perfect. The bore is very nice with a few pits the length of the barrel. The gun is as we received it, very clean. There is not old look to this gun, it is very clean and oiled. All the engraving all looks correct and is not "touched up" at all. The whole gun looks very correct. This pistol comes from the family of the original owner and this is the first time ever offered for sale since first purchased in the 1850's by Peter Gremps II. The history is associated as follows: Peter Gremps came from New York;s Mohawk Valley and started the village of Paw Paw, MI. (Paw Paw is located in the southwest corner of the state of Michigan at exit 60 of I-94. It is about 12 miles west of Kalamazoo) His son Peter Gremps II carried it while working for the railroad in his duties. It was loaned to a Pinkerton man guarding Abraham Lincoln when he visited this area in the campaign for president in 1860. It was then passed down through the family to this day and proceeds go to help offset costs for caring for its present, aged, owner. It was displayed in a store window at the centennial celebration in Paw Paw in 1958. This is the story as it was recounted to the store owner with several documents enclosed. Along with this auction comes many letters of authenticity, and attempts to receive information on this gun. There are also several other documents on the guns history that come with the gun.

Isn't it odd that a "Pinkerton man" would have to borrow a gun for protecting a candidate for the presidency? Started at $19,000.00. Actual market value is difficult to discern. According to Supica's Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, these handguns rarely come up for sale. Rough examples sell in the low four figures. Nice examples sell in the low five figures.

Flying Tigers Pistol

In the Summer of 1941, with a Presidential wink and nod, 300 or so American men infiltrated China as tourists. Their mission was to combat Japanese Imperialist expansion on the Asian continent.

The American Volunteer Group, commonly known as The Flying Tigers, was a singular group of American volunteers, who flew shark faced Curtiss P-40 fighters over China prior to WWII, led by General Claire L. Chennault. The operations of the AVG were clandestine at the time, as the United States had yet to enter into WWII. The AVG is a unique group of warriors, who kept in touch even after the AVG was re-absorbed into the US Army Air Force. The passage of time has unrelentingly decreased their numbers. I have the distinct privilege of being able to call one of Chennault's men a friend.


The AVG had a total of 19 Aces among it's members. They were:
Robert Neale: 13 victories
David Lee "Tex" Hill: 10.25 victories
George Burgard: 10 victories
Robert Little: 10 victories
Charles Older: 10 victories
Robert T. Smith: 8.9 victories
William McGarry: 8 victories
Charles Bond: 7 victories
Frank Lawlor: 7 victories
John Newkirk: 7 victories
Robert Hedman: 6 victories
C. Joseph Rosbert: 6 victories
J. Richard Rossi: 6 victories
Robert Prescott: 5.5 victories
Percy Bartelt: 5 victories
William Bartling: 5 victories
Edmund Overend: 5 victories
Robert Sandell: 5 victories
Robert H. Smith: 5 victories

This is good information to know.

Here is an interesting pistol. It's listed on Gun Broker, and it's being billed as a "bring-back from Berma[sic] used by a U.S. Flying Tigers Ace." The pistol comes complete with an authentic GI issue holster and magazine. The grips on the Remington/UMC M1911 are plastic WWII style grips, but the package includes carved custom grips reminiscent of the work produced in China at the time. It is no doubt an interesting pistol, and possibly a historical M1911. It has a price that corresponds to this, $4,190.00.

It is entirely possible that this pistol was carried over the skies of China by a member of the Flying Tigers. However, at the price asked, a definite provenance should be expected. To many people, including surviving relatives, anyone who strapped on a Curtiss P-40 was an Ace. The status of an Ace is distinct, however. The list is a short one.

Perhaps I should email Dick a photo of this interesting pistol, to see if he remembers it.

Unwanted Inheritance

Honest old Colt 38 Super. Gun was in family 4 generations(Great-Grandpa's pistol).Serial in low 10,000 range. Only 30,000 Supers produced before the WWII. Gun shoots great. The 38 Super was most powerful handgun until .357 Mag came along. All prewar 1911's are highly sought after with 38 Supers being especially prized.

Somehow, I find unwanted guns like these to be rather sad. Maybe I should establish an orphanage for old Colts......

Current Bid $1,825.00 Buy it now for three grand.

Singer M1911A1 on GunBroker

This is an excellent conditioned and rare Singer M1911A1 – s/n S800231 .45 ACP w/ 5 inch bbl. This desirable example of one of the 500 M1911A1 pistols manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Co. as part of Educational Order No. W-ORD-396 awarded April 17, 1940. This specimen has the distinctive, high polish, blue finish. The Keyes Fibre brown plastic checkered stocks, correctly, lack the reinforcing rings around the screw holes and interior strengthening ribs. The barrel has a blue finish and is stamped with a gothic “P” proof mark on the left side of the lug. The magazine has a brush blue finish and is marked with a gothic “P” on the top of the floor plate lip. The left side of the slide is marked. “S. MFG. CO. / ELIZABETH, NJ., U.S.A.” in two lines just ahead of the slide serrations. The top of the slide is stamped “P” proof mark in front of the rear sight. The right side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” above the serial number “No.S800231” behind the slide stop hole. “M 1911A1 U.S. ARMY” is marked ahead of the slide stop hole. The left side of the frame is stamped with the “JCK” initials of Army Inspector of Ordnance COL. John K. Clement just below the slide stop cut-out. A gothic “P” is stamped above and slightly behind the magazine release. The frame feed ramp is polished bright. With the exception of the magazine, stamped with a gothic “S”, (Scovill Mfg.), all the pistol components appear to be original and correct. The pistol retains about 97% of the original high polish blue finish. Most of the limited handling wear is concentrated on the main spring housing. The front grip strap has some handling wear and minor finish loss. The slide and frame have normal holster edge wear. The barrel chamber retains about 90% of the original blue finish The bore has moderate pitting. The stocks are in excellent condition and the screws have nearly all the original finish. All markings are extremely crisp. This is a completely original and high conditioned Singer M1911A1.

This Singer M1911A1 on GunBroker did not meet it's reserve.

Ending Bid? $52,000.00