As many of you recall, I'm the proud possessor (over the last year) of two 1877 Colts. While I was on my trip, I got the letters from Colt.
The 2 1/2 inch 1877 was shipped to N. Curry and Brothers in San Francisco on November 19, 1884 with 4 other guns.
The 6 inch 1877 was shipped to Simmons Hardware Company (which I understand has some fame as a seller of many of the Colts) in St. Louis, MO during the first week of April 1893, only 1 gun sent. The shipping papers weren't legible enough to get it down to closer than a week of shipment.
Now to make copies of the letters so I can display them at gun shows.
Message from Colt
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Rod
- Posts: 4824
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Message from Colt
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
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308Mike
- Posts: 16537
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:47 pm
Re: Message from Colt
VERY cool! I'd love to get some kind of history regarding my M1 Garand, other than my K-31, it's the oldest gun I own.
I wonder if it's possible to track them farther, such as one of them having been sold to the local sheriff and it was issued to some famous (or infamous) lawman (or crook). That would be quite interesting!
I wonder if it's possible to track them farther, such as one of them having been sold to the local sheriff and it was issued to some famous (or infamous) lawman (or crook). That would be quite interesting!
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
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Rod
- Posts: 4824
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:08 pm
Re: Message from Colt
I could probably do something by going through the local government and through the historical societies. Maybe a road trip to both places. Hmmmmmm....
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
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308Mike
- Posts: 16537
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:47 pm
Re: Message from Colt
Rod, you might want to talk to a document examiner, or someone who knows Photoshop REAL well, 'cause they might be able to bring out more information from the shipping papers and increase their legibility.
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
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Rod
- Posts: 4824
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:08 pm
Re: Message from Colt
You don't get the documents, you get a letter from Colt with the information they find in their archives.
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
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308Mike
- Posts: 16537
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:47 pm
Re: Message from Colt
I thought they might have sent you copies. You'd be surprised at what you can pull out of a copy.
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
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Flintlock Tom
- Posts: 2323
- Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:41 am
- Location: Oregon
Re: Message from Colt
I did the same thing with a Smith & Wesson 4th model. It was shipped to a gunshop in St. Louis too, in the late 1880s. I wonder if it's the same shop. I'll have to check when I get home.
It's really cool to establish some history, even if it is only the starting place.
It's really cool to establish some history, even if it is only the starting place.
If time, chance and random process can produce a platypus why not an ammo tree?
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Rich Jordan
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Re: Message from Colt
You could try the successor to the Springfield Research Service. Its not as useful as it used to be (the founder passed away and the successor now requires subscription to even check for a serial number, as far as I can tell).308Mike wrote:VERY cool! I'd love to get some kind of history regarding my M1 Garand, other than my K-31, it's the oldest gun I own.
I've never had a US arm show up in their database, at least not up to the point they closed off public checks. But if your number shows up they may have some useful documentation.
http://usmartialarmscollector.com/home