Found a Colt in my Dad's basement

[FourTeeFive]

I had no idea they made these:

 

[rocinante]

Kewl. At first glance I said nah. You can have the same name as long as it is not in the same industry but sure nuf Colt's Pat. Firearms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn.

I AM ENCOURAGED! Maybe my future plasma rifle in the 40 watt range might be Colt.

 

[FourTeeFive]

sure nuf Colt's Pat. Firearms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn.

That's what surprised me. I could understand having another division of the company (Colt Electrical) but to have "Firearms Mfg" on a building product seems a bit strange. On the other hand I used to have a Remington 1911, so to these manufacturers I guess metal is metal.

 

[Sage of Seattle]

So, FourTeeFive, were you shocked?

 

[average_shooter]

Neat.

My dream gun that I'll never actually get is one of those Singer Sewing Machine Co. 1911s. I think it would be the perfect companion piece to the Singer sewing machine I've already got.

 

[Superlite27]

Hmmmm. Only 30 amp?

You'd think it would be 45.

 

[Pilot]

Does it have any MIM parts in it?

 

[Tommygunn]

You dirty rat!

(Ya gotta understand what I was expecting!!!!)

 

[1 old 0311]

Bet it is a real SOB finding a holster for that.

 

[Rachen]

FourTeeFive, you better register that soon

 

[XavierBreath]

Believe it or not, US gun companies made a lot of different things. I understand that Smith & Wesson actually made a washing machine, but I've never seen one.

 

[Rachen]

Believe it or not, US gun companies made a lot of different things.

And vice versa too. Rock-Ola was a company that manufactured jukeboxes before World War II, However, when the war broke out, Rock-Ola built M1 carbines.

 

[moooose102]

either way, its a colt, and you have to handle it with care, or it can be deadly!
i wonder if this was made right after wwII?

 

[spwenger]

Actually...

On the other hand I used to have a Remington 1911, so to these manufacturers I guess metal is metal.

...it was more likely made by Remington Rand, a typewriter and business-machine manufacturer that received one of many WWII contracts to produce military firearms. Union Switch & Signal was one that lost its contract to manufature 1911A1 pistols because too many were being lost as "lunchbox specials," so they ended up producing receivers for the M1 Carbine, as subcontractors for a couple of the "prime contractors."

Of note, in the production of the M1 Carbine, it was Inland Division of General Motors that first got them into serious production and made the largest number and it was other manufacturers, such as IBM and Underwood Elliott Fisher (another manufacturer of typewriters and business machines) that came up with ways to produce them more efficiently.

 

[Jason_G]

Didn't Singer (as in the sewing machines) make some 1911's during WWII?

Jason

 

[Avenger]

You HAVE to send that serial to them, maybe they can tell you when it was made!

 

[Rachen]

Didn't Singer (as in the sewing machines) make some 1911's during WWII?

Yes, and Remington/Eley did mass produce typewriters at the end of the nineteenth century.

Even nowadays, look at General Electric. They produce miniguns too, as well as many other defensive products.

And back to the older times again, Whitworth not only built the famous English sharpshooter's rifle, but also manufactured precision tooling and machinery.

 

[elrod]

Yousee, Colt did make a Hi-Power! Don't be so shocked.

 

[Kharn]

IBM made M1 carbines during WWII, Guidelamp (a division of GM) made M3 grease guns, Hydramatic Transmission (another division of GM) made M16s, etc.

Sturm Ruger's a big player in the casting industry, they make invest castings for golf clubs and all sorts of other stuff. Daewoo makes cars, assault rifles, consumer electronics and many other things.

If there's a buck to be made, you can bet some business has tried to do it.

Kharn

 

[Big Duke Six]

I was working on the renovation of the old Colt armory a few years back, and got some really cool stuff while I was there...Colt disconnects(like the one pictured), Colt fuses, Colt circuit breaker panels....If I get a chance, I'll post some pics....
I aslo found some assorted parts, an M-16 barrel-seriously rusted, flash supressor, shell casings, etc...

 

[matt87]

*Shrug* I suppose guns are mere machined and stamped metal tools. Who'd have thunk it?

 

[Owens]

I believe the "liberator" single shot .45 was also made by the GM Guidelamp division. I'm sure there is a lot of other examples of manufacture that would fit in this group.

 

[blkbrd666]

Okay, this is turning into gun trivia, so I have to throw one in. Quality Hardware and Machine made M1 Carbines during WWII. Union Switch & Signal supplied Quality with receivers at one point. So, some soldiers went to battle with a gun that was stamped Un-Quality on the receiver. Those command a premium $$$ now.

 

[GRIZ22]

I understand that Smith & Wesson actually made a washing machine, but I've never seen one.


S&W makes a lot of precison parts for a lot of things. When I went through the factory in 1997 or 98 they were making golf club heads (subcontracting for some manufacturer) and bicycles sold as S&Ws.

 

[mgregg85]

Wow, i'd love to have that steel faceplate for my hardhat.