The one that got away

[emmagee1917]

...I sold it and I'm not sorry. I don't keep a gun I don't enjoy shooting. These were hand fitted , and if something broke you'd be SOL. Not only that , you'd lock the bolt back to load. They used 10rd stripper clips that were not imported then. The 10rd .308 strippers were not "invented" yet. So you took a 5rd stripper , inserted it , stripped 5 into the gun ,then removed it causing the bolt to close and chamber a round. If you pulled the bolt back to try to load more it would eject the chambered one. There was no bolt hold open. You needed one hand to hold the gun , one to hold the bolt back , and one to strip two strippers in. That got old fast. Chris

[frankderrico]

Chris, I shot it a couple of times just to shoot it. I only wish I still had it because of it's rarity. I would not shoot it now. I remember loading it one at a time. I seem to recall they were made in Germany for China.....Frank

[emmagee1917]

Made by a Chinese warlord at his own factory in china. He loved the German pistols and had his factory make a 45 cal version to arm his train guard troops from rival warlords (much wealth was shipped by train there). This was in no small part due to them carring Thompson SMGs and he liked ammo interchangeability as well as the 45s knockdown power. Chris

[frankderrico]

Chris, any idea how many were made?.....Frank

[emmagee1917]

...could not have been that many , a few hundred to maybe a thousand or two max , I'd guess. The one I had showed lots of hand fitting of parts , which would be expected on such a limited non-comercial run. No spare parts were ever advertised , so I figure they were also hand made and fitted when needed at his factory. Someone imported them 10-15 years ago and it took years to sell them out. $1500 , I believe was the price then. Chris

[emmagee1917]

...what about the mint Jap M1 Garand copy that floated around the gunshows here for around three years back in the 80s. Guy wanted $600 , and it took forever to sell. ( well hey , the peep was way too tiny and it shot hard to find , and expensive when you did, ammo and I could buy a M1 for less and....) Had a dozen chances to buy , never did. Chris