Great Depression era Colts

[Scott Gahimer]

I think the pistols Colt's produced during the Great Depression exhibit some of the finest workmanship ever seen in Colt production.

Here are four pistols that are pretty slick. The commercially polished surface is smooth as glass. The oven blue finish of beautiful.

A rare 1934 Colt Government Model. One of only a few with a rare 45COLT barrel marking on top of the chamber. All these pistols fall into a small serial range in 1934. Mr. Clawson addresses them in his book on the Government Models. Check out the condition of the pistol and the magazine. It's a dandy.






A 1936 Colt Ace factory lettered as a 1 gun shipment to a military Lt. I like the serial number of this pistol, too.




A 1938 Service Model Ace. One of the very early pieces with the first type right side slide marking and first type magazine (looks like an Ace mag).




Finally...a 1940 Colt Service Model Ace. Another really early piece by serial number with the 1st type SM Ace magazine...apparently shipped out of numerical order. One of the 1st SM Aces with the standardized right side slide marking. A real screamer on condition. About impossible to upgrade.





All (3) .22 caliber pistols came from the same fellow. All three lettered to Pennsylvania. All three difficult to upgrade and properly stored. Makes me wonder if they were all owned by the same military LT. the Ace lettered to?

Regardless, when I look at these pistols, it's difficult to get excited about any of the stuff Colt has manufactured in the last 50+ years. Those guys sure knew how to build them back then.

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[dbarn]

Hand crafted by master craftsmen, and absolute works of art. My favorite period also. Nothing of today even comes close and probably never will.