|
|
05-30-2010, 06:14 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,453
Likes: 3,929
Liked 50,516 Times in 6,022 Posts
|
|
Colt Commando trivia question!
This is the WWII Colt Commando revolver, Colt's counterpart to the S&W Victory Model. It's estimated that over 48,000 were produced during the war.
Trivia question for the day: It has been reported that one prominent U.S. general officer in particular had one for his personal defense during World War Two.
Who was that general?
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
|
05-30-2010, 07:58 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 1,963
Liked 928 Times in 522 Posts
|
|
Macarthur? I know it wasn't Patton. (SAA & .357 S&W)
|
05-30-2010, 09:16 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: GVL TN
Posts: 3,937
Likes: 1,359
Liked 2,549 Times in 1,098 Posts
|
|
The only General that I can find referenced to one is Eisenhower.
I went to his grade school in Lansing, IL
He built a nice grade school, btw.......
__________________
In dog years I'm dead.
|
05-30-2010, 09:22 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South East , PA . USA
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 485
Liked 1,610 Times in 884 Posts
|
|
|
05-30-2010, 09:56 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,453
Likes: 3,929
Liked 50,516 Times in 6,022 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkk41
|
Correct! You and DeadAye got it! Just can't stump the jury here, can I?
John
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
|
05-30-2010, 11:03 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 7 Posts
|
|
For what it is worth, I seem to recall I was issued the Colt Commando instead of the S&W Victory when I was a USAF aviator during the Cuban Missle Crisis. We were at Hurlburt Field in West Florida with a stick of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne awaiting orders to drop over Cuba. Happily, the order never came. We would have been sitting ducks.
Bill
|
05-31-2010, 10:33 AM
|
US Veteran Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 20,361
Likes: 24,260
Liked 16,154 Times in 7,408 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 10-12
For what it is worth, I seem to recall I was issued the Colt Commando instead of the S&W Victory when I was a USAF aviator during the Cuban Missle Crisis. We were at Hurlburt Field in West Florida with a stick of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne awaiting orders to drop over Cuba. Happily, the order never came. We would have been sitting ducks.
Bill
|
You could well have had one. I was also in the USAF then, and we had both the Colt and S&W WWII revolvers and some new Combat Masterpieces.
Gen. Wm. Donovan of the OSS probably had a Colt Official Police or Commando, and he gave one to a British Naval Intelligence officer named Ian Fleming. Fleming later posed with it for articles and book covers.
Ike also had a Detective Spcl. , an early one with a square butt. Patton also had one of those, and Colt and Remington .380's.
Photos that I've seen of other generals, like Omar Bradley, Matthew Ridgeway, James Gavin, and the like, only had the usual .45 autos. They seem to have preferred shoulder holsters. Gavin carried a Randall Model One knife, too.
T-Star
|
05-31-2010, 01:17 PM
|
US Veteran Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Diego, PRK
Posts: 9,237
Likes: 11,531
Liked 11,249 Times in 3,916 Posts
|
|
Patton and a .380??
|
05-31-2010, 03:36 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,453
Likes: 3,929
Liked 50,516 Times in 6,022 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishslayer
Patton and a .380??
|
Yep, the right grip (black) was emblazoned with his general's stars. I think he wore it only on formal occasions when his Colt or his 357 might have been a bit ostentatious. I know, I know.
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
|
05-31-2010, 07:39 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,782
Likes: 1,241
Liked 5,839 Times in 2,365 Posts
|
|
The Colt M1908 in .380 ACP was the issued handgun for Army generals in WWII.
What became of Eisenhower's revolver-was it preserved?
|
06-03-2010, 12:07 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tenn
Posts: 453
Likes: 291
Liked 321 Times in 141 Posts
|
|
What's a Colt Commando worth these days?
|
06-03-2010, 07:29 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,453
Likes: 3,929
Liked 50,516 Times in 6,022 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by redneckemt
What's a Colt Commando worth these days?
|
As always, depends on condition and where you are. Here in Arizona, I paid $375 for the one pictured in the original post; that was in 2008. I suspect that one with a better finish would be worth more, in 90% condition, today, I'd guesstimate about $450 for one with a 4" barrel, today, here. After the war, a number of them destined for long-term storage were dipped in Cosmoline, wrapped in heavy paper and re-packed in craft boxes. These would be worth a lot more in the box and Cosmoline. If as new in the original craft box with the twisted wire bristle brush and instruction sheet, you could probably name your price if you had one. 3,450 were originally made with 2" barrels, and if found, those would merit a premium price. Several thousand Commandos with 4" barrels were fitted after the war with newer 2" barrels. These have a ramped rather than "half moon" front sight, and warrant no premium price. Interestingly, over 7,000 of these revolvers went to the OSS (forerunner of the CIA), and over 1,800 went to the U.S. Navy. In all, over 16,000 were used by our armed services, not counting maritime shipments, of which there were nearly 9,000. Still, most were utilized, like the S&W Victory Model, for defense plant guard duty stateside.
Hope this helps a bit.
John
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
Last edited by PALADIN85020; 06-03-2010 at 07:34 PM.
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|