Hi
Well its a new week. This week we are going to show some guns that have history and were used by that person.
This revolver is one of only 23 Made in 45 colt according to Mr Jinks from one of his
talks given at annual Meetings.
This revolver was a special order by Corp. C. Scannell in 1911 and was shipped on February 23, 1911. My guess is that he was in the one of the services. The Gun does not show signs of a lot of shooting. But it has carry wear.
I have not searched by his name to find out about him.
Of the 23 made in 45 colt I have this gun and a 7 1/2 inch Target in 45 Colt.
In my collecting these are the only lettered ones that I have seen. If any body has a
original 45 colt that has a letter from the factory please let me know.

Enjoy the story and the pictures

Jim Fisher LM 1491






The grips are numbered to the gun.



Well here is the target I shot to day with the 45 colt. I shot 18 rounds 6 to a target the first couple were to figure out the gun. It shoots a little to the left, heavy bullets I think. 250 grain would shoot dead center. This is a keeper.

Another one that I wonder what it would say, if it could talk

Cory

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Cory
SWCA #3015 SWHF #465

Jim

Like your blue and gold gun, this is another example of a letter stating that the gun was "shipped on ----- and delivered to ----- " " No address is given --- ".

Regards, Mike

That is a fine looking handgun given its age. Fantastic rare calibre for the triple lock!!!

That's one to be proud of.

Does it have a caliber marking on the barrel?

Curl

That's nice. Have you shot it?

Since the 1911 hadn't been adopted yet, it could well be a privately owned sidearm for a soldier. My guess would be cavalry. That would have been most of a month's pay.

Wonder if he could have been a police corporal?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Hi
most of the special order guns from this period did not have cal. markings. When you get
in to the later 2nd models like the 2nd model that I posted it was cal marked.
Jim

No caliber marking on this one.

Any chance of a photo of the other side of that wonderful revolver?What a stand out!

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My Daddy was a pistol..

Very nice wheelgun ya got there. Congratulations.

Did a bunch of digging, looking for the owner out of curiosity. Nothing fit exactly in the realm of free searches.

Your probably aware of the newspaper archives that have been aggregated by the service Newspapers.com. I have seen multiple articles about other forum members lettered original owners available in this service. If the provenance search is important to you or anyone else, this resource might want to be explored.

Results for Corporal C. Scannell on Newspapers.com

Another gem, another jewel in the crown. This is the kind of gun that will always interest me, even though I don't have the money to buy anything like that. Guns with a history, guns with a verifiable provenance will always...always...be worth more than their monetary value.

I note that the front sight is pinned which would be necessary because the heavier bullet would require a taller sight than the 44 Special.

__________________
Tom
1560

Another thought is that he could have been a Canadian Mountie.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Hi Jim,

Just a FYI...

There was a Corporal Cornelius Scannell in Co. I, 8th Infantry, 4th Division, PROBABLY Illinois. He later was promoted to Sgt.

He originally enlisted on Oct. 28, 1892... with his first discharge date of Sept. 30, 1911. His re-enlistment date is one day later Oct. 1, 1911. His final discharge date (as a sergeant) was on June 22, 1914.

I don't know anything else about his life, but he died July 12, 1939 at the Veterans Administration Facility at Fort Lyon, Colorado.

IF, and I emphasize IF this is the guy, I'll bet the gun was shipped to Illinois in 1911. It wasn't WWI yet, and wherever Co. I, 8th Infantry was located... might just be the place.

No promises here... just possibilities!

Best wishes,

Roger aka Mr. Wonderful

PS - For some reason the attached file is small. I don't know why... It's a copy of the "Application For Headstone" for a veteran's unmarked grave.

Attached Images

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Roger thanks for the information I will check with Roy to see if it shipped to Il.
Thanks Much
Jim FisherLM1491

No problem Jim...

ALWAYS happy to help.

If you want me to email you a good copy of the document above, and a photo of Mr. Scannell's grave marker, just shoot me a PM with your email. I'll be happy to send it along if desired.

I love a good story...

Roger aka Mr. Wonderful