Update: Boston (Dorchester) PD gun, Joe Lamping Modified?

[Modified]

Update:

This gun is an odd one in that it's never been high on my radar. I can't tell you why exactly, but I don't recall buying it, and I never got emotionally attached to it. I think I bought it when I was so busy with work it was all an after thought.

The good thing about that however is that now that I have a little time to appreciate it...wow do I appreciate it!



So I posted in another thread about short actions:

Originally Posted by SixgunStrumpet

Resurrecting a great old thread here, it triggered something in the back of my head about a gun that I bought from a fellow member here because I liked the modified hammer. I realized something after watching this, the hammer hadn't just been modified, so had the action.

Here's the innards:



Should get a huge image if you click on it.

Here's a video of the action, compared to my other long action it's very different:

YouTube

Given the short action work, do these initials mean anything to anyone?

So I got some information on this gun:



This completely surprised me. I bought the gun because I was curious about the hammer and thought it might be related to some other guns I was tracking down. When it turned out not to be similar to those but instead had this crazy short DA I thought it was interesting but never suspected it shipped to a police department.

Heck, up until a few minutes ago I didn't even know Dorchester was a neighborhood of Boston.

At this point my best guess is that the gun was maybe ordered for a shooting team as it is an all matching original target. I can't imagine such a gun would have been used as a duty weapon.

Given the Boston PD connection might anyone have an idea of what the C.D.H marking means?

I'll snap some pictures of it tomorrow if anyone wants to see better pictures of the gun. The one's I had of it aren't very good.

[weatherby]

yes more pictures......slacker

[Modified]

Originally Posted by weatherby

yes more pictures......slacker

It's pretty dark and mosquito-y as heck out there, so these pictures were quick an dirty.

[SAFireman]

Originally Posted by SixgunStrumpet

So I posted in another thread about short actions:



So I got some information on this gun:



This completely surprised me. I bought the gun because I was curious about the hammer and thought it might be related to some other guns I was tracking down. When it turned out not to be similar to those but instead had this crazy short DA I thought it was interesting but never suspected it shipped to a police department.

Heck, up until a few minutes ago I didn't even know Dorchester was a neighborhood of Boston.

At this point my best guess is that the gun was maybe ordered for a shooting team as it is an all matching original target. I can't imagine such a gun would have been used as a duty weapon.

Given the Boston PD connection might anyone have an idea of what the C.D.H marking means?

I'll snap some pictures of it tomorrow if anyone wants to see better pictures of the gun. The one's I had of it aren't very good.

That's a new letter style/format/font.....did it come from Roy Jinks?

[Modified]

Originally Posted by SAFireman

That's a new letter style/format/font.....did it come from Roy Jinks?

Yes, it's not really a letter just the ship date and who it shipped to hand written by Jean Jinks and signed by Roy. They come from the Symposium.

[410bore]

I REALLY like the looks of that gun and most especially those Ropers. are they a new set to you?

[Modified]

Jim at the SWHF came up with some documents!

I cannot stress enough how important it is to join and contribute to the work they are doing. Over the coming years the information that comes out of the work they are doing is going to provide a huge draw to new generations of S&W collectors.







Here's a couple more photos of it. I need to get some better ones, I have no idea why but I can never seem to have a good time to photograph this gun.






So that letter is interesting in that it does say that the gun is as it came from the factory. Which...I don't think is as modified.

I suspect that whoever C.D.H. is did the short action conversion in '49. But I suppose if there is some missing correspondence here referring to the short action modification...which could certainly have resulted in light strikes, maybe the conversion was done right away on the gun?


Opinions are more then welcome on this.

[Modified]

Interesting:

Richard Tonis - z* Obituaries - capecodtimes.com - Hyannis, MA

TONIS -- Richard (Dick) 91, of Brewster, Lt. Colonel USMCR, Massachusetts State Trooper, Brockton Chief of Police, Barnstable Deputy Sheriff, died unexpectedly in his home, Sunday, January 11, 2004. He graduated Brockton High School ’31 and later attended Hebron Academy, Massachusetts Nautical School, University of Virginia, and Suffolk Law School. Mr. Tonis was a distinguished Veteran of WWII, having served as Commanding Officer and Provost Marshall with the 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal, and the 3rd Marine Division at Guadalcanal, Bouganville, Guam and Iwo Jima. He was the recipient of many awards including the Bronze Star, Gold Star, Purple Heart, the Presidential Citation ribbon and numerous medals for marksmanship. He was later recalled for participation in the Korean War and authored the military police training precept which was used to train all military police during the final stages of WWII. Mr. Tonis retired from the USMCR as Lt. Colonel in 1960.Upon returning from the War, Mr. Tonis rejoined the Massachusetts State Police, which he had entered in 1936, where he had the opportunity to serve in most of the Troops throughout the State. An avid marksman, Mr. Tonis provided hundreds of firearms demonstrations and lectures on ballistics which he truly enjoyed. In 1950, he became the Brockton Chief of Police, and after one term he returned to the MSP. He retired from the MSP as a Lieutenant in 1959, at which time he became chief security officer at Mount Holyoke College.Mr. Tonis was a 32 degree Mason of the Paul Revere Lodge, Brockton, and a life member of the Harvard Associates in Police Science. Born in Brockton to Frank and Sarah Tonis, he was the brother of Frank, Robert, Charolotte, Kenneth and William, all who predeceased him. He was the husband of the late Alice Holland Wallace “Tia” Tonis. Tia and Dick moved to Brewster in 1965 and spent summers on their farm in Derby, Vermont. The legacy he leaves to family and friends was the opportunity to know a truly honorable and noble soul. A Memorial Service will be provided at a later date.

Hmm:

Sgt Richard Tonis, ballistics expert with Massachusetts police,... News Photo | Getty Images

Confiscated Guns
circa 1950: Sgt Richard Tonis, ballistics expert with Massachusetts police, examines one of many guns held by police after crimes have been committed. (Photo by Orlando /Three Lions/Getty Images)

Edit: yep, looks like it's him:

http://www.odcmp.org/103/inc_book.asp

Then there was Lt. Col Dick Tonis, a Massachusetts State Police Captain and noted hard-nosed individual. If rumors were to be believed, Colonel Tonis was best avoided like the plague by the youngsters, lest they be cuffed and searched!

[Modified]

Ok, I think I took at least one picture worthy of this gun.

[Muley Gil]

There are two other Marines in that photo that bear mentioning: LtCol Phil Roettinger and Major William H Jordan.

[Texas Star]

Did anyone else spot the modded Colt Lightning or Thunderer with a sq. butt in that wall display?

He's holding a M&P, but that wall display looks to be primarily Colt...

[Modified]

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

There are two other Marines in that photo that bear mentioning: LtCol Phil Roettinger and Major William H Jordan.

Yeah, that whole article is worth a read.

We had such notables on our team as our Team Captain, Col. Emmet O. “Doc” Swanson, (Triple Distinguished and noted International Champion. Col. Swanson was a dentist in civilian cife, hence the sobriquet “Doc”. Doc was the most gentlemanly of individuals. Another notable shooting personality on the team was Bill Jordan, author of No Second Place Winner, legendary Border Patrol Inspector and fast draw expert. Bill was a Marine Corps Distinguished Marksman, but shot pistol for the Border Patrol, but stayed over to shoot rifle for the Marines. We also had Lt. Colonel Phil Roettinger – another buddy of Bill Jordan’s and at 6’ 6”, even taller than Jordan. Roettinger reputedly was a CIA agent when he wasn’t being a Marine. Phil was said to weigh in at 157-lbs with a pocket full of rocks. Bill Jordan often described him as looking like a “tuning fork” when he shot offhand! Then there was Lt. Col Dick Tonis, a Massachusetts State Police Captain and noted hard-nosed individual. If rumors were to be believed, Colonel Tonis was best avoided like the plague by the youngsters, lest they be cuffed and searched!

I found it interesting that in his paragraph about Notables that Dick Tonis was one that he mentioned. Apparently he had a presence.

[Modified]

So a potentially interesting thing regarding this gun just cropped up due to another post. A gunsmith named Joe Lamping was mentioned. When I did a bit of googling I came up with this old auction:

** Pre war Colt Single Action Army Revolver | Cowan's Auction House: The Midwest's Most Trusted Auction House / Antiques / Fine Art / Art Appraisals

The hammer on this gun looks very, very, familiar




So if this Cowan's auction is correct about that hammer being the work of Joe Lamping, I'd say that the hammer on this gun at least was done by him. I can't imagine the short action job also wouldn't have been done by whoever did the hammer.

In any case, anyone have any information about Joe Lamping out of Cincinnati?

[1chessiefan]

Dear Friends, I did a quick Google fu and found a link to an article from the Cincinnati Enquirer dated October 4, 1953 that features Joe Lamping. I did not pull up the article but if you Google fu “Joe Lamping, gunsmith, Cincinnati” you should pull it up.

1chessiefan