Hi guys! I don't post much but I lurk a LOT.

My question to you is this: I have a model 6904 purcahased from a seller in Texas a few years ago for a good price. It has a very light stamp on the right hand side of the slide that appears to be "COLE lST" or "1ST". It is centered foreward of the ejector port and end of the slide. The only thing that comes to my feeble mind is the USS COLE, but since there are no other additional stamps or marks other than factory markings I have doubts about any association with the USN.

Anybody have any ideas? I hadn't given it much thought in the past but I have grown curious about it. Any help is much appreciated.

Probably Cole Distributing Inc. - an importer formerly in Scottsville KY that at one time had a large presence on Gunbroker until the owner died and the company closed. Your 6904 probably spent time in Israel.

That would be my guess as well. However, best I remember, the company closed because of a large fire that destroyed their warehouse; I don't think that the owner died, in fact, I think he might have started another company doing similar business.

They also sold a lot of US LE trade-ins; I have a 6904 that I bought from them that has no import marks, and that I believe to be a US LE trade-in.

One little nagging thought,-- did Cole Distributing use "Cole" as their import mark, or did they use "CDI"?

This is an excellent question, as there are no proof marks to indicate export or import.

On a side note, given the close proximity of the 'l" or '1' to the 'ST' a D would overlap the S. The stamp is very light and hard to see. I had to use a bright flashlight a jewlers loupe to read it.

An afterthought. I didn't think that I could get a clear pic from my phone.

BINGO! Anyone else see a ghost "D"?

Yep, with the number 8 centered inside the D.....maybe

Or a backward C with an 8 ..... maybe the D stamp was lost that day

Attached Images

439F510D-C4AD-43D0-88E3-7C92FE67D881.jpg (23.1 KB, 33 views)

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triggers dog-pile egomaniacs

Looks like a ghost D to me too!

Since you pointed that out... I do see something there, I just need some more magnification to see it clearly. I'm becoming fascinated with the history of this guy. What was its role in Israel?

When I bought a 6906 it was operating as CDI. He sold a lot of good guns at decent price and was a decent person.
Early on his pictures on GB were not clear and you could not even see the Model or S/N. He priced them according to the condition and the one I wanted was the only one at the higher price and I asked him some questions, probably not in the nicest manner. He wrote me back, very unhappy. I pointed out to him the reason that i asked the questions was that you could see no lettering of any kind which could either be bad pictures or a really worn gun.
He wrote me back and understood what I was talking about. He pulled the gun from GB and sold it to me direct and soon his pictures were much better showing Model and S/N.

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Mighty 90's,Trying 4 a 100!

Looking at the picture on Photobucket at full screen, I really think that I could convince myself that I see "COLE DIST" with the 'D' very very faint.

I have heard that the israeli S&Ws from both CDI and iAmmo were Israeli police trade-ins. "heard"....