I'm not much into folk gangster worship, but on the Colt forum someone brought up the relatively famous photo of B & C playing with some firearms, and specifically the question which handgun Clyde had tucked in his belt (see pic. 1).

A group effort to which I was able to contribute a bit of research produced another photo of the gun hanging on the hood ornament of a car, fully, if blurry, visible, and the story behind it. It was news to me, and since it fits here, I thought I'd share it. If the story is known, sorry; I haven't come across it in my years on the forum.

The gun was taken by Clyde from Officer Thomas Persell, Springfield, MO, PD, when the latter was kidnapped during a traffic stop in January 1933. The officer was later released unharmed (see his 1989 obit, pic. 3), and his gun was recovered after the July 1933 shootout where Clyde's brother was wounded (and later died).

Various sources including the obit describe the gun as a "Russian" gun, but the picture quite clearly shows a Triplelock and the confusion (journalists back then not knowing more about guns than today) may have misunderstood a reference to the .44 Russian caliber in some way. Who knows. Other info confirms the identity, with jigged bone grips, which matches the photos. According to one forum member, the gun ended up in the possession of a Des Moines PD officer.

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That was a rare TL if actually chambered for 44 Russian. I've only heard of one other.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

hi
Its possible that they may have been using the 44 Russian
ammo in it being in that time frame russian ammo was very easy to get.
also if it was a triple lock the early triple locks did not have a caliber marked on the barrel.
Just a idea
Jim Fisher

The .44 Russian does appear to have been treated as a standard offering during the Triplelock's period of availability. The 1910 Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue lists it like it's nothing special, and the ammo is offered both in black powder (left) and smokeless.

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Hi Jim,

Do you have an idea of how early a TL would have to be to not have a cartridge marked on the barrel?

I'm aware of the two later 44 S&W Spl markings:

Earliest style is ".44 S&W CTG" and later ".44 S&W SPECIAL CTG", both with ‘dingbats’.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Which is black powder?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Here is an earlier post of this gun...............

Clyde Barrow & a Triplelock

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LEX ET ORDO

What was the car

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

S/N 15 has the caliber marked "44 S. & W. CTG" with dingbats.




See a discussion here: S&W .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model #15



This was the subject of a comment Roy made in his letter about this revolver.

I know Clyde liked the Ford V8 and it looks like one to me in the photograph.

That looks like a 4 1/2" Colt New Service on the radiator. The size is comparable to the Colt Single Action next to it. I wonder what holster Clyde is carrying the gun in. He wears it too high to be stuck in his wasteband.
Hey, Bonnie's shotgun looks pretty short. Isn't that illegal??!!!!! Just kidding. Actually a shotgun under 18" if that's what that is wouldn't be illegal until 1934, right?

It's a Ford V8. You can see the V8 (the eight inside the V) in between the two guns on the grill



Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Thank you, that's an amazing piece.

Maybe Jim was referring to the dozen or so prototypes.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Another thread was started on the forum some time ago...Clyde Barrow & a Triplelock

Edit....just saw an earlier link to this thread. My bad.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Aha. That was before my time . To give credit, assuming lawandorder has the same user name on the Colt forum, his info is part of my initial post.

Jim:

Attached is a picture of the entire page.

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As a side note, the young man seated in front of the Ford is W. D. Jones.

Jones is one of two people used as a model for the movie character C. J. Moss. Jones later described himself as "just a dumb kid who ran errands and did what Clyde told him to do." He was still in his teens when he joined up with Bonnie and Clyde.

Bonnie, Clyde, W. D., and others apparently made a lot of photos with that old Ford, as it shows up in many images of the gang.

Jones had no part in Bonnie and Clyde's betrayal and death. He was in jail at the time. He later served only six years for his part in their crimes. He went on to tell kids that a life of crime was hell, and that he was always scared.

Jones was shot to death in Houston in 1974, killed with three shots from a 12-gauge by someone who was "scared of him" when he was drunk.

Here's a photo of Jones with Bonnie Parker, and a photo of Clyde with that same Ford in the same location.

I'm always amazed by the information and knowledge available here!

Thanks for sharing!

Now Jim don't be spreading the fact that I sometimes stop over there at that Brand X site. These Fellers over here might disown me. :-)

Sure would like to see that TL today wouldn't you.

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LEX ET ORDO

Wonder where that gun is now?

The car in the photo is 1932 Ford. FWIW that was the first year of production for the Ford Flathead V8.

By the way the pistol in the story is not hanging from a hood ornament. That is the radiator cap. A popular item was a cap that had Greyhound attaced to the top. The gun hangs from the greyhound

Supposedly, Clyde wrote a letter to Henry Ford that praised the V8 as a "fine car." It is known that Clyde preferred to steal them because of their speed. However, the authenticity of the letter is still questioned.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

...an attempt at a close up...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

In a similar vein. When the dangerous duo met their demise they were carrying two Colt pistols. A 38 Bonnie had on her thigh and a 1911 Clyde, I believe, had in his waist band. A "Unusual Inheritance" episode showed the son who inherited them put them up for auction the guns brought just over 500K !!!!.

I would like to know where it ended up as well.

Used to have a friend (dead now) that worked for the FBI at Quantico. They have a bunker there with some pretty infamous firearms. I personally handled a 1911 used by Pretty Boy Floyd, and a few other weapons used by some lesser knowns during a visit there about 15 years ago. I don't recall, but wouldn't be surprised if they had a few from the Barrow gang.