Can anyone tell me about the "Jack Roy Gun Shop" that was located in Hamtramck, Mi.? I understand that Jack Roy was a gunsmith and his shop was across from the High School? I recently purchased a gun that had been shipped to him in 1959.
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Hamtramck, Jack Roy Gun Shop?
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Can anyone tell me about the "Jack Roy Gun Shop" that was located in Hamtramck, Mi.? I understand that Jack Roy was a gunsmith and his shop was across from the High School? I recently purchased a gun that had been shipped to him in 1959.
Stinger4me
Member
Jack Roy's Gun Shop was located on Hewitt in Hamtramck. It was across the street from the high school on the south side of the street. It was situated in the basement of the house where Jack lived. The shop was small and as I recall it looked as though it was not organized. I purchased several guns from him. He was able to get some unique guns in the shop. He frequently wore a machinist apron and carried a brass hammer in his back pocket. I would guess he would have to be in his 90's if he was still alive. There were plenty of hunting stories with his gravelly voice. You brought back quite a few good memories. Not many places like that around anymore. I wish I could tell you when he opened the shop. It was still there in the late 60's.
Sadly, Jack has left this world more than a few years ago.
You're correct, for a small shop he had some high end merchandise that one would never suspect. I bought a grade III Browning .22 auto which was NIB made in Belgium from him in the mid-70's.
One characteristic of his shop after you looked at the many nooks and crannies was the glass display case which ran perpendicular to the steps that led down to the shop. In the front part of the case facing the steps was a double barrel sawed off shotgun which wasn't kept unloaded[it was somewhat conncealed by other items in the case].
If you robbed him - odds were if he got to the wire set on the triggers - you were going to lose one or both legs in the attempt as you went up the steps!
It was a memorable shop to see - sadly gone forever now.
Stinger4me
Member
I was able to get a Winchester .22 rifle with a Zebrawood stock. I have never seen one since, wondered if he didn't have an in with some of the sales reps who worked for the gun companies. It wouldn't surprise me if Jack would have had a J frame in his pocket as well. There was a large steel plate door on the front of the shop as well as bars on the windows. I know there weren't too many gunsmiths in the city. He had a good selection of used guns in the place as well.
It is because of Jack Roy that I collect S&Ws. I used to hang around his shop up until 1976 when he passed away from a heart attack. Jack was a unique person to say the least.
Jack opened his shop in the late 30s or early 40s. Jack made his "seed money" to open it by bringing Canadian Whiskey across the Detroit River during prohibition. Every second home in Detroit and Hamtramck back then either made or sold booze so the only people who looked at this cross eyed were the feds. Different times.
Jack's shop would be hard to duplicate today. Zoning ordinances would have done him in. This was before the EPA, OSHA and all the other agencys existed. He was, as mentioned, right across the street from Hamtramck High School. He had a test range downstairs that ran under his yard. Ammo performance was sometimes tested on a stray cat or two. The shop itself was in the basement of his residence. The unorganized look to his shop was a facade, Jack knew where things were and he had alot of guns and parts stashed away that people would die for today. If you got to know Jack well enough that he trusted you, he'd let you come behind the counter and hang out. This was a dream come true for a young man like myself.
I started hanging around there and met guys like Tom Webster, (a Detroit Police Reservist), Poopsie, The Hill Billy and many other colorful characters.
Probably one of the reasons I was drawn into police work was through meeting some of the Hamtramck Police Officers and Detroit "Stress Cops" when they came in to get more ammo. (Read that last sentence again)
"Stress" was the Detroit Police Decoy Operations unit acronym for , "Stop The Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets". The unit was too successful at a time of racial tensions and was disbanded when Coleman A. Young became Mayor.
Jack was slight in stature but huge in character. Jack was a real old time gunsmith, could fix anything and had parts for just about any gun made. I don't think he threw anything out. With Hamtramck being an onclave of Detroit, we saw a hell of a lot of different guns come through his shop. Jack was always buying police auction guns for parts. It was there that you could handle anything from a 20ga Auto Burglar to Colt 1st Generation SAs.
Always a pot of coffee going in the corner, just the other side of that electrically tripped double barrel, which by the way was a prop that he put there after his knuckle was blown off in a robbery attempt on his shop. Street wise people would notice it right off the bat and it probably deterred alot of problems. After the robbery, Jack nailed up holsters all around the shop behind the counters and stuffed them with cocked and locked 45s. I have one of those guns still. As a matter of fact it was the one stuffed in the holster by the coffee pot.
Jack was survived by his son, Rob Roy who was a principal of Rochester High School back in the 70s.
Good god, I could go on and on. Your post really brought back some memories. I would love to hear about that gun that was shipped to Jack and see a picture of it. Small world isn't it?
Jack opened his shop in the late 30s or early 40s. Jack made his "seed money" to open it by bringing Canadian Whiskey across the Detroit River during prohibition. Every second home in Detroit and Hamtramck back then either made or sold booze so the only people who looked at this cross eyed were the feds. Different times.
Jack's shop would be hard to duplicate today. Zoning ordinances would have done him in. This was before the EPA, OSHA and all the other agencys existed. He was, as mentioned, right across the street from Hamtramck High School. He had a test range downstairs that ran under his yard. Ammo performance was sometimes tested on a stray cat or two. The shop itself was in the basement of his residence. The unorganized look to his shop was a facade, Jack knew where things were and he had alot of guns and parts stashed away that people would die for today. If you got to know Jack well enough that he trusted you, he'd let you come behind the counter and hang out. This was a dream come true for a young man like myself.
I started hanging around there and met guys like Tom Webster, (a Detroit Police Reservist), Poopsie, The Hill Billy and many other colorful characters.
Probably one of the reasons I was drawn into police work was through meeting some of the Hamtramck Police Officers and Detroit "Stress Cops" when they came in to get more ammo. (Read that last sentence again)
"Stress" was the Detroit Police Decoy Operations unit acronym for , "Stop The Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets". The unit was too successful at a time of racial tensions and was disbanded when Coleman A. Young became Mayor.
Jack was slight in stature but huge in character. Jack was a real old time gunsmith, could fix anything and had parts for just about any gun made. I don't think he threw anything out. With Hamtramck being an onclave of Detroit, we saw a hell of a lot of different guns come through his shop. Jack was always buying police auction guns for parts. It was there that you could handle anything from a 20ga Auto Burglar to Colt 1st Generation SAs.
Always a pot of coffee going in the corner, just the other side of that electrically tripped double barrel, which by the way was a prop that he put there after his knuckle was blown off in a robbery attempt on his shop. Street wise people would notice it right off the bat and it probably deterred alot of problems. After the robbery, Jack nailed up holsters all around the shop behind the counters and stuffed them with cocked and locked 45s. I have one of those guns still. As a matter of fact it was the one stuffed in the holster by the coffee pot.
Jack was survived by his son, Rob Roy who was a principal of Rochester High School back in the 70s.
Good god, I could go on and on. Your post really brought back some memories. I would love to hear about that gun that was shipped to Jack and see a picture of it. Small world isn't it?
The other posters here know far more than I know about his shop, however I do have a gun that must have been sold by him. It shipped to Williams Gun Sight Co. in Davidson, MI in October 1959, and it has this cleanig rag you can see in the pictures with it.
From that I presume it was sold by his shop. It's a 4 screw Model 27.
From that I presume it was sold by his shop. It's a 4 screw Model 27.
Wow! This is the "best" post I've ever initiated. I truly appreciate the stories of Jack Roy. They paint the story of a man we probably all wish we'd grown up around, let alone purchased a gun from. I'm glad mine traced to him!
Moosedog: I'd posted a picture of my "May 4th, 1959 SAA 2nd Gen. Nickel Colt .45 w/4 3/4" in the box" a month or two ago. When I return from Dallas, I'll add the link. It's value increased in-measurably to me since reading your comments. Thank you very much!.
Mr. 230grfmj: If ever you wanted to part with that Model 27 - let me know a price! I love that gun rag! (ok and your .357!)
Moosedog: I'd posted a picture of my "May 4th, 1959 SAA 2nd Gen. Nickel Colt .45 w/4 3/4" in the box" a month or two ago. When I return from Dallas, I'll add the link. It's value increased in-measurably to me since reading your comments. Thank you very much!.
Mr. 230grfmj: If ever you wanted to part with that Model 27 - let me know a price! I love that gun rag! (ok and your .357!)
whitecoyote
Member
Jack Roy's Gun Shop
2446 Hewitt St.
Hamtramck, MI 48212
The building (house) is still there.
2446 Hewitt St.
Hamtramck, MI 48212
The building (house) is still there.
girvin02
Member
Very interesting stories. Thanks for sharing.
whitecoyote
Member
Pre-64,
My pleasure.
Very interesting thread.
We need moosedog to tell more stories about Jack Roy's Gun Shop. I think he's holding out.
Maybe someone out there has interior, or exterior pictures of Jack Roy's Gun Shop. Now that would be cool!
My pleasure.
Very interesting thread.
We need moosedog to tell more stories about Jack Roy's Gun Shop. I think he's holding out.
Maybe someone out there has interior, or exterior pictures of Jack Roy's Gun Shop. Now that would be cool!
This is a great subject thread, having grown up in "Warrendale" Detroit....I remember "STRESS" well and H Rap Brown, who could forget...
was sorry to see it disbanded.
I knew several of the old "Big 4" squads that patrolled Detroit always ready for some action and loved those big 4 door Buick Century's they drove around in...man those were the days...
67 riots that started in a blind pig on 12th street anyone remember those...?
Talk about some stories...wow.
Lotta history in Detroit, good and bad.
Moosedog, thanks for the history on the gun store...
was sorry to see it disbanded.
I knew several of the old "Big 4" squads that patrolled Detroit always ready for some action and loved those big 4 door Buick Century's they drove around in...man those were the days...
67 riots that started in a blind pig on 12th street anyone remember those...?
Talk about some stories...wow.
Lotta history in Detroit, good and bad.
Moosedog, thanks for the history on the gun store...
DrDremel
Member
Well being born in 1970 I naver had the chance to go here but grew up going to shops like this with my dad. I miss the old time gun shops as they seel to be dying around here and not being replaced with new ones. It is not the same going to Bass Pro Shop, Dunhams, or Gander Mountain.
Bob D
US Veteran
Great posts, thanks guys.
whitecoyote
Member
Pre-64,
Found the link for you.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5301039...661022013#2661022013
Found the link for you.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5301039...661022013#2661022013
animalmother
Member
Thanks for sharing the pics of the 4-screw Model 27. Love seeing things like that.
whitecoyote
Member
I had an hour to spare today.
So I got out the GPS, plugged in 2446 Hewitt St., Hamtramck,MI 48212, and went on a road trip.
This is what I found.
Enjoy.
So I got out the GPS, plugged in 2446 Hewitt St., Hamtramck,MI 48212, and went on a road trip.
This is what I found.
Enjoy.
