NASA Bodyguard form 1962!
- Thread starter blockislander
- Start date
OP
blockislander
Member
here's a quote from my friend on the Colt Forum
"Having worked for NASA for almost 30 years, I know they would never let one
of those guns 'escape' from their clutches. It must have been one that was lost
or maybe they allowed a very special senior person to keep it as a retirement
gift. This may well be the only one that ever got away from NASA! That would
make it rarer than even a Colt Aircrewman."
"Having worked for NASA for almost 30 years, I know they would never let one
of those guns 'escape' from their clutches. It must have been one that was lost
or maybe they allowed a very special senior person to keep it as a retirement
gift. This may well be the only one that ever got away from NASA! That would
make it rarer than even a Colt Aircrewman."
kwill1911
Member
Yes, I agree these were most probably guard guns. There are also a few MT Woodsman pistols around that are crudely marked NASA. They were probably for recreational purposes. There was a time when some of the NASA sites had employee gun clubs.
OP
blockislander
Member
The badge is extremely rare as they are numbered and were closely accounted for also.
That badge is one of the coolest I've ever seen.
OP
blockislander
Member
Right out of STAR TRECK!
Very coooooooool ..........
Got to say the "badge" made me chuckle..........reminds me of the Enterprise Communicator badges......
Remember....................
a "Red Shirt" on a Enterprise landing party had about a 1 in 10 chance of making it back to the Ship alive !!!!!!!!!
Got to say the "badge" made me chuckle..........reminds me of the Enterprise Communicator badges......
Remember....................
a "Red Shirt" on a Enterprise landing party had about a 1 in 10 chance of making it back to the Ship alive !!!!!!!!!
Of all the cool guns people show off on here - this is the very best. Out of all the registered magnums, historic guns and whatever else, this is the one I'd want to own.
Congratulations on the score of the century!
Congratulations on the score of the century!
glock_556
Member
WOW, awesome pieces
.455_Hunter
Member
My Dad did some critical engineering work on the Atlas out at General Dynamics in San Diego in the '58 - '62 time frame. The whole team was really rather shocked that all of the Mercury astronauts made it home safety given the track record of the boosters.
Great mementos from that era!
Great mementos from that era!
AMEN! The Bodyguard is my favorite as well. I would really suck as a "Collector", because I'd be shooting and carrying that beauty! (Of course I'm sure I couldn't afford it anyways)
Absolutely Gorgeous Handgun! Congratulations!!! And thanks for sharing them.
I was 10 when they shipped it to NASA too!
S&WIowegan
US Veteran
Back in the last half of the 1960s, I lived in Maryland and worked with a young man whose father was Director of Security for NASA at that time. I met him on one occasion. He was a former FBI agent who had transferred to NASA. Your gun is in such apparent pristine condition I doubt it was carried daily by an armed guard. It was probably issued to a senior person, perhaps the Director of Security. Such a person would probably have been able to keep his gun when he retired.
OP
blockislander
Member
Senior NASA Member's gun
That is an interesting point. It probably was a senior's person's gun.
That is an interesting point. It probably was a senior's person's gun.
Did you get any period correct ammo with it?
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
What a treasure. Need I ask if you've shot it?
'62 the year we launched Telstar!
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D6DmtPQv7V8[/ame]
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D6DmtPQv7V8[/ame]
The badge, being from Marshall Space Center also is interesting. That's where Werner Von Braum and some of the other Nazi scientists and engineers worked. They came to the U.S. in operation paperclip.
S&W SS Revolvers
Member
WOW. Ya'll share the BEST stuff here!! Yup I remember the B&W TV's at school showing the lunar landing and the Huntley - Brinkley nightly news regarding Viet Nam. I was addicted to the stuff. My uncle Ricky was in the CB's and mom sent him baked goods and he sent me momentos that have long disappeared with multi state moves.
The USA was so proud and wonderful in those days of old. The 60's were the days beginning the change for today. Some good...mostly not so much. Hmmm...
The USA was so proud and wonderful in those days of old. The 60's were the days beginning the change for today. Some good...mostly not so much. Hmmm...
dpast32
Member
WOW, That's an AWESOME Find !!
Many THANKS for sharing this with us, it's truly a unique piece. I too love US Govt., Federal L/E issue handguns, along with a few longarms if they fit into the overall mix. Although they do prove a very interesting research progect, they don't appear on the market much anymore. I still lament not grabbing a few of the 1980's era Model 686/CS, as mfg'd on contract for US Customs Agents & Officers. The last unusual M-49's I recall, were the MI State Police, 2 Tone, & a Saudi Arabian contract piece, complete w/ Saudi crest on it's side-plate. YOUR example though is an extremely rare, perhaps 1 of just a very few still available. BTW, as for the holster, I used to come across these all the time when browsing through the used holster bin at my local L/E supply & gun shop. I still use one with my alloy M-642 "LS" when I feel that gun's appropriate for what I'll be doing or going. THANKS again for sharing.
Best, dpast32
Many THANKS for sharing this with us, it's truly a unique piece. I too love US Govt., Federal L/E issue handguns, along with a few longarms if they fit into the overall mix. Although they do prove a very interesting research progect, they don't appear on the market much anymore. I still lament not grabbing a few of the 1980's era Model 686/CS, as mfg'd on contract for US Customs Agents & Officers. The last unusual M-49's I recall, were the MI State Police, 2 Tone, & a Saudi Arabian contract piece, complete w/ Saudi crest on it's side-plate. YOUR example though is an extremely rare, perhaps 1 of just a very few still available. BTW, as for the holster, I used to come across these all the time when browsing through the used holster bin at my local L/E supply & gun shop. I still use one with my alloy M-642 "LS" when I feel that gun's appropriate for what I'll be doing or going. THANKS again for sharing.
Best, dpast32
H P Bushrod
Absent Comrade
Nice! Thanks for sharing the pics and info on that historic piece.
So were the astronauts....
They were as surprised as anybody. They knew the reputation of the Atlas.
Though the Redstone wasn't enough to get anybody into orbit, it was a safe, reliable rocket.
They were as surprised as anybody. They knew the reputation of the Atlas.
Though the Redstone wasn't enough to get anybody into orbit, it was a safe, reliable rocket.
G-men...
NASA Interplanetary Rangers. Very elite outfit.
"OK, Zork. Just guide that ship back to earth REAL slow....and no funny business!"
NASA Interplanetary Rangers. Very elite outfit.
"OK, Zork. Just guide that ship back to earth REAL slow....and no funny business!"
OP
blockislander
Member
I did not shoot this one and probably won't as everyone here seems to like it a lot!
OP
blockislander
Member
This is a very interesting gun. Let's bump it up for a second look.
OP
blockislander
Member
Let me know what you think of it.
They can put folks out into space but don't have sense enough to not use one of those god-awful engraving pencils on that magnificent revolver!
But what a great thread and package. Thank you so much for posting. That package needs to be in a museum display somewhere.
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