Patton's Colt SAA

[Jack Flash]

Just a little note about the stocks ...

I saw this on YouTube. It's an interview with his Jeep driver and pretty darn interesting.

But to the point of this thread, see about the 10 or 11 minute mark. The elderly veteran calls them "pearl". I always thought they were ivory. Suprisingly, this gentleman said they were made by a GI of plastic!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq8F95LrHD4[/ame]

 

[kwill1911]

He's wrong about the grips on the SAA. They were ivory. However, Patton's GO pistol (a Colt M1908) did have grips made of plastic with his initials inlaid on one side and stars on the other side.

 

[UncleEd]

Wouldn't surprise me that the
grips the driver saw were
"plastic." But they may have
been his "knock around"
stocks. And he also had the
real deal ivory after he got the gun
in the Pershing Mexican campaign.

Ah, showmanship!

 

[Jack Flash]

Kevin, do you have a link or source for that information?

I had always heard they were ivory. I would think the gentleman in the interview would know, but we all know (many of us firsthand) how badly memory can degrade over time.

So I have no dog in the fight. Just thought the entire interview was interesting, and that the story about the stocks would interest people here.

 

[kwill1911]

• D’Este, Carlo, Patton: A Genius for War, Harper Perennial, 1996.
• Patton, George S., War As I Knew It, Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
• Perry, Milton F. and Parke, Barbara W., Patton and His Pistols, Stackpole, 1957.
• Lemon, Charles R., The Patton Pistols, U.S. Army, 2013.
• Green, Michael and Gladys, Weapons of Patton’s Armies, MBI Publishing, 2000.
• Rodgers, Russ, Historic Photos of General George Patton, Turner Publishing, 2007.
• Hymel, Kevin M., Patton’s Photographs, War As He Saw It, Potomac Books, 2006.
• “Patton’s Peacemaker,” Ronald A. Ogan, American Rifleman, May, 1986.
• “Patton: Guns Made Him Great,” Whit Collins, Guns & Ammo, August, 1971.
• “Guns of General Patton,” Charles M. Province, Guns Magazine, December, 1986.
• “Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. Olympic Competitor,” John J. Grubar, Man at Arms, Number 3, 1995.
• “Handguns of the Generals,” Massad Ayoob, Guns Magazine, August, 2003. (Several errors)

 

[Jack Flash]

I thought there may be a record in Colt's archives (something comparable to S&W's shipping date / configuration records). Seems like I heard all that stuff burned up in a fire (?)

 

[lestert357]

Patton’s 4 3/4” engraved and Ivory handled Single Action Army dates to 1916; Colt’s missing Single Action records are from the 1930’s.

 

[kwill1911]

Is there another pair of handguns so researched and discussed? They've been on display for decades, first at West Point and then Ft. Knox. And yet, there is still lots of speculation and misconception about the Colt SAA and S&W Magnum that Patton bought for himself and carried on a regular basis. The Colt shipped to Shelton-Payne Arms Co. of El Paso, TX where Patton bought it. The ivory grips with a carved eagle on the left grip came from Colt. The inlaid "GSP" on the right grip and the engraving was done at Shelton-Payne. Patton also bought his holster and other leather gear at S-P.

 

[max503]

"Only a pimp from New Orleans would have pearl grips." (Or something like that) - Patton.

 

[jimbo728]

Gen Patton had class and good taste in handguns.
Jim

 

[lestert357]

This thread needs at least one picture of General Patton wearing his Colt SAA; this one taken from the YouTube video clip above…….

 

[Sistema1927]

I have seen both his SAA and his .357 (Registered Magnum?) at Ft. Knox. Both were wearing Ivory stocks.

 

[M29since14]

I have seen both his SAA and his .357 (Registered Magnum?) at Ft. Knox. Both were wearing Ivory stocks.

Ditto. I have also been in the research library at Fort Knox and seen many photos of Gen. Patton with his two most notable revolvers. I don’t recall seeing them in any condition other than as displayed. There are also photos of him with three or four other weapons (IIRC) - a PP, a Detective Special, a Colt 1903, and a Savage pocket pistol come to mind.

There have, over the years, been “rumors” that Gen. Patton would wear his revolvers only when he thought the press might be around, and that, when out in the field, he actually carried an issue 1911 in standard issue holster and web belt, and a Thompson. While I do recall seeing pictures of him with Thompsons nearby, I never saw a photo of him actually holding one, nor did any of the photos (Signal Corps photos) show him wearing a 1911, that I recall. But as with anything else, I suppose anything is possible.

I don’t believe Patton’s signature revolvers changed from the time he left for the North African invasion until his death in December, 1945. I saw the interview and I believe it might have been edited in such away that the gentleman’s remarks inadvertently caused confusion, or maybe his memory had simply failed him.

 

[kwill1911]

 

[M29since14]

Kevin… do you know where and when the 1911 photos were taken? They appear to be here in the U.S. (war games in the south) with all the civilians around. I have never seen a photo of Gen. Patton wearing a 1911 in Africa or Europe, but like the old gentleman, my memory can fail me, too. Thanks for those pics.

 

[kwill1911]

The B&W ones, e.g. the last one with Mark Clark, were taken during the Louisiana maneuvers.

 

[M29since14]

Who is the man in the pithe helmet? (Second photo.)

 

[kwill1911]

Secretary of War Henry Stimson

 

[M29since14]

Ah, yes. That makes sense. Thank you!

 

[John Stimson]

Secretary of War Stimson had a large influence in Patton keeping his job afterh the Italy slapping. President Roosevelt, General Marshall, and the majority of Roosevelt's cabinet wanted Patton gone. Eisenhower asked Stimson to keep Patton. Stimson appealed directly to Roosevelt with a persuasive argument.

Patton had been Stimson's aid when Stimson was Secretary of War under President Taft and Stimson Knew Patton very well.