$75,000.00 Colt

[Dick Dastardly]

This 73 Colt 45 sold for $75,000.00.  It belonged to General George Patton.  I wonder if it ever saw any black powder?

DD-MDA

[St. George]

In 1928?

That's when he supposedly got it.

Scouts Out!

[Bruce W Sims]

But this wasn't the one he carried in WW II...or was it?

I know he carried a small automatic as a belly-gun, but I'm talking about the pistol he
holstered?  Anyone?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Forty Rod]

With Franzite grips?

[Cuts Crooked]

But this wasn't the one he carried in WW II...or was it?

I know he carried a small automatic as a belly-gun, but I'm talking about the pistol he
holstered?  Anyone?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

No, that gun with it's ivory grips, is in his museum. The gun that sold recently is one he owned until he died.

[Major 2]

The SAA most often seen in WWII photos is the Ivory griped with GSP engraved in them .
early on he had 2 matched SAA's , later the second revolver was 357 S&W also with ivory grip with GSP.

The pocket auto was a Colt Pocket Model

[Bruce W Sims]

R and thanks...

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Don Kenna]

In answer to Dick Dastardly's original question, it very likely did fire some black powder rounds--perhaps even primarily black powder rounds.

Just because smokeless powder became available in the early to mid-1890s doesn't mean that black powder went away.  Its appearance meant only that black powder was no longer the best available propellant for military use.  Factory loaded black powder ammunition for nearly all of the cartridges originally designed for it remained available for many years.  For example, the 1930 Winchester arms and ammunition catalog lists both black powder and smokeless powder factory cartridges for the .45 Colt, and virtually all the other older cartridges.  The various Ideal Handbooks contained information about loading black powder cartridges as well as the smokeless variety at least through the 1920s.  I've been told that black powder factory ammunition remained available and listed in various catalogues until the beginning of World War II (1939-1940).  Winchester was still selling black powder loaded .22 rimfire ammunition as late as 1949             

 

[The Pathfinder]

I notice he had a penchant for lanyard rings on his Colts. Any idea on the year it was made, Dick?

[Bruce W Sims]

I notice he had a penchant for lanyard rings on his Colts. Any idea on the year it was made, Dick?

He was very much an old cavalry soldier before taking on Tanks in WW I. Maybe the idea of a lanyard
on his pistol went back to that. Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Dick Dastardly]

The article didn't state the date of manufacture but Patton bought the gun in 1928 according to the article.  I think that if I paid $75,000.00 for a gun I'd want the provenance.

DD-MDA

P.S.  Thanks for the response on the ammo available at the time.  Since the gun shows no corrosion, General Patton must have taken good care of it.