|
Colt/NAC5 has no ground numbers or symbols. The receiver
markings are all as Colt did them except for the rounding done by
polishing for bluing. It is not a complete Colt finished gun.
As we know, the Auto-Ordnance assets changed hands
several times. In 1949 Maguire sold all the known assets to Kilgore who
then sold to F.A.Willis. In 1951 Willis sold the whole package to
Numrich. It has been said that no one
ever looked in the cases during any of these exchanges. Numrich acquired
and promptly registered the guns found in the cases. This created a
regulatory firestorm. |
| The Numrich records show the following on an inventory
index card Thompson 1921 .45 NAC acquired from Fred A. Willis, 1
December 1951. That same card then shows the gun sold to the Virginia
State Police on 5 June 1953. Then the Virginia State Police sold it to
Curtis Earl on 3 September 1974. I acquired the gun on 14 October 1981.
The Numrich data is on a copy of the inventory card. I do not have a
copy of any transfer/tax document. The Numrich information was obtained
for me by a friend from either George Numrich or Ira Trast during the
1980s. The later data was provided by Curtis Earl.
So what do we have here? Helmer on page 206 says 86 complete
guns were in the crates Numrich obtained and subsequently registered.
Cox states on page 3 in his book that 200 guns were present. What we do
not know is how many of these guns were really complete and how many
were finished receivers. We only know that the government settled for
$12,000.00 when the whole batch was registered. In any event, maybe it
was 86 and maybe it was 200 and what does complete mean in this context.
Were there any "complete" Colt guns? On the face of what I have seen,
no. This whole business is somewhat confused by the Colt s/n 7886 item
in TCN 145. I will comment on this shortly.
Colt / NAC 5 Model 1921 A Thompson Submachine Gun
Receiver: Colt 1922 Patent dates, reblued, no grinding/welding
standard marks except s/n.
Frame: Late Colt marks or same as Savage, no maker marks, no
grinds/welds, reblued.
Stock: Colt Remington s/n 507 with anchor mark.
Vertical foregrip and pistol grip: Decent condition, uncertain wood type
or manufacture.
Blish Lock: Savage
Bolt: Savage’ not bright
Rear sight: Lyman adjustable
Attaching rivets: not blued either side. |
