Tie in Question about Military Colt Pistols

perry shooter

January 01, 2015 08:19

There is currently a question about a walker colt on this forum . I wish I had one but don't. However I do have a First government contract model 1873 Ainsworth proofed My question is at any time Did or does the U.S. military keep records of the serial number of a small arms issue to what soldier. It seems to me they must have at a company level at least. But did these records go to Div. level[?] or national level.[?] My reason for asking is Take a 03 Springfield or Civil war vintage pistol or rifle. Does the CMP /DCM keep records of what serial number as surplus or just the type with no regard of serial number small arm they sell[?]. In other words a WWII brings one home or for that matter in today's world a U.S. Army soldier is wounded and his firearm is left behind a year passes and a bad guy is killed using that military Pistol or rifle you as a private U.S.
citizen working in the middle east picks up the firearm . WHAT is the legal status of this firearm [?][?]

EDIT Thanks NMEYERS That is the exact type of information I was looking for I was just wondering if a weapon was "FOUND" or sold to a civilian if the military could track by serial number if they had no knowledge of what company originally had the item. I know it is a long long shot to even find what unit a 1874 shipped Colt model 1973 was Shipped to from Springfield Armory

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  rufe-snow

  January 01, 2015 09:33

  As far as I know the regs on souvenir firearms have been changed. Since the W W II/Korean and Viet Nam eras. Nothing modern, can be legally brought back to the States by G.I.'s Only old, antique, BP firearms.
  
  The folks who do have modern firearms, brought back in recent years. Are pretty close mouthed about them, if they have any smarts. As they are illegal contraband, that have been smuggled back into the States.

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  charliemeyer007

  January 01, 2015 09:43

  I got to shoot a reproduction that was made before reproductions were a thing. Stu Brainard and Clearance Bates made up about 57 Walker's out of the planed 100. The 2 of Stu's I got to shoot were completed 10 years apart. They had a letter from the NRA acknowledging their plans to make authentic copies for the purpose of having shooting big horse pistols not fakes for fraud.
  
  The pistols were truly works of art. His 45-70 revolver shared the same brass trigger guard.

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  nmyers

  January 01, 2015 14:26

  First, "war trophy" or "bring back" guns were restricted to those made by foreign countries; US issued firearms were never authorized to be taken home by any member of the military, including field grade officers. (Field grade officers were allowed to purchase their side arms, in some cases.) I'm not saying that soldiers never brought US issue firearms home; when they did, it was felony theft of US property, & those caught were usually incarcerated at Ft Leavenworth.
  
  When I worked as NCOIC of an Army field hospital, one of my jobs was to confiscate & lock up any firearm that came with a patient, for the safety of my people. If the soldier was able to walk out after treatment, he could take his firearm; if he had to be evacuated, I held it until it was picked up by someone from his company.
  
  Certainly records were kept at the field level of who was issued what SN rifle/pistol; nothing at a higher level, other than gross numbers was ever maintained. DCM was only an office in Washington DC that approved the sale of rifles & handguns; when a request was approved, the gun was shipped directly to the buyer from a US arsenal. CMP has records of rifles that they sold, as well as rifles that were loaned to veterans organizations.
  
  DOD has records of M14's, M16's, M4's, M9's, etc, & any civilian caught with a US Property firearm can expect to do some explaining. Most older rifles & handguns can be owned without problem, since so many were lost, sold, or given away by the government.
  
  Neal

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